Hi-de-hi

[PJH]

Hello everybody,

I'm Peter Howarth and for those of you not members of the ARG, I'm Vice-Chairman and acting Chairman of the Group. The guys running the AiX forum approached us and kindly offered to have it used as the official forum for the ARG.

A quick canvas of committee members gained a very positive response and so here I am as official representative. Once I found out about the forum I'd have joined anyway but with the official tie-in I now have some Moderator rights - thanks guys. Having said that they're something that shouldn't have to be used too often other than to move the odd topic to another area.

I'll use the ARG section to post the occasional notice, but mainly to encourage both new members and the forwarding of material for our quarterly magazine, Airfield Review. Looking at the standard of what I've seen on the forum so far, I would hope that many of you will be able to contribute, even if it's just an update on the current status of an airfield. I would like to post a few Stickies in the coming weeks on ARG matters - keep your eyes posted.

As far as myself is concerned, I'm lucky to work in the aircraft industry and am currently Chief Designer for a small aerospace company in Bedfordshire (shalln't mention them here!). I'm based in a lovely old Type C hangar in the airfield-side annexe and so can watch the aeroplanes come and go - lucky bu***r! My interest in airfields started out from my first place of work (Filton) and buying the (then) new Action Stations book on the area - things developed a bit from there.

Airfield interests are varied. I research local airfields including Thurleigh, Little Staughton, Twinwood Farm, but particularly Cranfield where I work. Architecturally I'm interested in hangars (mainly because I work in one) and to a lesser extent control towers. I've had a long-term project (i.e. it's going very slowly) to define and record all UK WW One airfield sites (including manufactuers' sites) and am also very interested in memorials, particularly relating to airfields (as opposed to crash sites).

My recent major research topic has been Fighter Command airfields in the Cold War, specifically 1946-1960, which has involved lots of digging at the National Archives. I'm about to submit Part 5 of my series for publication in Airfield Review so that's something for members to look forward to, or not! My view was that this period of history was relatively under-represented in published material, especially compared to WW Two, and so it's a small attempt to redress the balance.

That's enough for now - I look forward to conversing with you all and once again, thanks to the site administrators for letting us in.

[norwichpaul]

Hi Peter and welcome to the new ARG AiX forum.

[REF]

Hi Peter

Great to have you onboard and I look forward to the partnership with ARG.

I have just joined ARG, why I haven't done sooner I really don't know - I plead insanity I think! I must say the Airfield Review journal is first class, so much information and very well put together. I hope I can contribute in some way with it.

I haven't been to many airfields in your neck of the woods yet, there is a thread on Little Staughton just started on the forum thay you may want to add your two pennies worth to! I would like to visit Thurleigh and Twinwood sometime soon as well. Loads to see and no spare time though!! I'll let you know when I head over that way as I'll be trying to photograph the memorials as a priority, that is how my interest started as where I live there are so many.

I'll look forward to looking at your next article in Airfield Review, it does sound interesting.

[NJR]

Peter, forgive me I've just realised that I've not welcomed you to the forums and as a moderator.

I'm very pleased that ARG and AiX have formed this partnership, myself joining the ARG is something I should have done a long time ago.

So, welcome.

NJR