RNAS Hunter

Something a bit different from me today. I ventured out a few miles to a town called Ford (largely known for it's open prison). I was paying a visit to a fireplace showroom, as we're on the lookout for a new gas fire for the living room. This plane sits by the side of the road at what was once the old entrance to Ford Airfield. The disused field is now home to a massive Sunday market (not my cup of tea, but ok if you're after cheap goods...think Only Fools & Horses, and you're on the right lines).

For anyone interested, here is a brief history of the airfield:
An airfield was opened in the south-west part of the parish in 1918; at first called Ford junction airfield, it was also known as Yapton aerodrome but had its modern name by 1931. Originally a training station, it was briefly occupied by the United States navy later in 1918 and was closed in the following year.

In the 1930s the airfield was used at different times as a flying school, for joy-rides, for building airliners, as the headquarters of Sir Alan Cobham's 'flying circus', and as a base for experimental flying. In 1937, however, it was taken back by the Air Ministry, new buildings being built in Climping parish, while the original buildings continued to be used for experimental purposes. After the closure of the airfield by the Fleet Air Arm in 1959 most of its buildings in Ford were demolished and replaced by housing; part, however, survived in industrial use.