Dunsfold Miscellany

[bvs]

A soaking wet day in perthshire means it is an ideal day to scan in some old pics - as the thread title just some random Dunsfold shots + Visitors + Family Days

The first bunch I can date as 1994 because they were taken in the Flight Shed at night just before I reverted to dayshift.
ZF130 our Sea Harrier Radar/Systems Development jet 1994



Our 2 based comms aircraft the J31 was ex Distillers Ltd which explains the reg + Piper PA44 G-BGCO (I worked on both of them) and flew in the company jetstreams quite often.



Our Hunter T8M XL602 used for Avionics development/target/chase



Harrier T4/T8



Visiting Tucano with a very busy flight shed in the background

[bvs]

My first job back on dayshift was putting XZ439 back together after she returned from AMRAAM firing trials at China Lake

Here she is in the engine pen chained down for full bore engine/nozzle runs





Canberra WJ680 in for Families Day Display - on the flightline mid 1990's



680 again - the 'Air Malta' 146 was a lease a/c returned to the BAe leasing arm - whatever it was called then (Avro ?)



Sally B on the run in towards our flight line - Family Day but year unknown - mid 90's ?





And Landing

[Punkrunner62]

Very nice selection from inside, from a place we don't often see many images from.
Cheers.

[freebird]

Great set of photos and it just reminds us of what we once had.

[bvs]

ZJ201 in the east end of the Flight Shed whilst in for video shooting out on the runway with a Mclaren Car,note the built in scales on the floor for weighing flight test Harriers.
Circa 1998



Development Harrier in east end of Flight Shed circa 1998



ZA195 in east end of flight shed circa 1998



John Webb (I think) kindly brought XX154 in from Llanbedr for a visit (1998 ?)



One of our Development jets (ZD320 ?) taxying on the Flight Line 1999



Display Harrier taxy out at 1999 Families Day



Last T8 out of Dunsfold (ZB604 ?) taken from the flight line

[bvs]

Oops forgot the Cat
Catalina Take Off



Catalina Touch Down

[david14]

Great set - aviation history, thanks for sharing

[luxto]

A very interesting post from somewhere I never managed to visit. Remember hearing MAC C-133's going in there on the radio in 1971 to collect the first USMC AV-8A's. Later, I think they were roaded to Mildenhall for collection.

[paddyboy]

Excellent set from a place I have, and will never, visit

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[plmc135]

A very interesting post from somewhere I never managed to visit. Remember hearing MAC C-133's going in there on the radio in 1971 to collect the first USMC AV-8A's. Later, I think they were roaded to Mildenhall for collection.

Indeed I have 3 C-133B's logged that went into Dunsfold in Spring 1971. Because the runway at Dunsfold was on the same orientation as Gatwick they were vectored down the ILS at Gatwick for an overshoot and subsequent landing at Dunsfold. I was able to be on the roof of the then sole terminal when one performed the latter procedure, what a beautiful sound.

As the aircraft had to position to Mildenhall after picking up an AV-8A, it was decided to be more efficacious to road the AV-8 there. They did try using a C-141 in February 1972 but that was not proceeded with.

[bvs]

Very nice selection from inside, from a place we don't often see many images from.
Cheers.

Great set of photos and it just reminds us of what we once had.

Great set - aviation history, thanks for sharing

A very interesting post from somewhere I never managed to visit. Remember hearing MAC C-133's going in there on the radio in 1971 to collect the first USMC AV-8A's. Later, I think they were roaded to Mildenhall for collection.

