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Harrington Aviation Museums

Special Events 2012

Harrington Aviation Museums Remember The Veterans

Saturday 30th June 2012 is Armed Forces Day. This day is dedicated to all those who have served in any branch of the Armed Services. In particular, it commemorates the Victory in Europe, May 1945, and the Victory in Japan, August 1945.

The proper organisation and recognition of the Armed Forces is attributed to Henry V. For generations our young men and women have served their country across the world in many roles from war, peacekeeping and reconstruction of home defences. In so doing, they have defended our country, our way of life, our cherished values, and continue to do so today.

To honour the veterans, Harrington Aviation Museums are offering free entry to the museum on Saturday 30th June to all Veterans wearing their HM Armed Forces Veteran badge. Free entry will also be granted to serving members of the Armed Forces of all nationalities on production of their identity card. The appropriate Armed Forces Day flags will be flown at the museum and at the Carpetbagger Memorial.

The museums are on the old administration site of the wartime airfield at Harrington. This is accessed off the Lamport Road, south of the village of Harrington where the road passes over the A14 trunk road.

The Carpetbagger Aviation Museum is housed in the original Group Operations Building and offers a rare look at life on this top-secret base, home of the 801st/492nd Bombardment Group during World War 2. Photographs, maps, exhibits and unique film footage describe the secret missions flown by the Harrington airmen dropping agents, weapons and supplies to resistance groups throughout Occupied Europe. Other displays show the vast secret agent and supply network masterminded by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) who also operated from RAF Tempsford. The story of the Royal Observer Corps and the Cold War role of the Thor missile base at Harrington are also fully described.

The Northants Aviation Museum contains the remains of recovered World War 2 aircraft, Home Front displays, instrumentation and other fascinating items of equipment and memorabilia.

The Museum would particularly like to hear from any personnel or their families, who served at Harrington either during the war years, during the airfield's post war maintenance depot period, or with the 218 (SM) Thor Missile Squadron, about their memories of the airfield during those periods.

The Museums are normally open at weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays from 10.00 am through to 5.00 pm. Their website is www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk

So we invite all veterans to polish their badge and wear it with pride on Saturday 30th June.

Bring all the family and have an enjoyable day at Harrington.

(Veterans MUST wear their badge to gain free entry to the museums.)

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