RAF Elvington - A Pictorial Tour.

More excellent material sir! Never realized just how large the Lanc and Halifax are.

Great info re the Nissen huts Terry. I also remember seeing ex military buildings in NZ and Oz with cream interiors. One pillbox had said Cream interior with a 1 cm (approx.) Dark Brown or Green cheat line running round the interior at about chest height. (photos back in Pécs unfortunately)

Which Nissen hut kit is that btw? Flightpath 1:72?

Airframes said:

It's OK chaps, I'm buying Karl a new mirror for his Birthday!

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"Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fai"…………………………………………………………………………DAMN!!!!.................that's another mirror broken!!

Great pictures as well Terry, particulaly the mini wheel, once had a billy cart made with some of these!!!!!

Airframes:

...I'll be posting pics later showing typical airmens accommodation, which might help.

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Thanks Terry - very helpful. I'm planning to make the kit up as crew accommodation so the extra info will be very welcome.

A4K:

Which Nissen hut kit is that btw? Flightpath 1:72?

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Yes A4K, it's a David J Parkins Flightpath kit, 1:48 scale (or 1:72 if you follow the alernative measurements given). A very accurate and well thought out etched brass kit with all the associated bits needed and spares which is very thoughtful. The great thing about the kit (which you no doubt know) are the options such as a front entrance porch, entrance ends with or without windows, nine or eight pane window style choices, etc, which allow for many options on the type of hut to build.

Of course it would be nice to have a go at the Control Tower kit but the price is considerably more. There's even an interior kit provided to attain diorama delectation. (The dio size would have to be pretty big too once a plane is included).

Cool mate, thanks! I wasn't aware of the options actually, have just noticed the fret at an LHS and was considering getting it. Sounds like it's worth it from your description

Evan, if you want Nissen huts in 1/72nd scale, a cheaper option id the Italeri kit, which has two huts and a couple of accessories. I've seen the Flightpath 1/48th control tower, and it's very good, but expensive. Can't understand why the whole kit is in PE - the main parts could be plastic or even stiff card. The interior can hardly be seen. so could be scratch-built easily.

Cheers Terry, will look into that!

Airframes said:

...I've seen the Flightpath 1/48th control tower, and it's very good, but expensive...The interior can hardly be seen. so could be scratch-built easily.

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Good to know about the interior Terry. Thanks for that.

Airframes said:

I'll be posting pics later showing typical airmens accommodation, which might help.

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Terry, do you have time to post any accommodation pics? No bother if you're busy though. I've gone for the grey factory coating look for the interior - only slightly lighter than dark grey so that things like my stove (first scatch build), and maybe other bits inside, will show up. The natural colour comes up in the few interior air crew accommodation photo's I've found on the web. Not sure what the interior end walls would be - plain concrete maybe or a colour?

I'll post some tomorrow night. The colour was nearer Medium Sea Grey, maybe a touch darker. End walls were normally brick, either 'whitewashed' or the same grey, sometimes just bare brick. Some later buildings had 'breeze block' end walls.

Brill, thanks very much. I'll get the colour sorted out too.

No problem - the pics are in this next set.
I still have a number of aircraft photos to post, but, as I'm returning to the Museum tomorrow, and the weather forecast is good (surely can't be worse than last month's visit!), I'll hold off in the hope that better shots can be obtained tomorrow.
Meanwhile, continuing with some of the other areas on this WW2 site, we visit the re-creation of the French Officer's Mess, and the contrast with the 'Erks' accommodation, along with some of the vehicles on display.
PICS 1 and 2. The main room of the French Officer's Mess, although smaller for the exhibition, is as it was in 1944, when 346 (Guyenne) Squadron, and 347 (Tunisie) Squadron, both equipped with the Halifax, were based here. The furniture and fittings are all authentic, and the two paintings were done by a member of one of the Squadrons based at Elvington during the war. I have to admit, the recorded commentary, and the scene as viewed, brought a touch of hilarity to our wet day, but it is still an impressive re-creation nonetheless.
PICS 3 to 5. Contrast the almost opulent surroundings of the Officer's Mess with the very basic accommodation for airmen and other ranks! This is a typical Nissen hut interior, with draughty, unlined walls, bare concrete floors, and one tiny, not very effective stove for heating. There were no 'en-suite' facilities, and personnel would have to walk some distance to a separate 'ablutions' block, where they could 'enjoy' a cold wash and shave! The beds are laid out for 'Kit Inspection', and the scene is not that different to some of the transit camps I have been on in the early 1970s!
PICS 6 and 7. A re-creation of part of the Station Vehicle Workshops. Note the red can, used to top-up the 'Goose Neck' flares shown previously.
PICS 8 and 9. Part of the Royal Observer Corps display, showing the reporting dug out, and one of the instruments used for measuring the height of incoming raids.
PIC 10. Among the various vehicles on display is this Chevrolet CMP 4x4 truck, the Canadian Military Pattern vehicle used extensively throughout the ETO, by the Army and the RAF.
PIC 11. A rather rain-soaked Commer Commando RAF Crew Bus, this one dating from 1947.
PIC 12. Chieftain Main Battle Tank, this one being an early version of what was once the World's most advanced MBT.
Thanks again for your continued interest, and I'll continue with the tour, hopefully with some more aircraft pics, on Thursday.

Great pics Terry, though that 'inspection order' bed pack is disgraceful! (The blankets in a bundle for non-military members)
As my mate commented when questioned about the state of his during an officers inspection, 'It rather resembles a limp p*nis, sir!'

Good shots Terry!

Thanks Evan and Hugh. Yes, that 'Blanket Box' is not as tidy as it could be, but the Uniform, No2 Dress, Men for the use of, and tin hat, no use to man nor beast, doesn't help things, being draped over the top!

Great shots Terry. Yup- must have been pretty bleak in those basic huts during winter. Stick up some more pin ups to warm up the place I guess.

That bed pack (pic 3) and layout would have had a 252 for certain and jankers for a week and the crew bus (pic 11) was the transport provided for my father, mum and I to take us into London from the airport when we were evacuated from Egypt, Christmas 1955. There was only the 3 of us on the bus.

How the 'ell did I miss this thread????? Great, great stuff Terry!! LOve it! And that B/W shot of the Spitty through the rain-soaked window is awesome!!!

Thanks very much indeed chaps. Thought some of those pics might bring back memories Vic !
Thanks Chris, although some of the aircraft at the museum are still awaiting restoration or re-painting, considering the limited funds available, and being in some senses an 'amateur' museum, as opposed to a publicly-funded 'national' museum, they are doing well. Personally, I think the preserved buildings and original wartime layout almost steal the show (with the exception of the Halifax of course), and really make a visit worthwhile - the possibilities for some 'atmospheric' photography are almost endless.
Our second visit, yesterday, was relatively brief, only having about three hours on site, as we had 'tagged on' to an organised coach trip by the Avro Heritage Society, but I managed to get another 150 or so shots, some showing the vast contrast in weather conditions (it was bl**dy hot yesterday - whoopee!), and quite a few showing some changes since our last visit, exactly one month ago. For example, the Mosquito now has both engines mounted, and some excellent detail shots were possible. I'll continue with the 'tour' just as soon as I've sorted the photos and matched them to the previous shots.

Beauty, looking forward to them Terry! Glad you had better weather this time too.