My own words fail me but I have put a footnote to the thread about “High Flight”-all I can think of other than condolences to the pilots family.

He may never flown his Hurricane in defence, or fired his guns in anger,but like those warbird pilots who did, he gave us inspiration,won our hearts & admiration.

R.I.P. Brian,you have left a void in the ranks down here, I raise a glass in your honour.

My own words fail me but I have put a footnote to the thread about “High Flight”-all I can think of other than condolences to the pilots family.

This might be a dumb colonial question…

Are there no more Battle of Britain parades?

Tonight I sit here writing the final parade schedule, parade order and annouced guest list for our Battle of Britain Parade tommorow (Sunday September 16th) and I guess this is a piece of history we are forgetting about as we chase the technology of the day.

The Battle of Britain involved pilots from every allied nation including the USA, who had not officially become involved yet.

Possibly the greatest air battle the world will ever see and a most decisive one as if the Luftwaffe had succeeded Britain would have surely fallen.

The notes read like a movie script….700 young pilots standing against an invincilbe force and holding back an army of 250,000.

Reads like the next Star Wars episode…but has fallen from the free worlds mind…kind of sad.

But I will be on parade tommorow, along with several hundred others here in Edmonton.

Tom H

Tom H

Fortunately my home town of Retford in Nottinghamshire are having a B.of.B. parade this w/end organised by the local RAFA+ ex-service organisations.

On my way home from work I will go & pay my respects at Retford’s only BofB pilot’s grave-Sgt Dennis Noble-43 Sqn.

“and at the going down of the sun-we will remember them”

I am working but I will spend sometime to reflect & remember what today is about.

Yes, do a search on Hendon Halifax, and you will find a huge debate over several years!

Briefly, the discussion hinges on whether the historical importance of the aircraft is lost by restoring it, and hence changing much of the structure for new build.

Personally, I believe it should be displayed as recovered, BUT, that all the missing parts that are in store should be reunited with the rest of the aircraft.

TTFN

Bruce

Fair argument, but how many warbirds out there are 100% original,we have Spitfires that started their restoration as not much more than the main spar yet are classed as the same aircraft & look at the acheivement with “Glacier Girl”- I believe she had somewhere in the region of 90% new skins.

My feeling still, is restore her to a complete airframe before any more corrosion takes its toll.

Here at St Athan (where they are all serviced) they say an end date 0f 2012, but I know that date keeps being extended! Both C.1ks and K.3s are meant to retire together.
They are favourite of mine and I never tire of seeing them fly in and out of short runway here, or that lovely Conway whine.
Truely a remarkable aeroplane, with none lost in militay service.

What about the one that was sat on its backside in front of the main hangar Brize Norton with its nose pointing through fog as the station commander was coming into land???:diablo::diablo:

Before anyone asks,from what I gather the the aircraft was being de-fuelled, unfortunately the guage for the tailfin tank was showing zero but was still full:eek: .Two people were on board and as one got off the centre of balance favoured the tail end & bingo-one very over-rotated,stationary VC10 later.:o 😮 😮

I also heard the poor s*d in the aircraft cartwheeled down the aisle as it tipped:o -this is all second hand info as I was on Det in Al Kharj at the time.

how many chavs can you fit in a ejector seat?

Just tell ’em its a free bustrip to Blackpool* & you’ll fit a bus load:D 😀 😀

*with sincere appologies to all Blackpool residents:o 😮

I am currently at work so don’t have acess to any ref books-is the Fw 190 the one from S. Lambeth?:confused: