Duxford Battle of Britain airshow

[Crimea_River]

Frankly, I found it a bit difficult to "feel" the history out on the flight line during the show. All the booths with vendors selling cheap hardware and greasy burgers ruins it.

It was on the second day when the history filled my pores. I took my time to arrive early and wandered through and behind the hangars away from the crowds, visited the ops room and walked past the various barracks and dispersals and paused to reflect on the men and machines that filled these exact spaces those 70 years ago. That's when I felt it.

Tell me Terry, behind one of the hangars, there's a tower with open sides that resembles a bell tower but a rope hung over a block inside. Do yuou know what that was used for?

 

[Geedee]

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[Crimea_River]

Thanks Gary. I was disappointed with many of the shots taken with the Tamron lens my wife got with the camera. When I told my wife she said that she wasn't impressed with the lens either. Could have told me before!

Oh well, I guess I'll just need to come back....

 

[Gnomey]

Great shots!

 

[Airframes]

That's a great excuse to come back ! Anyway, if the tower you mention is the one I think it is, it's probably one of two things.
Either the hose tower for part of the station fire section, or the parachute drying /untangling tower, although that's normally on the end of the packing shed, if such a tower was used. I'd have to see which one you mean, and check it out. It might even be the remains of the station static water tank - virtually all RAF airfields had a water tower, often visible long before you got within reach of the airfield, and these were mainly steel girder affairs, but, on 'permanent' stations, built in the 'expansion period' of the '30s, they could be brick, concrete, and sometimes quite ornate structures.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Man, those pics are awesome!

That had to be incredible to have been there!

 

[Rocketeer]

great shots Andy! Glad you are home safely.
The tank bank was the place to go!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Tony. It was so wonderful coming back to our lovely summer - currently 9degC and raining. England was WARM!

Terry, here's a pic of that tower.

 

[rochie]

great pictures Andy

 

[Crimea_River]

Thank-you Karl

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Andy. I'm fairly sure that's the Fire Section hose drying tower, but I'll see what else I can find and let you know. When the fire hoses were made of rubberised canvas, they had to be hung up after use, to allow any excess moisture to drain, and keep the hoses, in lengths of around twenty and thirty feet I think, straight, to prevent cracking and splits etc.

 

[Crimea_River]

Makes sense. Thanks Terry.