When I saw 'Flight' was the subject of this week's theme I decided to repost this from a blog I wrote in 2009. Enjoy the read.
The Thornaby Spitfire
The decision to site a replica Spitfire on a
roundabout at Thornaby was quite controversial at the time. The aerodrome, now
submerged by the buildings of the Thornaby new town operated from 1930 – 1958.
The RAF’s 608 Squadron - the Tees
Valley's auxiliary
squadron, which was based at Thornaby during the Second World War - did not fly
Spitfires until after the war. It flew Avro Ansons and, later, Lockheed
Hudsons.
However Spitfires based at
Catterick used Thornaby as a base in 1943 as was too far from the coast. Canadian
and Polish pilots flew the Spitfires on sorties over the North
Sea,
Both the cost and the size of a
replica Hudson
aircraft meant it was unfeasible to commemorate it on the roundabout.
Consequently it is the Spitfire that took pride of place in the centre of the
roundabout on the approach to Thornaby in 2007.
Funded in part by a lottery
grant, the Spitfire was put into position by its Norfolk manufacturer on 8March 2007. A media
blackout was imposed its erection as the local council was concerned that
crowds would impede the operation. It was only on the day itself that the first
TV recordings were made.
The fiberglass fuselage contains
the insignia YO-T of the 401 Canadian Squadron who flew Spitfires in 1943 and
B-RAO of the 608 North Riding (F) Squadron who flew the post-war planes. The
replica was delivered in ‘kit’ form; the wings were attached on site prior to
the plane being lifted on onto its plinth.
The Spitfire was dedicated on 1
April 2007 with representatives and an honour guard from RAF Leeming.
The plane is illuminated at
night, although there have been problems with vandalisation of the lights.
Information boards on the roundabout tell the history of the aerodrome. A model
of a propeller, also erected, contains a map in the centre of the town from
Google Earth with the old runways superimposed. The runways are now hidden
beneath the buildings of the new town.
Thornaby streets have aviation
links as seen in Master and Martinet Roads, De Havilland Way, Trenchard and Tedder
Avenues. Mitchell Avenue
is named after the designer of the Spitfire aeroplane – R J Mitchell. A pub
also carries the Spitfire name; another pub is the Roundel from the circular
red, white and blue emblem used on the sides of RAF aircraft/
A Thornaby Heritage Aerodrome
Trail has been created, a leaflet for which may be downloaded from
www.stockton.gov.uk.
{Photos by 'twiggles' sourced from flickr}
For more flights go to gate Sepia Saturday 121
