How Has Your Hobby Affected Your Life?(After Hack – previous lost)

Well it not a hobby for me, definitely an obsession 😉 Just like Ashley, when I met my Mrs she vaguely knew what a spitfire was but mention ‘Tempest’ or any other a/c name and all you get are blank looks. She does realise how important things plane like are to me though which is a real plus point. Use of my own time is usually taken up with research on various projects, certain German aircraft crash sites in certain North African countries being one 😉 I could never work in an office, paperwork and myself are not great friends, which is why I changed profession from agricultural engineer to work for PPS at Booker. My social circle mostly revolves around the aviation fraternity. Not really collected much stuff other than books and bills but there are a few things I’ve got my eye on 😉 I’ve really got into spitfire research after starting the MKI spit restoration at work, I can now say that I’ve improved my spit knowledge x 100 from what I previously knew, same with the Tempest for that matter. Dunno if my Mrs will let me visit ANY plane related places on our honeymoon when it happens though Ashley, so think yourself VERY lucky 😉 I do still have a fantasy of living in a nice house with attached restoration hangar and strategically positioned fishing lake (now you know I’m an anorak ;))

Tom.

As a 7days a week spotter/enthusiast it has affected my life greatly. Lost more relationships to football(winter interest) than aircraft. I think somebody is not right for you if they will not tolerate your hobbies. I have a busy period coming up with PFA/Flying Legends one weekend and RIAT shortly after but my girlfriend uses these weekends to visit old friends. It helps that she works for BAESYSTEMS, her late grandad also worked as a designer at Vickers for 30 years.
As for friends I just don’t tell some of them as ‘spotting’ in particular is looked on as a sad hobby, but not something I feel ashamed of.
Use of own time-vist Farnborough 3 times a day in the week, normally elsewhere at weekends.Popham is my summer home.
As for collecting I have a loft full of books and photos. My current fobsession is ‘The Aeroplane spotter’ magazine. Have almost the entire post ware issues(1945-1948).
What you’ve really got into-I am really a civil orientated enthusiast. Think the whole historic scene is far too military biased. Dream is for somebody to find the Handley Page HP42 that was lost id the desert in the 30’s. Also for somebody to convert a Lancaster into a Lancastrian of BSAAC!!!

Well when I first met my husband, he thought a Hurricane was just one of those big windy things…he can at least tell the difference between a Spitfire and a Hurricane now 😉 I did compromise on our honeymoon – we only visited 7 aviation haunts :p

My life has been affected by my interest/obsession/hobby in that I could not stand the thought of working in an ordinary office 9-5 or something Politics related (I have a degree in Politics, so that would be one logical option) I felt I would not be happy unless I was working in a Museum – and giving something back to the people who gave so much – set my sights on Duxford when I left uni (Duxford has and always will be the “mecca” for me) Got a job as a Museum Assistant, and the rest as they say is history 🙂

Ashley