Goodbye London Aerodrome

[Chris558]

I vagely remember this TV programme that was on years ago, mid '80s, about RAF Hendon. Then I read that it was coming on BBC4. That was a few weeks ago, and guess what, and I missed it! :roll:

BUT I've just seen that it's on again, on Monday, 1.30AM so I'll have to set the DVD recorder. It has footage of the Beverley XH124 landing!

[Garry Russell]

Is it not still on BBCi???

Garry

[DaveB]

If it's starting the rounds on BBC4.. it'll be around for a couple of weeks if not more. I must have watched that James May.. At the Edge of Space prog at least 4 times over a week

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[VC10]

I watched the Hendon prog on i-player this week while I was on nights. I like the way the locals called the emergency services when the Beverley came in.

[Chris558]

I recorded it, then found it on i player! :roll:

My interest in Hendon stems from when I visited the museum in 1986, when I discovered the magnificent Beverley which I drooled over! Very sad it's no longer there, a very controversial scrapping indeed! :@ Pity that whoever filmed it landing, only got the nose in shot for the most part! And yes, you'd think they'd have warned the residents.

I was looking at aerial maps of the site, trying to establish where the runway/boundary was. Googling only found me one aerial shot of the airfield, of course it's all housing now. A lot of the airfield buildings to the south, near Aerodrome road have now gone and the site being re-develpoed. What I did notice, was that a couple of the buildings that do still remain, which I think were mess buildings..? are seen in the footage on the programme - when the Bev is landing they are in the background (these are the buildings seen behind the Bev on 'Airliners.net') And by finding out the runway directions it gave me an idea of where the main runway was.

By 1968 when XH124 landed, only half the runway remained - no problem for a Bev of course! It was the last fixed winger to land there.

[Garry Russell]

Funny thing Chris

I saw it a few weeks ago and was trying to work out the runways even trird to follow where the guy was as he drove around describing it.

I got nowhere :-(

Garry

[Chris558]

Hi Garry.

It's amazing just how long you can spend on the net researhing these things!!

You become so immerssed in what you're doing, you suddenly realise that a couple of hours have gone by!!! :doho:
I just find this sort of thing fascinating... looking at aerial maps/looking at the footage in the programme, taking screen shots and seeing what's changed.

.....Ahh, the beauty of the internet.

[VC10]

Funny thing Chris

I saw it a few weeks ago and was trying to work out the runways even trird to follow where the guy was as he drove around describing it.

I got nowhere :-(

Garry

Me too!

[Garry Russell]

It's great fun trying though

Garry

[simondix]

I actually lived at Hendon then and saw the Beverly in the circuit and approach. Touchdown I did not see as the railway and trees were in the way.