Cold War History Day, West Raynham.

[Mr Gazza]

I've just seen in the Canberra Heritage Trust Newsletter, that there will be a Cold War history day at former RAF West Raynham with presentations and displays, on Sunday April 14th from 10am.

I know we have got a meet planned for April 7th at Thorpeness, but West Raynham is always an interesting place with something new to see every time.

If no-one else is interested I'll go straight there, but if anyone fancies a breakfast at the Fakenham Garden Centre Café before trundling over to Raynham please let me know.

[Mr Gazza]

Here's another one for the calendar.

The Sculthorpe Heritage Centre is having a "Grand Re-opening" on May 5th.
https://www.rafsculthorpeheritagecentre.org/

It's a struggling new museum and they are occupying new premises on the Former RAF Sculthorpe base. Grumpy and I popped in one day a couple of years ago and it's all very run down and desolate, much as you'd expect an abandoned air base to be.
This place needs to be remembered, it's so important in our history.
I remember my Dad telling me about the B-17s and Liberators forming up in their hundreds above Holkham and Wells. He also took my Mum there to see Glen Millar's Big Band much later.

It was the first overseas forward deployment of a nuclear force in 1952 when squadrons of North American B-45 Tornados arrived. Those were gradually replaced with Douglas B-66 Destroyers and remained there till 1962.
Sculthorpe was the largest nuclear arsenal in Europe for some time. I remember as a very young boy, seeing just about every aircraft type in service flying out over Wells.. All nuked up!

I recently found and with the help of Richard (Hamish) identified a B-66 canopy panel which is for sale at a local reclaim yard. I'm trying to get them to donate or at least loan it to the museum.




It's the RH roof panel behind the windscreen.



Anyway I'll be dropping in if you want to join me?

[Mr Gazza]

So, anyone interested in a ride over to West Raynham on Sunday?

[Mr Gazza]

I dropped in on the West Raynham Cold War history day.
I had a very pleasant ride there in nice weather and met Goldstar there on his Monster, with a gang of his mates on a very mixed collection of bikes.

The Grand Re-opening of the Sculthorpe Heritage centre is at 9.30am on Sunday the 5th May.
I'll be dropping in a little after 9.30 in the hope of missing the pomp and bullshine, but I'm keen to see the exhibits and hopefully bump into some familiar faces.
It'll be great to see you if you fancy a ride out on Sunday.

Our regular Breakfast meet will be on Sunday 12th May. I'm thinking of going to Arbuckle's at Downham Market and maybe nipping into Wimbotsham to give Capo a bit of a polish.

[mickj]

I used to live on Sculthorpe base and work at West Raynham. Sculthorpe used to have the largest underground heated runway in Europe, probably still has if it works.

[Mr Gazza]

Handy if you need to land underground.
I've seen it done, but not on a runway!