I first got involved with aviation years ago when visiting The
Museum of Flight at East Fortune and as a young boy used to go for walks
and play on what was Macmerry airfield but not paying much attention to
this old decaying field. Later I read Johnnie Johnson’s book Wing Leader
which I bought from Sam Burns yard in Prestonpans for 10 pence. What a
good find that was. After reading the book I wanted to become more
involved in Aviation Research in my own area and initially got involved
with 57 Rescue, a group that collects information on the Handley Page 57
Halifax bomber, I contacted them after seeing their display stand at an
East Fortune Airshow and I joined them as a member only a few months later.
I was invited to a memorial service being held at Kielder forest for the
crew of DK116, a Halifax that crashed there, and was immediately hooked
on crash sites and I just had to know more. The site was littered with
wreckage and there was even an undercarriage leg, wheel and tyre still
intact if not a little twisted. It was on this day I was to make one of
my most important contacts. This came in the form of Jim Corbett and his
father who is also named Jim. They invited me to go with them while all
the others were heading back down the hill so we could go and see the bomb
bay door that had come off during the crash. We exchanged email addresses
as we could be of use to each other where crash information is concerned.
We have since been able to collaborate on a few crash sites and recently
worked on a wreck site dig together. The dig was a wreck site of a Hawker
Hunter that crashed at Kielder forest in 1958 and valuable information
was obtained during the dig. There were not many pieces of wreckage above
ground before we started but there is a considerable amount of wreckage
visible now due to the efforts of our team. From this I just became more
and more involved in research and am now trying to research the local airfields
as my first priority then to widen my horizons and start on airfields further
away. I meet with a group of guys every Sunday night on a website chatline
and they have become a valuable source of information as a few of the guys
actually served during world war 2. Also a very important source is all
the aviation discussion board where you can post messages for others to
reply with information, Such a valuable tool the internet has become. I
have over the last year or so visited around 5 different airfields with
a view of studying the remaining buildings and have also visited some of
the wreck site of local aircraft one being near Selkirk which was a Gypsy-Moth,
which was owned by a member of The Macmerry Flying Club, unfortunately
the crash killed him and his passenger but there are a few remains of the
aircraft today. I hope that by this newsletter I can raise the profile
of this hobby and bring new blood into this research group. So can you
help? If so contact Scott by email. Further details of wreck hunting, aviation
research and how to join the group will be published further on in the
newsletter.
HMS CAMPANIA TO BE PROTECTED FROM TREASURE HUNTERS AND
LOOTERS
The HMS Campania, a Cunard liner converted to aircraft carrier that
served in world war 1, was lashed about in a storm in 1918. The carrier
was wrenched from its anchor point and rammed into HMS Royal Oak before
being smashed into HMS Revenge which ripped her hull to pieces before she
finally sunk within an hour. She was a ship built to as high a standard
if not higher than the Titanic and this makes her a perfect target for
the unlawful diving looters. The remains are off Burntisland and
are at present not protected by any laws apart from the receiver of wrecks
salvage laws but this new move is set to protect her remains from unlawful
treasure hunters that loot there now.
This is Air Vice Marshall Johnnie Johnson. The man
to whom I owe my interest in aviation. Sadly he passed away in January
2001 after a struggle with cancer.
We shall remember him.
OVERLOON SPITFIRE RESTORATION
The Overloon Spitfire restoration was part of an effort driven by a
team of RAF technicians as a project to show their skills as well as to
restore a seriously deteriorating aircraft. The team were based at RAF
Bruggen and used the facilities there to complete the work. All permissions
were sought and only then could work commence. The Spitfire in question
was a MK XI serial No. PL 965 which stood guard at the Overloon Museum
in the Netherlands. The work was to take place from October 1975 until
March 1976 and when completed would enhance the appearance and prolong
the life of the aircraft. A list of the hardware to be used reads like
this. 1 Queen Mary low loader, 1 Four ton crane, 1 Flat carrier ( truck),
1 Mechanics van, 1 Land rover and various cradles, slings and tools. I
obtained this info through a contact and had several photos to show the
stages
of work and believe me it was a very impressive job done. The Spitfire
was completed and probably still stands at Overloon today. See the full
story in a later issue.
Overloon Spitfire PL 965
Donald Campbell’s Bluebird K7
There are wreck hunters all over the world some dive in the sea and
me, I dig for my wrecks, but some dive in fresh water and usually the wrecks
are well preserved. As has been proven recently with the discovery of Donald
Campbell’s Bluebird Hydroplane. He was killed when his craft tossed over
and over while making an attempt on the jet powered water speed record
which he himself had already set. With new technology the wreck of his
hydroplane was found apparently well intact apart from the stabilizer booms
and the cockpit area. At the time his body wasn’t found only a few personal
items that were floating about the top of the water. Within the past few
days it has been reported that the shape of a skeleton like object has
been found on the sound scans of the bottom of Coniston water. Could it
be the body of Campbell and if so what do they plan to do next. This story
has interested me ever since I visited the Lakelands motor museum at Holker
Hall where they have a full scale Bluebird K7.
