The Travels of Tel's Tin Tent.

Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules

I was not clear. It looks like the American flag and its pole are taller than the others on the furthest corner on the right of the picture placing it above/higher than the Union Jack on the closest (to the camera) corner to the right. Or is my perspective off
 
Thanks Andy.
Another sunny morning, and getting ready to pack up and set off in about an hour or so.
Wind has changed, and aircraft landing are right over the edge of the campsite - might be able to grab a pic or two before I depart, although there's only been an early morning arrival so far.
 
Home safely, after a trouble-free four and a half hour drive in sunny weather - surely this can't be England ... in September ?!!!
I'll start editing the "proper" pics tomorrow, and post the first lot over the next few days, before I set off again, this time for the BoB airshow at Duxford, next weekend.
Thanks for your interest and comments, and I'll be back .......................
 
Now that I'm home, and editing the photos from the Nikon cameras, I can provide a more detailed description of my latest Travels in the Tin Tent.

The map below shows Macclesfield (the red spot), where I set out from on Saturday, 31st August, driving to the beautiful campsite at Scole, two miles east of Diss, in Norfolk, indicated by the base of the 'map pin', with the blue rectangle showing the approximate area covered during my wander through Norfolk and Suffolk..
As mentioned at the beginning of this tale, what should have been just over four hours of driving took seven hours, due to the main A14 Trunk road being closed between Huntingdon and Cambridge, resulting in a long, tedious diversion, in stop - start traffic.
Consequently, I missed calling in at Bottisham to see the guys there, as it was way past closing time by the time I got anywhere near the place - I also missed calling on the return journey, due o the new road extensions being built in the area.
As a result of the long drive, and some rather painful clutch work for over two hours, I was far too stiff and sore to go anywhere on Sunday, and therefore missed out on visiting the control tower museum at Seething, and the airfield site at Tibbenham.
After a couple of days rest however, I ventured out to Thorpe Abbotts on Wednesday, as the museum site there would be open, and had a very pleasant few hours, wandering around the buildings and chatting to some of the volunteer staff.

The next couple of post will show the museum site, some of the exhibits, and those parts of the former airfield still visible, but meanwhile, the pics below showing the airfield wartime layout, the site as it is today, and some general information about the airfield (courtesy of the museum guide pamphlet) should help to set the scene.


 
The airfield at Thorpe Abbotts, Station 139, is located approximately four miles east of Diss, in the south of Norfolk, and was home to the 100th Bomb Group (Heavy) of the 3rd Air Division, 8th USAAF - the "Bloody 100th", as it came to be known, after early heavy losses, who took it over from the RAF in April 1943.
The Americans moved out in late 1945, and the base stood quiet, although still under RAF control, until it officially closed in April 1956.
With the land returned to agriculture, the remaining buildings started to fall into disrepair, and the effects of nature took over, with many buildings overgrown.
Major demolition of the runways, perimeter track and dispersal points began in the late 1970's, and it was about this time when a local man, Mike Harvey, had the idea to try to preserve something, as a reminder of what happened here during World War 2.
A 999 year lease was obtained from the land owner in 1977, when a group of enthusiasts then began renovating the control tower and collecting suitable exhibits.
The 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum opened in May 1981, and since then, other buildings have been renovated, with the main building, The Varian Center, being a Nissen hut rescued form another base, and erected around the remains of the original building, and the Engine House and Sad Sack Shack receiving similar treatment.

The pics below show a general view of the site, with the interior of the Varian center and some of the exhibits.
More to come soon .....................


 
Thanks chaps.

Continuing with the tour of Thorpe Abbotts, and some of the exhibits in the Varian Center, and moving on to the center piece, the control tower.

Pic 1. A fine print of B-17F, "Squawking' Hawk" taking off at Thorpe Abbotts.
Pic 2. One of the many WW2 recognition models, hanging from the ceiling.
Pic 3. A nice, large scale B-17 model of a 100th BG aircraft.
Pic 4. Laid into the lawn outside the Nissen hut.
Pic 5. The Varian Center Nissen hut from the south end. looking towards the entrance road.
Pics 6 to 9. The control tower, showing the high standard of preservation and restoration.
Pic 10. One of the Memorial plaques, set into the rear wall of the tower.

Back tomorrow with more coverage of Thorpe Abbotts.


 
Moving into the beautifully restored control tower. Considering that this building was derelict, the volunteer team at the Museum have done a fantastic job of preservation and restoration.
Starting in the entrance corridor, the following pics show some of the extremely well presented exhibits on the ground floor.
The display of the 100th Refueling Wing was arranged by the descendants of the 100th Bomb Group, based at Mildenhall, and some of their present day activities will be shown later in this thread.
Lots more still to come from Thorpe Abbotts.


 
Thanks chaps !
More of the ground floor exhibits, before moving up the steep stairs to the first floor displays, and the outside balcony.
Note that the colours on the walls are typical of Government and Military buildings of the period, and were still in use right up to at least the early 1970's.
The aerial photo of the airfield is a crop from one of my pics of the large photo on display in the tower, and the North arrow was added by me.


 
On to the first floor, with some of the exhibits and general views of the rooms.

Pic 1. Nose art in the stair well.
Pics 2 to 5. A nice 1/48th scale diorama, featuring B-17G 'Super Rabbit'.
Pic 6. A fine collection of genuine A-2 Flight Jackets from 100th BG aircrew.
Pics 7 to 9. Views of the front room, overlooking the airfield. This would have been the main 'watch office' and control room, the local radio communication being carried out from the 'radio shack' on the roof, shown later. The door leading to the balcony can just be seen at the left.
Pic 10. Uniform jacket and saxophone of Sgt. Irvin Waterbury, HQ and 350th Communications Sqn., who played in the 100th BG band, the 'Century Bombers;.

Still more to come ...................


 

Users who are viewing this thread