Work on the Magister continues In December 2009 the CAA and the newly produced left team were still continuing their wing has been covered in fabric investigation into Captain John and undercoated and is being Fairey’s accident but preliminary painted and is looking good. It findings indicated that it was ini- will require two more top coats. tiated by a fatigue failure, pos- sibly the result of corrosion pit- The Mini-Link Trainer continues ting. This would be invisible to to be very popular with children engineers during normal main- visitors. tenance. Volume 2 Number 18 Primary Trainer - The fuselage At the December 09 Committee Editorial is almost complete; currently the meeting the Treasurer was (Brian Lloyd) tail plane is being covered. pleased to report a not unsatis- When completed it will be sus- factory financial position but of The Museum continues to pended from a roof beam to en- course more income is always thrive, thanks to the Committee able the team to commence work welcome. More Crew members and volunteers coupled with the on the wings. are welcome as their subscrip- full use of the Bob Hall exten- tion is much appreciated to sion which has made it more at- A new volunteer called Joe has boost funds. tractive and comfortable for vis- started. He is an ex Lufthansa itors and volunteers. engineer and is working on the Donations in the Bomb for the Herald. year 2009 proved very encour- Doctor K.G.B. Mitchell ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ aging, attracting £1559.00p. We regret to report the death News of Dr. Mitchell during the lat- (Brian Lloyd) Waitrose green disc tokens ter part of 2009. He always scheme in March will also help Reading a magazine the other to boost funds – though we took an interest in the Mu- th seum for which we are grate- day I noticed that on 14 haven't seen the money (or even ful. December 1931 Bader flew from the amount) as yet. Kenley to Woodley where he ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ had his crash in Bulldog K1676. During December and February Apparently he was goaded by an some minor maintenance to the Engineering Report unpleasant comment on his de- (Geoff Etridge & Ken Fostekew) premises were carried out in parture from Kenley and he did shape of roof repairs and re- During early 2010 work was in- not have a lot of experience on placement of floor coverings in terrupted by the cold weather. the type which he flew too low the toilets. and the wing tip touched the On the Martinet some progress ground. His log book for that An appeal appeared in March has been made to the rear lower day recorded – ‘Crashed slow edition of Aeroplane. If anyone cowling and more fuselage to rolling near ground. “Bad Show” has knowledge of any available tail plane fairings. Ian Simmons He took command of 242 parts please let Engineering is fabricating the wing root fair- Squadron, a Canadian Unit and Manager Geoff Etridge know. ings and the front cowlings have he produced some simple rules – been painted and refitted If you have height you control Miles Messenger G-AJOE, the battle; If you come out of the owned by member Peter Bishop, On the Student the rear sun, the enemy cannot see you; has undergone some extensive Engine/exhaust frames and If you hold your fire until you maintenance work carried out by cowlings have been assembled are close, you will seldom miss. Classique Aero Services in Or- on the air frame and painting has His accident also mentioned in bigny, France. The French Com- taken place. The wings will be Aeroplane magazine, March pany will now turn it’s attention taken from storage for assess- 2010 as part of an extensive art- to Peter’s 1938 Miles Monarch ment prior to restoration. icle about The Bulldog. which will undergo a thirty three

Museum of Aviation Newsletter – Summer 2010 month programme. Not flown sponsored by Christies and the day of the month (except Au- since 1963, G-AFJU saw RAF museum’s pictures have been gust) at the Museum. All Mu- service based at Tolpuddle, Dor- archived. seum Crew Members are very set. Only eleven of this type welcome to come to these meet- were built. We look forward to An election of Officers took ings. Best way of learning what more news later on this year. place and the present incum- the subject will be on any partic- bents were re-elected. Mrs J. ular month is to ask Jean The Annual General Meeting, Fostekew and Major Goddard Fostekew. held on 21st April 2010, was were re-elected as Trustees. well attended under the Chair- At the RBAS AGM, and again at manship of Ken Fostekew. The Possible amalgamation with the Museum AGM the subject President, Major Goddard was RBAS is still being researched was raised of RBAS and the also in attendance. and discussed. Museum Crew Members organ- isations merging. Anyone having The Chairman’s report included The Wokingham Borough Coun- any comments on this proposed a number of points including ref- cil had levied business rates on merger should put their ques- erence to the EoN Olympia the Museum for 2010/2011. tions