The 'Introduce yourself' Thread

Welcome to AIX !!!

Hello and welcome

I am a member of the Bentwaters Cold War Museum & live near Southwold in Suffolk, some of you know me already who have been to Bentwaters. - Graham

Welcome to AIX !!!

Hi Graham

good to see you on the forum! Look forward to the open day on Sunday, the other Graham has been keeping us all up to date on whats happening, looks to be a good day.

Hi, I'm Paul Holtom. I served in the Royal Navy from 1973 to 1982 as an Aircraft Mechanic. I worked mostly on Helicopters apart from a three year spell on 809 Squadron Buccaneer S mk2s.
I am originally from Nr Ireland I lived very near two ex navy airfields, Maydown and Eglinton. The later is now Derry airport.
I became interested in WW2 aviation due to the old airfield at Maydown which in those days I could ride my bike down the old runway. My Dad told me that when he moved there in 1951 a large heap of old aircraft stood at one end of the old runway...wish I could have seen that, however they were removed when the Du-pont synthetic rubber plant was built there in the 1960s.
In august 1944 a Barracuda aircraft took off from Maydown to return to HMS Pewit in Scotland it crashed shortly after take off not far from the airfield in a pond surrounded by bog and small trees beside a school at Enagh Lough. The crew of three all died. In the 60s I attended this school, stories went about of the crashed aircraft beside the school. I did try and get a look at the crash site when I was around 10 years old (1967) It was very inaccessible no part of the aircraft was visible above the small lake which was surrounded by dense trees, very tall reeds and boggy ground.
In 1971 the aircraft and remains of the crew were recovered. The crew were buried in a church yard in Eglinton. Two of the crew were only 19 years old the other 20.
I was at another school when the recovery took place but got the bus out to Enagh Lough to get a look at what was happening. When I got there the aircraft had just been pulled from the water and there were Police and Army removing the remains and personal effects of the crew I can remember seeing a wrist watch and some coins put into a large plastic bag.
I got to see this aircraft again whilst I was stationed at Yeovilton in 1980, it was still un-restored and kept in a dark blister hanger by the FAA Museum. Since then the nose section of the aircraft has been restored and is on display in the museum.
I have just come back from a trip to Nr Ireland, I paid a visit to the graves of the crew who for 27 years lay at the bottom of a boggy lake in the aircraft in which they flew.
Incidentally whilst over in Nr Ireland my cousin told me of an article in the local paper 'The Derry Journal' about the ghosts of airmen appearing to canteen workers in an old wartime building at Derry airport.... spooky!!
Hope you find the above of interest.

My other interest is my V8 Manta A series. Hope you like it.



Regards, Paul

Hi Paul,

I'm not too far from your home area, 15 miles N of Letterkenny. You can see my interest at the bottom of my post's.
Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to seeing your input.

Hugo.

hugoj_air wrote:

Hi Paul,

I'm not too far from your home area, 15 miles N of Letterkenny. You can see my interest at the bottom of my post's.
Welcome to the forum. Looking forward to seeing your input.

Hugo.

Hi Hugo,
I have heard there was a ww1 airfield at Muff, co Donagal. Have you any info on this?

Paul.

Muscle-Manta wrote:

Incidentally whilst over in Nr Ireland my cousin told me of an article in the local paper 'The Derry Journal' about the ghosts of airmen appearing to canteen workers in an old wartime building at Derry airport.... spooky!!
Regards, Paul.

Hey I'll investigate there if they really want it doing.