Warbird Information Exchange

? ... WW2 wasn't that long ago. 68 some years ago isn't really that long as far as history is concerned. Believe it or not WW2 reminders are very prominent worldwide. Just need to know where to look. Some are obvious, some not so much but there there. Every town seems to have a reminder of that war in some way.

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Zero Surprise!!...

I didn't mean it in the sense that it's been forgotten, or that I'm surprised they still exist. I meant that with how quickly sites, buildings, etc. get torn down for the latest new strip mall (especially in the U.S.), it's nice to see that some original structures are still standing and being used. With the pace at which technology moves and communities change due to urban planning, 68 years IS a VERY long time. Heck, there are neighborhoods in my hometown that existed in 1945 that no longer exist today and it's not like they were getting bombed/shelled like many areas of France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, etc. When you consider the outright destruction of the war in some areas, it's amazing some things survived the war in the first place.

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Matt

That depends on how old YOU are
But FWIW I concur with you on many of your points, and points well stated.

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Zero Surprise!!...

Fair enough, haha.

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Matt

You have to remember that most of these fields are in very rural areas, far away from there the next mall or housing estate is likely to be built. The biggest threat, and the cause of many of them being dug up, is from road building, where the runways and taxiways provide a convenient source of hardcore.

In the color aerial photograph at the bottom of page one, it looks as if the land between the runways has been cultivated. Is it a privately owned farm? What do they grow?

I wonder if the runways are helpful to the farmers, or do they just get in the way?

I live in Swindon temporary, but there is so much to see from WWII.
The Honda plant is still using the runway of where used to be a Spitfire factory:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.580857,-1.735668

There is also Wroughton Airfield:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.506659,-1.801672

RAF Blakehill Farm:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.62228,-1.888962

RAF Down Ampney:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.671757,-1.840467

And this is just what is not in use anymore and reachable by bicycle.
Of course we have Fairford nearby and a little bit further is Brize that are still in use, in the other direction is Lyneham.

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http://www.warbird-hangar.com links and gallery &
http://www.yakkes.com Yakkes Foundation, Yak-52

The runways are all gone, been sold many years ago. Taxiways also. In the middle is/was a fishing pond.
I think it used to be all open and belonged to a farmer, but now there are fences everywhere around the buildings and people have started to use / repair some of them.

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http://www.warbird-hangar.com links and gallery &
http://www.yakkes.com Yakkes Foundation, Yak-52

Thanks, Mennie. I thought the photo was recent.

That's because Americans are used to wooden framed buildings designed to last less than 100 years.. or even half that.

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