Reply With QuoteAn Audi. Shall I pm my address?
......today whilst on a business visit.
Very interesting viewing that blew me away.
I will chuck in the post one of Eddies Bond NATO's and any gash watchy bits to the first correct guess.
Paul
An Audi. Shall I pm my address?
Clue 1: it's in Norfolk
Is the answer Tuesday?
Looks like a WW2 air field? We have something similar up at Yelverton on the edge of Dartmoor....
You lost me at "whilst".
By God, Norfolk has been completely regenerated since last I was there!
A processing site for the bagging and distribution of the rich seam of fossilised dinosaur crap that formed a vital part for many years of the lcoal economy?
http://www.trenchfarm.co.uk/
"At Trench Farm we provide First World War trenches in an authentic rural setting. We have painstakingly re-created British and German style trenches according to the original designs".
RAF Coltishall-It's a WW2 dispersal / fighter pen for a Hurricane or Spitfire.
Going back years ago my eldest brother collected a publication plotting all of the RAF sites in the UK, I think it was called Battle Stations or something similar, anyway we visited a few of these places from the books and remember a similar looking area. There's quite a few of these dotted around the UK.
Last edited by Franky Four Fingers; 28th January 2015 at 07:13. Reason: Additional info.
Agree, looks like an old airfield dispersal area, perhaps a bombing up area or engine test run pad? Problem is there are so many old airfields there it's hard to choose which one it could be.
And the winner is...... Spot on FFF.Originally Posted by Franky Four Fingers
There are two together which were recently uncovered from what I beleive having been lost to vegetation. I was told they were Spitfire Pens.
I bet they could tell a story or two.
PM me your details
Cheers gents
Paul
'Oh look an Audi parked near a wall... wait, what? SPITFIRE!?!'
Amazing how one word can suddenly make everything more interesting :)
Good spot. For anyone who is interested there is a book called, The Battle of Britain then and Now which is some years old now, which reconciles original photos from the BoB Fighter Stations, mainly in the South East, against more modern views, from more or less exactly the same spot.
It's fascinating, especially when you drive to the spot and look at the view now, and think what happened back in 1940. Those dispersal pens feature a lot in the book. A great read for anyone interested in that era of history.
I've got several of the "Then and Now" books (D-Day / Market Garden / Monte Cassino / Bulge / Desert War) - All excellent work in terms of the research in finding the locations, often soldiers misspelt the unfamiliar town / village names on the back of their pictures (often several places had similar names as well).
Know it well - I grew up in Crapstone.
Paul,
You'll need to apply to Norfolk County Council if you want compo. What happened to your car?
Nooooooo....compo as in 'Compo tition". Apologies me being lazy last night.
It was a fantastic visit yesterday and base is fascinating, there is so much history there, surprise surprise.
The fighter pens as well as many other features are now listed which is great. I was told that even the 'blast' walls out on the airdrome where the Jaguars use to stand are also listed now.
I will have to check the books out as my part of the world on the Norfolk/Suffolk border is scattered with old fighter and USAF bomber bases.
Pitch
Best three years in the RAF spent at Colt, great unit.
Anymore pics ?
Slightly OT (but still very much on topic) but have 'they' decided what is going to happen to Coltishall yet?
(I fly over, or near, it most days).
Of course. I just kept thinking that 'I bet this place could tell a story or two....
I don't think so although there is business taking place and of course the prison is there.
Hidden jewel in East Anglian Air force! 1993 to 95, lovely part of the world, but rubbish roads A roads!
Did you need permission to go to that area of Coltishall or is it in a public area.
Years ago we stayed in a B and B in one of the old Station buildings in a little village just outside Coltishall, the steam trains used to trundle past during the day, it was a lovely little place to stay. Very eerie at night though.
Edited to say, just seen the photos and it's obviously on the base
No its not public although I think they do have heritage days for the public. http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/photo_ga...hall_1_3769476
As you say though it is a very eerie place
Paul
Wow, great memories.
I used to work in that hanger ! I believe the old Jaguar gate guard is in Norwich centre now ?
Such a shame it closed, good times.
Spent a lot of my time over the burning area at the other side of the airfield at weekends. Lots of crap to ride over
Last edited by gasgasbones; 28th January 2015 at 20:07.
True to form TT.Paul,
I had my jabs prior to crossing the Waveney and all seems fine so far, no sweats, additional fingers or desire to sleep with my family, male or female.
Trust all is well mate.
Paul
Great pics.Wow, great memories.
I used to work in that hanger ! I believe the old Jaguar gate guard is in Norwich centre now ?
Such a shame it closed, good times.
Spent a lot of my time over the burning area at the other side of the airfield at weekends. Lots of crap to ride over
Would love to run a metal detector around the place ...
Cheers..
Jase
Thanks, there are similar places down in the South East, although in the last 15 years so many of the old airfields have been developed, usually for housing. Take Hawkinge as an example, there is a tiny little corner of the original RAF base left which is proudly maintained by the Curator Mike, who knows its only a matter of time before the developers end up with the last small corner of the once famous air base. Most of the people living there probably don't have a clue what actually went on all those years ago when pilots like Pete Brothers used to fly from there. All very sad
I remember sitting near the end of the runway at Coltishall as a kid, on holiday in the mid 1980s, watching Jaguars and Phantoms landing. Sad to see these famous old bases disappearing.
There are some Spitfire and Hurricane blast pens left at Biggin Hill and Kenley, pretty overgrown now.
See:
Brilliant, thanks. I know that there was a plan at one point to dig up the runway and use the rubble as the hardcore for the pending northern relief road.
But I wonder how long it will be until the new occupants start complaining about the noise of aircraft and overflying helicopters. At an airbase! Oh well.
I was on the team that did the heritage survey of Coltishall a few months ago.
After a bit of educated guesswork from the WWII aerial photos I was particularly pleased to identify and then unearth two of the three Pickett-Hamilton Forts on site, long thought to have been removed during the post-war rebuilding. :)
(The third one sadly couldn't be found, and was probably lost when the runway was built.)
By any chance, are you seen on page 4 of this: link?
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