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adrian_gray

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Viewing 15 posts - 1,291 through 1,305 (of 3,057 total)
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  • November 20, 2013 at 12:42 pm in reply to: RAFM Cosford MBCC Open Week – Sunday 10th Nov to Sat 17 Nov #965593
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Another person who should be respected is the young lady conserving the smaller items off the Dornier, it was hard to believe that some of the items on display had spent 70 odd years under sea.

    Ah, you encountered here too – she was lovely, and really excited by her task, though thoroughly frustrated by whoever had had the ID plates off the thing. Did you get to handle the Dornier control rod she had behind her? It was about seven feet long, yet could be lifted easily with one hand – it can’t have weighed more than two or three pounds. Most impressive engineering.

    Funnily enough what struck me most about the Wellington was just how good the wings at East Kirkby are – it was hard to tell the difference between the wings that had sat on a Scottish hillside for decades and the one that had sat at Hendon for decades!

    Adrian

    November 9, 2013 at 12:29 pm in reply to: RAFM Cosford MBCC Open Week – Sunday 10th Nov to Sat 17 Nov #976551
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    After East Kirkby last weekend, SWMBO and I will be going to smell the Dornier on Saturday. So that’s at least five visitors they’ll be getting this week!

    Adrian

    November 6, 2013 at 2:53 pm in reply to: Duxford Diary 2013 #979993
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    LAHARVE, thank you for posting those – they are stunning! A real evocation of the early days (that I’m too young to recall).

    I don’t know who took them either, but they deserve our thanks. Thanks you, whoever you were!

    Adrian

    November 4, 2013 at 4:54 pm in reply to: Goodwin Sands Dornier progress thread #981848
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Excellent article by Chris Goss on the Dornier 17 recovery in the current ‘After The Battle’, Number 162.

    Thanks for the heads-up, Andy – will look out for it!

    Currently planning on heading for Cosford to smell the Dornier on Saturday 16th, and hopefully take in the MBCC as well. Somehow I doubt my shoebox of shards has anything in it they can use! Incidentally, I was surprised to see parts from a Do17 nightfighter at East Kirkby – I didn’t realise any had been lost over the UK.

    Adrian

    November 4, 2013 at 12:42 pm in reply to: East Kirkby this Saturday… #982178
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Just before the 3pm run, we were told over the Tannoy that it was the first part of the starting sequence – the engineers climb into the nacelle to prime the engines – ie pump neat fuel into the cylinders. I guess either the outboard ones can be primed from the same spot, or they are primed once the pumps are under power?

    Adrian

    November 3, 2013 at 10:04 pm in reply to: East Kirkby this Saturday… #982581
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Any help? Please excuse the obvious dodgy edit!

    http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww269/gray1721/JustJane_zps11740831.jpg

    We loved it – though it does my cred as a flatlander no good to admit that I had underestimated just how cold an airfield in Lincolnshire could be. It hurled it down for the 3pm taxi run (hence the rainbow), but gave some lovely dramatic lighting conditions. The fireworks were spectacular, though I could have done without the one that bounced off my head!

    My gast was flabbered by the condition of the Wellington wings – they almost looked like a lick of paint and a bit of fabric, and they could be flying again. Amazing for a crash site recovery. Actually, my gast was flabbered by the whole place. Three hours drive or not, I will be going back!

    Adrian

    November 3, 2013 at 10:00 pm in reply to: Seaplane at Invergordon harbour 1945 ? #982590
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Ah, sorry, misinterpreted your earlier remark. I think it might be a Felixstowe of some kind (mostly as that’s the only period flying boat I can bring to mind), so even Martin’s 1925 might be a bit late.

    Adrian

    November 3, 2013 at 9:35 pm in reply to: Seaplane at Invergordon harbour 1945 ? #982604
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Postmarks are no guide to age – the card might have been send years after the photo was taken. I have one in my collection where the women are wearing classic 1890s fashions, but it was sent in 1928, and another with a photograph on it taken nearly over a decade before you were allowed to post cards with pictures on!

    Adrian

    November 1, 2013 at 8:52 am in reply to: East Kirkby this Saturday… #985087
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Grand – looking forward big time!

    Adrian

    October 30, 2013 at 9:43 pm in reply to: East Kirkby this Saturday… #986177
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    As far as I can see from the website you can just turn up, but I’m sure NX611 will put me right.

    Assuming you can (no, I haven’t booked anything!), we should meet up…

    Adrian

    October 30, 2013 at 4:30 pm in reply to: East Kirkby this Saturday… #986717
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    100 views and no replies. I guess no-one else is going, and no-one fancies meeting up? Or should I have made that clearer in my OP?:(

    Adrian

    October 30, 2013 at 2:15 pm in reply to: 453rd Bomb Group Old Buckenham – new images #986736
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    [photography geek] Those are in fabulous condition considering the age of the film – how on earth did they survive so well? I know from experience that undeveloped old film, even B&W which is much less temperamental than colour processes, is a total lottery, but these really are beautiful. [/photography geek]

    Adrian

    October 30, 2013 at 9:05 am in reply to: BAT Bantam, Amsterdam #986930
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    It is a beauty, though I can’t help feeling that the pilot would feel very vulnerable with his head stuck out through the upper wing like that. It’s also very easy to get close to, to see things like the bungee suspension (just visible in the last photo if you look hard) that must have been hi-tech back then.

    A flying one would be fantastic – I seem to recall that it was very, very fast for its day – but what would you use for an engine? The original I think was an ABC design, and most things that came from their designer’s pen were pretty troublesome.

    Adrian

    October 16, 2013 at 2:33 pm in reply to: A Fairey Gordon – post WW2? #1000278
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    If I remember Tony Dudgeon’s book right, weren’t there Gordons at the Flight Training School at RAF Habbaniya? If so, at least one was used for dive bombing.

    Adrian

    October 15, 2013 at 9:34 pm in reply to: Poland fans to unveil flag commemorating WWII pilots #1000988
    adrian_gray
    Participant

    Well, as an avid aviation fan who often travels to Wembley to see England play, there is a little ditty the England fans sing – indirectly showing support for the Poles. Here isn’t the place for it but it’s there.

    I have to confess that I have no idea which ditty you mean, Rich, but I consider the news that there is one worthy of a :applause:

    Adrian

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