The best online source I can find suggests Henty and Constable of Chichester, who are in fact long gone. However I haven’t a clue what context it is in, as I can’t read Polish and can’t see the relevance to Polish seamen!

http://plu96.nazwa.pl/forum/printview.php?t=4941&start=0&sid=850870b307b06456d5320425156f16fb

Make sense of that one…

Adrian

Something twin engined with a twin tail in the distance near Ashdon, Essex – possibly Beech 18? Making the right noises for big piston engines.

Adrian

It was getting close to sunset at ground level according to this site (dunno if it will go to the same map – just type in the date if it doesn’t) – assuming UK times were given using GMT, of course!

http://www.canterburyweather.co.uk/sun/ukmap.php?d=6&m=11&y=1940

So bright at ground level, better higher up – with a rider that we haven’t checked what the time zone relative to GMT was at the time.

Adrian

Like this, but on the other side, I presume?

http://www.hawker-restorations-ltd.c…a/HURY/59.html
(shamelessly cribbed from the “not a Spitfire” thread).

Good job he didn’t hit the fuselage one!

Adrian

Thanks for that, Adrian.

Story? As a good friend on this Forum well knows, this dug in near Chidham on 16 Aug 40 .

That’s quite a story! Was it the armour plate that saved you to be telling us?

I got the impression in my beachcombing days that a .303 case falling from high altitude was likely to snap when it hit the water – certainly I found a number that had been snapped off halfway up, and I can’t think of anything else that might do that other than an impact from height. Your views may vary – that was my theory, and I’m sticking to it! So high-altitude cases are likely to be about an inch long, with one side bent inwards (might even try to dig one out later, and take a pic). Ground forces cases probably all in one piece.

Don’t forget there was a Halifax wreck at Walton as well – the land both aircraft fell on has now been lost to the sea, so it could have come from that – I don’t know whether Halifax gunners had collectors for cases, or if they were ejected from the plane.

Adrian

Currently third on the BBCs “most read”.

I was’t impressed when Bluebird came out of the lake, (we’ll gloss over why, as I’ve been shown to be wrong) but Bill Smith and his crew have shown that they really do care about Bluebird and her “pilot”.

I reckon it’ll be standing room only on Coniston’s shores. And I want to be there.

Adrian

I really don’t agree with that! If it were true then I wouldn’t reject as many images as I do on the aviation photography site I screen for. Both mediums require a lot of skill to get truely superb results!

Paul

OK, perhaps I was a smidgin too quick to comment, especially as a film dinosaur (someone gives you a Nikon F3… Do you go digital immediately?).
It’s certainly much easier to take many shots, and delude yourself that some are good, though…

Adrian

Hey, maybe I can sell some of my cr*p photos too! Have a look at gray1720 on Flickr or Photobucket – very reasonable prices, I start at £50 for a 7×5 with a mark on the back confirming that they are genuine Snappy Snaps! Cash in a brown envelope preferred. 😎

It’s a bit like celebrities – with digital, everyone can be a professional (insert inverted commas as you wish) photographer. You don’t need to be good at it…

Incidentally, I think your criticism of your centre shot of the Reds is a bit hard – filling the screen, square format, possibly heading upwards… got potential? But what do I know? It’s fair comment on the other two, though.

Adrian