FlyPast – August 2018

(John Hannent) #1

14 FLYPAST August 2018


NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE


Boxted makes it three


Boxted Airfi eld Museum in Essex
celebrated the 75th anniversary
of the former air station becoming

operational on June 10 with the
inauguration of its third
display building.

On the same day in 1943, the
Martin B-26 Marauders of the 386th
Bombardment Group (BG) – ‘The
Crusaders’ – touched down for a brief
stay until its base at nearby Great
Dunmow was ready in September.
Beyond that, USAAF Station 150 Boxted
became a fi ghter lair, in turn housing
the 354th Fighter Group (FG) and the
famous 56th FG – ‘The Wolfpack’.
Run by the Boxted Airfi eld Historical
Group (BAHG), the museum opened
in May 2011, expanding with a second
Nissen hut in 2007. The new structure,
made possible by a generous and
anonymous benefactor, will contain
a tribute to Boxted’s Marauder days

and the exploits of all Britain-
based USAAF B-26 units. It is hoped
to have this exhibition ready
sometime during the 2019 season.
The new display hall’s centrepiece
will be the rear fuselage of
96-mission veteran B-26C 41-
Mr Shorty which served with the
323rd BG, not far away at Earls
Colne. Scrapped at Burtonwood,
Lancashire, in June 1945, the
hulk lingered in a scrapyard at
Warrington, until it was rescued in


  1. This relic, the largest surviving
    element of a B-26 in Europe, is on
    loan to BAHG from the trustees of
    nearby Marks Hall. KEN ELLIS


The rear fuselage of B-26C ‘Mr Shorty’ is destined to become the centrepiece of the Boxted
Airfi eld Museum’s new display hall. JOHN CAMP

Co-directed by David Fairhead and


Anthony Palmer, Spitfi re – a feature-


length documentary about the


legendary fi ghter – will be released in


cinemas across the UK and Ireland


on July 20, following previews on


the 17th.


The fi lm includes breathtaking aerial

footage shot by well-known aviation
photographer John Dibbs, along with
rarely seen and digitally remastered
archive fi lm from the 1940s. It also
includes the personal recollections
of surviving veterans, plus an original
score from composer Chris Roe.
Spitfi re also explores the

considerable legacy of the fi ghter,
explaining how it has become an
international icon. The fi lm receives
its world premiere on July 9 at Curzon
Mayfair, London, followed by ‘one night
only’ screenings across the country
on July 17 – the latter will include
additional and exclusive footage.

The fi lm is an Elliptical Wing
Production presented by British
Film Company, with Haviland Digital
and Mark Stewart Productions. It
is produced by Gareth Dodds, John
Dibbs, Steve Milne, David Fairhead and
Anthony Palmer. http://www.facebook.com/
spitfi rethefeaturedoc

A trio of Spitfi re Mk.Is fl ying in the new
feature-length documentary.
ELLIPTICAL WING-JOHN DIBBS

Spitfi re documentary


set for UK


cinema release

Free download pdf