1951

• January 9th, Harvard, FS883 crashed on take off at night and hit a hut. No one was hurt.
  
  
• February 26th, KF496 landed and tipped up, caught fire and was destroyed.
  
  
• The intake of MTE courses carry on and passing out parades took place.
  
  
• April 26th, a thankfully rare event of a mid air collision occurred, when FX301 and FX438 hit over the airfield. One staddled the boundary fence upside down with its wingtip on the road, and the other hit the ground (also inverted) just inside the airfield. One of the pilots was killed.
  
  
• June 20th, FS884, was written off by fire on the ground.
  
  
• September, the CFS doubted the availability of using Moreton for much longer as it was made known a new unit was to arrive, flying carried on for the moment.
  The runways were resurfaced and to add some fun to the pilots trying to take-off the NAAFI wagon would usually choose to stop in the middle of the active runway
  
  
• September 3rd, a small group from 1FTS (reformed for the 3rd time) arrived from Oakington (Cambs) and over the next few weeks the rest of the unit followed.
  
  
• October, the Central Flying School and Medical Training Establishment left Moreton.
  1 FTS's Commanding Officer Grp Cpt Lewis moved into the station.
  
  
• October 4th, saw the first arrival of 65 of No 1 Sqn's Harvard Aircraft.
  
  
• October 15th, training began with No 6 Course and monthly targets of 3000hrs flying was set.
  
  
• October 25th, No 2 Sqn arrive (it is said in one huge formation)
  
  
• October 27th, a visit by the C-in-C Flying Training Command, AM Sir Hugh Walmsley KCIE CB CBE to see if all was well.
  
  
• November, 2971 sorties were flown and the station was becoming a bustling place again.
  
  
• End of 1951, with the only parking spaces the old dispersal points scattered around the airfield, two new aprons were constructed either end of the 'J' hangar and although no alterations were made to the 1941 control tower the SBA system was re-activated and a new VHF DF set was installed in a van which drove to the west side of the airfield.
  
  
• December, due to the weather at the time of year the flying sorties went down to 2008 for the month and 5 minor accidents occurred, none involving injurys.
  By the end of the month personnel levels were 973, (73 permanent staff officers, 86 officer trainees, 11aimen aircrew, 55 SNCO's and 748 airmen).
  

If you have any information regarding this period at Moreton that you would like to be added,
please go to the "Contacts" page in the Museum section of the website.
Or go there Now!