1946 - 1959

1946 - 1959 Photo Gallery

This gallery covers the period between the end of the war, and the end of the station's time as a front-line fighter base. As such it covers the end of piston engined aircraft being used on the front line, and goes right up to the glory days of the Hunters of 19 Squadron and the Meteors and Javelins of 72 Squadron.

These photos are all courtesy of the RAF Church Fenton station photographer Oct 1986 - Mar 1988 Ralph Bayley. © Ralph Bayley

	Some photos of an air day taken soon after the end of World War 2.

	A photograph of a formation of 72 Sqn meteors flying over 2 Hangar. In the foreground can be seen a board leaving passers-by with no doubt what the resident squadron was.
	A scan of the front page from the programme for the Battle Of Britain week airshow in 1956. Note the free admission!
	A scan of the inside of the booklet which accompanied the airshow programme, detailing the flying programme. 1956 or 1957.
	A photo of a Night-Fighter Meteor being worked on by ground-crew at Church Fenton
	The front of the "RAF Church Fenton Athletic Championships" booklet, which were held on 16th May 1956.
	A newspaper clipping of Sir Donald Hardman and Canon A.S. Giles at the presentation of the standard to 19 Squadron. In the background can be seen 1 Hangar.

These pictures all courtesy of the Fenton Flyer in Church Fenton.

	19 Squadron on parade during the presentation of the standard to mark the squadron's 21st anniversary.

	Squadron Leader V C Woodward DFC with his Pilots and Airmen of 19 Squadron, 1950, in front of a Hornet.
	Squadron Leader B Beard with his Pilots and Airmen on the pan in front of a line-up of day-fighter Meteors, 1953/54
	Squadron Leader D J Fowler and his Pilots of 19 Squadron, in front of number 2 Hangar and one of the Squadron's Hunters, 1957.

These 4 photos are all from Derick Oakley, who served at Church Fenton from April 1957 to September 1959. © Derick Oakley

	Vulcan B2 at the 1958 airshow
	Two Meteors doing a low pass over the airfield in 1958
	Vickers Valetta out on the pan
	Avro Anson waiting to be boarded before flying to RAF Leuchars. 1958.

Great photo from the 1954 air display. Nearest to the camera with its engines running is Mosquito RV365, while behind it is Canberra B2 WD946 in its' original Bomber Command colour scheme. The tail of one of the RAF Linton-on-Ouse based F86 Sabres (either 66 or 92 Squadron) can be seen to the right of the photo. Taxying down the runway is a Meteor 8 of one of the Church Fenton based Meteor day fighter squadrons (19 or 609).

The following photos came to me via Cliff Phillips, who was stationed at Church Fenton December 1956 until 1959. The first two photos were taken at RAF Leconfield, where Church Fenton's fighter squadrons moved after the base's closure in 1959.

	In Cliff's words: "Stood on a 72 Jav at Leconfield are on the left Harry Dwyer (24th Entry Boy Entrants-Air Radar) and the photo's owner Arthur Barnard (35th Entry Boy Entrants- Air Radar). I was 25th entry Air Radar but later changed trades to Ground Radar and served in Yorkshire again at Patrington." © Arthur Barnard
	Again, in Cliff's words: "A group of 72's groundcrew sat on a tractor at Leconfield. Arthur and Harry are on the right of the picture. Unfortunatly Harry who was a good friend to me is no longer with us." Does anyone know the name of any of the others in this photo? © Arthur Barnard
	© John L Lawrence
	The Airman's mess at Church Fenton, late 1950s. © John L Lawrence
	Terry Meehan, in the Radio Servicing Flight in the Wireless Bay. This was the collection of green pre-fab buildings nearest to 1 Hangar, and the main road, which were demolished in the 1990s. The equipment he was working on is a TR1987 airborne VHF transmitter / receiver, which operated in the 105 - 144MHz band. © John L Lawrence
	A photo of the inside of room 1 of block 3 at Church Fenton, 1958/59. This block used to be the WRAF block (where the showers came out of the wall rather than from a rose in the ceiling!). © John L Lawrence
	A 72 Squadron pin badge, acquired by John during his time at Church Fenton. © John L Lawrence
	Javelin XA727 on the runway at Leconfield, shortly after 72's move from Church Fenton. © Arthur Barnard
	Fantastic photo of a formation start-up by 72 Sqn's Javelins at Leconfield. © Arthur Barnard
	Photo of an inspection of the 72 Squadron line at RAF Leconfield. Below is an enlargement of the groundcrew - anyone recognise any faces? © Arthur Barnard
	A photo taken in front of a NAAFI van, most likely at Church Fenton, 1957. Cliff is stood directly to the left of the van's numberplate, facing the camera. The person on the far right, facing the camera, is Alf (Pearson?).

Some photos from the 1950s, from Derek Palmer, ex-19 Squadron groundcrew. Images © Derek Palmer, webmaster of the 19 Squadron Association website.

	Joe _____, Derek Palmer and Ray Stanton-Linder in front of one of the hangars at Church Fenton, 1955.
	1958 - The Boys!
	19 Squadron line-up in front of Meteor F8s, 11th July 1956, the day the squadron was presented its Standard.
	A line-up of 19 Sqn Meteor F8s on the pan.
	Meteor F.8 WK691 of 19 Squadron, the aircraft that Derek always worked on and considered his own.

Alan Poole's father Lawrence (Lawrie) was a master baker at Church Fenton in the late-50s. Here is a photo of him stood by two cakes he baked to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the Battle of Britain. This picture was taken on 20th September 1958.

Roger Carvell sent me this excellent photo of an ex-72 Squadron Gloster Gladiator on the Flight Line at RAF Church Fenton, with a line-up of 72 Squadron Gloster Gladiators in the background, which dates it to 1959. © Roger's father, W.O. Edward Carvell.

These photos all © Tom Jump. Taken while Tom was stationed at Church Fenton, 1948 -1950. Tom can be contacted via the "ex-servicemen" page.

	A visit from the AOC, inspecting the ranks. Appears to be taken at the end of 3 hangar. Tom is the corporal nearest the camera, wearing the glasses.
	Fred Wimbleton on the left, the other two are unknown.
	Tom Jump and Fred Wimbleton at Church Fenton.

	Farewell party held in Ulleskelf, March 1949, when the W.R.A.F.s at Church Fenton were transferred to nearby RAF Linton-on-Ouse

	1948 Christmas display in one of the W.R.A.F. billets
	19 Squadron group photo in front of a Hornet. This looks to be taken outside 3 hangar.
	Pay account staff, Church Fenton, October 1948
	Pay account staff, Church Fenton, July 1948

Colin Davis, a pilot with 72 Squadron at Church Fenton from September 1957 until the squadron moved to Leconfield in mid-1959. He has sent me some excellent photos, which can be seen below. © Colin Davis

Two excellent photos of a 72 Squadron Gloster formation - a Gloster Gladiator, Gloster Meteor and Gloster Javelin. The Gladiator was, I believe, still operated by Gloster aircraft at the time. The Meteor NF14 was the outgoing type on the squadron, and the Javelin was the aircraft replacing it.

The first photo is of the formation flying over Church Fenton, with 3 Hangar, the old flightline buildings, control tower and numerous other buildings in view.

The second is of the formation over the Yorkshire coast.

72 Squadron photo taken at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, in January 1958. Colin is stood at the nose of the Meteor.