or thoughts on paper (on in Glider 465, built for the World electronic form) and pass them Championships in 1965 which is The meeting concluded with a to the editor. now suspended from the roof of vote of thanks by The President ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ the extension. The volunteers to the Committee and volun- Gift Aid Scheme have also cleaned the Tailfin of teers. the Herald whilst equipment was As many of you know if you pay on site and painting the rest of Miles Gemini 1A G-AKKB was income tax and/or Capital Gains the aircraft continues in good one of the last Aircraft to be Tax and fill out a Gift Aid Form weather. built at Woodley in 1947 before the Museum can claim an addi- Miles went into receivership. It tional 28% of your donations Since September 2008 RBAS has now changed hands to the and/or subscriptions. have held their meetings in the ownership of David Gray a Lan- Museum and this has been well cashire Aero Club member. At You are only required to fill out received. one time this aircraft was raced a Gift Aid Form once for us – by Fred Dunkerley in the Four but it is imperative that if your In November “Radio Berkshire” Kings Cup. The new owner Gift Aid circumstances change presented their breakfast show plans to visit a number of air- you let as know as soon as pos- from the Museum with an shows and vintage fly-ins so sible. Armistice Day theme. This was hopefully some of our members the second visit, the first being will have the pleasure of seeing In case you think it's hardly in October 2009. it. (item courtesy of Aircraft worth while I can point out that Magazine) the Museum have claimed £412 The Treasurer presented the ac- for the tax year 2006/7 and £224 counts and reported that the fin- for 2007/8 from this source. Bet- ancial position was not unsatis- ter we have such sums than they factory with a good deposit in be spent on MP's expenses! the Bank. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ The Curator had created some Airfields in Berkshire new and attractive displays and (Jean M Fostekew) reported that some of the Mu- The earliest airfields in seum’s pictures had been fea- ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ tured in the Public Catalogue Berkshire were little more than Royal Berkshire Aviation convenient fields. The earliest Foundations lists of works of art Society held in public places in Bucks, site used regularly for flying was Berks and Oxon. The book was RBAS meets on the first Tues- a field at Coley, Reading along-

Museum of Berkshire Aviation Newsletter – Summer 2010 side the River Kennet south of Airfield nearby in 1942. signer F.G. Miles2 and their air- the present-day Berkley Avenue. craft were successful in many air Among the most surprising Before the First World War air- races. During the Second World places used on occasions as air- craft used to land at Woodley at War thousands of aircraft were fields were two in Reading: Alan a site called the Hundred Acre built at Woodley. Field Marshall Cobham charged two guineas Field where Woodley aerodrome Montgomery landed in France in (£2.20) a flight for joy rides would later be located. The the D-Day landings in a Miles from a field near Northumber- earliest recorded flight there was aircraft. land Avenue; an even more un- in November 1913;1 the aviator, likely runway was the Thames Henri Salmet, used it to give promenade at Caversham used “joy rides” in his Bleriot. Gustav by the Cornwall Aviation Com- Hammel landed there the fol- pany in 1920. Swallowfield Park lowing year. He is a credited hosted the Reading Air Pageant with the first air mail service. in 1928. It could hardly be called Other fields in the county may an airfield although many air- have been similarly used. craft landed there. Many other small airfields and Arguably the best known was strips in Berkshire became im- “Reading Airport”, it was situ- portant during the war. RAF ated at Woodley, about three and training took place at Woodley a half miles east of the borough from 1935 to 1951 and at on land bought by Charles Powis from 1941 to 1948. Both had to create a small airfield with a grassed runways. Other airfields The First World War saw the hangar and repair shop and was used for training included construction of an airfield at inaugurated by the Reading Air Shellingford (RAF Flying Train- Coley Park near Reading in Pageant of 1929. An advertise- ing School 1931-1948) and ment had appeared in the Watchfield (blind-landing train- 1916 where mechanics for the th Royal Flying Corps were Berkshire Chronicle on 7 ing). New airfields with paved trained. September, 1928 announcing runways and hangars were con- that 'a large aerodrome will be structed between 1940 and 1942 Peacetime saw another use for opened near Reading'. On Easter at , Greenham Co- aircraft. In 1919 the Berkshire Sunday 1929 a crowd, reportedly mon, Membury, Hampsted Nor- Aviation Tours Company was numbering 30,000, attended the reys and Welford3. Bombers formed using the primitive Avro flying display. Two