Open Day 2008 - Dakota over The Tower - Sunday 14 September

Report by Tarkey Barker 3 December 2008
Photographs by Gavin Hamilton, Andy Moore and Tarkey Barker

September came round again, and this year our Open day was on Sunday the 14th.

The weather was good and as usual we had a large turnout. It was lovely to see so many interested people, including youngsters.

  

Ken Wallis is pictured left, chatting to Andy Flexon-Pallott, who in previous years has role-played a German pilot. Ken, now a Vice President of the Martlesham Heath Aviation Society, officially opened the proceedings. This year he had brought along a different Gyrocopter (right) from his vast collection and this time it was a military version and sister to Little Nellie. The area in front of the tower had been grubbed and seeded to give a larger grass area, thanks to the maintenance crew.

 

  

 D A K O T A    O V E R    T H E    T O W E R !

 

There were four flying visits including the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota, above (photo copyright © 2008 Gavin Hamilton). She was truly amazing flying over very low with her Loadmaster hanging out of the side door waving to the crowd.

Our member Jim Empson arranged for a Piper L4H "Grasshopper" Cub owned by Ted Cundy and based at the Nayland airstrip, Essex. Many were built during WW2 and used in every theatre of war because of its ability to land and take off in confined, scrubby areas. They were used for target spotting, evacuating wounded, by 5 Star Generals and as "hacks" on many airfields for ferrying pilots or engineers to collect or repair downed aircraft.

There was also Nigel Willson with his Yak 52 and Maurice Hammond in his beautiful P-51D Mustang “Janie”.

 

  
Yak 52, left and P-51D Mustang "Janie"

 

One of the new exhibits was one featuring live mules to remember their part in the Burma campaign. Another new stand was the Ipswich Modellers Club with some of their models. The bus from the Ipswich Transport Museum was once again giving guided tours of the old Martlesham Site. We had a wonderful collection of Civilian and Military vehicles

    

  

    

    

    

 

There were 2 RAF veterans in their 90s who had been at Martlesham during the War; Don Stocker (photo below, centre) a Flight Lieutenant and later Bombing Leader. Joined the Civil Air Guard in Ipswich and was taught to fly Tiger Moths by WW2 hero Ron Hawkins. Joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve as a cadet in 1940 and learned to fly in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and later did training as a bomb-aimer in South Africa.

Don flew 40 missions in Wellingtons and later Liberators, serving in 37 and 40 squadrons, and spent latter part of the war flying Wellingtons in support of the invasion of southern France in 1944. Then flew Liberators over Yugoslavia to help Tito’s partisans and to bomb Ploesti. Don was dressed in his original uniform and it still fitted him. Now aged 94 and a former teacher.

    

And Lou aged 92 (photo above, right). He had ferried over from the USA part of the original batch of 19 Dakota DC3s (I do not know his full name so if anyone can let me know I would be grateful) He had flown 1400 flights. This included over Arnhem, Egypt, Burma and Germany. They were both interviewed by Steve Suttle from Patchymatt Disco.

The Martlesham Brass took their lives in their hands by letting our Vice Chairman Bob Dunnett be their conductor for a short while. I must admit he actually looked as though he knew what he was doing. (photo above, left.)

We had a surprise visit from a group called "The Sentimental Journey Singers", who were actually just passing by and asked if they could sing. They were great and added to the atmosphere. They have been booked for our Open Day next year.

 

  
Bob Dunnett (left), Gordon Kinsey (centre), Peter Stimpson (right), enjoying the Dakota flypast.

 

This event is now well and truly on the calendar and you should note that next year it will be the 13th September. And what will there be?

WELL, WATCH THIS SPACE.