Happy Birthday Mildenhall - 90 this year

[slogen51]

Happy birthday

Who here knew Mildenhall was opened in 1934?

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24667147.ra ... niversary/

'RAF Mildenhall opened on October 16, 1934, and was officially dedicated by King George V three days later.

Tens of thousands of people gathered to witness the dedication, as well as the start of the MacRoberson Air Race on October 20, 1934, which began in Mildenhall and ended in Melbourne.

Some 90 years later, the base - now home to the US servicemen and women of the 100th Air Refueling Wing - remains a huge part of Suffolk life.'

[Alf]

The air race was won by Comet Racer G-ACSS, "Grosvenor House". There were 3 Comets in the race G-ACSP and G-ACSR being the other two ("CP" was flown by Amy Johnson and Jim Mollison).

The new(ish) housing estate near Folly Road has a lot of the roads named after either aircraft or pilots in the race, the now demolished cinema in Mildenhall was named 'Comet Cinema' after ACSS... so lots of links back to 1934.

[LimaHotel01]

G-ACSS is of course now part of the Shuttleworth collection at Old Warden and returned to Mildenhall for the flying display of at least one Air Fete back in the 1980s.

[slogen51]

According to reports it was chaos with thousands descending on Mildenhall to witness the aircraft - not much had changed in 90 years!

https://suffolkmuseums.org/mildenhall-t ... niversary/

'
By dawn every road within miles was choked with cars. Some had left their vehicles and crossed farmland on foot whilst others were held up miles from the town and simply couldn’t make it in time. Some local farmers opened up their fields as car parks, although a Mr Leonard, of Folly Road, was not one of these. He is reported to have been most disconcerted when he found that two strangers were charging 2/6d, not a small amount in 1934, for visitors to park on his land
'

'It seems that when the Race committee arrived in Mildenhall on 14th October they were met with a scene of utter chaos. The acting Chief Marshal, a Flt Lt Christopher Clarkson, reported that crowd control had utterly broken down and competitors were complaining about damage to their aircraft. Local hotel accommodation was grossly inadequate and, as the station had not yet been equipped by the RAF, many essential items were lacking. A potato sack was used as a rough and ready windsock, later replaced by two pillowcases sewn together'

[Dave934]

Mildenhall high town council had a band concert last saturday to celebrate it, Senior members from Mildenhall base attended, it might have been a good night if I haddent been working it till nearly 11pm
I miss all the fun !
Dave.

[slogen51]

That is some serious overtime!

Melbourne Drive is another attributed road, used regularly by spotters as a short cut between Beck Row and West Row