A new website for Captain Donald Macintosh - Royal Air Force bomber pilot of a lancaster bomber in 1944, has been placed up for historical referance.
Captain Macintosh was interviewed for 36 minutes on his experiences. You can read or /
and listen to what he went through. It's quite a unique interview as
you can imagine.
(He was on the squadron that sank the Tirpitz.)
Below is the link to the remarkable site that holds his stories. A good read fr all interested!
World Updates 2006
ENGLISH HERIATAGE APPROVES INVESTIGATION TO LIST AND SCHEDULE RAF TANGMERE FOR PROTECTION
RAFHA Secretary James Liskutin recieved confirmation today Saturday October 14th that a territorial team is now activated to investigate the buildings immediately. this could well become the saving battle of the war against HEAVY development in the south east rural villages and towns. more as it comes.
Czech WWII fighter ace
General Frantisek Fajtl, dies at age 94
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - Czech WWII fighter ace Gen. Frantisek Fajtl, who fought against Nazi Germany in the French and British air forces died Wednesday, an official said. He was 94. A spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Andrej Cirtek, said Fajtl died Monday in Prague's military hospital from complications related to his age. Fajtl, who was born Aug. 20, 1912, fled Czechoslovakia, which was occupied by Nazi troops, in 1939. He joined France's air force, and after the country capitulated, he fled to Britain to join the Royal Air Force. His plane was shot down over northern France in May, 1942. Fajtl escaped to Spain, where he was captured and arrested. He was released after London intervened and returned to Britain. He then left the RAF in 1944 to help build the Czechoslovakian fighter squadron in the Soviet Union. But back at home, he was arrested as an enemy of state by the Communist regime in 1950, and spent 17 months in prison. After he was released, he was given only menial jobs. His reputation was fully rehabilitated after the 1989 collapse of the communist regime, and in 2004 he was awarded the highest Czech order The White Lion order.
The General was buried with honours Saturday 14th October.
He will be remembered with honour.
Below is a recent Link written by the General before his death in dedication to
Alois Vašátko
The Control Tower at Ibsley
has been awarded a grant of £10,000 towards it's rennovation. In addition, English Heritage are considering classifying the Control Tower as a listed building.
Upottery Airfield
The Control Tower at Upottery was recently sold at auction to an enthusiast.
Tangmere Airfield
CHICHESTER COUNTY COUNCIL has taken a formal decision to sell the 5 acre site at Tangmere Airfield, for demolition & development.
This is still subject to grant of planning permission.
Due to a large number of concerned emails enquiring about information on this, the RAFHA has been formally asked to intervene as representative to the council and its planning office regarding the fate of RAF Tangmere. The RAFHA has, from 28th August 2006, taken on responsibility to attempt to ensure the survival of the remaining airfield at Tangmere. With this in mind, we have set out a simple way for you to voice your opinion, via this site, using the links for each planning application on the airfield. Simply copy and paste into an email with your details the pre-written letter below and send it to the planning office (email address provided). Alternatively, you can go direct to the planning office website via links provided on this page and click on 'comment on this application' and paste the pre-written letter into the box provided.
News on R6833 DU - U Spitfire Mk Vb Recovery:
The MOD Have now granted the Licence to dig the Lampeter Spitfire Crash site to the RAFHA. Association secretary James Liskutin Has successfully recieved the licence to dig the site of his grandfather's Spitfire downed in serious fog, January 24th 1942. The day of the 24th was a rare event in regards to meteorlogical events of the time, and several aircraft were lost in the welsh region on that day solely due to the freak conditions missed by the meteorlogical unit.
The RAF 312 Czech squadron Mk Vb (Mk 1 conversion) Spitfire was originally built in Eastliegh Southampton works the previous year before being upgraded to Mk Vb status.
On the day of the 24th January Flight officer Antonin Liska and Flight Seargent M.A.'Tony' Liskutin were scrambled to intercept invading Fokker Wulf 190's heading up the Irish sea. due to oceanic fog they were soon lost and eventually were forced to bail out and ditch. Seargent Liskutin was ordered to bail outafter a numerous failed attempts to bring the flight home. Flight Officer Antonin Liska managed to ditch north west of lampeter on a nearby beach.
Of the two aircraft, this spitfire was successfully recovered. R6833 was not.
when returning to RAF Angle, the now ranked Colonel Liskutin quotes "I was glad I wasn't the one in charge, as my officer was taking a real grilling for losing two planes in one sortee!
