moody pics 2

[britfrog 180]

here are a few more, the beaufighter is circling the battle of britain memorial where my father is one of those commemorated , the airfield is Lasham wher I spent many a happy day when the kids were young, as there was a brilliant pub in the village where i could take the kids, have a pint or two then lie in the grass on the airfield and watch the gliders,, peaceful bliss!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brett 2,315]

Sounds like a nice place to bliss out.   Also I would like to give a  out to your Dad. "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”. Winston Churchill/ 20 August 1940

 

Nice pic's too, I like the pilot view looking down at the airfield.

[rosariomanzo 545]

Beautiful pics.

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Stunning shots Britfrog - nice to add a personal note to your flying

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

Nicely done, I know Lasham well as when I was in the scouts we used to spend weekends down there, "camping" in the old Avro York we used as a bunkhouse, In later years I went there several times with my Dad when he worked for Dunlop Aerospace, later still I landed there a few times when I was learning to fly. It was the graveyard of dozens of DH Comets, B707s and B727s as Dan Air had it's maintainence base there. It was very odd watching gliders landing one minute, and then a dirty great 707 landing a few minutes later! There is still an airliner maintainence base there to this day.

[mutley 4,498]

Ah memories of Lasham,

I remember watching the Dan Air aircraft, I used to go there as a kid watching my Brother in law flying the gliders.

Also Nigel, huge respect to your father, a hero in my eyes, you must be so proud of him.

Regards,

Joe

 

 

[britfrog 180]

That old avro york is now restored I believe at Duxford ! and the comet that was there and at blackbushe was bought by Richard Branson with the intent to get it airworthy but once again there was a problem with british airways so that fell on stony ground. the last time I was at Lasham an MK airlines DC8 landed.

Sadly now it is difficult to even get on the field there are security barriers blocking the roads and patrols as well . The publican sold up and created a Boar farm down in Devon (we still swop xmas cards) Many of my pub friends worked at the airfield.

There was also the big marshmellow, remember that ? it was a receiving station for spy satellites (remote sensing is the PC word for spying) any photo that wasnt good enough had to be put in an acid bath and destroyed.

 

Yeah Joe I am proud of my Dad he amassed 5000 hours during the war was shot down twice , demoted for burning down the officers mess at kenley after having shot down 2 germans just after "adler tag"(8th august) when they were heavily bombed, was shot up a few days later and had his knee cap blown off by a cannon shell, he managed to parachute out and land in Richnmond park this was with 615 squadron he had previously served with no1 squadron in France with the BEF (before Dunkirk) and when he returned to the UK he was seconded by douglas bader to train his canadians in 242 squadron. He had then finished a tour and went to south africa to train pilots  then volunteered for a second tour which he did in mosquitos and beaufighters with 256 sq based in Malta of all places, but they hunted shipping all around the italian and greek coast all the way to jugoslavia. he ended up a squadron leader. I guess you could say he did his bit? He is also mentioned on the memorial near the houses of parliament.

[mutley 4,498]

Nigel,

When you hear of accounts like that, it proves these noble aviators were brave heroes, a truly distinguished career, I hope he was suitably decorated.

 

Joe 

[britfrog 180]

I think he was Joe however he saw no value in "gongs" as they were called and as a young boy i was given them to play with and that was the end of them.