26-10-2023

Tangmere Aircraft Museum.

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We had been here before but that was way back in 2017. At that time they had been gifted several acres of land next to the Museum and they had fantastic plans in which to expand so we thought that we would have a drive down and see what what had happened. Then it was being used for allotments but they had a sort of agreement that the allotments were going to be moved, totally amicably, nearer the Church. However whoever owns the access to the allotments (one of the big developers I believe) seems to be playing awkward so the allotments are still there. Still as we all know, "Man disposes while god disposes" or in this case developers dispose. 17 members had agreed to go, taking our own cars but obviously sharing. Unfortunately health problems trimmed the numbers to 15 and poor old Tony was one of the missing members - just shows how Covid is still affecting us all. so off we went, 4 cars and 15 men.

Tony had arranged for a guide to show us round the exhibits and that honour fell to the highly knowledgeable Dave Norton. What I don't think any of us had realised was that it was half-term with, double the average number of visitors, but no problem, Dave's voice was than a match for the situation. Stories of his background as an R.A.F. pilot and tales told to him by previous visitors were absolutely fascinating. While the Museum has quite a small footprint it contains many truly remarkable exhibits and They actually have a reconstruction of the prototype Spitfire sans exhaust manifolds painted in a, what I felt was, a duck-egg blue colour but Dave assured that it was actually green. There was also a Lysander, used for delivering S.O.E. agents to France. Apparently the pilot had to land on an open field with just three lamps to show the landing strip. They had just 3 minutes to taxi back and turn round so that they would take off into the wind, drop off the S.O.E's, and if necessary load up and get airborne again! So much history in such a small place covering such a short time period.

So after a guided tour Dave went for a well-earned drink and we took our time looking at those particular exhibits that Dave had whetted our whistles for and then off to the lecture hall for a very interesting potted history of the Museum.

To finish off we just had to have a group photo taken in front of the Phantom that we were in front of six years ago, then back to The Oast and Squire for some of the group for an excellent and so convivial meal.

Thanks Dave.

Author: Chris Nixon