Venue: Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre, Lincolnshire.
The BMF held a Dambusters Rally at Thorpe Camp this year. As well as enjoying a pleasant camping weekend, Dave and Elaine also visited the displays and exhibitions offered by the Thorpe Camp Museum. These included mock ups of World War II (WWII) aircraft and the crew positions (there's a really cool working radio shack) plus lots of quirky things from the 1940s that we have forgotten about. Like the hydraulically operated pop-up pillboxes made to be installed on airfields - they normally sat retracted and out of the way of airfield traffic but could be lifted up to provide formidable airfield defence from protected positions. Also, during WWII, lots of equipments was being manufactured throughout Britain but how could you prevent theft? A great idea was in the manufacture of boots for the armed forces. Each factory was contracted to make either 'left' or 'right' boots but never both. This way, no-one could steal a pair of boots - simple, ingenious but very effective. The museum is also close to RAF Woodhall Spa and the Dambusters memorial wall which deserved a visit. Of course the museum also includes many military artefacts and equipment since the 19402 including an English Electric Lightning jet fighter which served throughout the 50s and 60s as our main air defence fighter. Also a Bloodhound missile system which was one of the earliest Air Defence missile systems built to combat high altitude enemy aircraft trying to encroach on our airspace. Attractions at the rally included a number of bands playing on the Friday and Saturday night with a showing of the original Dambusters movie late on the Saturday night. The Blue Bell pub is a few minutes walk away and this was used by the aircrews during the war so full of history with exhibits of items left by them hanging on the walls. There was a rideout on the Saturday morning and there was a bar at the venue selling cheap beer and a catering van attended which sold great food at reasonable prices.
Overall, a great little museum and a great weekend. This was the second Dambusters Rally organised by the BMF. A video from the 2016 rally can be viewed here- https://youtu.be/CpetRFqVKCo .
This is well worth a future visit for any bikers.
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