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It
was originally planned to have a short drive out on Sunday morning
prior to entering the museum for the open day. As it worked out, this
didn't happen.
After a briefing at
around 10am, the plan was to assemble the vehicles at 11am on the
perimeter track. They would then be ready to drive around the airfield
to the museum complex for a static display throughout the day.
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| As
military vehicles assembled near to the dispersals, the public car
park was rapidly expanding, forcing the MV's to bunch up to make more
room. Looking across to the Museum, there were certainly a large
number of public there already.
At around 11:40, the
convoy began slowly making it's way to the museum. |
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It
was a slow business taking me about 1 hour from the start of movement
to getting parked at the museum. Parking that many vehicles at the
museum, with public around naturally had to be done slowly and
carefully.
Eventually everyone
got parked up and were able to take their first look around the museum
and at the other vehicles.
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| Not
long after 2pm, people started making there way to the edge of the
crops for the best view of the flying display, expected to start
around 2:15.
It wasn't long before
we heard the rumble of four Wright Cyclones and two RR/Packard Merlins
as B-17G 'Sally B' and P-51's 'Janie' and 'Big Beautiful Doll' flew
over in formation.
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'Sally
B' still carries the 91st Bomb Group markings it wore in the 1989
'Memphis Belle' film, though it had its chin turret refitted after the
filming and as a result is not authentic.
'Janie' has the black and yellow checks of the 353rd Fighter Group
based as Raydon and an overall olive drab camouflage on the top
surfaces. 'BB Doll' has the black and white checks of the 78th Fighter
Group from Duxford and a natural metal finish. |
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The
whole flying display lasted about half an hour and had to be the
highlight of the day.
Towards the back end of the afternoon, vehicles began to leave,
'though some of the long distance travellers had already gone. |
We
packed up at 4pm and were on the road North not long after 5pm. We got
home at 23:15 and had the jeep, trailer and camping gear away by
00:15. It was a tiring weekend, but a unique experience, and one that
I wouldn't have missed for anything.
I took some video across the three days too, but need to edit it all
together yet. |
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