Sometimes a plan comes together very quickly but then there are those that take some time to come to fruition. A Midland Region meeting at our ‘local’ Leicester Airport had long been an idea by your Eds but it took an invite by our good friend Mary Moore to meet with Leicestershire Aero Club Chairman Ivan Court to finally see it happen on a sunny Saturday in October.

Both your Eds live in Oadby, a suburb on the south-east edge of Leicester, which is only a mile or so from the airfield – or RAF Leicester East as it was when it opened in 1943. (I wonder how many other Guild members live near to an active airfield) Eisenhower came here just before D Day to see the American Paratroopers who were based nearby. Stirlings and Horsa gliders were the main wartime aircraft.

The intact airfield control tower is the Aero Club HQ and there is a nicely appointed bar and eating area on the top level with a spectacular panoramic view over the east
Leicestershire countryside. The Aero Club was formed in 1909 and is one of the oldest in the country, moving to Leicester East in 1949.

Twelve Midlanders were warmly greeted by Ivan, and we also met Jamie Ewan, one of the Aero Club members but also a Flypast Magazine Editor who had reported on the Duxford Annual in the summer. After a warming coffee, we were taken on a tour of the three hangars by Ivan to see the various aircraft on site, one of which has a unique turntable – quite ingenius.

Our thanks must go to Ivan and all at the Aero Club for making us so welcome on our first visit. It was such a success that we should be back there in January for the annual Midland Region Social. All in all, it was well worth the wait!

Robert Calow, GAvA