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Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2020 8:53 pm
by F3
Just wondering whether anyone remembers the year of the last RAF Battle of Britain display @ Biggin Hill out of interest as it was one of the last five and when it ended left just Abingdon, St.Athan, Finningley & Leuchars which remained the line up until the '90s. I've tried everywhere to find this info w/out success.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2020 7:14 am
by nhoenich
1973
From 1974, the RAF selected four stations each September to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Abingdon, Finningley, Leuchars and St Athan. This remained the pattern throughout the 1980s.
Nh
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2020 8:48 am
by F3
nhoenich wrote: ↑Sun Sep 06, 2020 7:14 am
1973
From 1974, the RAF selected four stations each September to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Abingdon, Finningley, Leuchars and St Athan. This remained the pattern throughout the 1980s.
Nh
Thanks very much for the info Nh
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2020 8:49 am
by nugget20
Well I have a log of what I believed was a Battle of Britain show at Biggin Hill on 14 Sep 74. Some photos below.
Noratlas 76/62-WD with the Patrouille de France
74U14a by
John Murray, on Flickr
Gnat T1 XR953/29 of 4FTS
74U21a by
John Murray, on Flickr
Argosy E1 XR137 of 115 Sqn
74V01a by
John Murray, on Flickr
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2020 8:19 pm
by F3
These are great. Love the 1st.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:34 am
by Mustang531
As I live locally, I was a regular attendee of the B of B show, also sometimes the Air Fair. The last show I attended was in September 1975. There was a show in 1976, but for some reason lost in the mists of time, probably work, I didn't get to it.
If you look on the Scramble air shows site, there should be a listing which will also confirm a date.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:21 am
by Sparts99
My local too. I'm pretty sure there was a show in 75, or maybe 76? I was a Space Cadet and helped setting out the last barriers and stuff on the Friday night around the static aircraft on the RAF side.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:47 am
by Mike Bridge
Battle of Britain displays at Biggin Hill Sept 20th 1975 and Sept 4th 1976
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:00 am
by eLaReF
Sparts99 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 08, 2020 9:21 am
My local too. I'm pretty sure there was a show in 75, or maybe 76? I was a Space Cadet and helped setting out the last barriers and stuff on the Friday night around the static aircraft on the RAF side.
A look here will help
https://www.scramble.nl/database/show-r ... ed-kingdom
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:01 am
by Sparts99
I had a look through the Scramble lists, fascinating what we used to get and take for granted. I particularly remember the show I worked at as an AAC Scout arrived towards dark on the Friday and I helped marshall it in the hover into it's spot in the static on the RAF side, I can't see a Scout mentioned on any of those lists. What I have since remembered is running an electric flying model stand in one of the hangars on display day, it was a round the pole type thing, so I missed most of the display.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:28 am
by F3
The problem I have with the Scramble lists is that they don't differentiate as to the nature of the show. They only record that a show took place. However, as I note a gap after '73 I'm inclined to believe what nhoenich says about that being the last RAF BoB show which took place there.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:22 am
by Mustang531
Going back to my original posting yesterday, I've dug out my old log books and checked. I attended the BoB show on 14th September 1974 and also 20th September 1975. Regarding a previous post about a Scout at the latter show, I have no record of one, but Wasp HAS.1 XT434 coded 453 was present, maybe that's what was seen. I didn't attend the 1976 show, which was the final RAF organised event, but there are some photos on Flickr of some participants. I know there is no listing on the Scramble site, but if someone can get hold of the relevant BARG or WLAG mag, there is a good chance of one appearing there.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:08 pm
by eLaReF
Mustang531 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:22 am
but if someone can get hold of the relevant BARG or WLAG mag, there is a good chance of one appearing there.
DVD 1 is supposed to be available later this month!
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 3:02 pm
by sobo1962
HI All
Does anyone have a full list of serials of aircraft at Biggin hill 1976 incl Civil Plus Light aircraft at show at time
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 11:28 am
by Sparts99
Mustang531 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:22 am
Going back to my original posting yesterday, I've dug out my old log books and checked. I attended the BoB show on 14th September 1974 and also 20th September 1975. Regarding a previous post about a Scout at the latter show, I have no record of one, but Wasp HAS.1 XT434 coded 453 was present, maybe that's what was seen. I didn't attend the 1976 show, which was the final RAF organised event, but there are some photos on Flickr of some participants. I know there is no listing on the Scramble site, but if someone can get hold of the relevant BARG or WLAG mag, there is a good chance of one appearing there.
It was definitely a Scout, it was in camo and had skids not wheels. It was parked almost at the end of the static line up on the RAF side at the A233 end. Like I said in a subsequent post I was stuck in a hangar for most of the display day itself so it might have moved or even departed before the show, I wouldn't have known.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 11:35 am
by Tangopapa
I have Scout AH.1 XR630 of 664 Sq logged at the 1976 show - 4th September. Fading memory doesn't let me recall where it was positioned.
Tangopapa
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:00 am
by Leuchars Fan
I can confirm, the last RAF organised Battle of Britain "At Home" day held at Biggin Hill was, Saturday, 4th September 1976.
LF
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:58 pm
by F3
Leuchars Fan wrote: ↑Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:00 am
I can confirm, the last RAF organised Battle of Britain "At Home" day held at Biggin Hill was, Saturday, 4th September 1976.
LF
Thanks v. much Leuchars Fan.
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2021 6:12 pm
by Leuchars Fan
F3 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:58 pm
Leuchars Fan wrote: ↑Wed Jul 28, 2021 9:00 am
I can confirm, the last RAF organised Battle of Britain "At Home" day held at Biggin Hill was, Saturday, 4th September 1976.
LF
Thanks v. much Leuchars Fan.
You're welcome sir, it was also the last time as many as four RAF "At Homes" took place simultaneously, the other three being Finningley, Leuchars and St Athan. As it was the Bicentenary year of the US declaration of independence, from us, the B-17, Sally B, was out and about and the USAF's 20th TFW flew a formation of three F-111Es around all four and at IAT Greenham Common earlier in the year.
LF
Re: Inquiry re - date of last RAF Biggin Hill BoB At Home
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 11:20 am
by Ridge Runner
1976 - Etendards, F-111Es and a Nord 262, plus all the UK fare, of course