Luftwaffe pictures in the Evening News
There was a recent article in the Edinburgh Evening News that had an
aerial picture of the old Power Station at Portobello. This picture had
been taken by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War as a target photo
so they could work out exactly what to hit and where to hit it. A whole
collection of these photos and RAF recon photos are available for copy
at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
If you are into old photos then a visit to this place is well worth it.
I got a photocopy of Macmerry airfield from the air and it’s a good copy.
Should you want to contact the commission the address is as follows :-
RCAHMS, John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh. EH89NX.
Or phone :- 0131 6621456.
Macmerry Model Flying Club
Macmerry Model Flying Club is a small friendly club for flying radio
controlled aircraft. The club was founded well over 30 years ago and was
first positioned at the north-eastern end of Macmerry airfield until the
A1 bypass and Go-Kart centre were built. At this time the club had to move
from that location to its new location which is at the south end of Drem
airfield, the club were extremely lucky to find such a site and still on
an old RAF airfield too. The clubs runway is right on top of where
one of the aircraft dispersal point were and a few old buildings can just
be seen through the weeds and rubbish dumped there. The club has quite
a large membership and welcomes newcomers. They meet ever Sunday and some
Wednesday nights throughout the summer months.
Museum of Flight recent happenings.
Well as most of you probably already know Adam Smith the curator at
the museum has finally left and we at ESAR would like to bid him farewell
and good luck in his new position in the States. You will probably also
know that the museum has acquired a Beaufighter which is to be restored
to display status. We here at ESAR have our own views on restoring aircraft
in that it seems to be a bit much effort to restore an aircraft if its
not going to fly and quite frankly why bother at all. I will be pleased
to see the beast restored and rebuilt and put in a nice clean dry hangar
but Id rather see her flying. Oh well just need to buy myself one and restore
it myself to fly.( nothing like a dream is there)
The restoration work is hoped to be started this year but things have yet
still to be confirmed. The museum has it regular show and open days this
year again with the main event being the Airshow although slightly change
in routine due to problems in securing the market end of things. So there
will be flying to live music on the Sunday from 5pm onwards.
Hawker Hunter XG 236
Kielder 2000 - 2001 crashed 1958
The Hawker Hunter previously mention was due to be dug again this year
in July by the same team as dug it last year but due to the foot and mouth
the dig has been suspended. Last year was a good year for both the NEEACR
and ESAR groups as they both got together on this one. A lot of good finds
came out of this site including the mainwheel tyre (Dunlop clearly visible)
and a main wing spar as well as various other panels, pipes and electrics.
This year it was hoped that we would find parts of the cockpit and perhaps
some instruments. It should perhaps be pointed out that these digs are
done under strict laws and licences and that not just anyone can rush in
and do this. You need to apply to both the landowner and the MOD and you
need to keep very good details of what you find. So don’t go off digging
just any old way until you know the correct procedure.
What a Hunter looks like.
Foot and mouth plays hell with the aviation researcher
While we all know what a hard time farmers and other businesses are
having as of late so too does this effect the aviation researcher. Because
we visit areas that are quite wild countryside we are therefore not allowed
to go on our usual walks and treks as the are off limits this includes
airfields and mountains too on which most of the high ground wreck sites
are. So things are very much at a stand still at the moment until this
crisis is over. However even though it is hard on us we do back what the
government say about the countryside as it is only for our own good that
these restrictions have been brought in. We cannot support anyone seen
to be breaking these restrictions and anyone involved with ESAR caught
breaking these rules will be asked their reasons why and dealt with appropriately..
Remember also when theserestrictions are lifted always get permission to
visit any site that you may want to search. Certain licences may also be
required if you are going to dig at an aircraft site and if you are going
to enter Forestry Commission land.
Wreck hunting
This last piece is just about wreck hunting a few points to make are
that this game is not easy and the best tools you can have are other people
through communication and books and oh yeah possibly the internet it makes
communication ten times quicker. Anyway here are a few addresses you might
need.:-
RAF Museum
Grahame Park Way
London NW95LL
They deal with most of the RAF aircraft and airfields so if its RAF
ask them about it.
Fleet Air Arm Museum
Box no. D6, RNAS Yeovilton
Somerset, BA228HT.
Same goes here if its about the Royal Navy then these guys should know
about it. Well that about wraps up this issue if you have any further questions
or think you can help the group then please contact us.
Now a bit about ESAR
I am the founding member of ESAR and also created the ESAR website.
I first started the group in 1999 and had the website by October 2000 which
has over a thousand visitor until now.ESAR is a rather informal group relying
on cooperation with other groups to bring all the information together
that we need to have a successful knowledge of local aviation past and
present.If you would like to become part of this group or think you have
something to contribute to the group then please contact ESAR through the
details given on the left.ESAR welcomes all information and photographs
regardless of quality.Whilethere is no membership or member fees at the
moment this may be something to look at in the future. ESAR is a non commercial
non profit making group and relies solely on the founders own funds, which
are very limited, to provide the books and material needed to research
this history.
CAN YOU HELP WITH FUNDRAISING.
If so please contact us at the following email:-
ESAR
Researching aviation history
Next issue due August 1st 2001
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