Ten people in our group met up with Gavin Hukin from BAE Systems at the Spa Shop, Marham, opposite the entrance to RAF Marham at 12.50h. Gavin then escorted us to the Marham Heritage Centre and introduced us to Station Warrant Officer Steve Roberts who gave us a guided tour of the Centre.
After showing us artefacts from the 1st World War, he went on to Mosquitos, Hurricanes, Spitfires and the associated pilots who flew them. We then continued to hear about Vulcan Bombers, Harriers and Tornados. Of particular note was a de-activated hydrogen bomb, and one of the much talked about Brimstone missiles, which were both on display. We thanked Steve for his most comprehensive guided tour, and continued to the CMU Unit where Martin Driver (BAE Systems) showed us around the maintenance shop/hangar.
It was most noteworthy that the parts of the aircraft, when fully serviced, were dispatched in wooden boxes which looked like they cost as much as the aircraft parts they contained. We moved on to the Structures Repair Unit, noting that two Tornados had taken-off from the airfield while we watched them. Mr Steve Dunbar (BAES) then showed us around the Structures Repair Unit, where it was most gratifying to see an aircraft ejector seat being loaded into position as we watched.
Finally we bid Gavin a fond-farewell, thanking him gratefully for such a rare opportunity to see Tornados maintained. As a final cap to the visit, when I boarded the train to go home at Huntingdon Rail Station, there was a newspaper in the coach, which had been discarded there that afternoon when the train left London. The front page header on the paper was: "Two Tornados take off from RAF Marham on the first mission inside Syria" (the decision had be made in Parliament the night before our visit!).
Mick Ross I Eng AUH MIET MBCS
IET P&H Network Events Coordinator