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Col. Gibbon

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January 3, 2008 at 12:56 am in reply to: What Important Airframes Might Be Lost In 2008? #1319476

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Can you imagine the next round of scrap metal recycling? Bad enough the monuments manhole debacle but imagine a static display airframe being hacked to death by these people!

Sadly, that’s the price we have to pay for letting in too many people from Eastern Europe. I lived and worked in Poland from 1993 to 2001, and if it was not guarded 24/7 it would be stolen. Railway lines, copper overhead wire, underground cables, were all fair game, and anything else. The reason was easy. There is no social security after 6 months, so if they had no job and no money, you steal to live. Some of the people who have come to the UK have not found a job, and have no right to benefits, and have to steal, to survive, and hence we have the problem starting here. Our police are not switched on to this growing problem, despite my warnings.

I remember one night over Christmas 2000, when 40km of copper overhead wire was stolen, which caused the line to be closed, and within 6 months the 40km of track was stolen too! With the price of scrap so high now, the easy pickings will disappear first, and the look out! Bronze statues, are only the beginning. 🙁

April 22, 2007 at 2:04 pm in reply to: 7 Triplanes for Omaka #1330595

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Hi Guys.

Has anyone the wingspans of the 3 wings?

October 15, 2004 at 3:03 pm in reply to: Spitfire Question #1386441

Col. Gibbon
Participant

[QUOTE=WebPilot]

No Spitfire squadrons were based in France, though they did operate over France during the Dunkirk period. QUOTE]

Any ideas which Spitfire squadrons saw action over France?

October 15, 2004 at 1:11 pm in reply to: Spitfire Question #1386792

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Hi Webpilot!

Thanks for the reply, but now you have started me wondering about another question.

You mentioned the Battle of France. Any ideas if any Spitfire Mk1’s ever made it to France, and which sqadrons of Hurricanes were in service at the start of WWII? I know 1 Squadron was, as I’ve seen a TV program about them, but what other squadrons were involved? and what were they equiped with?

Any ideas how much of an improvement there was in proformance, between the 2 and 3 bladed props on the Hurricane and Spitfire?

Sorry for so many questions. 🙂

October 15, 2004 at 11:26 am in reply to: Spitfire Question #1386973

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Hi guys!

Thanks for the answers. 🙂

Another question on Brithish planes in general.

How many Hurricanes flew in the Battle of Britain with two bladed props?

When did it become standard pratice to paint yellow tips on prop blades?

Sorry this is not a quiz! 😀

June 21, 2004 at 11:35 am in reply to: How many B29's are left? #1615368

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Hi Guys!

I could not help but think, why is there not one preserved in the UK? I seem to remember the RAF had some at the begining of the Cold War era. :confused:

April 13, 2004 at 11:00 pm in reply to: Out and about – Farnborough! #1793192

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Hi Flood!

Nice pictures of the planes I dive past almost every day, but you missed this one in Queensmead shopping centre!:D

Sorry the pictures are crap, but my digital camera is very old. 🙁

April 11, 2004 at 9:47 pm in reply to: How to colour a black and white photo #1796188

Col. Gibbon
Participant

A BIG THANKS for posting the how to! 🙂

March 27, 2004 at 1:04 pm in reply to: Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 lying in the desert #1828097

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Hi Guys!

Thanks for digging out the info on this plane. and the story looks very interesting although a good translation of the text would be helpful.

Back in the 1960’s it must have been still quite commom to see wrecks, like this one in the desert, but do any survive today?

Bearing in mind there must have been a large number of planes shot down in the desert, and the fact a lot of the countries have been closed off to westerners for some years, I can’t help wondering how many might survive to today, on, or under the sand. :confused:

I bet if that plane is still lying there today, it would not be long before it was taken away to a museum. 🙂

March 4, 2004 at 3:55 pm in reply to: The worlds most neglected preserved aircraft. #1563840

Col. Gibbon
Participant

🙁 Good god! That one makes even the wreck in Poland look good! Who’s fault is this? 🙁

March 3, 2004 at 6:00 pm in reply to: British Rear view mirrors #1564671

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Thanks guys!

I was interested to know, as on all of the recent pictures of Spits, I’ve seen here, had round mirrors, and I was wondering if these were first, or the rectangle ones. I’d like to know if possible, at what time the RAF changed to the round mirrors, and what marks of fighters used them? or was it the case older marks were refitted from a certain date.

March 1, 2004 at 12:46 pm in reply to: The worlds most neglected preserved aircraft. #1567457

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Hi Eric Mc!

It was one I had in mind of a UK entry, and this is the nearest thing they have to a WWII aircraft. It seems a shame the collection is left to the elements, like it is. I’ve been there on a number of occasions, and very little seems to change. 🙁

http://www.f4fan.demon.co.uk/lasham/swwapsac.html#Meteor 8

Here is another site from my travels in the Czech republic, which is located on the road between Opava, and Ostrava. There is a large museum nearby comemorating a large Russian battle from WWII, but what is interesting is they have log books from Czech Pilots who flew in WWII, for the RAF, and several bits from a crashed B17.

February 27, 2004 at 6:38 pm in reply to: Buried Lancasters.(2004 thread) #1585922

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Where is the logic of burying something as big as a Lanc? It seems too far fetched in the first place. Just think of how big the hole would have been, and how would it have been dug? Back then big digging machines were not easy things to move around, like today. So for me I think the story has a certain fantasy element to it. If someone had said, all the stores had been buried when they were levelling an airfield, that would be believable, but not whole planes.

February 26, 2004 at 3:26 pm in reply to: TV Alert RAF Hornchurch #1595885

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Thanks for the info, I’ll be watching!:)

February 26, 2004 at 1:25 pm in reply to: WWII Killl Markings #1598934

Col. Gibbon
Participant

Thanks for the replies.:) 🙂

Is there any chance to post some more pics of victory makings?:)
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