The last one of a Dove is great. Must be a later one as it has a retractable nosewheel, or am I thinking about the Heron? The side view of the Polish aircraft is great, a tribute to Coastal Command during the Battle of the Atlantic. Something your Grandad was probably involved in.

Regards,

kev35

For Britain, I think ‘Brassed Off’ was a brilliant and fair portrayal of a mining town in decline in the ’80’s and led to the fantastic line “My Dad’s lyin’ poorly in hospital and Margaret ******* Thatcher lives?”

For the wartime period there were many films which captured the spirit of the British people under duress, but none more so than “Went the Day Well.” This is a superb film produced during the war portraying the taking over of an English village by German special forces posing as a Polish unit. Their task was to set up a radar station in support of a full scale invasion. The film was quite graphic for it’s time as it shows the villagers reactions ranging from terror to foolhardy displays of bravado to the villages united uprising against the Germans. Brilliant stuff.

Zulu I think shows Britain in Colonial times in not too good a light. The missionaries trying to change the culture of the Zulu, The rift between Officer’s and enlisted men (and even between Officer’s of equal rank), the ‘malingering Hectors’ in the Hospital. Superb line where Michael Caine’s character offers to have another Officer’s boots cleaned to which the Officer replies ‘If you’re sure it’ll be no bother?” Caines character replies “Oh, it’s no bother, not offering to do them myself old boy.”

There are probably many more which are far more representative than those, but they work for me.

Regards,

kev35

Hi, Digby.

Seeing as you’ve just cast doubt on Alexis’ opinions of the damage, could you give us a better idea of the extent of the repairs necessary please? Assuming, of course, you are in a position to?

I have no links to any preservation organisation or their staff/volunteers but I was just trying to piece together the circumstances. Someone mentioned a mayday call and engine problems while others have mentioned clipping the bank at the edge of the airfield with one(?) undercarriage leg being torn off. The pictures in the tv link show the starboard engine angled down, damage to skin and ‘splayed’ bomb doors. It will take someone with more knowledge and expertise than me to explain the implications regarding the length and feasibility of any restoration.

Many of us have expressed relief that the crew got out ok. If the above is a reasonable representation of events, perhaps we should offer the crew our gratitude as well? It could have ended so differently and we could have all been offering our condolences to the families of the crew.

Now is not the place, and I am certainly not the person to apportion blame, so, thanks guys, for getting her down at all.

Regards,

kev35

EN830 and Snapper.

Now, now children. The way you two go on you’d think you were an old married couple. Incidentally, if you cross a cow with a goat do you get a coat?

Damien and Catherine.

Good luck and all best wishes to the both of you.

Regards,

kev35

Good luck, Gary.

We’ll catch you when you clear the dark side of the moon.

Regards,

kev35

Mark 12, is that you in the photograph? And if so, are you by any chance related to Charles Dance?

Regards,

kev35

Andy.

Just to add to Moggy’s excellent information, P/O Skalski was captured. If you go up to Henley-on-Thames go through the old newspapers for the dates Moggy has given you. They are probably on microfilm now which makes things easier. If they have a history centre check their photographic archive and even the minutes for council meetings. I believe the amount required for a ‘presentation’ Spitfire was 5,000 pounds.

Just a shot in the dark but could the second line be ‘Dartford’?

Regards,

kev35