I kept my mouth shut and my presence away from the debrief!"
Lampeter University Archaeological department will be attending the site under supervision of RAF HA Secretary James Liskutin and BAAC Member / Researcher / wreckologist Dennis Deaves.
More on this recovery and the documentry can be found on the Spitfireboy website
HISTORIC BATTLE OF BRITAIN AIRFIELD
RAF NORTH WEALD
UNDER THREAT
North Weald Airfield has, for many years, been the subject of speculation with regard to its future. Various plans have been put forward including a waste incineration plant, lorry park and a holding centre for asylum seekers. However the main threat has always been that of the housing developer's bulldozer. The airfield is in the ownership of Epping Forest District Council and, although officially a Metropolitan Greenbelt Site (it is not currently a brownfield site!) it would fetch a high price if sold for housing development. In fact, plans are afoot to change it's status to "brownfield" to smooth the path to re-development.
Email Submissions Of objection should be sent to:
Official list of valid points of objection below.
(revise and re-word for best responce by planning office)
Arguments against re-development Of North Weald Airfield for housing
• The planned development Of Former Battle of Britain Historic Airfield North Weald would mean the loss of an important, culturally historic and unique facility for aviation and leisure users in this part of the country.
• North Weald Airfield has a massive Cultural and historic value for Britain, having been established in 1916 to defend London against attack from the air, North Weald served as a front line fighter station during the Battle of Britain and beyond. North Weald Airfield remains largely unchanged since the 1940’s and should serve as a lasting educational tool for historic and cultural value as well as a great memorial to over 200 people who gave their lives while serving, along with thousands of others who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving at other airfields in the South East, which have long since disappeared under housing developments. These are the last of a nearly extinct historic time capsule for Britain. Demolition is not to ‘responsibly’ be an option.
• It would change the character of North Weald Bassett for existing residents beyond recognition. House Prices would suffer and economy may also therefore suffer due to low resale rate. Community would reduce in quality as this would therefore lose its English Village existence.
• It would place a huge burden on the local infrastructure, despite some of the additional road and transport links planned.
• It would also mean the loss of an important breathing space between the village and the M11. This must be of particular importance as Road traffic calming is vital to save lives.
• The huge increase in infrastructure required to support the planned housing development would have a seriously damaging impact on the local environment.
• There is no other airfield in the region with such facilities and length of hard runway in the region available to General Aviation users. Vital Historic Aircraft restoration and ‘rescue’ societies are already dependant on North weald to offer them the already much needed and in demand facilities they require for this culturally valuable offering to British society.
• The development is against the principles of Planning Policy Guidance No 13 (PPG 13), which limits development in and around existing aerodromes, which would be in conflict with existing operations at these airfields.
• The part of the airfield, which is earmarked for housing, is Green Belt Land. Plans to re-designate it into Brownfield land is contradictory to recommendations PPG 3 Annex C Para 2. This document clearly outlines which curtilage which may be re-designated. To quote:
• "..This does not mean that the whole area of the curtilage should therefore be redeveloped. For example, where the footprint of a building only occupies a proportion of a site of which the remainder is open land (such as at an airfield or a hospital) the whole site should not normally be developed to the boundary of the curtilage."
• Apart from its expanded use for many leisure activities, the airfield could also be further developed as an important transport facility for light aviation, both for leisure and business travel by air, if managed and developed for this purpose in the correct manner.
• Light general aviation is now virtually excluded from the major airports in the region and due to other airfield closures; existing business airports cannot cope with the demand. This could cause legitimate concerns in the near future for local Airspace safety in regards to take off and landing procedures if there is a decline in localised airfields. North Weald however has the potential for investment to provide much needed GA and Business Aviation facilities. This is a low risk potential which shows great opportunities for the local council on a long term outlay
• A major housing development as envisaged for North Weald Airfield could also take place spread over a number of smaller sites in the region, with less impact on existing communities and without the loss of such a valuable facility. There is no shortage of low use, idle land available, even if not all of it is in the public domain. The planners should consider more options making use of such land.
RAF Coltishall (Norfolk)
is up for sale for building development but would make an excellant GA airfield. This is the last Battle of Britain Airfield to leave service with the RAF.
Contact info@rafha.co.uk
for information on preventative measures to demolition.
