Carnaby Airfield Memorial
Art In Bridlington, East Riding Of Yorkshire
Memorial and artwork unveiled in 2019 to commemorate the contribution of RAF Carnaby during World War II.
While ticking off some Fabulous North places in Bridlington and Flamborough we passed this beauty which was a stones throw from our hotel, so we had to have a meander down and take a look.
Opened in March 1944, RAF Carnaby was one of just three emergency landing grounds in the UK for bombers returning from missions over Europe. Over 1,500 aircraft made emergency landings there, some with shredded fuselages, failing hydraulics, or simply running on fumes. If you were flying home with half a wing and a prayer, Carnaby was where you hoped to end up.
And when fog rolled in? RAF Carnaby had a trick up its sleeve: FIDO (Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation). Ground crews pumped petrol into pipes lining the runway and set it ablaze. The heat punched a corridor through the fog, creating a fiery path for pilots to land safely. It sounds like something out of a film, but it was very real, and effective.
Carnaby's Glowing Tribute To Wartime Grit
The artwork itself is titled 'Hell, Fire, FIDO and a Halifax.' It captures the dramatic landing of a Halifax bomber on 9 April 1945. The aircraft was damaged and fog-bound, guided in by the fiery glow of FIDO.
Beneath it, suspended by his parachute harness, was Sgt. Frank Smith. He had been blown out mid-flight, dangled for three hours, and was somehow still smiling when they landed. It was a moment of sheer survival, now rendered for posterity.
The memorial's centrepiece is a cantilevered glass panel, designed by local sculptor Stephen Carvill. It's coated with a special ceramic glaze that glows at night, casting light on the extraordinary story. So, the best time to visit is at dusk when the memorial truly comes to life.
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How To Find Carnaby Airfield Memorial
Where Is Carnaby Airfield Memorial?
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54.072566, -0.249839
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Where To Park For Carnaby Airfield Memorial?
Street parking next to the memorial is available, please park considerately.
Contributed by Rachel Hagar
Adventurer, amateur photographer, and listophile. I love finding new and unusual places, especially a good waterfall or a place with Tudor era history, due to my small obsession with Henry VIII. I try to get out and about in the fresh air whenever I can, dragging my daughter along for the ride, to get her (and me) away from screens and devices.
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