B-17 fuel tank
Q John Irish remembers in the 1950s a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress fuel tank on a small piece of land behind Edmonton Town Hall. It was there for several years, but how did it get there and what happened to it?

Thetford Halifax drop
Q Peter Saunston has a query on behalf of his 90-year-old neighbour, W/O Gordon Barnes, navigator on Halifax QS-A of No 620 Sqn, the lead aircraft of four which left Great Dunmow at 1630hr on August 27, 1945 to carry out a drop of four Jeeps for the benefit of French camera crews at a site about five miles south-south-east of Thetford. The drop was successful and accurate and Gordon would like to know what became of this French film. Was it part of a feature, if so what, and are there copies available?

Film Cone of Silence
Q Maurice Wood asks if anyone can identify the aircraft used in the 1960 film Cone of Silence, now available on DVD. It appears to be an Avro Ashton with an extra jet pod outboard on each wing.

WRAF of WW1
Q Roy Green submits a photograph of his grandmother, Edith Violet Dorey from Alresford, Hampshire, who enlisted as a WAAC on January 23, 1918 and was then transferred to the WRAF. She is pictured with a pilot, who told her that as she had worked on the aircraft she should accompany him on his next flight – as such she would have been the first member of the family to fly! Intriguingly, she was discharged on “disciplinary grounds” on July 11, 1919. Mr Green

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Southern Rhodesia
Q Following the question in our May issue regarding aircraft in Southern Rhodesia, Dennis Cannon writes to express his thanks to all those who have responded with letters, photographs, a book, website etc. He lists names, too long to include here, but you know who you are! It is good to see such enthusiasm.

Sunderland evacuation
Q Bill Kerr has been reading Forgotten Voices of Burma written by Julian Thomson in association with the Imperial War Museum. He found an interesting article by Major P. Leathart referring to the evacuation of wounded soldiers by Sunderland from the Indagyi Lake over several days and asks which squadron was involved, where it was based, and any other information.

Aircraft wrecks, 1955
Q Mal Jeffrey was stationed at Martlesham Heath between March and September 1955 and while having rides in a Percival Pembroke made several touch-and-go approaches to a very long and wide runway area north of Martlesham. On both sides of the runway were many wrecked aircraft, some piled on top of each other. It was explained that this was a wartime crash strip where damaged aircraft returning from raids were able to get down quickly as the runway faced the sea. Where was this, and was the explanation correct?

Lasham lash-up
Q Mike Usherwood did a week-long gliding course at Lasham in the mid-1950s. On most evenings a group from Farnborough    brought a device consisting of a jet engine mounted on a truck or trailer which seemed to burn all sorts of fuel resulting in a dense cloud of very thick, smelly smoke covering the airfield. The engine began to run rougher and rougher as the smoke thickened until it spluttered to a standstill. It was said that it was to do with the Army and smoke screens. Does anyone know more?

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Write: Q&A, Aeroplane, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG