Have a great one Geoff!
Cheers!
Syd
See here: http://www.glennmillertrust.co.uk/
It appears that the control tower has been restored and is now a museum.
Have you been to the USAF Musuem in Dayton? They have a display about Miller that includes one of his original trombones. It was put together by a Miller fanatic/former 20th. Fighter Group pilot/former USAF curator Royal Frey with the help of Miller’s family. Frey also helped to get many of the rare wartime recordings of Miller and his band together and published.
Footage of Miller’s last live airfield hangar exists but it is silent, a memorial has been erected on the spot where the concert took place see: http://www.fieldsofvalour.co.uk/KingsCliffe/SouthEast/southeast-38.htm
Good Luck to Mel and Steve today!
Happy Birthday and many more to come!
Wittering was used by the 55th. Fighter Squadron during the period when the 20th. Fighter Group flew P-38s, it was believed that there wasn’t enough room for three Lightning equipped squadrons to fit on the base at King’s Cliffe so the 55th. pilots flew over to King’s Cliffe for each mission. Isn’t Wittering still an active RAF base?
For some outstanding pics of Glatton, Polebrook, King’s Cliffe, Deenethorpe and Kimbolton as theya re today checkout http://www.fieldsofvalour.co.uk/
Does anyone have a copy of “Over Here” and does it have any wartime footage of King’s Cliffe?
Just remember, you’re not getting older….well, yes you are… 😀 Anyway, have a good birthday and many more to come! :p 😉 😀
Well, I’m late so I guess I’ll say “Hope it was a good one and many more to come!”
I have been watching the “Military Channel” since the inception a little over a month ago and basically it is still showing much of the same old stuff from Discovery Wings alongside alot of shows on more modern military concerns (kind of along the lines of what they do on Discovery Times) and some of those horrible overview shows where the history of a piece of military hardware is condensed into an hour – “The Tank in Combat”, etc.
All in all it’s not that much of a change, qualitywise and where aviation is concerned there’s just fewer airings of the same old shows from the past, and many of those shows have been around on other networks (A&E, History Channel, etc.) for decades.
In my home it remains on only as familiar background noise when there’s nothing on anywhere else.
And the other aircraft is a Britsol Freighter, better known as the Frightener, a British wonder of engineering. A great story is when the RNZAF flew the first Freighter into Vietnam during the war an American airman was heard to say, “Is that the plane or the box it came in?”
Hands down that is one of the uglisest aircraft I have ever seen, still it’s a shame no one has stepped up and done something with it. Heck, even ugly planes need love too! 😉
Dave. Great shots! My fave though has to be the one of Steve and the Moa – simply PRICELESS! :diablo: Is the P-51 at Pioneer “Dove Of Peace” and what on earth is the plane without a tail – second pic down of the Ardmore pics?
It’s been my experience that there are all types in any group, but in the whole the warbird “community” is pretty forthcoming and friendly. I’ve run across a handful who tend to stay in a tight-knit circle, but those are the exception and not the rule.
I think alot of that comes from the fact most warbird owners grew up with the same dreams that the rest of us poor schmucks have – to feel what it was like to fly one of those beautiful beasts we spent so much time staring at in books and in movies when we were young.
Steve and John at Mission Bay, with the iconic volcano Rangitoto Island as a backdrop
Just how deep of a hole did Mr. Patterson make Mr. Parker get into for that shot?! 😀
More importanly, How many security folks were needed to keep Mr. Patterson from trying to sneak the Spitfire home in his luggage? 😮
Looks like a good time is being had by all!
Oh yes, and another huge big thank you goes to Locobuster for designing and producing the awesome tour shirts. I proudly wore mine most of the weekend. Well done sir.
My pleasure, glad everyone likes them! 😎
Have a great trip, Steve and don’t forget to mention who did the shirts when you give them out 😀
No brainer here, P-38 Lightning followed by a P-51… Thing is you’d never be able to fit my huge carcass in either.