The 'Introduce yourself' Thread

PNK;33675 wrote:

Welcome to the forum.
Interesting about Matching. I didn't get there until 1980 but couldn't linger as I was in the new girlfriends car and she was driving.

I thought it was customary for people with new girlfriends to stop in these places, not drive across them....

You were there only a year or two before the Ministry of State ordered the old technical site demolished. To this day, I cannot understand why they did it. I think the T2, now moved to North Weald, was still standing then, with the sign 'Bulk Storage' written large. We always thought there was something fishy going on there, it was such a remote place.

Hl all, I've just recently joined and though I'd leave a brief comment. My name is Stuart and I live in Alloa, Central Scotland. I first became interested in Airfields when I came across an old '60 Esso map of East Anglia. My questions were answered when Actions Stations 1 was published some months later.!! My book collection and material was built on from there and I've been collecting ever since.!

Big interest in the Eight Air Force, airfield plans / layouts etc and aerial shots. Have also been a member of the ARG since the early 80's.

Closest airfield to me is Balado Bridge, now "home" to T in the park on a yearly basis. !

Looking forward to making new contacts and exchanging information. Anyone in my area, please feel free to drop me a note.

Stuart

Hello & welcome Stuart,
You should have no trouble finding similar interested members on here!

Hello Meldy. Airfields of Scotland don't feature a lot on AiX due to the geographical location of many of the members so you will probably 'the eyes on the ground' as queries come up.

Hello, for more years than I care to remember I have been interested in aviation topics, particularly WW2 history. Between Aug 1953 and Oct 1954 as part or 2 yrs Nat Serv. I served at Wainfleet Bombing range in Lincs. Recently I had an article published in issue No. 30 of "Britain at War" magazine pertinent to the first Luftwaffe raid on UK soil in Oct 1939 at the Forth Bridge near Edinburgh.All proceeds were donated to the proposed Bomber Command memorial being planned for London. Am now finalising article on reminiscences of Wainfleet range in 53/54. I would welcome the following info as memory is slightly faded. 1. Was there a No. 1 quadrant somewhere towards Gibralter point? I know No. 2 was on the sea wall close to the camp buildings. No 3 was on the floor below the ops floor in the old tower at Friskney whilst No. 4 was far to the south towards Wrangle at the ship target.. Does anyone have a photographs of any of the 1950s targets? Cheers Brian.

Brian: Check out this thread - it should answer most of your questions:

/community/showthread.php?t=1304

Welcome to AiX. Look forward to more memories of Wainfleet.

PNK: Ref coastal erosion at Wainfleet, not an issue - entirely the reverse actually. Since the time of the Romans, The Wash has been slowly filling up with sand and silt. On the north shore of The Wash where the Wainfleet Range is located, there has been steady deposition of silt and over the years new sea walls have been built, reclaiming more land from the sea. Since the Second World War there have been two intakes - one in 1948 and the other in 1976. I was not around for the first post-war intake but I well remember the 1976 project - severe gales and high tides at the end of the year demolished the new bank for much of its length (as well as most of Skegness Pier).

The new bank was completed in 1977 and now the former mudflats between the two banks grow their two rich crops a year of potatoes, sugar beet or wheat. The grasses are now expanding on the seaward side of the new bank and I suspect that in another ten or so years there will be another intake, especially as the range closes for good in four weeks time. The last day of bombing is 2nd December and final closure the following day (although I suspect range clearance will take many years).