In Remembrance of Frank Nutkins
A sad loss on the eve of the Museum’s 20th anniversary
As the Museum gears up to celebrate its 20th anniversary, one co-founder will be sadly missing.
Born in 1924, the young Frank Walter Nutkins grew up in the family home at Plumstead in Southeast London where he cultivated a talent for drawing, and in 1940 with the Battle of Britain raging in the skies above his home he would often watch the dogfights from a vantage point up on Shooter’s Hill. When he wasn’t spectating, he would depict the fierce air battles on paper and despite the excitement generated by the sound of roaring engines, the rattle of machine gun fire, the thump of cannon and the boom of the anti-aircraft guns, Frank was witness to the sharp reality of that summer when he saw aircraft fall from the sky.
With the coming of age, duty called and Frank joined the RAF as a Wireless Operator/Air-gunner and he carried out some of his training in the Middle East, where the gunnery practice didn’t always meet with favour from the local natives who became very adept at running from what can be best described as wayward shots!
Frontline operational service came when Frank was posted to ‘2nd TAF’ or the Second Tactical Air Force operating in the skies across Western Europe. Serving as a crewmember in North American Mitchell twin-engine bombers with No.180 Squadron, he served through 1945 to the end of the war attaining the rank of Warrant Officer.
Post-war, Frank carved for himself a career in the print industry and settled into family life. A combined interest with his son Geoff in aviation art and archaeology, especially from the Battle of Britain period, eventually led to the present day Shoreham Aircraft Museum. For many visitors to the Museum, it was the sight of being greeted by Frank that will remain an abiding memory, and sadly there isn’t the room to recount the many happy times and huge laughs surrounding Frank
Thus it was a terribly sad day in December 2007 when after a short illness, Frank passed away in hospital. The Museum and all its members lost a dear friend. His funeral and thanksgiving service took place at the RAF Chapel at Biggin Hill on Friday 28th December where Frank received a fitting RAF send off in an Ensign draped coffin upon which was placed a commemorative RAF sword. With an Air Training Corps Guard of Honour, a final tribute in the shape of a Supermarine Spitfire from Duxford flown by Air Marshal Cliff Spink performed a series of low fly-bys over the Chapel to dip a wing in salute to one of its own.