'THEN AND NOW' COMPARISON PHOTOS

Views of Langham Lodge at Boxted better known to the 56th as "The Wheel House"

The 1944 photographs show Hub Zemke, Lucian Dade and Wilbur Watson outside the front door
and then getting into a waiting staff car.

The comparison photos were taken during a visit in 2009.

A selection of 'THEN AND NOW' photographs from Halesworth.

The colour photographs were taken before the recent demolition of much of the perimeter track, runways
and remaining hardstandings.

On the left is a shot of droptanks, taken in 1943 and below, the area photographed again in 2008.

63rd FS personnel stacking 108 gallon droptanks ready for distribution to the other hardstandings. Taken from hardstand 43 looking across the perimeter track to hardstanding 45.

Vehicles sit at the top of the bombdump road waiting for the perimeter track to be reopened. The P-47 is crossing over the perimeter to land on runway 29.

Looking between the two trucks the firing butts are just visible. These stood at the far end of hardstanding 36, the site of which can be seen occupied by turkey huts in 2008.

This scene has change dramatically in the last 2 years. The perimeter track, huts, and remaining hardstandings have been removed and nature is rapidly reclaiming the area.

Wendell McClures P-47 razorback named "Sneaky Mcgee" reposes on hardstanding 21 in the 62nd FS area during late Feb/early March 1944. The Thunderbolts visible behind are on hardstanding 22.

Moving over to the 61st FS dispersal area and Frank Klibbe's famous HV-V "Little Chief" is seen at rest on hardstanding 30, which was shared with Donavon Smiths "Ole Cock".

Since the colour photo was taken in 2008 this area has been cleared all traces of hardstandings and perimeter track and just a scar on the landscape remains.

Next in the series of 'THEN AND NOW'
comparison photographs is a set taken around the control tower at Kingscliffe.

66 years separate the images.

The views below were photographed in March 1943 - and again in August 2009