Okay, so who is up for forum meet up no.2?
I would like to propose something along the lines of:
RAF Museum at Hendon at opening time, a wander around to look at all the stuff, etc, before heading off (via tube) into the city in the afternoon to visit the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, followed by a pie and a pint before going our separate ways again. A whip round / raffle for another aviation related charity (would you do the honours again on that please Ashley?). Perhaps we can approach somebody at Hendon to lay on a brief talk on using there research dept or something, or just visit the museum and have a natter.
Dates – how does a Sunday in late Feb / early March sound to you lot?
By: Snapper - 30th January 2003 at 21:56
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Lets stick to March 2nd, 3rd for those who want to stay over, then.
Anyone know a cheap place in London? A mate runs a hotel at Shepperton, but its pricey. All hotels are pricey for me. Thats why I holiday in Third / developing world countries. £2 a night is fine for my crooked old bones.
By: Yak 11 Fan - 30th January 2003 at 20:50
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
I mentioned the 15th & 16th, and got the reply “where are you taking me on 14th”, so I guess from that I am in the clear, however March will be equally as good for me.
By: sparky - 30th January 2003 at 20:21
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
March sounds O.K.
Sorry Kev (I really must read all the posts!!) Yes you could do both Brooklands and the Mossie Museum in a day around the M25 depending on amount of traffic of cause I travel (sorry sit patiently in my van)on it every day :7
By: kev35 - 30th January 2003 at 19:52
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
I’m in Snapper, whenever.
Regards,
kev35
By: Ashley - 30th January 2003 at 16:22
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
1st weekend in March sounds good to me 🙂
By: Snapper - 29th January 2003 at 23:54
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Happened to Johnny Wiseman. Valentines day 1943. Killed by (Probably) Egon Mayer.
Ah yes, you’re not yet married – hmm, mustn’t be so unfeeling on Valentines weekend…..
Send her to Oxford street man!
1st and 2nd March? Or should we all send Damien a postcard…..
By: Snapper - 29th January 2003 at 22:59
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Okay, plan (Damien) B. Feb 15th, possibly 16th as well? Anyone not able?
By: Yak 11 Fan - 29th January 2003 at 22:21
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
anything special on at North Weald on 23rd?
By: Yak 11 Fan - 29th January 2003 at 21:22
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Snapper
I like the sound of that day / weekend, count me in
By: Snapper - 29th January 2003 at 10:50
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Ok – any objections to February 22nd (with additional 23rd if anyone fancies it?)
Runnymede first thing, for anyone who wants to turn up there, with main RV at Hendon, 10:30 in the foyer bit.
Depending on how long it takes to look at all the exhibits, IWM for a look – see (leaving a proper visit with extra’s for Ashley to arrange later on in the year), OR straight to the pub. TBC on the day perhaps, would be wisest.
If anyone is staying over the night, then we can plan a further day of visits in the pub, from amongst those suggested previously in the thread.
Is it worthwhile me trying to organise something other than a visit at Hendon? Any ideas on something to ask the staff to do for us?
By: PeterW - 23rd January 2003 at 11:38
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Hi All
I agree with Ashley, lets leave IWM until later in the year so she can see if she can arrange something special.
Brooklands or the Mossie museum would both be good with Hendon, Mossies closser just up the A5.
Normandy in June? now you’ve got me thinking…
Peter
By: Snapper - 22nd January 2003 at 19:53
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Normandy is really a piece of cake. I fancy doing Arnhem this year too – a recce for next years 60th. I also want to self – drive the First War battlefields in France and Belgium – especially the bits that my Great Grandfather did. He was BEF, 16th Lancers, and shipped out the day my Grandfather was born – 14th August 1914. He was wounded right at the beginning of the Battle of the Aisne in September. He was an invalid for the rest of his life after getting a 3 inch piece of shrapnel in his thigh – which was very lucky, as it probably saved his life, all things considered. I should have got my arse in gear and flown to Brussels for the 20th January this year really – Jean De Selys Longchamps of 609 Sqn blasted the Gestapo HQ on the Avenue Louise with his Typhoon 60 years ago, before hurling Belgian and British flags out. Got a DFC for his courage, and a posting for disobeying Group orders. Hehe.
By: Arabella-Cox - 22nd January 2003 at 17:49
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Snapper, thanks very much for that. You’ve given me a lot of food for thought there.