Many thanks for the kind comments Gents
I worked there 1984 - 2000 and we were all gutted when BAe closed us down - it was such a lovely little place to work,a real cottage industry
I was rescued out of the 'Black Shed' (eastern T2) purely because the Flight Shed nightshift supervisor had a nosey through my docs and noticed that I was an ex Halton Apprentice (as was he) .
I always liked the eclectic mix of a/c to work on in the Flight Shed - for me it was Hawk/Harrier (S/H,T4,T8,GR5/7,T10)/Hunter/Jetstream and PA44,I ended up on an equally eclectic mix of a/c at Bosc Dn but it was obviously a much bigger place,our section was moved around from the Twin WW1 GS Shed to the WW2 era 'C' type hangar and I ended my time there operating from Hangar 626 which seemed so large that you sometimes felt a little agoraphobic

[teeonefixer]

That's a terrific view of life "at work", thanks baz.
I only attended a couple of family days and one working visit (messing about with XX156 when it was with the trials fleet), but remember it as a very interesting place and you'd never know what you'd find in a corner! Random Saudi fuselage pieces caused a nightmare.
The Hunter came from Brough and HOSM, where it was upgraded in the late 70's.

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these with, very interesting and obviously an interesting location too. I remember seeing 125 ZF130 a couple of times, including at a Yeovilton show. Someone suggested that it should be named the Sea Dominie. I note the Seahawk in one pic, I think that it's still there. Obviously there's been a lot in the press about building lots of unwanted houses on the site, I think the arguments will continue for some time. But it could do with a heritage centre, but no doubt the NIMBY faction will kick in if there was one.

[bvs]

That's a terrific view of life "at work", thanks baz.
I only attended a couple of family days and one working visit (messing about with XX156 when it was with the trials fleet), but remember it as a very interesting place and you'd never know what you'd find in a corner! Random Saudi fuselage pieces caused a nightmare.
The Hunter came from Brough and HOSM, where it was upgraded in the late 70's.

Hi John and thanks very much for kind message

Thanks for sharing these with, very interesting and obviously an interesting location too. I note the Seahawk in one pic, I think that it's still there. Obviously there's been a lot in the press about building lots of unwanted houses on the site, I think the arguments will continue for some time. But it could do with a heritage centre, but no doubt the NIMBY faction will kick in if there was one.

Hi 531 - not sure if the Sea Hawk still there but it was originally the 'Spares Ship'/Christmas Tree for WV908 which was restored to flying condition at Dunsfold in the mid 1990's.
Unfortunately the house building is going ahead - there is already a new access road off the A281 just north of Alfold Crossways
There used to be a small museum there on site (not sure if still open) and 'Wings' Museum,Balcombe are/were planning a new museum at Dunsfold.

[bvs]

I note the Seahawk in one pic, I think that it's still there.

I have just had a quick look online and the 'Spares Ship'/Christmas Tree Sea Hawk in the T8 picture is probably WV911 which apparently eventually went back to Yeovilton.
The 'Dunsfold Park' Sea Hawk is WV795.

[Professor_M]

There used to be a small museum there on site (not sure if still open).

https://regdaymuseum.co.uk

The museum is open at Dunsfold Park from 10:00 to 15:00 every Wednesday by appointment.

Worth a visit if you're in the area - I was thinking about the museum looking at these photos the other day - a photo from the Hawk/McLaren photoshoot alluded to here is on display there.

[bvs]

https://regdaymuseum.co.uk

The museum is open at Dunsfold Park from 10:00 to 15:00 every Wednesday by appointment.

Hi Prof - sorry to say that AFAIK the Reg Day Museum has been closed and items put into storage.

regards baz

[Proteus]

Fantastic thread, thanks to all.

[Ferrari]

Very interesting thread.
Thanks for posting the images.

[bvs]

Excellent set from a place I have, and will never, visit
Thanks for posting
Paddyboy

Many thanks for the kind comment as always PB

Indeed I have 3 C-133B's logged that went into Dunsfold in Spring 1971. Because the runway at Dunsfold was on the same orientation as Gatwick they were vectored down the ILS at Gatwick for an overshoot and subsequent landing at Dunsfold.

Many thanks for the addition of some ATC detail plmc ,Gatwick was my local airport for 30 years and if taking off to the west (in good weather of course) we often got a good view of Dunsfold.

Fantastic thread, thanks to all.

Many thanks for the kind comment Proteus

Very interesting thread.
Thanks for posting the images.

Many thanks Ferrari and glad you enjoyed them