years later flew from Abingdon, Hampstead 504K flying from a field at East the Reading Aero Club was Norreys, Greenham Common formed welcoming such famous (with the longest runway in visitors as Amy Johnson and Europe) and Harwell. The Douglas Bader, though it was county was of tremendous im- only a grassed airfield with no portance for the D-Day opera- hard runways. Woodley was the tion. With limited range, most site of the crash in 1931 which Hanney, north of Wantage. The resulted in Bader losing his legs. field adjoining the home of two brothers who owned the com- pany was a typical example of the flat, unwooded areas used as wartime aircraft used for landing airstrips at this early date. No in France had to fly from south- trace of the airfield remains; it ern . This was especially was probably situated on East true of planes towing gliders, Hanney Field alongside a former they had to reach the drop zones Roman Road. The site was ig- and return to base. For a few nored when the United States The firm of Phillips and Powis days in May and June 1944 air- Army Air Force opened Grove was joined in 1932 by the de- fields all over Berkshire were

Museum of Berkshire Aviation Newsletter – Summer 2010 crowded with aircraft painted in 1962, some of the site being ac- of Berkshire Aviation the D-Day stripes of black and quired for light engineering and 2. Adwest archives white. American Air Force the rest for housing. Woodley is 3. Thames Valley Airfields gliders flew from Aldermaston, now one of the largest suburbs in The Second World Greenham Common and Mem- in the greater Reading area. One War: Robin J Brooks bury. or two airfields survive, the 4. Ibid. ;largest being , 5. Babtie Group Industrial Throughout the war several once the largest grassed airfield Berkshire grassed airfields in Berkshire in England (256 acres). Despite were identified as emergency Further Reading the return of some of the land to landing grounds: at Bray Court, Thames Valley Airfields in The agriculture it is still large and the , Waltham St Second World War: Robin J only substantial airfield in the Lawrence and Winkfield. Other Brooks (Countryside Books) county with a thriving Flying airfields had different uses: Club and a large number of air- Military Airfields in the British Abingdon and Newbury Race- craft movements. A small, well- Isles: S. Willis & B Hollis (En- course for storage, Smiths Lawn maintained flying strip at Brimp- thusiast Publications in Windsor Great Park for train- ton is used by small, private air- Wings Over Woodley: Julian ing and assembling bombers, craft. There is still some flying Temple (Aston Publications) Watchfield as the RAF School from Welford which is also used of Air Traffic Cpontrol4. Inside to store weapons and a number ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ the post-1974 county Langley of private owners have permis- played a crucial role as a base Contacts sion to use various suitable for the Hurricane bomber de- fields. Chairman & Curator Ken signed by Windsor-born Sir Sid- Fostekew - ney Camm. [email protected] Most of these airfield have long- Treasurer: Alan Foskett since closed. The site at Alder- Summary maston, temporarily a civil air- Engineering: Geoff Etridge - port, became the Atomic RAF & USAAF Airfields [email protected] Weapons Research Establish- Abingdon, Aldermaston, Green- ment in 1950 and flying ended at ham Common, Hampstead Nor- Newsletter Editor: Brian Lloyd - Kingston Bagpuize four years reys/Norris, Harwell, Kingston [email protected] later. During the post-war years Bagpuize, Membury, Welford, e.co.uk 01628 661 005 Greenham Common was rebuilt White Waltham, Woodley. Museum Manning: Jean & Ken as a major United States bomber Small grass fields used by the Fostekew – and missile base during the cold [email protected] war. Both Aldermaston and RAF Greenham witnessed anti-nuc- Bray Court, Bush Barn, Henley- Membership: Keith Freeman - lear and anti-war demonstra- on-Thames (actually at Upper [email protected] tions. Membury was used as a Culham in Berkshire), Shelling- test site for gyrocopters until the ford, Smiths Lawn, Theale, Waltham St Lawrence (a large mid 1970s but is now better ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ known as a service station on the field used only for a few weeks), M4. Welford re-opened in 1955, Watchfield, Winkfield. Published by The Museum of acting for a time as a logistics War-time decoy airfields Berkshire Aviation, Mohawk base for the United States Air , Kingston Warren, Way, Woodley, Reading, Force, served by the Warfield Berkshire RG5 4UE Valley railway station at Web Site Welford Park5. The site of the Civil Airfields airstrip at Theale, Sheffield White Waltham (and Smiths http://www.museumofberkshire- Farm, has disappeared with the Lawn used for royal flying) aviation.co.uk/ extraction of gravel. Aircraft Notes ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ production at Woodley ceased in 1. Archives of the Museum

Museum of Berkshire Aviation Newsletter – Summer 2010