One thing that had always annoyed me was that, despite it being Tangmere's last flying unit, there was absolutely nothing in the museum there about 623 Volunteer Gliding School. I'd searched the museum's extensive photo library and the Internet but came up with nothing. I was about to contact HQ Air Cadets and the RAF to see if they had anything we could use to build a display when, by one of those odd twists of timing, an elderly gentleman walked in. He said he'd been with the VGS between 1965 and its closure in 1975, first as the Technical Officer, then CFI and finally Commanding Officer and he was wondering if we'd like some photos of 623 VGS in action! Manna from heaven.
The above photo is one of many that he presented to the museum and I thought it might bring back memories not only to Trev and me, who both passed through 623 VGS, but to anyone who got their first experience of solo flight with an ATC VGS in the 60s and 70s.
Incidentally, the T2 hangar under the glider's tail is long since demolished but its concrete base is still used by the local fire service as a skid-pan for driver training. The concrete blast walls are still there but are now used by the local council as giant compost bins - garden and other green waste is stored there whilst being turned into compost.
Pete
