Bottisham Airfield Museum Open Days, 24 and 25th September, 2016.
After driving to Norfolk at speeds I didn't think the 'Tin Tent' could achieve on Friday, Liz insisted that I still go to the above event, even if just for a few hours, as she knew I'd promised to help out, and had planned the visit for some time.
I should have been there for the full weekend, with Liz joining me on the Saturday afternoon, but, due to the circumstances described elsewhere, I only attended on the Saturday, when I was probably as useful as a chocolate tea pot, "assisting" Museum historian Steve Goss with the audio-visual presentations.
Normally held on a Sunday, this was the first time the Museum had hosted a two-day event, with the highlight being the newly completed Nissen / Qounset hut, built on the base of the original WW2 building entirely by volunteers, the 'Grand Opening' of which was to be held on the Sunday, together with a fly-past by one of Maurice Hammond's P-51 Mustangs from 'Hardwick Warbirds'.
Bottisham airfield, around 7 miles east of Cambridge, UK, was originally an RAF airfield, operating Tiger Moths, and later, P-40 Tomahawks. With the arrival of the USAAF 8th AF, the field was taken over by the 361st FG, first with the mighty P-47, and then their famous yellow-nosed Mustangs.
Originally located in some buildings on one of the dispersed sites on the edge of the village, which were required for redevelopment, the Museum was fortunate enough to be given the use of the last remaining buildings on the airfield site, with the farmer on whose land it lies being extremely generous and helpful. These are the crew ready rooms and briefing room for one of the Squadrons (375th from memory), along with stand by accommodation for the line crews and, nearby, a couple of dispersal points.
Jason Webb and his team, including some Americans,all volunteers, have done a magnificent job over the last couple of years, clearing the site and renovating the buildings, with the new Nissen hut being the culmination of the work to date. Future plans include further structural renovation, and the reclaiming of the nearby dispersal sites, and some of this is shown in the photos which follow.
Attendance on Saturday was good, although the majority of military vehicles, re-enactors, and the general public, were not expected until the Sunday. However, people came from the local area, and from various points of the UK, Europe and the USA, to support the event and raise funds for the Museum, and many made the effort to get 'in the mood', and dress in period 'costume'.
I was also able to meet up with some of the team I'd met on earlier visits, as well as Tony (Rocketeer) and his wife Dawn and Gary (Geedee) and his lovely wife, which helped to cheer me up a bit at least.
I'll post the pics over the next couple of days, starting below with some 'introductory' shots, and I'd like to express my gratitude to Jason and the team for making me welcome, and putting up with my glum face on Saturday.
PIC 1. The 'Stars and Stripes' flies proudly in the stiff breeze above the Museum buildings.
PICS 2 to 4. The plans for the future, taken from one of the display boards.
PICS 5 and 6. The bar and some of the stalls, setting up early on Saturday morning.
PICS 7 and 8. Some of the first military vehicles on site, and one of the re-enactors camps.
More pics to follow soon.