By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:05Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
490th BG Eye - Station 134
The first wartime picture is from the "Mighty Eighth in Colour" by Roger A. Freeman.
This one was taken last year.
New
By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:10Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
The End of the Line. Kingman Arizona.
The first picture is from the "Mighty Eighth in Colour" by Roger A. Freeman.
Taken on my Honeymoon in July 2000. While not quite the same angle, I didn't have the original with me on my honeymoon! I also didn't cross the railroad tracks for the image, but the mountain scape in the background isn't far off. As I stood in the desert silence, in my mind, I could see hundreds of aircraft parked up.
New
By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:15Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
487th BG Lavenham - Station 137
1977 image from "Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now" by Roger Freeman and After the Battle Magazine.
My image from 1999.
New
By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:20Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
96th BG Snetterton Heath - Station 138
1977 image from "Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now" by Roger Freeman and After the Battle Magazine.
Snetterton in 1997, but flying a bit low for a good comparison.
By: Wyvernfan
- 15th January 2013 at 21:21Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Stephen, thanks for posting those. Attlebridge in particular looks to be still in amazing condition, as of 1999 anyway. I havn't been past it since around the same time as your photo.
Rob
New
By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:24Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
If the turkey farm there is still established, there's little reason for more development. As it said in the Airfields of the Eighth book, the birds are prone to disease, and more development on site could well result in faster spread of infection.
New
By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:28Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
OK, not exactly an airfield, but an exciting location for doing a spot of low level flying!
From "How They Made a Piece of Cake" by Robert Eagle & Herbie Knott, filmed around 1988.
Twenty years later, I went back to the scene.
New
By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:35Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
1 CCRC Bovingdon - Station 112
Taken from "Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now" by Roger Freeman and After the Battle Magazine. The Bomb Dump was located behind the wood in the background.
My shot from around 1988.
New
By: Anonymous
- 15th January 2013 at 21:51Permalink- Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
448th BG Seething - Station 146
I don't have a photographic comparison for this image, but more of a historical comparison. But what's the connection with a B-24 base?
The aircraft is my 1/6 scale 100th BG B-17G-BO-1 #42-31035, "Hang The Expense", landing at Seething in 2004, its last flight. The crew of the real "Hang The Expense" made an emergency landing at Seething on 21st June 1944, with two engines shot out, little gas and no brakes. 60 years later, the model was landed in flat calm conditions, and not having brakes, I had a similar problem stopping the aircraft!
By: charliehunt
- 16th January 2013 at 09:26Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This is a terrific thread! I spent a good few years with Kimbolton and Molesworth on the doorstep and Wyton and Alconbury and Chelverston not far away so watched all of them change over the years, particularly Molesworth as it went through its cruise missile phase.
By: AlanR
- 20th January 2013 at 19:53Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks to Wyvernfan and Pagen01 for info on Castle Camps.
The only before and after pictures I have, are postcards from 1943 and pictures I took a few years ago.
By: NickB
- 20th November 2013 at 17:46Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'm a big fan of these type of pictures - for me it really helps to bring alive what some of these former airfields were like in their heyday - many, as you know look very different from their wartime past.
Anyway, here is one from the former RAF Membury - these two pictures show that this part of the former airfield hasn't actually changed that much... very different from the part of the airfield that the M4 now crosses!!!
I should credit Roger Day's excellent 'Membury at War' book for the picture of the P47 - thank you Roger if you're reading this.
By: Wyvernfan
- 20th November 2013 at 19:17Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
NickB's contribution has spurred me into adding another then and now, this time of 'Brite Sun' B-26 Marauder at Bassingbourn and the same view taken recently.
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:05 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
490th BG Eye - Station 134
The first wartime picture is from the "Mighty Eighth in Colour" by Roger A. Freeman.
This one was taken last year.
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:10 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
The End of the Line. Kingman Arizona.
The first picture is from the "Mighty Eighth in Colour" by Roger A. Freeman.
Taken on my Honeymoon in July 2000. While not quite the same angle, I didn't have the original with me on my honeymoon! I also didn't cross the railroad tracks for the image, but the mountain scape in the background isn't far off. As I stood in the desert silence, in my mind, I could see hundreds of aircraft parked up.
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:15 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
487th BG Lavenham - Station 137
1977 image from "Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now" by Roger Freeman and After the Battle Magazine.
My image from 1999.
