Talk:RAF Wroughton
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The article appears to digress off-subject. I'm proposing a deletion of the content outlined below, as irrelevant to RAF Wroughton. As someone who is not local to the area (I'm in the United States) it's very unclear to me what connection the following paragraphs have to the RAF station. Are they talking about exhibits at the Museum Annex now located at Wroughton? If so, that should be made much clearer.
Proposed deletions:
Factfile and links: For many years, a preserved South Marston-built Spitfire was on display outside the Vickers factory. This was a Mark 21, LA226, which returned in 1968, shortly after it was used in the movie, Battle of Britain. It remained there until 1984 and is currently stored, dismantled, at the RAF Museum Cosford.
The Short Stirling was the tallest and longest plane to fly with the RAF during the Second World War, but was superseded by the Lancaster and the Halifax. Sadly, no Stirlings were preserved and none exist today. Even the original drawings have gone, destroyed in a fire.
Many of Swindon's railways workers were in reserved occupations, which meant that they were exempt from active service during the Second World War - but that didn't necessarily mean they remained in Swindon for the duration. As well as being sent to work at South Marston, Blunsdon, Sevenhampton or Wroughton, others were also despatched to other aircraft factories in cities such as Southampton.
At least three South Marston-built Spitfires are currently on display - but none of them are airworthy: LA198, a Mark 21, built in 1944, is at the Museum of Transport, Glasgow (see www.glasgowmuseums.com). It is due to remain there until it is moved to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, also in Glasgow, in early 2006. PK683, a Mark 24, built in 1946, can be seen at the Southampton Hall of Aviation [www.spitfireonline.co.uk], which is also home to a Supermarine Scimitar and the Supermarine archives. VN485, a Mark 24, built in 1947, was the 11th from last Spitfire to be delivered to the RAF. It is now at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.
A typical South Marston Spitfire had a wingspan of 36ft 11 inches and was 32 ft 8 inches long. It had a top speed of 450mph at 19,000ft - 520mph when diving. It could fly to a maximum of 43,000ft and had a range of 580 miles - 965 miles if fitted with an additional fuel tank.
The world record-breaking Swift, WK198, can be seen at the North East Aircraft Museum, Sunderland (see [www.neam.co.uk]) - but minus its wings. Complete (but not airworthy) Swifts are on display at the Newark Air Museum, Nottinghamshire (see www.newarkairmuseum.co.uk) and Tangmere Military Aviation Museum at Chichester, Sussex (see www.tangmere-museum.org.uk). A preserved Attacker can be seen at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton (see www.fleetairarm.com). Many Canberras survive, including at the RAF Museum, Hendon (see www.rafmuseum.org.uk) and the Imperial War Museum, Duxford (see [www.iwm.org.uk/duxford/index.htm]). Sadly, no Miles Masters survive today and the closest we have is a replica of a sister plane, the Martinent, and some original components, at the Museum of Berkshire Aviation at Woodley, near Reading (see www.iwm.org.uk/duxford/index.htm for more information about Miles aircraft).
South Marston Spitfires are not easy to spot because the plane went through dozens of variations over many years. They are especially difficult to spot on film, but in still pictures, there are some telltale clues that can at least narrow things down. All of those built at South Marston were Mark 21s or later - and these all had propellors with five blades. Seafires, the Naval equivalent of the Spitfire, are usually pictured on aircraft carriers with their wings folded for storage, but South Marston only output versions without folding wings - and, to the untrained eye, these are also more or less indistinguishable from Spitfires.
The name Supermarine still lives on in Swindon in the name of two major sports clubs in the town. Both Supermarine Rugby Club and Football Club still play on pitches that were once part of the Vickers Armstrong site, and were born out of the sports and social club that thrived during the heyday of the main factory until it closed in the early 80s. (see [www.supermarinefc.com] and [www.supermarinerugby.co.uk] for more information).
Itsfullofstars 08:05, 1 January 2007 (UTC)
- I've discovered since writing the above that a good portion of the content of the original article (including most of the paragraphs I suggested should be deleted) has been plagarized verbatim from this site: http://www.swindonweb.com/guid/heriplanes0.htm Since there's no indication that permission was granted for re-publication of the material on wikipedia, I will delete the copyrighted material. Most of it didn't belong in the article anyway. Itsfullofstars 09:29, 1 January 2007 (UTC)
I've done complete rewrites of some material that was part of the original copywritten text, but is still germaine to the subject of the article. I believe all the text under copyright is now gone, but I've still given attribution to the site that was the original source of the material. Unless I find other sources for Wroughton's RAF and RN history to flesh that period out more, it's likely I'll be moving on. There really should be a separate article about the Science Museum Wroughton, which I may get around to creating. Itsfullofstars 10:31, 1 January 2007 (UTC)
It is believed at some time the Sea Cadet Corps had a training school here based in one of the hangers near the fire station
