The Travels of Tel's Tin Tent.

[Airframes]

One more addition that I've only just looked at closely.
This fuel bowser was driving around the airfield perimeter access road - by the expression on the driver's face, I think he must have thought I was pointing a weapon at him. ( I had the camera with the long lens mounted on my shoulder stock / pistol grip, which Karl has dubbed the 'Heckler and Koch' ).
The driver did glance my way again as he passed in front of me ................

 

[Crimea_River]

Excellent pics. The paranoia is well-captured.

 

[rochie]

excellent Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks all.
Setting off for Duxford in a couple of hours - back Tuesday.

 

[Gnomey]

Good stuff Terry!

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice stuff Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks, Hugh and Wayne.

Got a few more to add from Monday, when Karl and I visited the memorials at Fowlmere and Steeple Morden, and the Suttleworth Collection at Old Warden. I'll sort and post them soon .................

 

[vikingBerserker]

Awesome!

 

[mikewint]

Surprised that Ye Olde allows a "shoulder-stock" "GUN-type" to be affixed to a anything

 

[fubar57]

Another great set Terry, thanks

 

[Airframes]

Thanks David, and yes Mike, it's getting bl**dy silly over here - I wouldn't be surprised if the Armed Response Team turned out after seeing someone holding an over-ripe banana !!

So, some more in the adventures of "The Travels of Tel's Tin Tent", as I headed yet again down the A14 last Saturday, to meet up with Karl at our usual campsite, ready for the BoB airshow at Duxford the following day. Thankfully, the journey in the "Tin Tent" only took three hours, in beautiful sunny weather all the way, and I arrived at the site not long before Karl, getting set up in 'scorchio' sunshine.
It's a shame we didn't go to Saturday's show, as the weather on Sunday was not good !
Even the birds were walking, but the show went on, with only a couple of slots cancelled due to heavy rain, but more of that in a separate thread.
Monday was another nice sunny day, with a few fluffy white clouds, and we set out to visit the memorial and airfield sites at Fowlmere and Steeple Morden, both of these WW2 airfields being used by both the RAF and then the USAAF, and only a short drive away, and re-visit the unique Shuttleworth Collection, at Old Warden.

Fowlmere was the first stop, and the airfield, still in use today for light aviation, is located just 4 miles west of Duxford, once being a satellite field for the fighters based at the Duxford parent station, and is right on the edge of the campsite we used to use, now converted to a 'park home' residential estate.
During the Battle of Britain, 19 Squadron, with its Spitfires, was based here, and in 1941 the third US Eagle Squadron formed here.
Other RAF units, including 111 Squadron, used the field, which was a very basic grass airfield, until April 1944, when the Mustangs of the 339th Fighter Group, 8th USAAF arrived.
Not much of the (limited) wartime site remains, as most of the former airfield is now agricultural, but there are still two or three original Nissen huts, now used by the small aviation rental company and private owners based there, and some tracks and dispersal points can also be seen.
We were slightly caught out, as the entrance road has moved, since our last very brief visit, once being off the main road running roughly north along the eastern side of the field, and is now part of the approach road to private land on the farm, at the edge of the village to the north east.
We gained entry easily enough, and located the Memorial, but as there were numerous signs stating that the land beyond what is now the airfield entrance is Private, we didn't push our luck, without prior permission, and just visited the Memorial and the eastern edge of the airfield.

The pics below show the sunset on our campsite, and what could be seen of the Fowlmere airfield site, at the Memorial, and from the public road, along with a couple taken not far from Steeple Morden.
Apologies for what looks like a 'misty' shot of the Memorial - the camera lens still had condensation from the awful, soggy wet conditions the previous day. ( Fortunately, this cleared after removing the lens and letting it settle for a few minutes.)

Pics 1 to 3. Sunset at Comberton.
Pic 4. The RAF and USAAF Memorials, with the airfield beyond.
Pic 5. This is part of the perimeter track, leading to dispersal points, at the eastern edge of the airfield, alongside the main road.
Pics 6 to 8. The airfield looking west, from the same location on the main road. The original Nissen huts, and some other remains, are behind the treeline at the right.
Pics 9 and 10. A village not far from Steeple Morden, the name of which I've forgotten !

Back sometime tomorrow with more scenic views, and the Memorial and airfield site at Steeple Morden.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Capt. Vick]

Beautiful

 

[mikewint]

Beautiful pics as always Terry.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks, Wojtek, Jim and Mike.

From Fowlmere, we continued through the country lanes to Steeple Morden, another WW2 RAF and USAAF airfield site, of which more later, and, of course, this was "home" to Bill's (Drgondog) father, and other well-know fighter pilots.
We passed through another village and its church, and into the peaceful village of Steeple Morden itself, who's impressive church has a RAF / USAAF Memorial window, although we didn't get to see that.
The pics below show some of the scenery and the village of Steeple Morden, and the first view of the imposing Memorial on the edge of the former airfield.
I'll post more pics of the Memorial, and the remains of the airfield, sometime tomorrow, along with some background details, once I've sorted them and checked some facts.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Those are just awesome!

 

[fubar57]

Good stuff Terry. Just did a Google Earth drive through; I could live there

 

[rochie]

turned out well dogsbody especially how dirty my car windscreen was !

 

[Peter Gunn]

Don't know how I missed this thread - Great stuff Terry, well done.

I'm soooooooooo jealous for at least two reasons, I'm still working and our plan is for the wife and I to sell the house and get a smaller RV and do what you're doing

Second reason is getting to visit those old air bases, doubt if I'll ever get across the pond so I'll just have to live that part out vicariously through your travels.

Do you think you'll ever get to Debden? It's a pilgrimage I've always wanted to make but probably will never get to.

Again, well done and I'm happy for you to be enjoying life this way.

 

[mikewint]

How about a pilgrimage to Stonehenge where the UFOs land?