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, quite possibly the Battle of Britain day on 15th September 1945.

	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.

	Fantastic group shot of 72 Sqn groundcrew, plus staff from other sections at CF, in front of a DH Comet at Church Fenton which had just arrived to transport them to Cyprus on a 12 week detachment (6 weeks Akrotiri, 6 weeks Nicosia). This photo was taken in August 1958, the squadron returned to Church Fenton in October 1958.
	2 photos of 72 Sqn Meteor NF14s at Akrotiri
	2 photos of 72 Sqn Meteor NF14s at Akrotiri
	Time for relaxation!

	The 19 Sqn crew room at Church Fenton
	Ray in a Hunter cockpit during a Turnround flight servicing
	The 19 Sqn taxi - an old London cab complete with 19 Sqn's chequerboard markings on the door
	Ray outside his billet doing some work on his motorbike
	2 photos of the lads drinking at the Fenton Flyer
	2 photos of the lads drinking at the Fenton Flyer

The images below are from the 72 Sqn archive:

	Meteor F8 WK817 being refuelled on the line in front of 3 Hangar at Church Fenton
	Meteor F8 WF677, with combined 19 / 72 Sqn markings and the letters 'MS' on the tail - presumably the Station Commander's aircraft?
	Meteor F8 WE876 of Church Fenton station flight
	Meteor NF14 WS833 taxying
	Meteor NF14 WS609
	Meteor NF14 WS7393 undergoing maintenance on the line in front of 3 Hangar
	72 Sqn's first Gloster Javelin XA729 at Church Fenton

These photos are all © Stan Fencott, who spent 4 years at Church Fenton from 1954 - 1958. He was initially a barman waiter, and later a barman in the Officer's Mess.

	LAC Stan Fencott and LAC Graham Moore, preparing for the AOC's parade!
	????? and LAC R. Daniels
	LAC Bob Haigh and LAC Keith Markham
	Mr W. E. Harvey and ???????? cleaning a carpet
	LAC R Daniels and LAC Stan Fencott
	Mr Walter McGowen in the Officer's Mess kitchen
	Stan Fencott
	Stan Fencott
	LAC Ted Reynolds
	Stan behind the Officer's Mess bar. Note the 85 Sqn plaque on the wall
	Officer's Mess staff. Standing from L to R: Mr Walter McGowen, Ann ?????. LAC R Daniels, LAC Pete Johnson, Mr ????, LAC ????. Mr ?????, Head Chef Mr Sid Bell, Mr Tom ?????, Mr ?????. Front row from L to R: Cpl Gordon (Dad) Pearson. LAC Keith Markham. Cpl Pete Richardson. Mr Ernie Harvey. LAC Stan Fencott. Mr Sam Snowling.
	Someone's demob party in Selby, October 1956. Going round the table from the rear clockwise: LAC Pete Johnson, Mr ???? (coach driver), LAC Colin Vine, LAC Bob Haigh. LAC Ron Ainsworth. Mrs ???? (Waitress), Cpl Pete Richardson, Cpl Gordon Pearson. Mr Ron Simpson (Mess secretary), LAC Stan Fencott. LAC Graham Moore. LAC Keith Markham, Mr Sam Snowling. Mr Jim Michlemass. Flying Officer Jock Conlin.
	Two photos of either 19 or 72 Sqn
	Two photos of either 19 or 72 Sqn
	Stan Fencott after the AOC's parade

These photos were all kindly sent to me by Richard Simpson, son of the late F/O Simpson, ex-19 Squadron pilot.

	AOC's inspection, 1956. 19 Squadron pilots in front of what looks like 1 Hangar. The note at the top of the photos says all the scarves were hand sewn by Richard's mum.
	19 Squadron pilots stand on a rainy pan at Church Fenton in front of one of the Squadron Hunters, with the Squadron's London Taxi in the background.
	Photo of a direct hit from a Hunter's gunsight camera. The caption on the photo reads "Quarter attack on Valiant (V-Bomber), summer exercise over North Sea, 1957. Just approached 200 yards - pipper (centre dot) slightly low - about to fire. 4 Oerlikon 30mm. 600 rounds/min each cannon"

	F/O Simpson and Kiwi Snowy McGee during their Fighter Recce course in 1953.
	F/O Simpson's Hunter, XF449
	19 Sqn pilots in front of F/O Simpson's Hunter XF449
	Extracts from F/O Simpson's logbook



	RAF Church Fenton football team.
	F/O Simpson and a colleague
	Two photos from the Officer's Mess ball
	Two photos from the Officer's Mess ball
	Presentation of the Squadron standard to 19 Sqn.
	Celebrating the Queens Colours' presentation in the Sergeant's Mess, 1957.
	Menu from a 19 Sqn function.
	Sqn Ldr Fowler, C/O of 19 Sqn.
	F/O Simpson before posting to the USA
	Group shot, possibly at Church Fenton - looks as though something interesting was flying over!

This fantastic set of photos are all © Ron Barber, who was with 19 Squadron at Church Fenton 1947/1948, and worked in the photographic section.

	Inside the parachute bay at Church Fenton
	Self portrait of Ron
	The 19 Squadron football team
	Two photographs of the then Station Commander, Wing Commander Thunder.

	Ron in the Church Fenton photo section, 1947
	Dave Willis, 41 Sqn photographer 1947
	Ron and colleagues at CF in 1947
	Farewell party
	Church Fenton photo section, 1947
	41 Sqn group photo in front of one of the hangars
	19 Sqn group photo
	Engine change on a Hurricane in the 41 Sqn hangar
	Church Fenton open day, with a Washington (B-29) performing a low fly-by
	Open day again, with a Lancaster fly-past
	Spitfire over Church Fenton
	Mk1 Hornet
	Formation of Lancasters over Church Fenton
	Hornet at Church Fenton
	DH Vampire over Church Fenton
	Engine change on a Hornet during Operation Dagger
	Two crashed Hornets at Church Fenton. The pilots were practicing single engine landings, when they overshot the runway. Unfortunately a third aircraft was also coming in on one engine, and as the pilot tried to throttle up and go-round to avoid these two aircraft, he lost control and crashed in to a field about a mile from the airfield.


	Armourers re-loading a Hornet at Church Fenton
	Re-fuelling in front of one of the hangars.
	Line up of Church Fenton based Hornets, fully prepared for Operation Dagger.
	The aircraft start to taxy out to participate in Operation Dagger.