Tiger moth finds new home at WW2 airfield museum
The biplane has been donated to the Bottisham Airfield Museum, near Cambridge, by the Imperial War Museum in Duxford.
Jason Webb, chair of the airfield's trustees, said he was delighted about the donation, adding Tiger Moths were "top of our wanted list of exhibits".
This type of aircraft was "the first to land at Bottisham in 1940 and the last to take off in 1946", he said. It will go on display at the museum for the first time on Sunday.
Mr Webb said: "We became aware about six months ago that the Imperial War Museum was disposing of it as part of its reorganisation and put a bid in for it - alongside other museums - and they kindly selected ourselves out of all the others."
The grass airfield at Bottisham was built in 1940 as a satellite for RAF Waterbeach and was initially used by Cambridge-based Tiger Moths from Marshalls (airfield) as a relief landing ground.
The aircraft remained a regular sight in the skies over RAF Bottisham until 1946, serving with the RAF, the USAAF and the RAF Belgian section.
Mr Webb said: "De Havilland Tiger Moths were elementary training aircraft, used to teach tens of thousands of pilots to fly, before they went on to fly Lancaster [bombers] or Spitfire [fighter aeroplanes].
"We want to put it on display to tell the story of pilots who flew them."
In particular, he said he wanted to focus on the Tiger Moth's little-known role in Operation Banquet Lights, where the aircrafts were fitted with bombs just in case the Germans invaded England in 1940.
"Luckily, this was not needed as it would have been a one-way trip for the pilots against modern German fighters," he added.
Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Anniversary flight for 99-year-old RAF veteran
Memorials planned for disused WW2 airfields
The untold story of the battle that helped end WW2 in Europe
WW2 plane's engine restored to honour RAF crew
World War Two veteran celebrates 105th birthday
Bottisham Airfield Museum
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kairat dealt triple Celtic blow as visa issues cause chaos for Champions League bid
Kairat Almaty star Yegor Sorokin is one of three players facing an anxious wait to see if he can line up against Celtic in their crunch Champions League play-off showdown. Brendan Rodgers' men host the Kazakh side at Parkhead next Wednesday before making the mammoth 3,536-mile journey to Asia for the return fixture six days later. But Kairat could go into the Glasgow clash without the services of Russia international Sorokin, who needs to apply for a UK visa. READ MORE: Jamie Vardy handed Celtic transfer pitch as two deals reach endgame READ MORE: Ben Doak given Celtic transfer guarantee with Arne Slot stance on Liverpool deal clear The UK Government put sanctions on Russian nationals entering the country in the wake of their invasion of Ukraine in February 2023. Russian and Belarusian tennis players were initially denied entry into the Wimbleon finals later that year but were eventually granted visas after signing a 'declaration of neutrality'. Kairat also have two Belarusian players - Valery Gromyko and Alyaksandr Martynovich in their squad but ex Rubin Kazan defender Sorokin is confident that the trio will get the green light to walk out on the pitch at Parkhead on Wednesday. He said:"The general director of Kairat assured me that everything will be approved and the visa will be ready. "I hope there are no problems with this and I am able to play in Scotland." Sorokin is also relishing his team's underdog status in thee tie as they look to become the first Kazakh club to qualify for the revamped group stage of the Champions League. He added: "It is clear that we are not the favourites against Celtic. "But that is why it will be easier for us. We will fight and do everything to advance. "And how will it turn out? Time will tell. We want the world to sit up and take notice of Kairat Almaty." Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Celtic page and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Celtic community here. Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Extra 140 parking spaces introduced to support parents at south Essex school
An extra 140 parking spaces have been introduced in Wickford to help support parents taking their children to school. The new spaces are part of Basildon Council's Park and Stride scheme and are located at Wickford Main Car Park. The initiative is designed to ease congestion near Wickford Primary School by providing parents with a safe place to park and walk the rest of the way to school with their children. Aidan McGurran, councillor responsible for environment and leisure, said: "We are pleased to offer additional parking spaces for the Park and Stride scheme. "Supporting our residents by creating more parking opportunities is essential to encourage more families to participate and to make it as convenient as possible for them to park and walk their children to school. Read more Multiple south Essex c2c services delayed due to 'line-side equipment' problems The south Essex car boot sales taking place this weekend "We remain committed to working closely with our partners to ensure the ongoing success and smooth operation of this scheme." The Park and Stride model encourages families to drive part of the way to school, park in a designated area, and walk the remainder of the journey. This approach aims to reduce traffic around school gates, improve air quality, and promote physical activity for children. Wickford Primary School is part of the South Essex Parking Partnership's (SEPP) 3PR School Campaign, which stands for care, consideration, and caution. The campaign aims to educate parents and children about responsible parking and reduce the number of vehicles near schools. The 140 additional parking spaces are available during term time only for parents taking part in the Park and Stride scheme. Schools in the Basildon borough interested in joining the 3PR scheme are encouraged to contact Jack Sharp, school parking and project officer at SEPP. He can be reached via email at schoolparking@ The 3PR School Campaign focuses on encouraging thoughtful parking behaviours and reducing congestion around school sites through community education and practical support. Officials hope the extra spaces will make it easier for parents to participate in the scheme and help create safer, healthier journeys to school.