Archived News Items 2019
News Items that have been on the News page but are no longer current are generally transferred to an archive. As there are generally more announcements of Future event than News each have their own archive page from 2017.
11 December 36 members had an excellent Xmas lunch at the YMCA Hawker Centre with large portions and unexpected mulled wine. Story.
21 November Newsletter 55 Winter 2019 PDF is available online.
13 November Steve Collier Navy Wings Photos
09 November John Allen’s sons, David and Peter, sent us this: We regret to announce the death of our father, John Elliston Allen. He passed away peacefully at home on 25th October 2019, aged 98 years. John will be sadly missed by all his family, friends and colleagues. The Funeral Service is at Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh, Suffolk IP19 9LP on Friday 22nd November 2019 at 11am. Family flowers only please. If you wish to make a donation, we will be collecting for The Royal Aeronautical Society (Charity #313708) and for Solebay Care Fund (Charity #1144108) and there will be an opportunity to give on the day. Refreshments will be provided after the service at The Westleton Crown, The Street, Westleton, Suffolk IP17 3AD
06 November Sadly John Arthur died on 02 November. The funeral will be on 25 November at 12:30 at Randall's Park Crematorium, Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 0AG, Telephone: 01372 363181 / 01372 373813. Some members will remember the walks John led for the BAeS Kingston Retirement Association; 2 or 3 per year between 1991 and 2004; list of walks.
From 1940 to 1946 much of the Hawker Design team was based at Claremont mansion just outside of Esher for greater safety. The Sir Sydney Camm Science and Technology building opened at the Claremont Fan Court School this year. On 31 October around 20 members had a very interesting private visit and tour of the school. Claremont mansion has a very interesting history starting in 1708. In 1816 Claremont was bought by the nation as a wedding present for George IV's daughter Princess Charlotte. Queen Victoria was a frequent visitor to Claremont both as a child and as an adult
14 October You may know that Art Nalls has the only privately owned Sea Harrier. I think this video about how he got to owning it interesting.
Via a circuitous route the information in the ‘Langley story’ link below has come from Angela Bailey, neé Murphy, who is the daughter of around 1950s Hawker’s Test Pilot, Frank Murphy. Langley Airfield, near Slough, was a Hawker Aircraft airfield and factory from 1938 to 1958. The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust (ABCT) are fully sponsoring a carved granite memorial to commemorate Langley Airfield, which will be unveiled on what is left of the original air field, on Saturday October 5th, 11am, at Harvey Park, Tamar Way, Langley, SL3-
21 August The first 1182 Hawk XX154 flew on 21 August 1974. Exactly 45 years later it made its last “flight” from Boscombe Down to Old Sarum Aerodrome; story and photos.
7 August Newsletter 54 Summer 2019 PDF is available online.
23 July Hawker Association photos There are about 26 albums; most photos are by Frank Rainsborough. I don't know what isn't working. If anyone finds things not working, has problems or knows a better way to manage and display photos please let Richard Cannon (Webmaster) know; more.
On 10 July Mick Mansell gave a very interesting talk on the JSF Story, Photos
12 April Top 10 Pilot Carrier Takeoffs & Landings (10:15); I found some of this very interesting especially from 1:40 to 4:40 which is a Harrier landing with a failed nose wheel.
On March 13 Ambrose Barber gave a talk on “Fresh Interests Since Retirement”; story, photos
On Wednesday 9th February Chris Roberts gave a very interesting talk on the pioneers in Aviation from Chinese kites to the space age; story, photos
The climbing Hunter on long pages is a link to the top of the page; it may not always work.Dunsfold Wings and Wheels is on 15 & 16 June. Terry Walker sent me this link to a Vulcan XH558 Facebook page that says due to developments this will be the LAST Dunsfold Wings and Wheels although I haven’t noticed it on the Wings and Wheels website.
26 May Sadly Harry Webb passed away around a week ago aged 93. Harry worked at Canbury Park Road before moving to Ham where he designed many of the tools and jigs for various marks of Harrier. The funeral is at Kingston Cemetery on Monday 3rd June 2019 at 11:00. The wake is at Bishop Duppas Bowls Club, Walton Bridge Road, TW17 8NR. Friend David Priddy will be taking the funeral. Any queries, please phone 0790 662 1190.
25 February Newsletter 53 Spring 2019 PDF is available online.