Workshop objectives
To learn about some local history related to aircraft
To develop constructing skills by building a model fighter aircraft from World War 2
To visit a memorial to Mr and Mrs Gill, first UK civilian casualties of the war
To visit the East Essex Aviation Museum, Point Clear

Our students outside the East Essex Aviation Museum at Point Clear

We started our workshop with a very informative presentation from Dominic, SPE's adult volunteer, on the German Heinkel 111bomber that was shot down over Harwich at night in March 1940. Apparently, it was laying sea mines over Harwich to sink Royal Naval and merchant ships coming in and out of the busy commercial and military port. The Heinkel 111 crashed in Victoria Road, Clacton. Sadly, this resulted in the first civilian casualties of mainland Britain, Frederick and Dorathy Gill who were killed in their home as the bomber crash landed.

After the presentation, we all knuckled down to making our models of our Second World War fighter aircraft. During this holiday workshop, I decided to give each individual student a choice of models from about 10 World War Two fighter aircraft.

Some chose Spitfires, others Hurricanes and a few chose the ME 262 German jet fighter or the HE 162 jet fighter (a particular favourite of mine because of it's radical design. It would have been nice to all build Heinkel 111 models but the cost was too much for the intended price ceiling I wanted to keep for the parents.



Right in the centre of this picture is a cylinder which the firemen were sitting on after they had put the fires out. When the bomb disposal personel arrived, they told the firemen they were sitting on an unexploded sea mine that had miraculously survived the crash. It could have gone off at any moment.

Above is the tailplane and some of the fusilage of the Heinkell 111 just outside a house on Victoria Road. One of the houses was torn down and rebuilt after the accident. Others were just torn down and replaced with a more modern house.

This is a Heinkel 111 flying over London. Apparently, it was a rather obsolute plane by the beginning of the war and was slowly phased. However, it was still a useful ship destroyer so was used for maritime attacks.

Above is a picture of a Heinkel 111 to illustrate the shape of one. Before the war, they were passenger and transport planes but were later adapted to bombers.

After our making session and lunch, we took the minibus via Victoria Road to look at the memorial. As a mark of respect, we laid some flowers as a mark of respect for the death of Mr and Mrs Gill. Additionally, we found where the picture (above) was taken. The house on the left is still standing and the middle and right houses were knocked down and replaced with more modern houses.

Above are two pictures of us at the memorial laying flowers as a mark of respect to Mr and Mrs Gill. Back then, in 1940, a shocking event in such a peaceful neighbourhood, the first of countless horrors that occurred during the Second World War.

Flowers on the memorial.
Our next visit was to the East Essex Aviation Museum. This is an extraordinary museum within the historical Martello Tower, the first to be constructed on this section of the coast. It also has a Second World War observation post on top overlooking the Colne estuary.

The East Essex Aviation Museum. Much of the museum has artifacts dug up or resurrected parts of crashed planes in and around the Tendring District. They have even found the tail end of a V2 Rocket. We were also allowed to go to the top of the tower and got amazing views of the estuary and Brightlingsea.

We had the chance to hold and simulate firing some of the weapons they had on display including a Bren Gun and Sten machine gun. Many thanks must go to those at the museum that gave their time, enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of all they do at The East Essex Aviation Museum.

After visiting the museum and flying a few remote controlled drones and aircraft, we returned to the workshop and finished our models.

Unfortunately, whilst flying our remote controlled aircraft it blew down wind and into the Colne Estuary. It made a valiant attempt to fly back to us but dipping and recovering but eventually ditched into the water. It reminding me of the P 51 Mustang 'Zippie' that ditched into the sea off Clacton in 1945 and was resurrected and brought to the museum we had just visited.

The ME 162 jet fighter made by a student with an improvised stand fashioned with the sprue plastic. I was particularly impressed that he had used the sprue parts that normally would be thrown away, to make this stand. As well as this, it was very well made and painted.
Lessons learned
Workshop objectives
To learn about some local history related to aircraft
To develop constructing skills by building a model fighter aircraft from World War 2
To visit a memorial to Mr and Mrs Gill, first UK civilian casualties of the war
To visit the East Essex Aviation Museum, Point Clear
We did presented a history lesson regarding the Hienkel 111 and the crash into a Clacton suburb.
We all developed our constructing, painting and decal applications with the making of the WW2 fighters. Not all were finished but generally were engaged and enjoyed the making.
We managed to visit the memorial to Mr and Mrs Gill and lay some floweres. We also managed to find where the photo of the damaged houses was taken and noted the new houses that has replaced the more damaged ones.
We visited the East Essex Aviation Museum and enjoyed the amazing artifacts and stories that went with the parts of aircraft. Additionally, we were able to fly a few drones and an aircraft.
It was satifying to see how much the students wanted to continue making their aircraft even after their parents had arrived at 3.30pm
What would I have done better?
Well, I feel I am developing well with these workshops. The combination of indoor and outdoor activities that relate to one another is, in my opinion, the best way to learn about a subject. I would like to trial 1 and a half day workshops, as I am finding it a push to encourage the students to complete of the models in the time available.
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