Formation, by Rick Kirby
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Formation, by Rick Kirby by Adrian S Pye as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
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Formation, by Rick Kirby
Image: © Adrian S Pye Taken: 7 Dec 2019
'Formation' is a sculpture in stainless steel at the site of RAF Nacton, otherwise known as Ipswich Airfield. The uprights represent the beams of searchlights while the six flying ladies represent the women pilots of the Air Auxiliary Transport who flew the planes from the factory here in Ipswich to their operational airfields all over the country. As RAF Nacton, occupied by No. 3619 Fighter Control Unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force were based there and during the war years over 30 different squadrons or flights were stationed at the airfield. The council, who owned the site, commissioned a development report in 1990 for the site. On the basis of its findings which determined better use of the site for development the Council decided to close the airfield in 1993. Despite public pressure the airfield was delicensed and ceased to be registered by the Civil Aviation Authority on 31 December 1996. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6338504
Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
Image Location
Latitude
52.029386
Longitude
1.200386