dark light

682al

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 15 posts - 76 through 90 (of 702 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: Bombing Device Identification #1299167
    682al
    Participant

    Yes, it’s the starboard panel from the bomb-aimer’s position in the nose of a Mosquito.

    The sixteen switch bomb selector box is central, with the bomb distributor below it, and a camera control box to it’s right.

    Lovely piece, I’ve got one just like it out in the garage!

    in reply to: Hawker Hurricane- images from parts manual? #1299231
    682al
    Participant

    Not a definitive answer for you, but some Spare Parts Schedules (part of the Air Publications for a particular aeroplane) have illustrations. The Tiger Moth’s has photos, the Lancaster’s has line drawings.

    Spose you could enquire at RAF Museum Hendon – there’s a chance they may have what you are looking for?

    682al
    Participant

    Fascinating items!

    A C4845B is one of the indicators listed for the Hurricane.

    The other one could be from a number of different types. There will probably be a clue in the Type No., or Air Ministry Stores Ref., or even a clue as to whether it’s 12 or 24 volts would help.

    Anything on the dial or body to help us?

    in reply to: Lost TV RAF WWII drama #1313477
    682al
    Participant

    How did you do that!

    The line I quoted “Don’t let him climb into that damned bomber again…” burned deep into my memory in 1965, and I desperately wanted to know what terrible ordeal the man had been through.

    All I could really use as clues over the years was my recollection that it was telly, not film, that it must have been the early 1960s, and a sunday evening (“it’s school tomorrow”).

    It was only last year that I finally tracked the play down, as a result of a link on another site to a classic movie/television forum, possibly this one:

    http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/british-television/

    I recall mention of a copy of one of the productions (1955 or 1963) having survived, but in a private collection, and not likely available on a dvd or whatever.

    So until Jenny G or someone revives these old scripts, I’ll have to keep dusting off the many novels written in the ’50s by men who were there. They would not open their souls in a memoir so they did it in fictionalised form.

    Try Night Be My Witness by Walter Clapham, Johnny Kinsman by John Watson, Faith Is A Windsock by Miles Tripp, Maximum Effort by James Campbell, to name but a few.

    Forget Bomber by Len Deighton, way too much unneccesary detail and too little exploration of the mens’ minds (imho).

    in reply to: Lost TV RAF WWII drama #1313876
    682al
    Participant

    Does anybody remember a TV play in the 60’s about a Lancaster Bomber crew reunion in which they gather around a long table with a missing place to remember the one who never came back?

    Yes, The Last Reunion (ITV), Sunday 9th May 1965, Armchair Mystery Theatre play about a bomber crew’s supernatural get-together. Just forty two years ago, jeesh!

    It was actually a remake of the original, broadcast in December 1955, featuring Eric Portman and Michael Gough among others.

    I remember the 1965 version, if only for being sent to bed (“it’s school tomorrow”) just as it started. I was not pleased at all, particularly since my interest in all things Bomber Command was growing and here seemed an opportunity to gain some idea of what crews had to endure.

    I remember the line “Don’t let him climb into that damned bomber again…”, as it would obviously result in a bad trip down memory lane.

    I’d love to think there was a copy of them out there somewhere, but I expect they will never be seen again.

    Maybe something else that could be resurrected for the stage if a script still exists?

    Err, (“nudges”) Jenny? 🙂

    in reply to: Unique Stirling controls for sale in Holland #1314519
    682al
    Participant

    Helaas. Deze advertentie is verwijderd.
    Niet getreurd, op Marktplaats.nl kunt u bijna altijd een ander, vergelijkbaar product vinden.

    Unfortunately. This advertisement has been removed. Not lamented, on Marktplaats.nl you can find almost always a another, similar product. (courtesy of babelfish)

    Hmmm, wonder if someone who reads this forum has done a deal with the man, Cees?

    in reply to: Will it get off the ground ? #1323145
    682al
    Participant

    …the radio adaptation was good, heading towards excellent.

    And we’d all better make sure we’ve enough popcorn and coke to last the film – the radio play was nearly four hours if I recall correctly.

    Even a two hour film will have to “lose” quite a bit of the story.

    Still, I wish them well.

    just get the CGI right…

    in reply to: Ebay Deutschland #1324246
    682al
    Participant

    It’s a cracking photo. I may have bid on it if I’d seen it, but not to that level.

    The codes EM-W would seem to make it L7380 of 207 Sqn, damaged by night fighter near Kiel and force landed on beach at Ameland Is, Frisians, on 7/8th September 1941. Pilot F/L W J Lewis, and all crew POWs, target was Berlin.

    Info from Robert Kirby’s excellent book on the Manchester, and Bomber Command Losses by W R Chorley.

    in reply to: Help – Cockpit parts required #1325573
    682al
    Participant

    This is the part 12jaguar is looking for.

