Breighton Aerodrome "Lancaster G -
George Day" - July 16th
Due to the rising fuel prices, I towed the Jeep down to Breighton on Friday afternoon, rather than drive it there. It was an hour faster and much cheaper!
Once camp was set up, I went to explore the remains of the old airfield where I could.
All the runways survive, though now an industrial area and built on. One T2
hangar survives and can be seen through the gap in the hedge, behind my Jeep. To finish the Friday evening, I waited until the sun was low in the sky and took my Jeep onto the airfield for a photoshoot with the dH89a Dragon
Rapide.
The following day was hot before 08:00hrs. The event took place over the UK's hottest heatwave, though the peak temperatures occured after the event. Military and classic vehicles started arriving early, as did fly-in visitors. There's around one hundred classic aircraft based at Breighton, many of which were brought outside or flew during the day.
Most of the Real Aeroplane Company aircraft flew at least once during the day. As the day went on, parking spaces started to run out and judging by the number of normal cars there, turnout must have been around two thousand members of the public.
Around 12:45hrs, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster thundered over the airfield, making a number of passes. The Lanc was meant to be at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, but the crew rearranged their day so they could fly North to Yorkshire to display at Breighton before heading South to RIAT.
At the end of Saturday, there was a party at the main hangar with food and a band playing for most of the evening. Patrick and I both took our Jeeps. As the party wound down, in what little remained of the daylight, I challenged Patrick to a drag race! Now this wasn't going to be the fastest drag race in history, but from the hangar to the end of the airfield was a quarter mile! Some friends of Patrick caught us on camera on the return run. My Jeep is on the far side of the perimeter track, with my screen down and cap on backwards to reduce drag!!