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Government turns to TikTokers to advise on cosmetic surgery abroad
The government is partnering with TikTok influencers to warn people about the risks of travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures. There's growing concern over the rise in Britons seeking overseas treatments such as hair implants and dental work, often lured by lower costs and shorter waiting times. Medical content creators will urge viewers to talk to a UK doctor first, take out travel insurance and avoid package holidays that include procedures. The move is part of a wider government campaign to curb so-called medical tourism, as well as tighten regulations for cosmetic practitioners in England. When it comes to cosmetic surgery abroad, the lowest price can come at the highest cost, the campaign warns. It aims to raise awareness of the risks, protect patients and avoid the NHS paying to fix botched procedures. Medical influencers like Doc Tally and Midwife Marley - who have 240,000 and 38,000 followers on TikTok respectively - will produce videos offering guidance on how to make trips as safe as possible. They will include a checklist to consider before booking a procedure. Health minister Karin Smyth warned that "too many people are being left with life-altering injuries after going abroad for medical procedures, without access to proper advice or safeguards." She said the partnership with TikTok would help people "make safer and more informed choices before they go under the knife – wherever that may be." Things to check before you book: Do thorough research about the procedure Check the clinic's regulation and the surgeon's credentials Know the full cost and understand the aftercare Ask the vital question - if it goes wrong, who will fix it? When cosmetic procedures go wrong, the consequences can be devastating for patients. Two years ago, Leah Mattson travelled to İzmir in Turkey to have gastric sleeve surgery. While the surgery was initially successful and helped her lose weight, last year the 27-year-old returned to the same company to remove excess skin. This time, the procedure left her with a lopsided belly button, deep scarring on her arms and stomach area that she says left her feeling worse. After seeing the results of her surgery, Leah said she burst into tears. "I just wanted to cry and I feel like I actually disliked my body more than when I was overweight." Leah found the clinic on social media and was encouraged by other people's positive experiences with similar surgeries. "On apps like Instagram and TikTok, you search for weight-loss surgery and see the majority of people go to Turkey," she explained. "I was thinking well all these people have had great experiences so I'm going to go. "I just trusted them because I thought well if they're okay then I'll be okay and I didn't really pay much attention to the horror stories," she added. "I didn't think it would ever happen to me." Leah now documents her experience on social media, using her platform to inform others about the risks involved in similar procedures. The clinic which performed Leah's surgery in Turkey could not be reached for comment, but they previously issued a statement saying "plastic surgery isn't straight-forward and unfortunately some health issues or complications cannot be anticipated". Experts are urging people to think beyond the slick brochures and marketing, and to consider clinical standards, complication risks, and language barriers. The Foreign Office will also provide more detailed travel advice for those considering going overseas for such procedures. Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty said: "If you choose to travel abroad for medical treatment, it is vital you do your research and are fully aware of the risks involved." "We urge anyone considering a medical procedure abroad to review our travel advice, relevant guidance from the NHS and other professional bodies, and research foreign providers thoroughly to ensure they meet the highest standard of care." "Informed choices today can help avoid serious complications tomorrow." Ali Law, TikTok's UK public policy lead, said the platform was "committed" to helping users find "information from trusted sources when searching for topics related to physical and mental health." Earlier this month, ministers outlined plans to reduce unsafe cosmetic treatments in England. Under the new rules, only "suitably qualified" and regulated health workers will be allowed to deliver high-risk procedures such as Brazilian butt lifts. Clinics offering lower-risk procedures such as Botox and fillers will need a licence, and age limits will be introduced to stop children from copying dangerous beauty trends seen on social media. More on this story Seven UK patients died after Turkey weight loss surgery 'I paid £6k to feel worse than I did before surgery' Woman's three-year food nightmare after botched op
