My 2012 Season in pictures

For the past four or five years, I've done a recap thread, covering the events I've attended during the year, with some of my favourite pictures. Now that we're into November, and the Dodge has been tucked up into bed for the winter, I think the season is pretty much done. I'll no doubt be out with the Jeep over the winter, especially if we get snow, but there's no more proper events organised for the rest of the year.

So, here we go, starting out at the beginning of February 2012.

Winter Road Run, February 5th

Four vehicles from the Durham Tees Valley MVT went for a run in the North Yorkshire hills. I decided not to take 'Jessie the Jeep' simply due to fuel costs, as it was at least an 80 mile round trip just to get to the starting point for the run. Instead I shared a ride in Mike's M38A1. The run ended up being almost 100 miles, and with snowfall the day before, it was very picturesque. We met a number of people stuck at the bottom of a dip in normal cars, and ended up using the military stuff to pull them up the hills.

Blyth Battery goes to War, May 19/20th

I think the Blyth event is now in its third year and was well supported again. The dull and windy weather of Saturday kept some people away, although there were still a good number of public there spread across the large site. Sunday had clear sky, plenty of sun, and the wind dropped allowing the temperature to be much more pleasant. This brought out much bigger crowds for the second day, so I think the battery will be pleased with the overall turnout.

The battery dates from WW1. The pink and grey paintwork signify the WW1 and WW2 sections.

Battlegroup North, Elvington Airfield, May 25~27th

I had a great time at the Elvington "Battlegroup North" show, despite recovering from a cold and not sleeping much. It took two and a half hours and around eight gallons of fuel to get the Dodge there. This gave me an average of about 12mpg, travelling on the A167/A168 to avoid the fast moving traffic on the A19. The thermometer on the Dodge meteorological station said between 28 and 30 degrees both days, and it certainly was hot, though thankfully with a nice breeze. I took just over 400 photos across the weekend, and picking a few for my website was a difficult task. This must have been one of the few shows to get good weather in 2012.

RAF Leeming Family Day, June 9th

The day started fairly early for me, leaving home before 8am in order to meet up with the other vehicles further south. The trip took around two and a half hours in total, with around ten vehicles arriving in convoy. It was warm and sunny to start with, but as the day went on, the clouds rolled in. Flying displays went ahead, but eventually the lightning and rain started, directly over the airfield. This resulted in the BBMF Lancaster not attending, and we spent the last couple of hours hiding from the heavy rain which persisted all the way home. The Lanc was meant to be there for a big VIP event that night, and eventually in the early evening, it did arrive, but we'd all gone home by then.

Yorkshire Wartime Experience, June 22/23rd

We came home early from the Yorkshire ( Water ) Wartime Experience! We survived the torrential rain of Thursday night, all Friday and Friday night. It wasn't a good sign when various vehicles were being towed INTO the site through the mud by tractors. All the 4x4 military vehicles seemed to manage ok, but some of the 2x4's and general traders/fairground vehicles got stuck.

I don't think Friday saw all the planned school visits, though I did see a number of school children hiding from the rain in the beer tent! Two marquees were overturned immediately behind us on Friday due to very strong gusty wind, but our tent survived by being roped to the truck and a nearby fence. Not so much luck on Saturday as the truck was with the others on display, and the steel frame tent took off and got badly ripped. It has done us six years, but there was still life in it yet, although after Friday, it was going to need waterproofing again. So we packed up and left on Saturday evening.

I think Stuart and Ken managed the weekend well in the conditions, and I think they are both mad enough to try again next year!

The lake behind the field gun wasn't there on Thursday when we arrived!

One of the dryer parts of the field.

I think the WW1 gang were at home in all the mud.

Tibenham Airshow, July 8th

The Tibenham Airshow was the start of Clive Stevens' USAAF Week. We had planned a holiday in Norfolk so we could be around for some of the events. The airshow was another potentially great show spoiled by the weather. I had been invited to use the Jeep on the flightline as a follow me Jeep for all the warbirds, but due to the rain and low cloud, most of them cancelled.

While Carolyn Grace managed to get there and display her Spitfire in the rain and clouds, B-17 'Sally B', the Dakota, and Maurice Hammonds Harvard, Stearman, and two P-51's were unable to leave their home bases. I was particularly disappointed at not getting the chance to lead the B-17 in, which would have made a great photo through the rear window of the Jeep.

Those that did manage to get into the air were two Pitts Special teams, a Christen Eagle, a Bucker Bestman, the Yak team and the Turbulent team doing barnstorming, plus the previously mentioned Spitfire. I spent the day watching the show from the Jeep near the flying control truck beside the runway intersection.

On the way home, I made a small detour to Thorpe Abbotts, the 100th BG base, and got a few photos around the perimeter track. The last picture shows the field where dispersals numbered 9 to 12 were located. This was part of the the 351st squadron area. Behind them is Thorpe Abbotts Tower. In the wood behind the Jeep was the Emergency Control Bunker, which is still there.

IWM Duxford & B-17 'Sally B' Tour, July 10th

On Tuesday July 10th, I met up Tony ( NOS ) and Clive's dad at Duxford. A tour of B-17 'Sally B' had been arranged, guided by the B-17's chief engineer, Peter Brown. Peter powered up the electrical system, and went through the start up and some emergency proceedures. During the tour, I got the chance to sit in the 'Hot Seat' for a photo which made my day. I felt quite at home sitting there.

The other Duxford B-17, nearing the end of its refurbishment.

