Iconic Aircraft Aviation Forum

by **34053** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 6:02 pm

On Sunday 27th September at 3.00pm there will be a 12 plane flypast (including 8 biplanes) to mark the 50th Anniversary of the closing of Croydon Airport. The last (private) plane took off at 7.45pm on 30th September 1959, with the last scheduled commercial flight having taken off at about 6.15pm that day.

Also, on 19th and 20th September the Airport Visitor Centre will be holding special 'open days'. (The Visitor Centre is normally only open on the first Sunday of the month from 11.00am until 4.00pm).

For more information on both of these events visit:

http://www.croydonairport.org.uk

The following is also an interesting link:

http://www.croydononline.org/history/places/airports.asp

PW

by **Mackrick** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 6:36 pm

Nice find papa wedgy. An interesting read :ymapplause:

by **Xplumberlives** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:51 pm

I think we should send our special correspondent, S.M. =))

by **Saracenman** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:22 pm

i know Croydon Airport extremely well - good to see it's being commemorated, being the very place which started the commercial aviation industry all those years ago $\:D/$

wouldn't get me back there for all the tea in China though - the place is an utter dump - hence working damned hard to leave there many years ago =))

sm

by **Xplumberlives** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:28 pm

My father has some pictures he took when Croydon was a tented city!

by **34053** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 12:09 pm

Saracenman wrote:
wouldn't get me back there for all the tea in China though - the place is an utter dump - hence working damned hard to leave there many years ago

sm

A bit harsh SM! It's not that bad there. I agree that almost all of the original airport buildings have now gone and replaced with 'Industrial Units' (and despite fierce opposition by the Croydon Airport Society the last remaining hangars have been demolished and a 'Costco' shed built!!!!!!!!!!). However, the original Booking Hall and Control Tower are still there in 'Airport House' (thanks to action by John Power of the Westmead Group) and a visit there is very interesting and well worth it. Also, just a short walk up Purley Way from Airport House is the RAF 'Battle of Britain' Memorial, which has vast, fine open green common land behind it. As a matter of interest, the 'Battle of Britain Memorial Flight' always overflys this Memorial on its' way to or from certain Air Shows (eg. Biggin Hill, etc.).

[Don't forget: 'Battle of Britain Day' this Tuesday, 15th September]

PW

EDIT [14.09.09]:
I have found a picture of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial referred to above. This is a 23ft high obelisk, topped with a bronze eagle and commemorates the 'Fighter Command' Squadrons, WAAFs, Royal Observer Corps, medical staff and police who were all involved in the Battle of Britain. This Memorial was erected in 1991.

Croydon Airport was part of 'Eleven Group' Fighter Command, under Air Vice Marshal Keith Park (Air Officer Commanding) and protecting the south east section of England (approximately as far as Southampton, to the West and just South of Duxford, to the North (the boundary with 'Twelve Group' Fighter Command, under Air Vice Marshall Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Air Officer Commanding). 'Eleven Group' Fighter Command also included Biggin Hill; Debden; Hornchurch; Kenley; Northolt; North Weald and Tangmere.

Please remember 'Battle of Britain Day' tomorrow, 15th September. Thank you.

PW

by **Saracenman** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:08 pm

that war memorial means an awful lot to me - when it was inaugurated, my Dad directed the music at the ceremony - accompanied by four Merlin engines overhead too! :ymapplause:

it was also, in her last few years, the only Remembrance Sunday service my Mum could get to. i took her every year, and BBMF never once let us down - although Croydon Council did - the proposed poppy drop was vetoed due to the costs cleaning them up!

as for Airport House - well i can't have ANYTHING against that really - that's where my Lawyer's offices are - although demolishing it might stop his large bills coming through the door =))

sorry PW - Croydon IS a dump! =))

sm

by **34053** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:21 am

On Tuesday 15th September 2009 (Battle of Britain Day) Mama Wedgy and I made our way to the Battle of Britain Memorial for 'RAF Croydon' (Croydon Airport) on Purley Way, Croydon to pay our respects. I also used this opportunity to take some 'more detailed' photographs of this Memorial. The weather at the time was absolutely dreadful (heavy rain and strong winds) but the photos seem OK nevertheless. (The inscription shown on photo 010 says it all: 'THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFEAT NEVER EXISTED'):

001: East Elevation

002: 'Upper' East Elevation

003: 'Top' East Elevation ('Fighter Command' Crest)

004: 'Lower' East Elevation

005: Inscription on the steps to East Elevation

006: 'Upper' North Elevation (Crests): '72 Squadron' (T); '85 Squadron' (L); '111 Squadron' (R)

007: Inscription to North Elevation

008: 'Upper' West Elevation (Crests): '92 Squadron' (T); '145 Squadron'(L); '401 Squadron' (R)

009: Inscription to West Elevation

010: South Elevation

011: 'Upper' South Elevation (Crests): '501 Squadron' (T); '605 Squadron' (L); '607 Squadron' (R)

012: Plaque to honour Alan Savage (who made this Memorial possible)

I hope that you will find these photographs of interest.

PW

by **Mackrick** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:28 pm

PW Thank you very much for posting these. Have never been to the memorial and it is nice to see it in the photos.

by **Saracenman** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:33 pm

thanks PW - good to see the Croydon scrotes haven't vandalised it!

sm

by **Xplumberlives** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 6:41 pm

Saracenman wrote:thanks PW - good to see the Croydon scrotes haven't vandalised it!

sm

I thought you and your brothers were the original CROYDON SCROTES!

by **Saracenman** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:04 pm

i was born in SURREY, and have no scrotal genetics in me whatever! =))

by **Mayfly** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:08 pm

thanks PW nice pics - good to remember

by **Xplumberlives** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:09 pm

Saracenman wrote:i was born in SURREY, and have no scrotal genetics in me whatever!

So what is the derogatary term for Burks from Surrey?

by **Wedgy** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:28 pm

Saracenman wrote:i was born in SURREY, and have no scrotal genetics in me whatever!

Croydon IS SURREY! =))

by **Jigsaw** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:54 pm

Thanks for posting those pics PW :ymapplause:

by **Saracenman** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:57 pm

Wedgy wrote:
Saracenman wrote:i was born in SURREY, and have no scrotal genetics in me whatever!

Croydon IS SURREY!

so? doesn't mean i was born there! =))

by **34053** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 11:02 am

34053 wrote:On Sunday 27th September at 3.00pm there will be a 12 plane flypast (including 8 biplanes) to mark the 50th Anniversary of the closing of Croydon Airport. The last (private) plane took off at 7.45pm on 30th September 1959, with the last scheduled commercial flight having taken off at about 6.15pm that day.

PW

If you can get there, don't forget the Flypast at Croydon Airport (Purley Way) this coming Sunday (27th September at 3.00pm).

PW

EDIT (27.09.09):
Just one final mention of the Flypast today. Also, see the following Link:

http://www.flypast.com/view_event.asp?ID=314

PW

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