Nostalgia Photographs

White Waltham airfield opened on 16th November 1935 and was home to No.2 de Havilland School of Flying. As the years progressed numerous Units and Companies (big & small) moved in including the ATA and Malcolm Engineering Co. Ltd who, in WW2, carried out all sorts of hush-hush experimental fitments to a host of military types. Fairey Aviation moved in from Heston in 1947 and immediately Post-War WLAC was formed and remains present to this day. Anyway without anymore ado, let’s have some photos to start the ball a’rolling. Where necessary explanatory captions will be given.

Next (below) is a close-up view of the Avenger’s rear cockpit. Malcolm Engineering Ltd also created a radio-controlled Spitfire which I’ll reproduce in the near future.

Moving on to 1946. The photograph below is of DH.94 Moth Minor G-AFRY. The location is White Waltham and this Moth Minor is reputedly the first WLAC aircraft (unless you know different) delivered to them in March 1946. It was built in 1939 and Impressed as X5123 and restored to the Civil Register on 21st March 1946 for delivery to WLAC at White Waltham. WFU at Perth (Scone) on 10th December 1951.

The last–but-one illustration in this initial batch of historical photos is of G-ANWW Avro Anson 19 of Fairey Air Surveys Ltd. under overhaul in the Fairey main hangar block on the north side of the airfield near the railway line. Notice the Fairey Gannet behind it. The photograph was reputedly taken in 1958 i.e. the same year it was written off.

It crashed at Maidenhead Thicket (on 8th July 1958) and was declared “cancelled as destroyed” on 4th September 1958. If anybody knows the full story let’s be hearing from you.

The last photograph is somewhat amusing as it was taken in the White Waltham car park on 16th June 2014. The photo caption, I think, says it all!