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:20 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
96th BG Snetterton Heath - Station 138
1977 image from "Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now" by Roger Freeman and After the Battle Magazine.
Snetterton in 1997, but flying a bit low for a good comparison.
Posts: 6,005
By: Wyvernfan - 15th January 2013 at 21:21 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Stephen, thanks for posting those. Attlebridge in particular looks to be still in amazing condition, as of 1999 anyway. I havn't been past it since around the same time as your photo.
Rob
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:24 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
If the turkey farm there is still established, there's little reason for more development. As it said in the Airfields of the Eighth book, the birds are prone to disease, and more development on site could well result in faster spread of infection.
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:28 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
OK, not exactly an airfield, but an exciting location for doing a spot of low level flying!
From "How They Made a Piece of Cake" by Robert Eagle & Herbie Knott, filmed around 1988.
Twenty years later, I went back to the scene.
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:35 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
1 CCRC Bovingdon - Station 112
Taken from "Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now" by Roger Freeman and After the Battle Magazine. The Bomb Dump was located behind the wood in the background.
My shot from around 1988.
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 21:51 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
448th BG Seething - Station 146
I don't have a photographic comparison for this image, but more of a historical comparison. But what's the connection with a B-24 base?
The aircraft is my 1/6 scale 100th BG B-17G-BO-1 #42-31035, "Hang The Expense", landing at Seething in 2004, its last flight. The crew of the real "Hang The Expense" made an emergency landing at Seething on 21st June 1944, with two engines shot out, little gas and no brakes. 60 years later, the model was landed in flat calm conditions, and not having brakes, I had a similar problem stopping the aircraft!
Posts: 1,011
By: DragonRapide - 15th January 2013 at 22:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Vultee - magnificent examples of then and now!
What were you airborne in, with that tapering wing? Looks Yak-11!!!!
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 22:32 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
It was "Hairyplanes" Grob motor glider. We did two 'missions' in 1997 and 1999, both around six hours duration over many of the old 8th AF bases.
Posts: 1,011
By: DragonRapide - 15th January 2013 at 23:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Very good!
Now you need to persuade him that the Storch would be an excellent camera platform for some current comparisons!!!
By: Anonymous - 15th January 2013 at 23:27 Permalink - Edited 15th February 2020 at 18:37
Trouble is at that speed, we might only get two airfields covered per day!!
Posts: 1,011
By: DragonRapide - 15th January 2013 at 23:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
:D :D
Posts: 10,647
By: pagen01 - 16th January 2013 at 09:13 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Amazing amount of work there Stephen, especially the desert scene which can't have been easy.
Liking the Piece Of Cake bridge as well!
Posts: 11,141
By: charliehunt - 16th January 2013 at 09:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This is a terrific thread! I spent a good few years with Kimbolton and Molesworth on the doorstep and Wyton and Alconbury and Chelverston not far away so watched all of them change over the years, particularly Molesworth as it went through its cruise missile phase.
Any now and then photos would be welcomed!:)
Posts: 1
By: SuffolkBlue - 20th January 2013 at 13:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Here's a few from Hickam AFB, Hawaii
Hospital - 1940
...and today
"The Big Barracks" which took a bit of a pounding on December 7th
...and still pot marked....
The ramp, 1940, taken from the old control tower
..and today...
Posts: 4,996
By: AlanR - 20th January 2013 at 19:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Thanks to Wyvernfan and Pagen01 for info on Castle Camps.
The only before and after pictures I have, are postcards from 1943 and pictures I took a few years ago.
My mother was stationed there and at Debden.
Posts: 630
By: NickB - 20th November 2013 at 17:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'm a big fan of these type of pictures - for me it really helps to bring alive what some of these former airfields were like in their heyday - many, as you know look very different from their wartime past.
Anyway, here is one from the former RAF Membury - these two pictures show that this part of the former airfield hasn't actually changed that much... very different from the part of the airfield that the M4 now crosses!!!
I should credit Roger Day's excellent 'Membury at War' book for the picture of the P47 - thank you Roger if you're reading this.
Cheers
Nick
[ATTACH=CONFIG]223069[/ATTACH]
Posts: 6,005
By: Wyvernfan - 20th November 2013 at 19:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
NickB's contribution has spurred me into adding another then and now, this time of 'Brite Sun' B-26 Marauder at Bassingbourn and the same view taken recently.
Anyone got anymore?
Rob