| In 2002 Reg Redford went for a trip and took this photograph. He has marked on the three villages of Finedon, irthlingborough and Addington. Towards the left is the Diamonds Football ground, the A6 bridge and the new by-pass is marked towards the bottom left of the picture. The housing at the foot of the picture is at the northern edge of Higham Ferrers, being an infill on land enclosed when the A45 was rerouted in about 1990. |
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| Notes as written on the back of the photograph
One of some 26 shots used on this trip – Sunday 4th August 2002 – 35mm prints
We were 4 up in a Piper Warrior II – out of Sywell and did a tour of WWII Airfields – Sywell, Podington, Twin Woods – Thurleigh, overflew Grafham Water – skirt Huntingdon to Alconbury – cross to Molesworth – up via Oundle to Deenethorpe – over and round the car raceway (Rockingham, Corby) – to Desborough – south past Kettering to Irthlingborough where two of my friends and I live (Colin the pilot lives at Northampton) – on to Chelveston, then head west over the edge of Higham Ferrers to Wellingborough and back into Sywell.
Flying for an hour and fifteen minutes – cost to book the aircraft out for an hour is £98 – this trip cost us £30 each and Colin paid £40.
The aircraft flies at 90mph, burns 10 gallons of fuel an hour, but is not a good photographic platform as it has a low wing – and the wing is always in the way! Front R/H seat is not too bad but in the back is hopeless for filming. I had my first flight on my 16th birthday at Croydon, London; cost 5/- (25p in today’s money) – I have been flying on and off ever since – was in the RAF during the war – not a pilot, just a driver. I was born 6.9.1921 at Harringay/Tottenham, N London – moved up here 1976 – followed our children, and have not regretted it. Hope these odd local shots are of interest!
I was 81 two days before my last flight on Sept 8th 2002.
Reg Redford, of Irthlingborough.
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