Meet up No. 2 – Saturday 1st March. Who is up for it?

Navy Jacket, Toronto Maple Leafs Top, and one broken left wrist – shouldnt be too hard to miss !!!

I’ll be about tomorrow, can’t make Runnymede first however as:

a) Shame on me I don’t know where it is

b) I seem now to have a car full of furniture to drop off in Barnet on the way

All being well I’ll be at Hendon around 10.30:rolleyes:

My mate just called – he’s bringing some rusty old sh*t from a B17.

A freshly manufactured prize, an 8″ x 12″ glossy photographic print of Hawker Typhoon R7752 PR-G of 609 (West Riding) Squadron. Aircraft details as follows:

R7752 was delivered to 609 (West Riding) Squadron on 2nd June 1942. Initially, coded PR-G it was flown by Squadron Leader Paul Richey (‘G’ was Richey’s favoured letter since his days in the Battle of France with No. 1 Squadron), before becoming the mount of Squadron Leader Roland Beamont, when he took command of the Squadron. The engine panel, on which ‘Bee’ kept a tally of his victories is still in existence, and is now in the 609 Squadron memorial room at the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington. (having previously been displayed at the RAF museum at Hendon) The panel is signed on the back by many of the pilots and ground officers of the time, who presented the panel to Bee when he left the squadron.The aircraft was then passed to Squadron Leader Alec Ingle, who took over 609 when Bee went off for a rest tour as a test pilot at Hawkers. R7752 went on to 56 Squadron in July 1943, but in August was back at Hawkers, where it was stripped and used for parts. Paint schemes and markings changed regularly on Typhoons. At one point, PR-G had 1ft wide yellow bands running back across the wings from close to the inside cannons (until 3rd February 1943). The spinner varied from red tipped duck-egg-blue (this was Richey, and Bee initially) at one point, to yellow with Bee. Also, cannons were initially unfaired – it was Bee’s idea to have them faired in, and R7752 was the first Typhoon to have this modification – with fairings from a Spitfire being used. These were also yellow. This shrouding later became standard. Also, the reflector gunsight was modified, part of it was blanked off with a slide in order to not blind the pilot when attacking ground targets at night – this was never an official mod on Typhoons, but became unofficially standard on 609’s. Also, while Richey had it, at one point the ‘R7752’ serial was painted out. Black and white identification bands (not invasion stripes) and type ‘c’ roundels were also added, along with a yellow chin stripe, when in Bee’s possession. The cockpit did NOT have a blister in the top. The gun camera was fitted to the port wing. R7752 was hit by flak off Vissengen and crash landed at Manston on 1st June 1943. Squadron Leader Ingle was unhurt. It was struck off charge 25th August 1943.

For your pleasure, it comes ready to frame and bung on the wall – or auction off to increase the donation! LOL.

I’m off to Runnymede first (this may delay my arrival at Hendon, but never mind).

Raffle is still on – please all bring something, no matter how small…if everyone wins, so much the better. I’m off to get a raffle ticket book at lunchtime Ashley – fear not!

Have been playing with my (well, not strictly ‘mine’, but lets not split hairs!) archives, and my computer, and am going to print something interesting as a prize…

See you lot tomorrow.

(I’ll be in the Irvin with a knackered zip, freshly shaved head and a goatee)

Kev…I’m going straight to Hendon so I’ll see you there 🙂

Errrrrrrr…are we still having a raffle? WHSmith was out of raffle ticket books (yes, really!) last week and I’ve not had a chance to go back for some…

So…can somebody get some tickets by tomorrow, or shall we shelve the raffle till the next meet (perhaps at IWM Lambeth Road where we can book a room or something…that is not as dodgy as it sounds, I promise! 😉 )

See some of you tomorrow

Ashley

Any idea who will be going to Runnymede first? I’m hoping to get there around 9am before moving on to Hendon. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Regards,

kev35

Jay330.

You’ll be most welcome on Saturday. The idea is that we meet at the foyer at 10.30 and take it from there. I’m easily ibentifiable as I shall be walking around on crutches.

Look forward to meeting you.

Regards,

kev35

yes, easily, its quite literally the case of driving or even walking down 4 roads !!!

Hurri Can you Geedee?

(edited to avoid confusion of typing at same time that other post went up!)

Im up for it, just moved recently, and live about 5 mins drive away. Will bring a raffle prize, 6 pack of Bud !!!, always enjoyed the RAF musm in Hendon. 🙂 🙂 🙂

OOOooooops !

Must write out a hundred lines :

I must ‘Demon’strate that I know what I’m talking about….in ‘Hind’sight !

Have a Hart, I’m still only a learner !

‘Fury’us? This was written at the time, not with the benefit of ‘Hind’ sight:

It was left to Plt-Off Dundas to provide us with a real pile up. (As in John Dundas, brother of Hugh)

The occasion was the first squadron formation take–off. The aircraft concerned, Hind 6848, happened to be the CO’s aircraft, but that was no deterrent. Human ballast was LAC Hunter. The taking up of position of the twelve aircraft took some considerable time and the old Kestrel V’s were ticking over and wondering if they would be required. The word ‘Go’ came, and bang went the throttles, and the squadron became almost airborne, but the engine in K6848 decided to cut at the crucial moment. Plt-Off Dundas throttled back to nurse the engine, but decided he couldn’t clear the houses in Victoria Avenue so put the aircraft earthwards. It touched down, but was still doing some considerable speed; he applied brakes but owing to the dampness of the aerodrome surface, the wheels skidded and the aircraft carried on unperturbed. It burst through the aerodrome fence, chopped down a windsock, which fell on a boy on a pushbike, and conveniently turned on its nose in the back garden of one of the houses. The aircraft leaned nicely on a well-placed tree and gently rested its rudder on the house roof. A lady occupant of the house had hysterics; she was restored with the aid of brandy. The brandy was passed on to the pilot and passenger who didn’t really require it. It was then handed to some unidentified airman to look after; he did, by drinking the lot. He calmly handed over the empty bottle when the aforementioned lady had further hysterics and quietly vanished. Aircraft complete write–off. Very good photos in the local newspapers. Plt-Off Dundas had a short flip at dual in the Hind trainer, then was sent off solo. He cleared the houses this time with plenty to spare.

The posts above raise two points

1) They made bicycles tough in those days. It came out of that collision with barely a scratch. 😉

2) Hellaid is a poster of few words, but very expressive punctuation. He’ll be good when he opens up a bit :p

Bloody Moggy

.

Yes…perhaps it was a bit foolish to think I could launch my 1:1 scale madel out of the bedroom window…at least the missus is happy now !….me?…I’m ‘Fury’us !

Originally posted by Snapper
Gee

Deee

WEEEEEEEEE

Crunch!

Hmm, can’t attach a file as an edit.

Bloody hell! I shouldn’t be so bloody cocky.

“Undercarriage lever a bit sticky was it sir?”

Gee

Deee

WEEEEEEEEE

Crunch!

Take that bloody cat!