Phew! (breathes sigh of relief)

No, the one my Dad saw was near Great Sampford around 1942 – two Hurricanes from the OTU dogfighting. Sadly I can’t remember the pilot’s names. There’s also a pilot buried there who’s Hurricane i saw being uninterred when I was about 7. Between a Dad who remembered things like that and seeing the Hurricane dug out, that’s why I’m here…

Adrian

And nos 8 & 12 are me – the two memorials to the airmen killed in the crash of their Bristol Coanda monoplane at Wolvercote in 1912. This was the second of the three accidents that led to the infamous ban on monoplanes. One is in the church, made from metal from the plane, and the other is on the road close to the crash site.

I did think I’d had the camera longer than I thought, as I wondered when the hell I’d taken it to Saffron Walden cemetery! There are two Kiwis buried there who my father saw collide and spin to their deaths…

Pondskater, is that Windermere?

Adrian

How about legendary paraslasher?

Adrian

Thanks Pete, I’d wondered why a City man was on board – it wasn’t made clear on the radio. I do recall, though, that Mrs Swift lived opposite Mrs Busby, and neighbours were running bulletins across the road from house to house as the news came in, and the awful truth unfolded – I’m sure a much more tight connection to the city of Manchester itself than would be the case today.

I’m not a football fan by any means, and neither are my parents, and I wasn’t born until 1971 yet, even with a background like that, I don’t remember not knowing about Munich – that’s how deep it went. Perhaps Diana is the closest thing since?

We’d better leave this now – I’m turning it into a General Discussion topic!

Rest in peace, all of you – footballers or not.

Adrian

The last time I was up at Great Dunmow (200-ish, I think), the runways and dispersals were being dug out and crushed a second time – I presume that the hardcore was left behind and covered with topsoil when the top layers of concrete were removed by St Ives Sand & Gravel, and the price had become enough for it to be worth recycling the hardcore too.

Adrian

Cheers James, should have known the Warren truss bit (I knew there was a proper term for it, and couldn’t bring it to mind), and probably guessed the Elf as well – I must have seen it at OW! 😮

Adrian

Are there any known plans to celebrate this at all this year?
Surely Duxford should be compelled to!

Right chaps, what can they blow up this time? :diablo:

Adrian