I had my first self drive jaunt into Europe last year (overland to Sweden, seven countries in 48 hours, sheesh…) and I’m looking to do something a bit less ambitious this year. A four (ish) day tours of the Normandy area sounds like just the thing… Hmm… that’s certainly got the cogs whirring now…
Cheers. 🙂
By: Ashley - 22nd January 2003 at 15:19
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 22-01-03 AT 03:24 PM (GMT)]Snapper…IWM London small? Hee Hee! 🙂 It has expanded dramatically in the past 10 years…I’ve visited Lambeth Road something like 10 times and still not looked at everything properly…the Holocaust Exhibition in itself requires a good couple of hours to go round (it is also very sobering and thought provoking)
If we did IWM London later in the year, I could possibly arrange something special for us there…not saying what as I want to make some enquiries first…:)
Ashley
By: Snapper - 22nd January 2003 at 13:35
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Went on my own. Dead easy. Crossed Portsmouth to Cherbourg, then headed down and west. Sailed back from Le Havre to Portsmouth. Did most of the main sites, and some sidetracks, in 3 days (been plenty of times and have a map of them, so its quick and easy for me.) Spent each evening at Pegasus Bridge having a beer with Vets and serving Paras, as well as before heading back to Le Havre. Its a pretty compact area, and there are plenty of ‘Formule 1’ hotels, which are about £15 for a room, per night, with a double bed, single bunk, sink and TV. Very clean, comfortable, and the pre-fab Mcdonalds of hotels. Its just a case of driving about really. Most of the stuff is on the seafront, for obvious reasons, and going solo means that you can see the bits that interest you. I’ll get some stuff scanned and posted in a nother thread over the next couple of days. Its a cheap trip, easy, and superbly enjoyable. I’m up for it this year and next. I reckon I spent £50 on food and accomodation (3 days, 2 nights) plus my ferry. I’d just done the Jubilee in London (and Hendon!!) so it all fell into place nicely. Getting held up by slow moving jeep convoys etc is highly reccomended! I found a de-facto US Army camp, all authentic period stuff, in a site that was used as such, by accident. There must have been 11/2 acres of tents / marquees / vehicles / sandbag emplacements etc. with loads of people dressed up. It really comes alive then – but book your accomodation beforehand!!! I stayed at Caen, and will probably either do that, or split it between Caen and Bayeux. It may be that plenty of people on here fancy piling along and we can all book up at the same places and have a forum ‘holiday’, with night – time binges etc.
Oh, I must point out that that timespan did NOT include museums etc. The whole place is alive with mobile museums and remnants and reminders as it is, so I didn’t bother with them this time. Allow a full week if you want to visit all of them too.
By: Arabella-Cox - 22nd January 2003 at 13:03
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 22-01-03 AT 01:04 PM (GMT)]Snapper, the Normandy idea is actually next on my list of ‘must do’ trips. When you went previously, did you find it easier to go via an organised tour or organise it yourself?
I’m certainly planning on visiting the area, in particular Pegasus Bridge, either this June or preferably for the 60th anniversary next year.
By: Snapper - 22nd January 2003 at 11:32
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
The good thing with Hendon / IWM is that the one takes most of the day, then its a short tube ride or two to the next, which doesn’t, whereupon, once we get booted out, we are in London town – and have a good choice of feeding / watering holes. If we aim for a saturday, then anyone who wants to can do a couple more places on the sunday, for example, and sleep off the effects of slightly more beer than you would want if driving home. Or, if a sunday, those who are free on the saturday can head up to a couple of places before. That would, of course, hinge on finding reasonably priced accomodation I suppose. I have a couple of places I can stay, but if we can all get into the same place (John only has one couch) instead, so much the better. Or, for authenticity, we could sleep in one of the tube stations and pretend its the Blitz. (Maybe not).
If we arrange stuff for both days, then whoever turns up for whichever can meet up with whomever, whenever.
Now, as a sidenote, who fancies D-Day in Normandy? I did it last year and it was great. Accomodation is cheap in France, loads of veterans, re-enactors and vehicles around. I’m off again this year, 5,6,7, June, maybe more if I feel like it.
By: Moggy C - 22nd January 2003 at 10:51
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
I’ve driven that last bit of banking at Brooklands.
It’s a hoot!
And I’ve flown in to the remaining bit of runway.
Can I suggest that whatever we arrange we keep it simple and two location –
1) Museum
2) Pub ‘n’ grub
Don’t fancy the idea of dashing everywhere in a convoy of cars. It really ruins the drinking.
A talk from somebody on the Wellington project would be great
Moggy
By: Bob - 22nd January 2003 at 00:03
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
>I thought they cleared all the slums in the 60’s?
>
>And why would the Police train at an aircraft museum?
>Duxford perhaps, they could then do some drills with
>’flyers’, but Hendon is all static stuff. You really must
>take me for half a lemon (French expression).
Alors mon ami, vous êtes, comment faire ils disent, un demi citron…..
The Old Bill do indeed have a college at Hendon.
By: dezz - 21st January 2003 at 22:54
RE: Another meet up ? See some ‘planes and have a chat / pie / pint etc
Yeah I know what you mean about the sea vixen Damien…the last time I was there it was tucked away in the back of the stratosphere chamber, with a cover over it, at least it looks like its going somewhere where it will be displayed in all its glory (hopefully undercover) brooklands loss is Southampton’s gain 🙂
Dezz 🙂
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January 21, 2003 at 12:27 pm