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Spitfire Test Pilots
- Thread starter Old Ted
- Start date
each:Hi Ted and welcome to the forum. I will ask Dennis who is on the forum as he is well into spitfires. Jean.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Hello Ted -When I was very little my dad worked at the Castle Bromwich Spitfire factory during WW2 and I remember being taken there with mum waiting for him to come out and at the same time watching Spitfires on air tests - there are lots of comments about Alec Henshaw in a forum thread see link below.
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3182&p=99556#post99556
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3182&p=99556#post99556
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Youtube film of Alex Henshaw test flying a Spitfire at Castle Bromwich in 1941: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmzYccyBYM
It is absolutely mind boggling.
In the followup comments on Youtube re the film there is some dispute that this was actually filomed at Castle Bromwich
but this comment confirms it as well as others who lived locally at that time and knew Castle Bromwich Airfield well: The name he gives is "bananajet"
and the post was three years ago.
"Gentlemen, those who know me know I knew Alex wel! I was also one of the 4 men who scattered his ashes in Cambridge! Im unsure about the debate where this was filmed but can confirm that the airfield where the two aircraft take off from is Castle Bromwich! I went to school there and watched them bulldoze the great hangers down! You can clearly see Alex's office on the left hand side of the hangers (where you see him sitting outside in Sigh for a Merlin with Churchill) RIP my friend 4 years now."
It is absolutely mind boggling.
In the followup comments on Youtube re the film there is some dispute that this was actually filomed at Castle Bromwich
but this comment confirms it as well as others who lived locally at that time and knew Castle Bromwich Airfield well: The name he gives is "bananajet"
and the post was three years ago.
"Gentlemen, those who know me know I knew Alex wel! I was also one of the 4 men who scattered his ashes in Cambridge! Im unsure about the debate where this was filmed but can confirm that the airfield where the two aircraft take off from is Castle Bromwich! I went to school there and watched them bulldoze the great hangers down! You can clearly see Alex's office on the left hand side of the hangers (where you see him sitting outside in Sigh for a Merlin with Churchill) RIP my friend 4 years now."
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Anyone interested in Alex Henshaw and the Mew Gull, and you are in Lincolnshire any time, I would recommend that you pay a visit to THORPE CAMP VISITOR CENTRE, Tattershall Thorpe, (Near RAF Coningsby).
They have a Mew Gull replica, built at the centre, and a large display on Alex.
They have a Mew Gull replica, built at the centre, and a large display on Alex.
Lynsey Rutter
New Member
Hi,
Did you personally witness these test flights? We are building a new exhibition about the Spitfire and are looking to interview people with memories/stories from the time. Please get in touch if you were there!
Many Thanks,
Did you personally witness these test flights? We are building a new exhibition about the Spitfire and are looking to interview people with memories/stories from the time. Please get in touch if you were there!
Many Thanks,
Lynsey Rutter (nee Fairweather)
Participation Coordinator, Birmingham Museums Trust
T: NEW 0121 3488271
E: Lynsey.Rutter@birminghammuseums.org.uk
T: @LynseyFair
B: https://blog.thinktank.ac
www.birminghammuseums.org.uk
www.thinktank.ac
Participation Coordinator, Birmingham Museums Trust
T: NEW 0121 3488271
E: Lynsey.Rutter@birminghammuseums.org.uk
T: @LynseyFair
B: https://blog.thinktank.ac
www.birminghammuseums.org.uk
www.thinktank.ac