    I’ve never seen one in over thirty years of collecting this stuff, so I think it’s going to be a long search.

    I checked AirSam’s catalogue, and they do not have it listed.

    Still, it’s nice to think there may be one sat on a shelf somewhere, perhaps this thread will uncover it!

    Does this mean you’ve found the correct undercarriage indicator and undercarriage master switch, they’re both rarer than hen’s teeth too?

    in reply to: Whithwick, how was it? #1329710
    682al
    Participant

    Hi Cees,

    Funnily enough, I logged on with the intention of posting an update to last week’s thread, but you beat me to it.

    Firstly the aerojumble. Well, I think most who were there would confirm it as being down in attendance yet again, both stall holders and customers.

    One or two traders I know had domestic reasons for being unable to attend. Dave F did a good job of advertising it, as usual, so where were the customers? Even some of the forum regulars were noticeable by their absence. (That said, there seemed to be some new faces amongst them, which is encouraging).

    There were some real bargains, but I missed them all. A pal picked up a beautiful pre-war Huson compass and several other goodies, for example. I had decided to part with one of my mint, boxed G type oxygen masks, but no-one seemed to even notice it on the stall. Ken Ward was selling part of the Flight Engineer’s panel from a Lanc X (incomplete, but how rare is that?). I think he took it home with him.

    Still, it’s the Popham combined fly-in, auto and aerojumble, and classic vehicle rally, etc on Bank Holiday Monday. With good weather, it’s a brilliant event, and there’s usually some great stuff to be found there, too.

    Back to Whitwick, “you know who” was there, and took away some wartime spec. nuts for the throttle box. I have to confess that time to chat about the project was limited due to me being interrupted by a steady flow of enquiries.

    I’m going to arrange a visit to the Memorial Room at Elsham Wolds, of which “ykw”, aka Robin, is curator:-

    http://rafelshamwolds.com/

    I’ll be able to view progress then. Meantime, try to get some sleep, Cees – it might be a long wait, but worth it in the end!

    in reply to: Something For The Weekend – Whitwick Aeromart #1332003
    682al
    Participant

    can I just remind you that the last Aerojumble/Aeromart/Aviation Collectors fair of the year is TOMORROW, Sat. 21st April

    😮

    in reply to: Something For The Weekend – Whitwick Aeromart #1332181
    682al
    Participant

    My car is already groaning under the sheer weight of aeronautical treasure that I shall be bringing!

    How will I ever drift off to sleep tonight with all this excitement?

    in reply to: I.D. Two British instruments? #1244186
    682al
    Participant

    The R.O.C. : Front face in raised black on black numbers marked “MARK 18”
    On back it is marked in raised numbers, “REF. No 8A 942” “PATENT No. 388514 492563” and print-stamped in white, “KDG7.”

    Should read:-

    The R.O.C. : Front face in raised black on black numbers marked “MARK 1B”
    On back it is marked in raised numbers, “REF. No 6A 942.”

    The Airspeed is Marked on front face, “MARK IX (C?)”

    Should read:-

    The Airspeed is Marked on front face, “MARK IXC*”, the apostrophe indicating that it reads in Knots. I suggest it is earlier than 1944, possibly pre-war. There appears to be a date after the serial no. on the front face but I can’t quite make it out (just to the right of “Mk. IXC*”).

    As the R.o.C. is marked “UP” rather than “Climb/Descent”, it might have been for the F.A.A., who seem to have preferred this face. That the A.S.I. is in Knots, might tie in with this.

    I have seen the A.S.I. in Swordfish and Walrus (F.A.A.) and Sunderland.

    They are a nice find!

    in reply to: Head up – Foyles war. #1246290
    682al
    Participant

    Other than an occasional bit of gurning, I couldn’t detect any talent whatsoever in the performance of the lead actor, nor any of his colleagues.

    Wooden acting, ludicrous plot, unconvincing “period feel”, it’s just another example of ITV’s inability to entertain its audience.

    Now. don’t get me started on that other forum favourite, Dark Blue World…:eek:

    in reply to: Head up – Foyles war. #1246361
    682al
    Participant

    CGI? It was more a splice and overlay of B&W film (yes probably done into a computer). The IWM got a credit, but no meniton of a certain film which would still carry rights, so I guess the IWM donated some footage.

    Really? You think the Lanc doing a 90 degree, flat turn in a matter of moments at the end of its bomb run was an outtake from something (presumably the Dam Busters 1954)?

    You gotta be kiddin’ me. It was more like something I used to scribble on the bottom of each page of an exercise book at school.

    You can get some surprisingly realistic moving effects by flicking through the pages between finger and thumb.

    Run that through your computer and sell it to ITV.

Viewing 15 posts - 76 through 90 (of 702 total)