BoB period airfield question

[Jennings Heilig]

Would most established RAF fighter fields (I'm thinking specifically of RAF Warmwell here) have had earthen blast pens for individual aircraft by the August 1940 period??

Tks!

J

[MikeC]

Hi Jennings, good to see you here.

I can't give a definite answer, but I imagine that some stations would have them, and some not. Can't see any in these photos.

http://www.controltowers.co.uk/W-Z/Warmwell.htm

[Len Thomson]

Hi J.

Try to get hold of the Battle of Britain, Then and Now for some period pics.

Kenley definitely had them, none at Croydon, Hornchurch, Hawkinge, Gravesend, Manston, North Weald, Stapleford Tawney, Debden, Duxford, Middle Wallop, Northolt or Biggin Hill. Rochford and Exeter possibly did have them.

[tango98]

Hi Jennings,

The ‘E’ type pens were certainly installed at the following airfields by the summer of 1940.

Tangmere

Kenley

Biggin Hill

Hawkinge

Hornchurch

North Weald

Northolt

Duxford

Exeter

Rochford

As Len has said, there were none at Croydon and the tome 'The Battle of Britain - Then & Now' is a good source for info on the airfields used by Fighter Command.

When I saw your post I pulled out my copies of Luftwaffe recce photos that were taken of RAF airfields between June - August 1940 but am unable to positively identify any at either Gravesend, Middle Wallop, Stapleford Tawney or West Malling.

HTH

Cheers

Dave

[Paul Bradley]

I have BoB: Then and Now Mk.IV and it doesn't have a Warmwell plan, and no useful photos.

The 1978 Airfix Annual For Aircraft Modellers has a nice article by Peter Cooksley about BoB fighter dispersal pens, with many photos and a set of plans.

Edited February 20, 2008 by Paul Bradley

[tango98]

Hi again Jennings,

I've just found an aerial shot of Warmwell that was taken by the Luftwaffe in the early morning of 11 August 1940 but nothing shows that remotely resembles a pen. In fact it looks a pretty bleak expanse.

Cheers

Dave

[Jennings Heilig]

Thanks all. Ever since I read a magazine article about Sgt. "Bob" Wolton of No. 152 Squadron, I've wanted to model his Mk.I, UM-N (serial unknown). It'd look nifty sitting in a blast revetment, but I suppose Warmwell was far enough from the main action not to have warranted them by August of 1940..

Thanks again!

J

[Thunderjug]

According to Walter Johnstone the father of our branch sec who was with 152 squadron at Warmwell the answer is no not at this time period although the airfield was attacked on a quite frequent basis. Hope that helps.

[miduppergunner]

Thanks all. Ever since I read a magazine article about Sgt. "Bob" Wolton of No. 152 Squadron, I've wanted to model his Mk.I, UM-N (serial unknown). It'd look nifty sitting in a blast revetment, but I suppose Warmwell was far enough from the main action not to have warranted them by August of 1940..

Thanks again!

J

According to Bowyer/Rawlings the code for UM-B was R6801 - this might help narrow the search (or totally confuse) - this batch was I think delivered from end April. I do not have a lot on the Spitfire - but I know a man who does. (Edgar).

Dorchester has a good "local" museum I recall - they might have some pictures of Warmwell - which I think became a gravel pit??

[Jennings Heilig]

Many thanks guys. Apparently the serial on UM-N was overpainted (as was common in mid-1940), so I'm not going to worry about it

J

[Miggers]

Jennings if you want absolute top notch info on this aircraft then go here:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=4

Make yourself a member and pop the question.

Address it to a fellow whose forum handle is "Mark12".

He is an absolute Spitfire/Seafire expert(probably one of the world's very best).If you're into Historic Aviation you'll have seen him on a few documentories on the telly and have probably have heard of him by his real name.

Mark(no it's not me)