Biggin Hill 2009
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chedburgh, Bury St.Edmunds
Age: 81
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Thanks, Batchy. That is the logical explanation of course. Not being a camera guy, it didn't occur to me. Lovely pics, hope I didn't p..s anyone off.
Batchy
How I envy your expertise - brilliant photos - TVM for posting them.
I was stationed at Biggin from 1953 - 1956 and was a keen photographer, albeit mainly B & W using my modern (at the time) Voigtländer Bessar folding camera.
The B & W shots were taken at the Biggin Battle of Britain display in September 1954 and show the 2nd prototype Victor (the original had crashed a month or so previously killing all on board), and a Manston based USAF SA-16 doing a Rocket Assisted Take-off.
As can be seen, flying low and fast and near the spectator's was very much standard practice in those days.
The 41 Sqn Meteor F Mk8 was on of my first photos taken in colour when colour film was a horrendously expensive luxury. Considering that the photo was taken 55-years ago, the colours have retained their vibrancy over the years.
How I envy your expertise - brilliant photos - TVM for posting them.
I was stationed at Biggin from 1953 - 1956 and was a keen photographer, albeit mainly B & W using my modern (at the time) Voigtländer Bessar folding camera.
The B & W shots were taken at the Biggin Battle of Britain display in September 1954 and show the 2nd prototype Victor (the original had crashed a month or so previously killing all on board), and a Manston based USAF SA-16 doing a Rocket Assisted Take-off.
As can be seen, flying low and fast and near the spectator's was very much standard practice in those days.
The 41 Sqn Meteor F Mk8 was on of my first photos taken in colour when colour film was a horrendously expensive luxury. Considering that the photo was taken 55-years ago, the colours have retained their vibrancy over the years.
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: southeast UK
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Great Meteor shot.
As a long term Biggin employee I am always interested in pictures from the 1950's. Can you remember the orientation of that photo? I am trying to place the taxiway in context with the modern layout.
As a long term Biggin employee I am always interested in pictures from the 1950's. Can you remember the orientation of that photo? I am trying to place the taxiway in context with the modern layout.
Meteor photo was taken looking south from the old control tower which was along the northern taxi-way running parallel with the main Westerham - Bromley road (A233). The rumway can be seen in the background together with what I think was the station arms or fuel dump.
The old control tower was a hundred yards or so west of where the newly-built control tower was located i.e. between the new tower and domestic site.
The old control tower was a hundred yards or so west of where the newly-built control tower was located i.e. between the new tower and domestic site.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Kenley
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Warmtoast,
Thanks for posting these great shots especially the Meteor shot, I don't suppose you ever popped over To Kenley with your oigtländer Bessar.
Keep them coming.
Batchy.
Thanks for posting these great shots especially the Meteor shot, I don't suppose you ever popped over To Kenley with your oigtländer Bessar.
Keep them coming.
Batchy.
Batchy
Never did get over to Kenley.
Another 1954/55 colour photo of 41 Sqn's Vampire T.11 taken at the same time and place as my earlier one of the 41 Sqn. Meteor.
Not sure I should really hog what is your thread after all, as I have dozens of photos taken at Biggin, including some of Neil Williams inverted about 20ft above the crowd in his Zlin, although this probably dates from the early 1960's.
Never did get over to Kenley.
Another 1954/55 colour photo of 41 Sqn's Vampire T.11 taken at the same time and place as my earlier one of the 41 Sqn. Meteor.
Not sure I should really hog what is your thread after all, as I have dozens of photos taken at Biggin, including some of Neil Williams inverted about 20ft above the crowd in his Zlin, although this probably dates from the early 1960's.
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Croydon (but really from Barnsley)
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Nice photos Warmtoast, if you don't want to hog this thread I hope you'll start a new one for more, the colour ones are wonderful considering how long ago they were taken.
Cool Mod
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: 18nm N of LGW
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Yes, please post your photographs. Perhaps you might care to post them in AH&N as they are of historic. If not I will copy them over after you have finished them - either way the Mil guys will see them.
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Batchy,
Sorry to interrupt the thread again, got a D100 off ebay for £205 - have sent you a PM for a bit of advice re-lenses.
Will hopefully repay the intrusion with some cool pics soon
Cheers
Sorry to interrupt the thread again, got a D100 off ebay for £205 - have sent you a PM for a bit of advice re-lenses.
Will hopefully repay the intrusion with some cool pics soon
Cheers
PPRuNe Pop
Re photos. Here are the screen grabs from my 8mm cine film of Neil Williams inverted in his Zlin at a Battle of Britain display at Biggin Hill which I estimate was shot in the early 1960's (I bought my cine camera in 1960).
I'll start a separate thread of my aircraft I photos taken at Biggin Hill in 1954/55.
Neil Williams in his Zlin Treiner approachs inverted
Passing overhead - my guess is that he is 20ft above the crowd!
Climbing away
Still inverted
Apologies for the quality but cine-film screen grabs are no match when compared to still camera photos.
Re photos. Here are the screen grabs from my 8mm cine film of Neil Williams inverted in his Zlin at a Battle of Britain display at Biggin Hill which I estimate was shot in the early 1960's (I bought my cine camera in 1960).
I'll start a separate thread of my aircraft I photos taken at Biggin Hill in 1954/55.
Neil Williams in his Zlin Treiner approachs inverted
Passing overhead - my guess is that he is 20ft above the crowd!
Climbing away
Still inverted
Apologies for the quality but cine-film screen grabs are no match when compared to still camera photos.
Last edited by Warmtoast; 19th Nov 2012 at 09:23.
