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Friday the 13th

Please post movements and activities to do with RAF Church Fenton & RAF Topcliffe here
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Stuart Green
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Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:53 pm
Location: Sherburn in Elmet

Friday the 13th

Post by Stuart Green » Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:23 pm

Been informed that Friday the 13th is the closing day,Another airbase confined to history bringing an end to 76 years of RAF activities in the local area. Not sure on the plans to mark the ending of an era at CF but I have been told aircraft have been confirmed to participate, flying or static I don't know as yet.
Last edited by Stuart Green on Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stuart Green

Uniden UBC125XLT with a Watson W-881 aerial

https://www.flickr.com/photos/raptor9872/

Psi
Posts: 330
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2010 12:23 pm

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by Psi » Tue Dec 03, 2013 3:21 pm

Real shame.

SPQR
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Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 1:02 am

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by SPQR » Tue Dec 03, 2013 9:28 pm

Flying ops are actually ceasing 19th December. I'm led to believe the base officially ceases being an RAF station at midnight 31st December; though everyone will have gone then!

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Stuart Green
Posts: 275
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:53 pm
Location: Sherburn in Elmet

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by Stuart Green » Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:43 pm

meant to put ceremony/party, oops
Stuart Green

Uniden UBC125XLT with a Watson W-881 aerial

https://www.flickr.com/photos/raptor9872/

ARFA
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:47 pm

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by ARFA » Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:27 pm

Coming along on spec then ,Chris? I'm hoping to take the box Brownie to snap anything that moves! The results,of course will be out of focus and badly lit.

benyboy
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Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 10:45 pm
Location: Howden, East Yorkshire

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by benyboy » Tue Dec 10, 2013 4:40 am

Any more info on this would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Ben

davski
Posts: 138
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:58 am

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by davski » Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:13 am

Hi Ben - I read on Facebook that a flypast/s was due to take place 1515 although I've seen nothing official (they occasionally pop a notice in the post office when they're doing something at the airfield - if I see anything I'll post it here). There's a march through the village on Sunday 15th (cadets) which concludes at 1515 at the White Horse pub and is also said to include a flypast so there's always the possibility of 'crossed-wires' on the timings.

benyboy
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Location: Howden, East Yorkshire

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by benyboy » Wed Dec 11, 2013 9:58 pm

Thank you for that, I think I might head up early afternoon just in case. Might see you there :D

Yorkshire UAS
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Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2013 10:53 pm

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by Yorkshire UAS » Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:13 pm

Hi Everyone,

Sadly I have some bad news for you all - Unfortunately there won't be any fly pasts taking place tomorrow and the march past on Sunday has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. In case there's any potential confusion I'd just to clear up that the event tomorrow is closed to the general public.

If you've got any questions feel free to fire away and I'll do my best to answer them.

Merry Christmas!
Last edited by Yorkshire UAS on Fri Oct 09, 2015 8:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

benyboy
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Location: Howden, East Yorkshire

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by benyboy » Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:41 am

Thank you for letting us know and saving us a wasted trip, much appreciated.
Regards
Ben

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1979bree
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Re: Friday the 13th

Post by 1979bree » Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:15 pm

Talking to someone at Sherburn Aerodrome yesterday the unforeseen circumstances are that Church Fenton has a one year reprieve! Ive not been able to confirm that but he was adamant that he had the info from an RAF Officer.

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1979bree
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Re: Friday the 13th

Post by 1979bree » Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:15 pm

Would be nice if that were correct but there is nothing to suggest that it is. Airfield is still shown as closing on NOTAM.

davski
Posts: 138
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:58 am

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by davski » Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:00 am

Sounds like flying club banter to me, the kind that adds 2+2 and gets 5! I'd like nothing better than CF be retained, even for just a year (and even on care and maintenance), but to leave a reprieve until the 11th hour and 59th minute seems too incredulous even for Fenton (having survived by the skin of its teeth on numerous occasions in the past). Large pinch of salt... urgh!

stevep22
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Location: Rothwell, twixt' Leeds and Wakefield

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by stevep22 » Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:05 pm

Maybe the flying club could move in Dave................ ;)

davski
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Re: Friday the 13th

Post by davski » Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:55 am

Who knows - they've had concerns re the continued encroachment of the industrial area, indeed, they've recently been rallying the troops to fight a planning application which I gather would badly affect one of their runways. (I'm presuming you mean SAC Steve!)

stevep22
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Re: Friday the 13th

Post by stevep22 » Tue Dec 17, 2013 2:00 pm

Hi Dave,

Yes I do mean the SAC! Don't know how much truth there is in it but I heard a rumour that they don't actually own the land the airfield is on and it is leased from a landowner who wouldn't mind it back eventually......

davski
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Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:58 am

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by davski » Tue Dec 17, 2013 4:34 pm

They invested some money in the hard runway/lighting though. Doesn't the farmer still farm the middle...?

Been busy at Fenton today - the 2 JPs, Chipmunk and T-6 look as though they went to Linton, Red Arrows schemed Hawk and Tornado fly-throughs (the Tornado particularly spectacular!), a few Tucano appearances too. Hope that wasn't it!

davski
Posts: 138
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:58 am

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by davski » Wed Dec 18, 2013 11:22 am

Hangar 1 open this morning - no aircraft. Looks like it is over folks - thanks for the adieu.

XR756
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:09 am
Location: Ulleskelf, Nth Yorks

Re: Friday the 13th

Post by XR756 » Wed Dec 18, 2013 3:15 pm

I'm a newbie, please be patient!!.
Looks like it. Passed the Rwy Ctrl vehicle in Ulleskelf this morning followed a few minutes later by one of the airfield ops land rover
Shame its come to this, may have to start looking for another hobby after 60+ years

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