Essex Microlight Club

Our next club meeting is Monday 14th April, at 7pm for 7-30 at Stewarts Bar, Western Road, Billericay.

Ginge's Trip to Old Warden

It was another of Tony’s bright ideas, we were to fly to Old Warden, and this was a special one for me, a flight that I had long promised myself. The museum I had visited by road in the past, and the airshows that I had enjoyed on the wonderful atmospheric grass airfield, many, many years ago, often with both mum and dad. I could remember the flight that I had in a Tiger Moth, mums face glowing with excitement after her flight in the Dragon Rapid. Indeed a special place to me.

That morning we spoke to Tony and he confirmed that he was going so we said that we would see him there. That morning we rang for PPR and received the most detailed joining instructions I had ever been given, apart our abortive trip to Duxford. When we arrived at Rayne it was a bit surprising to find only Brian there. There was no sign of the others that we had expected to see as they had indicated that they were up for it. Never mind it was a lovely day and I had no intention of missing it.

We pulled DF out of the hangar, checked her over and everything seemed set fair. Greatly encouraged we set off, holding to the low route past Wethersfield keeping a weather eye on the gliders to our first turning point, over the old wartime airbase at Castle Camps. Not much remained of the airfield although it was clearly visible by the remains of the old peri track. This had been the last place on earth for some of the crews as they set out on the missions. In it's time it had been like a small town buzzing with life with mighty piston engines roaring, now just a concrete road surrounding peaceful fields. " And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares" so it was. Turning onto our new course we remained at 1200' bouncing in the thermals until we were past Saffron Waldon where we could start a climb to gentler air. By now Duxford had been visible for a while so we listened to their traffic, there appeared to be no heavy metal in area so we held our peace and trundled past keeping well clear of their Zone. Royston was now in view with our second turning point. Nearing that we could see the big radio mast that was situated near the old Tempsford airfield. If ever a place had ghosts that one must. After the war it became known that this had been the secret base, the place from which the secret agents and resistance fighters set out for occupied Europe. In each moon period the black painted Lysanders and Halifaxes set out with the people and supplies that were to pave the way for the Allied armies to fight their way into Germany itself. So much heroism and so much tragedy started here. Then for a while it played an important place in the start of microlight flying in this country with our spindly forerunners regularly meeting there until that is the old owner died. Still it had played its part and microlights soared ahead and the old airfield sank back into oblivion. Ahead now is the A1, the Great North Road, many miles of it straight as a die that show it to be the work of the Roman Legions. Almost beside the road and also straight, runs the railway, once this, the precinct of the LNER Company, was known as the East Coast Mainline. Here, in competition with their rivals on the West coast the huge steam trains roared along breaking record after record. Culminating with the mighty Mallard reaching 129mph. Still pretty awe inspiring that. Beyond these a green patch grows into Old Warden airfield home to the Shuttleworth collection. Without doubt the finest collection of vintage aircraft in Europe and one of the best in the world. This is the home of the oldest British aircraft in the world and in common with most of the others there it still flies. Here also live a Bleriot with a lot of others, all the way up to a Piston Provost and of course including a Hurricane and a Spitfire. Many unique aeroplanes and regularly flown, being allowed to fly them is the ultimate accolade to a pilot, only the very best are considered. Into this nest of excellence I bumbled gently with DF trying to do my very best. As it happened it was not one of my best landings with a slight balloon, Oh well, must try harder. As we had joined overhead we had seen Tony's "Essex Girl" parked by the fence so we taxied over to join him being filmed all the way.

After paying our dues we went around the museum with Tony and Rosemary. Going from the Sea Hurricane (the only one left) and Spitfire checking out the military and civilian types from the twenties and thirties, these included the ANEC2 and the English Electric Wren, surely the first microlights, though to the superb Edwardians, the Blackburn, Bleriot and company. All this with memorabilia, ranks of old engines many of them cast iron monsters, models and old photographs. I was very impressed by the moving cut away rotary engine from the First World War. I’m still amazed that they worked at all, never mind powering most of the Sopwiths and of course the infamous Fokker Triplane amongst others. In the workshops there was a Westland Lysander with most panels removed dwarfing the Tiger Moth alongside. I’d never realised just how big they were.

Then moving outside, we were treated to a flypast by the Red Arrows in perfect formation with smoke on as they used us as a turning point. It was a shame that none of the other Essex boys accompanied us for it had been a darn good day. I wondered as Brian flew us back, just where was everybody. We saw very few other aircraft, despite the excellent weather and as we crossed the M11 even that was almost empty, Duxford lay quietly off our beam, then I got it, The World Cup was being played. What strange priorities some people have, moments like this are priceless.

This had also been a tryout for my GPS as we were, at times, very close to Stansteds no go areas. Useful for this sort of thing, but I do feel that it takes some of the fun out cross-country flying.

Then back into familiar territory, Haverhill then overhead Wethersfield, by this time all the gliders had been tucked away. The white roofs near Braintree stood out as we closed on the airfield. We finished the flight with one of Brian’s neat landings and we completed a good day in the Swan at Rayne.