100th Bomb Group Museum, Thorpe Abbotts, July 11th

On Wednesday I took the Jeep to Thorpe Abbotts, home to the 100th BG Museum. It's been at least a couple of years since my last visit, and as usual, a number of displays have changed since last time. The aerial photo was taken in 1997 and shows the airfield with the runways and perimeter track overlaid. Only the 351st and 349th Squadron perimeters and parts of two runways remain.

The 1/10 scale B-17 seen below, was my first 'small' R/C B-17, spanning just over 10 feet wingspan. The second larger model was over 17 feet span.

351st Bomb Squadron mosaic badge, dating from the base during the war, recently discovered in someones garden and brought to the museum for display.

Looking towards the main technical site and the location of the T2 hangar.

Knettishall Airfield Memorial Dedication, July 14th

The convoy began at 08:45, on a concrete hardstand on the edge of Eye airfield. Around 15 vehicles gathered for the start, although others joined later in the day. It then began the 15 mile journey through country lanes to Knettishall Airfield.

The convoy stopped for a short break on one of the old runways until closer to the time of the dedication. It then set off once again to the memorial near by. The memorial has recently been extended with the names of those lost flying from Knettishall. After the ceremony, it returned to the airfield to wait for the flying display by B-17 'Sally B'.

After the flying, the convoy set off once again, heading for the 388th Bomb Group Musuem.

Mid afternoon, the convoy set off once again for the site of the Redgrave Hospital. During WW2, Redgrave was a pioneering hospital with a 99.6% survival rate. On the other side of the lake was a POW camp.

After leaving this location, the convoy headed back to Eye where several participants were staying. We left the convoy as it neared its destination to return to our holiday cottage.

490th Bomb Group, Eye Airfield Tour, July 15th

On Sunday morning, a few survivors of the Saturday convoy gathered at Clive's house before we took a guided tour of Eye Airfield. The airfield is shown below in taken in 1997. The tour began at the crash site of a B-17 in a field on the edge of the airfield. It came down on an English work party clearing ditches at the edge of the field, killing everyone.

From the crash site, we went through the Cornwallis Hotel grounds, and South on the A140 along the edge of the airfield, crossing the perimeter which contained several loop dispersals on the other side of the A140. We then turned onto the main runway and stopped at the Southern end where the perimeter track meets the runway. We drove along the runway as far as the second runway intersection before turning around and heading back down the runway, turning left along the perimeter track next to the field where the bomb dump was located.

Continuing along the perimeter, we arrived at the end of one of the secondary runways, of which only a few hundred feet remains at its full width. From there, we could see Maurice Hammond's house which could also be seen in a wartime photo. Maurice owns the Warbird fleet based at Hardwick.

Turning off the airfield down some farm tracks, we then drove North, up the East side of the airfield, turning in at the Technical Site where one of the wartime T2 hangars was located. Since the doors were open, we could see inside and it looks little changed from WW2. Some additional strip lights have been added, and it has been re-clad, at least in places, but otherwise eerily unchanged. We wondered how many B-17's and B-24's had passed through those doors after major maintenance.

From there, we went through Eye village, to compare the village square with another wartime picture, and again, it has little changed. After that, the tour left the flying side of the airfield and moved into the accomodation areas. Due to the maze of small roads, I can't be sure exactly where the pictures were taken.

Croft Nostalgia, August 4/5th

Croft - After the massive thunder storm last year, the forecast wasn't looking too good for 2012 either. As it turned out, Croft was an island bathed in the Sun, while thunder storms raged all around. This resulted in a good turnout of entries and public. Unfortunately my amplifier blew up first thing on Saturday morning, so I couldn't set up the air traffic radio. The good weather allowed all three flying displays to take part, and we were delighted to see the BBMF MkIIa Spitfire after last years cancellation due to bad weather. Neil and Simon also put on great displays with the Provost and Fury.

There were around 300 classic cars, buses, bikes and tractors booked in, in addition to the racing cars. In the military camp, we had both a tank and tank destroyer in the Chaffee and Hellcat. The Chaffee did several firing displays across the show.

Two of the three hundred classic cars in attendance.

Other tracked vehicles included both a German and US halftrack, and a Universal Carrier, more commonly known as a Bren Gun Carrier. The Rolls-Royce Griffon engine was joined this year by an Alvis radial aircraft engine, both of which ran a number of times during the weekend.

Alvis radial aircraft engine gives a display run.

and the racing which was ongoing all weekend.

Durham Light Infantry Museum, August 26/27th

Numbers seemed to be down this year, partly due to the weather forecast, and partly probably due to fuel costs. Despite the forecast, Sunday had great weather. Monday had less vehicles in attendance, but at least there was one good day, more than can be said for many of the shows this year.

Washington Heritage Festival, Sept 15th

A nice warm sunny day brought out lots of people to the festival in the park next to the 'F' Pit museum. There were many attractions for all the family, plus re-enactors from several periods of history. We had about a dozen vehicles on display, plus the Auster, weapons and other field gear.

Great North Fly In - Eshott Airfield, September 22nd

The Great North Fly In was the last event of the year, and had been cancelled earlier in the year due to bad weather. Instead it was moved to late September. We went on Saturday, probably the better of the two days. While there was plenty of flying, the day was spoiled to some degree by a landing accident injuring two people. Both ground and air ambulances arrived, and the casualties were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. They'll hopefully be enjoying aviation again before too long.

I've attended slightly fewer events this year, partly down to money and partly due to event cancellations. Let's hope 2013 is a bit warmer and dryer!!

great pics mate thanks for sharing yes roll on 2013 lets hope we have some better weather !