PDA

View Full Version : Sibson Aerodrome



Ralf Roggeveen
June 30th, 2010, 00:49
As promised, some pictures from the ground at Sibson, just to the west of Peterborough, England. I thought it was also in Cambridgeshire, but have seen its county described as Rutland. This is complicated because they tried to abolish Rutland, by far the smallest county, in the '70s. Obviously the people of Rutland didn't like that, so they simply left the signs up. I believe a later government relented and tiny Rutlandshire was restored to the map. Anyway, it's right by the A1, the Great North Road.

The airfield is also known as Peterborough Sport to distinguish it from Peterborough Business. I believe it was originally an RAF outstation. Very famous bases like Wittering, Cranwell and Duxford are nearby.

General view of the airfield buildings, 'Tower' corner above the C, repair shop by that red car:

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4686/buildingsr.jpg

Might as well take a proper look at the Aerotech Pitts S-2A Special seen in earlier photographs:

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/6765/pitts.jpg

G-WREN, nice registration. Here it is going up:

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9528/pittsup.jpg


...and coming back to land:

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2981/pittslanding.jpg

Here are the cockpits:

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/9165/pittscockpits.jpg

I see that the commander has a nice cosy bubble whereas the hapless student is exposed to the elements. Pitts' instruments:

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/5078/pittsinstruments.jpg

If I can scrape together a bit of money, will go back next year and have some fun in that...

Not-so-exciting Cessna A152 Aerobat:

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/3092/cessna152.jpg

Another Cessna (a 172N Skyhawk) taking off over the Pitts. One of the pilots (in the 152 I think), had a full licence though he was just 18, and was getting in some aerobatic training:

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/384/cessnaoverpitts.jpg

View of those two Cessnas and geranium from up in the Tower:

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/113/geranium.jpg

The 152 and 172 parked together outside:

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5185/cessnas172152.jpg

When I arrived, asked if it was OK to take some photographs? 'Yes, but don't walk into any propellors.'

'I won't.'

Ralf Roggeveen
June 30th, 2010, 01:25
Cessnas, Cessnas everywhere:

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5533/cessnas.jpg

'Cessnas, Sir! Thousands of 'em...':

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1927/cessnapark.jpg

Obviously these are kept sheltered round the back. Here's the earlier 152 returning:

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/1554/cessnaback.jpg

They just taxyed it over to the pump for fuelling:

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/6903/fuelcessna.jpg


http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/1130/fuelin.jpg

Don't forget the stepladder:

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/6425/fuelling.jpg

Some shots of the Tiger Moth being filled up to be posted later.

http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/6775/fuelup.jpg

That's Frank who took me up in the Tiger Moth later that afternoon.

Probably the most interesting aircraft there, which maybe I should have posted (with registration removed) as a Mystery?

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1776/letl410.jpg

It's a Czech-built Let L-410, though this one obviously managed to come all the way from Hungary to quietly expire here:

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/1310/letfront.jpg

Obviously something to do with our parachuting friends. (The last lot to jump from it must have felt relieved as they escaped).

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/3586/letgraveyard.jpg

And there's an old Piper Apache gathering moss alongside it. What am I saying? It's not old! It was built in 1960 - only a few years ago!

Ralf Roggeveen
June 30th, 2010, 23:17
Obviously went and took a closer look at the tatty Piper:

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/2641/apachedown.jpg

This is rather sad. Whereas the Let looks as though it might one day take to the air again, the Apache is vandalised and has been stripped of most useful stuff:

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/6379/apacheinstruments.jpg

They've certainly made use of the radios somewhere else!

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/3184/apacheinterior.jpg

Recognised this easily enough from a distance as a Super Cub:

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/4254/cubhangar.jpg

Went to take a nearer look (being careful not to walk into any propellors on the way):

http://img576.imageshack.us/img576/530/cubview.jpg

Here's a close-up of the front:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/811/cubfront.jpg

And its instruments through the glass:

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/1472/cubinstruments.jpg

Nice. It flew off later that afternoon, but unfortunately I'd used up all my film by then.

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/4117/cubc.jpg

Piper Cherokee that's still going places:

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1812/pipero.jpg

And another view of it moving off:

http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/2627/piperside.jpg

Moses03
July 2nd, 2010, 12:34
Shame seeing the pretty Apache rot away.

Ralf Roggeveen
July 4th, 2010, 22:22
Shame seeing the pretty Apache rot away.

Yes, and it was OK until quite recently - found pictures of it in better condition on the net.

A few more. Cessna 208 Caravan:

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/3370/cessna208caravan.jpg

Guess the skydivers now use this instead of that abandoned Let. Extremely interesting Fairchild Argus lurking in a hangar:

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/5074/fairchildargus.jpg

No doubt this comes out at Airshows. I didn't like to poke too far into the hangars, but there were more aircraft under cover. When I arrived, asked permission to take pictures and was told by the Tower it was fine; but inevitably someone had to later say 'Don't photograph the aircraft' (old engineless Cessnas!).

Here's a Robin:

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9231/robins.jpg

And a pair of Robins:

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8941/robinsv.jpg

Nice Christmas card? Incomplete Rockwell Commander:

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/8175/rockwellcommander.jpg

But the main purpose of my visit was, of course, the Tiger:

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/4359/mothout.jpg

Getting it started up, the pilot Frank running back to his cockpit:

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/4605/mothstarted.jpg

Here it is going to fuel:

http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/557/mothtofuel.jpg

They had to stop it there at the edge of the grass, then pull it with the dolly on the tailskid, due to lack of brakes. You can see how helpful I was, standing round taking pictures (though I did once shove the chocks into position when it had come back from a spin and there was nobody else around on the ground).

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/3014/mothtopetrol.jpg

Hope to return to Sibson sooner rather than later!

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/6908/windsock.jpg