A little bit of local history

[Craig.]

We actually went a few weeks back. Very expensive though, didnt help it was bloody freezing. I didnt know i was going so i didnt have my camera on me, however my mum wants to go so chances are we will be going back after christmas so i will get pleanty of shots when we do.
I actually hope we do as i didnt get to see it all, was a nice day out though..

[Hagar]

Of course there's a lot more history around Birmingham. Castle Bromwich, the famous Spitfire shadow factory for one. Ozzy's hero Alex Henshaw was chief pilot & general manager there for most of WWII. He once did a low-level display at zero feet down Birmingham main street & ended up inverted over the town hall (maybe it was city hall). Some people still talk about it & I wish I had a photo.

I think it's all changed now but there is apparently some sort of memorial.

[Craig.]

WOW, i had to do a quick look into that, and came up with this. The man was crazy:)
http://www.angelfire.com/sd2/spitfirefactory/man.htm
I am going to have to go hunting for this memorial after christmas (way too busy right now)

[Hagar]

If you're interested in reading a little more I can recommend Mr. Henshaw's "Sigh for a Merlin". Lots of amazing facts in there told first-hand by an amazing character. I picked up a 2nd-hand copy at Tangmere Museum for 20 pence.

[Craig.]

Thanks for the recomendation:)

[Hagar]

Oh, I just remembered, The memorial is outside a garage which is on or close to the site of the old factory main gate. I believe it's a BMW garage & they paid for the memorial. Ironic don't you think?

PS. Looks like a nice place for photos. http://www.btinternet.com/~jimperkins/page66.html

Here's the memorial.

[ATI_7500]

The lack of Spitfires on the Eastern front might have had something to do with it.

The Russians hat Spits. And Hurris...for a short period of time. Arrival on the eastern front - first mission - written off, since badly damaged by german fighters.  ;)

[Hagar]

I know that Spits were sent to Russia at terrible cost to the crews of the Murmansk convoys. Whether many were actually used in action is debatable. I've read that the Spit was not popular with Russian pilots & that most were used for home defence & never saw action. This was what the Spit was originally designed for & those sent to Russia would not have been the latest type or have the latest top secret equipment.

While on the subject I remember some years ago that several brand new Hurricanes were discovered on the dockside at Archangel, still in their crates. I'm not sure what happened to them.

[Professor Brensec]

While on the subject I remember some years ago that several brand new Hurricanes were discovered on the dockside at Archangel, still in their crates. I'm not sure what happened to them.

I imagine the UK Government could have easily got upwards of $US500,000 for each from enthusiasts (given that a "used" Spit or P51 goes for up to a million).

As for the JU87 in the golf course, I suppose there's a possibility that the pilot landed the aircraft with very little damage in order to get medical attention for his then mortally wounded comrade???? (In a Stuka, it would have taken him at least 3 days to get back to France  ;D)

Seriously, my first thought was that the 'Dads Army' crew didn't do a very good job of guarding it. As someone said, it was probably left unguarded after the Airforce got what it wanted (if anything) - How would the engine have gone in a Morris????  :D

Interesting Pic and story, Hagar, my man!! (I can just make out the serial of 5167 on the tail plane, so the article about the "crashed" plane at the golf course is obviously about this one.

"Crashed"???? Doesn't look very crashed to me!! Doesn't even look like a forced landing (of course, engine trouble etc is not obvious on the outside....). As I said earlier, looks like it may have been a perfectly good and purposeful landing, for good reason.

"Crashed"???......It seems that News reporters were the same type of creature in 1940 as they are in 2005. Blind, deaf, dumb and very excitable!!!!  ;D

[C]

Of course there's a lot more history around Birmingham. Castle Bromwich, the famous Spitfire shadow factory for one.

...and Lancasters . Apparently AH was quite adept at aerobatics in the Lanc...

Shame the airfield shares the same fate as many pre war andWWII British airfields (Gravesend, West Malling, Hatfield, Leavesden, Heston, Croydon, Portsmouth, Skellingthorpe and sadly most recently Hawkinge to name a few) and is now home to several hundred houses, a retail park and industrial estates.

I'm just glad that during the war we had the RAE and Flight at Collyweston (now part of RAF Wittering) testing captured aircraft - if they hadn't I dread to think how few would have survived...

Charlie