Painting of Handley Page 0/400s over Stonehenge Airfield circa 1918
This is a recently completed picture Of Stonehenge airfield in the first World War. Few people seem to know of the existence of this airfield, which as can be seen was very large and right next to the Stones. Local legend has it that the pilots asked for the stones to be removed as they hampered their Take offs and landings, and that it was actually considered. As well as the establishment seen in the picture, there was a second base on the airfield which was the Handley page flying school. this would have been just to the right of the lower righthand portion of the picture. The buildings were completely removed in the 1930s and there is hardly any evidence of what was once there.
Interesting piece of history...never knew there was an airfield next to there.
Terry, thanks for sharing you talent and knowledge with us.
Just to make things clear there may have been an airfield during WW1 but it is no longer there and all traces of it have been removed .
N.
Neil, there were a lot of airfields across the UK which have disappeared leaving very little trace.
I have got a book "Action Stations 9" written by an ex RAF Pilot who went around the UK and plotted the airfields.
My book covers south east England, the area I live in, and found out bases did know existed.
I think my description was quite clear
Your narrative is not in question here, Terry...there were simply comments made in reference to many, many airfields scattered around the UK, for BOTH world wars, that have vanished. 🙂
I live about four miles fro Old Buchenham airfield, once home to the 453 Bomb Group. They have an air show there every year, which I had forgotten about until a Mustang shot over my house this weekend, gaining height for another turn over the airfield.
Beautiful painting, Terry. It's unusual to see this subject, or in fact this war period depicted so conclusively and in such great detail. Apart from the panoramic effect, the forward position of the second machine gives the scene an immediacy not otherwise possible in standard profile/elevation views.
A fine painting.
PS do you have other subject views available? This material is ideal for the Duxford or Hendon museum shops.
Thanks for your kind words Rob. Much appreciated. As I say, I am currently woorking on another painting connected with the local area but when that will be ready is anyones guess. Are you connected with Duxford/ Hendon
No not personally, but it may be worth approaching the Imperial War Museum with a high quality resolution file of the painting and I'd be surprised if there wasn't interest. The tendency for war art is for WW2 BoB subjects or similar. As I mentioned, I can't recall seeing something like this before. Well worth a try.
What a lovely bit of art work Terry, simply wonderful, thanks for sharing, do you have any prints for sale?, love to hang one in my hobby room
Thanks for that . Marc I don't usually sell prints but I do have some copies and may be able to let you have one
Beautiful painting.
Thanks Phil
Welcome onboard at iModeler. That's a beautiful piece of art, and an interesting story. Thanks for sharing! Hope to see more of your work soon
thanks Editor. seems like a friendly bunch of enthusiasts on this site. Hope I can contribute
I think unbelievable that a nation so educated as England can at some point, even for a mere moment, have considered destroy a historical relic which is a monument to civilization, just because of an airbase among many that exist. Fortunately the military "reason" not prevailed and today we have this magnificent work.
Thanks for your comment Mario. Don't forget that at that time Stonehenge did not have the status it has today. It wasn't known worldwide and was perhaps a local curiosity.Only a few years previous to this time , the monument was privately owned. The other point is that the story about the monument being removed is only that a local story which may or may not be true..
regards
terry