NORTH WEALD: Airfield prepares for sights and sounds of yesteryear

4:31pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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THE skies above North Weald Airfield will again echo to the sound and sight and of Hurricane and Spitfire aircraft as the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flies in on Sunday, May 18.

The planes will then land to join the Spirit of North Weald Fly-in and Airfield Open Day, which commemorates the 90th anniversary of the birth of the RAF and celebrating the Spirit of North Weald Airfield and its Community.

Visiting aircraft will be taking off and landing throughout the day, joining a wide selection of aircraft from the airfield's historic collections on public view. Fly-pasts of representative military aircraft that have flown from RAF North Weald will be taking place from noon.

There will be various stalls, displays and attractions. Refreshments will be on sale.

The event runs from 9.30am until 4pm (entry £2 per person, with the proceeds going to the airfield's Hurricane Gate Guardian Project) At 1.30pm there will be the formal roll out and unveiling of the airfield's new gate guardian, a full-sized replica of a Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft that flew from North Weald in September 1940.

Symbolising The Spirit of North Weald Airfield and its Community since flying began at the airfield in 1916, the aircraft' will be mounted in a realistic flying position at the airfield entrance later this year.

The unveiling will be performed by Wing Commander Tom F "Ginger" Neil DFC, who flew the depicted aircraft from North Weald during the Battle of Britain.