Sturgate / Scampton 18 March
2015 David Thompson
Sturgate Airport 09:30-10:20
Images taken during the
visit
Just a quick call in whilst en-route
to RAF Scampton which my main destination of the day and my
thanks to Pete Hobson for the heads up on what I could expect to
see here . The airfield was effectively closed with the flying
club hangar doors firmly shut as were those of Eastern so I
didn’t even attempt a look through the gaps there although the
paint spraying gent was very helpful . Many of the original
wartime buildings still survive and some in good condition and
in particular the flying control tower and signal square are
both worthy of mention and a look should you be passing .
Seemingly no restrictions on general access although a hello ,
please and thank you were offered to those who looked to be
working there . In a little under an hour I leisurely noted the
following ;
Parked out
G-AWVC B121 Pup
G-AWYB FR172F Reims Rocket no propeller and tied down
G-AZTS F172L Skyhawk
G-BLHJ F172P Skyhawk no propeller
G-BRWX 172P Skyhawk ditto
G-BXXT BE76 Duchess
G-CCZA MS894 Rallye Minerva NFD 13-12-2011 , tied down
G-OBLC BE76 Duchess EASA ARC Exp 6-7-2013
N218U Cessna 310Q tarpaulin over port engine
Lincoln Aero Club hangar (seen through gaps in the main doors !)
G-ARRS CP301 Emeraude
G-AVZR PA-28 Cherokee
G-AYYU BE23 Sundowner 180
G-BHTC DR1051 Sicile Record
G-BROR J3C-65 Cub
G-CEBF EV97 Eurostar
Eastern Air Executive spray shop
G-EXEC PA-34 Seneca primed in spray shop
G-WIFE R182 Skylane RG outside in bare metal finish
Eastern Air Executive store
G-BHNA F152 dismantled , bare metal finish
G-BIUM F152 dismantled , NFD 11-7-2014
Dumped near control tower
G-BOXU AA5 Tiger Wings only
G-MELV MS235E Rally De-Reg 29-3-2007
RAF Scampton Heritage Centre
Images taken during the visit
I was making a return visit here in a
little under twelve months but the changes were quite obvious
particularly the move of the Heritage Centre from Hangar 4 into
Hangar 3 , the quality and quantity of the display and display
items looked to be much improved and the collection of aircraft
within the hangar itself had increased although many of these
are on loan from private individuals and companies . All four of
the large C-Type hangars remain and we were told , the we being
members of the Airfield Research Group , that they had been
recognised by English Heritage as being of historical importance
and had been given listed status . The only remaining RAF flying
unit here , The Red Arrows are housed in Hangar 1 , Hangar 2 is
empty and deemed as unsafe for use , Hangar 3 is shared by the
Heritage Centre and the Museum Of RAF Fire Fighting and Hangar 4
is Motor Transport and quite possibly the biggest garage in
Lincolnshire ?
The Heritage Centre is housed in one side of the two story
hangar annex with the fire fighters in the other side . The
jewels in the crown of the Heritage Centre are of course the
grave of Guy Gibsons black Labrador which is in a fenced
enclosure in front of the hangar and the office of the man
himself on the southern end of the first floor . Sadly none of
the original fixtures or fittings still survive although the
room has been set out with items which replicate that Dambusters
era and which also include a very obedient and somewhat static
black Labrador ! As well as the excellent displays of
memorabilia there is a shop , a small kitchen cum café and
toilets . Our hosts and guides on the day were Rose , John and
Tom to whom many thanks for their friendly welcome and both
knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour of the centre and to Rose in
particular for the copious amounts of tea and coffee !
At present the Heritage Centre is run entirely by volunteers
like our hosts who are supported by RAF Scampton but moves could
be afoot in the not too distant future to hand over the running
of the centre to the Lincolnshire Integrated Aviation Heritage
Partnership which is funded by the Lincolnshire County Council .
Some details on the proposal can be found here ;
http://lincolnshire.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s3659/Scampton%20-%20Appendix%20A%20-%20Scampton%20Aviation%20Heritage%20Consultancy%20Brief%20Final%20Version.pdf
Visits to the Heritage Centre can be arranged via post ,
telephone or email and contact details can be found on the RAF
Scampton website but remember that some form of phot ID is
required for access onto the station . Details here ;
http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafscampton/aboutus/location.cfm
Flightline
XX177 Hawk T1 Red Arrows , also flew in the afternoon
Hangar 1
XX253 Hawk T1A Red Arrows hangar guard
Hangar 3
KB976 Lancaster BX nose with composite rear fuselage
VX927 Terrier II
XE685/VL/861 Hunter GA11
XN185 Sedbergh TX1
XR571 Gnat T1 Red Arrows c/s , ex-hangar guard
XR757 Lightning F6 nose only
XX227 Hawk T1A FSM Red Arrows c/s
XX320 Hawk T1A nose only
Unknown Chipmunk T10 PAX
98+14 Su22
G-BRIV TB9 Tampico
There are also several ‘wreckology’ items on display including a
Rolls Royce Merlin engine from Lancaster BI EE185/KM-K of 44
(Rhodesia) Squadron which was lost on Ops from Scampton in 1944
and the substantial remains of Hampden P1206 of 49 Squadron
which was lost on Ops in 1941 and whose remains were recovered
by the RNethAF . Displayed outside the hangar and in keeping
with the Dambusters theme are examples of Sir Barnes Wallis’s
Grand Slam , Tall Boy and Up Keep weapons .
Parked out (under lean-to next to
Hangar 3)
G-AWGK F150H