Simviation Forums

My day out in pictures. This was the scene when I arrived at Popham airfield just after 10.30 am.


Time for a wander round with my camera before a nice leisurely cooked breakfast in the sunshine before it gets too crowded.


Several hours later the field is packed with visiting aeroplanes & people wandering around looking at them. Others are constantly arriving or departing throughout the day & there are aeroplanes everywhere you look. It's impossible to show how many aircraft are on the field in just one shot.


Late afternoon & most of the visitors have departed to get home before dark. This is an opportunity for some interesting shots.




The man responsible for this wonderful place, the airfield manager. Always cheerful & friendly. I don't think I've ever seen him without a smile on his face. he used to work for Charles Church whose family still owns the huge estate the airfield is part of. It was originally twice the size & some of it was sold after his death.  He told me yesterday that had Mr Church not been tragically killed in a Spitfire crash it's more than likely there would now be three airworthy Lancasters in the world, not two, & that one would be based at Popham.


Almost 6.00 pm & almost everyone has gone home. That little black speck in the distance is my car & it's time for me to go home too.


I hope you enjoyed sharing my wonderful day out with me. Sadly I won't be doing this again for several months.

wow, thnaks for sharing Doug! I always look for your photos here in the photos section because they are always a special treat..

Thanks for sharing them when you did, It's monday morning and I have a smile on my face..

Ditto jared's sentiment: You've put a little cheer into another dismal Monday morning...

Wonderful. Methinks my next holidays should be spent in southern England.  :D

Thanks. I'm happy to bring a little sunshine into people's lives or just raise a smile.

[quote]Wonderful. Methinks my next holidays should be spent in southern England.

........and now finally after viewing all three of these wonderful threads..........simply outstanding and envy making !  8)

With many thanks ..........

There'd be that Wicko again!

[quote]The man responsible for this wonderful place, the airfield manager. Always cheerful & friendly. I don't think I've ever seen him without a smile on his face. he used to work for Charles Church whose family still owns the huge estate the airfield is part of. It was originally twice the size & some of it was sold after his death.

I think the airfield manager is having a laugh if he though the Lanc would live there. I suspect somewhere like Lasham or Blackbushe would be more reasonable for that part of the world (any rain would ruin a Lancs chances of flying)...

He was quite certain about that. I asked him if Popham could handle a large aircraft like the Lanc & he told me about the plans for extending the airfield. It would have been very different to what it is now & no longer possible as the land has been sold. Everything you can see in my last shot & a lot more besides was once part of Charles Church's estate. He was not only a keen warbird enthusiast & restorer but also an extremely wealthy man.

He was quite certain about that. I asked him if Popham could handle a large aircraft like the Lanc & he told me about the plans for extending the airfield. It would have been very different to what it is now & no longer possible as the land has been sold. Everything you can see in my last shot & a lot more besides was once part of Charles Church's estate. He was not only a keen warbird enthusiast & restorer but also an extremely wealthy man.

Mmm, I can't see the problem with extending the airfield (presubably the runway that isn't parallel to the A303), but surely it would need serious reinforcement for a heavy bomber to operate from it (we've seen what a drop of rain does to Old Warden), and a hard runway would be as out of place as one at Old Warden too!

Charles Church's crash was very sad, and the first warbird crash I remember the coverage of in the press - in those days (only 16 years ago) Spitfires were a lot rarer, with only 10 or so airworthy in the UK (5 of those at Coningsby alone!). Mind you, I wonder what he would have thought about his company developing West Malling...

Mmm, I can't see the problem with extending the airfield (presubably the runway that isn't parallel to the A303), but surely it would need serious reinforcement for a heavy bomber to operate from it (we've seen what a drop of rain does to Old Warden), and a hard runway would be as out of place as one at Old Warden too!

Ah well, it's not important now as we shall never know. The world is full of ifs & buts but it's an interesting thought.

Charles Church's crash was very sad, and the first warbird crash I remember the coverage of in the press - in those days (only 16 years ago) Spitfires were a lot rarer, with only 10 or so airworthy in the UK (5 of those at Coningsby alone!). Mind you, I wonder what he would have thought about his company developing West Malling...

Very sad indeed although I admit to not remembering the full details. I'd met him a few times & always liked to have a chat when he visited my company. I used to test various components for his aircraft & he often delivered & collected them personally.  His business might well have been run quite differently had he still been alive.

Bring your bike & your tent. You can even camp on the airfield & there's bound to be a nice country pub just down the road. No alcohol on the airfield though.

Biking and Guinness! Yeeeeeehaw!  :D

[quote]

Biking and Guinness! Yeeeeeehaw!

Pardon me, but in the 7th shot, is that toilet made into a plant holder?

Pardon me, but in the 7th shot, is that toilet made into a plant holder?

It is indeed. Rather nice don't you think?

Thats a holiday?

You're mad.

May I add "in another country" to my list?