Warbird Information Exchange

This is one of the best collections I've seen in a while. Over 140 photos of what it was like at an RAF airfield early in the war showing Mk. I Hurricanes, Mk. I Spitfires, Blenheims and various pictures of personnel, hangars etc. I hope someone who has knowledge of what we are seeing chimes in and explains some details such as exact location etc. Outstanding stuff and very grateful for WW2Radio's facebook page for hosting them. I'll post a few here but be sure to spend some time looking at the album. Let me know if you have a problem accessing the facebook page. I'll help you out.

Photos : William Vandivert - LIFE Collection

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 069&type=3

M

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45+47=Psalm 92:6

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Those are amazing. Many thanks for posting.

Richard

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I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.

This one looks like Manston but it matches the others, which are definitely not. Either way it's a WW1 hangar at rear.

Looking at the aircraft codes and serials visible in some of the photos, Hurricane I L1674 code SW may have been assigned to 253 Squadron at RAF Kenley and Blenheim I L6807 code NG may have been with 604 Squadron at RAF Middle Wallop. The squadron code isn't visible on Hurricane I L1818 but a source shows it was assigned to 213 and 253 Squadrons at RAF Tangmere and RAF Kenley. RAF history isn't my prime thing but hope this may help others with the location(s).

Randy

Some information from another forum.

"RAF Manston, Kent.
A couple of the pictures show Robert Stanford Tuck.
The Spitfires are 65 sqn, The Hurricanes 253 sqn, while
the Blenheims are 604 sqn.

The black/white was also of use to the Royal Observer Corp"

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45+47=Psalm 92:6

One of the ways to see all the photos Vandivert shot in the UK just before the Battle of Britain is via the Google Cultural Institute
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitut ... %20station 303 photos
or a broader search vandivert raf station brings in some early bomber pics
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitut ... n?v.refine

The ones with these WWI hangars, C type hangar and A type hangar in a line are almost certainly RAF Northolt, as are the ones with the camouflage-netted A & C types.

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Paul Bellamy

401BG Association Historian & Honorary Life Member
401BG Historical Society (UK) Member
1st Air Division HQ Historical Society (UK) Founder Member
Director of Archives & Collections, Airfield Research Group Archive, Alconbury
RAF Alconbury Base Historian

You can never post enough Hurricane photos for me- love 'em! Thanks!

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REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

Spent three years at Manston and sadly these photos aren't from that locale. Kenley does however seem likely, as does Northolt.

I agree these are early 1940, and looking at the mix of types and marks, would hazard a guess at possibly 11 or 12 Group. I'de put my money on 11 Group.

Totally agree that it is definitely not Manston (I was based there too). Because of the pre-war hangars and buildings and sealed runway/taxiways it is obviously a permanent station, so my guess would be either Northolt or Hornchurch.

Would be relatively easy to identify the squadrons from their codes, also the photos of Bob Tuck, John Cunningham and possibly Brendan Finucane.

Great photos Mark, thanks for posting.

Cheers

Barry

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Little Johnny : "When I grow up I want to be a pilot!"

Johnny's Mother : "Don't be silly Dear - you can't do both!"

Those poor guys flying Blenheims in 1940, I don't think many of them would have made it to see VE day in 45