pic of Skitten

By co incidence I was over the launch point for the gliders on the Operation Gunnerside last Wednesday…RAF Skitten Caithness,note the runway obstruction.Link to my site and Skitten pic..
http://www.scotaviaimages.co.uk/gallery/index.cgi?mode=image&album=scotavia&image=Skitten%20Airfield%20Caithness%20%20industrial%20scenery.jpg

nostalgia

I have still got a full run of the first thirty or so AA mag cos I helped with contributions so will be keeping them however I am willing to let my Control Columns go just drop me your email and I can work out postage etc.

show pics

Go to http://www.ukar.co.uk

you will find the most incredibly talented bunch of aircraft photographers.They post awesome images of airshows plus other photos taken around the world. A lot of the work is never seen in magazines due to lack of space not the standard.

Did I mention that it is a free site with a vountary contribution. There is no catch and you see the action often on the evening of the show thanks to digital cameras.

Memorials in parts

I am an advocate of marking the lives of those who died in aircraft crashes by both marking the site when practical and recovering parts which can assist in rebuilds as well as being on display with the details of the crew and mission.Sadly on site memorials are not always respected.

On two occasions I have passed on parts for rebuilds IE the altimeter in the Mosquito at Elvington.

Do not feel upset about the parts from the crash,instead use the parts to mark the memory of those who lost the lives.And also consider that some crashes involved no loss of life.

The Hercules at Wick is from a Beaufighter. The farmer has never bothered to return my calls and may by now have moved it. It should also by now be undercover as he did not realise that he should have got permission for the recovery from the crash site. The crash resulted in one of the crew getting a medal for bravery .
Sadly I only have limited time now when trying to get farmers interested in finding a proper place for recovered items and the Inverness H.A .M were given details so its up to them.

Recovery yes but to where?

In all cases I now see recovery of visible artefacts as the best option. Scrap dealers the world over have ignored the rules and once word is out and the metal prices are good they will sneak in and process the remains, tanks,ships,aircraft,etc.

If a local place is available to display items properly then fine use that place, this has happened in some of the Pacific Islands.

Rare undersea/water wrecks also need recovery when their location puts them at risk. It does not take many anchors dragged thru a wreck site to cause chaos.

Rrecovery by well meaning people is also a problem if they have no plan for preservation afterwards. For example there is a really historic Hercules engine sitting at a farm near Wick and nothing has been done to display or preserve it.