Dundee is the headquarters of DC Thomson, publishers of such literary classics as The Beano, The Dandy and the ever popular The People’s Friend.
Sitting on a wall across the road from his spiritual home, with pea shooter in hand, is Oor Willie from The Sunday Post.
Bimbling along the High Street every day is Desperate Dan, from the Dandy, who can be seen taking his pet dog ‘Dawg’ out for a walk with Minnie the Minx, and her catapult, about to cause a spot of bother.
The Tay Rail Bridge is just under 3 miles long and spans the Tay estuary from Wormit on the south bank to Dundee on the north bank. The original bridge was opened in 1878 but on the 28th December 1879 at 7.15pm, the bridge collapsed into the Tay as a train was crossing and heading towards Dundee with all crew and passengers killed. During the inquiry it was established that a Gale Force 10 wind which was blowing along the estuary at the time and design flaws in the bridge construction contributed to its failure. The Tay Rail bridge was rebuilt and opened in 1887 and is still being used to this day.
The stumps of the original bridge piers can still be seen at low tide.
The Tay Rail Bridge Disaster Memorial.
Attached to the sea wall just outside the hotel I was staying at is a bronze plaque which reads along the bottom – ″Commemoration of the 1938 flight of Captain Bennett from the Tay Estuary to South West Africa” by the Short Maia/Mercury flying boats.
Brian
Tuesday 9th October
Hollywood is back at Duxford with Warner Brothers using the American Air Museum as a movie set and sat outside for all to see is a Tornado, that was trucked in, in spurious American markings. Why the museums Sea Vixen and Avenger were out there we will have to wait and see what that’s all about when the film is released. They pack up tomorrow and NO, I don’t know what the film is so don’t ask. A busy day else where with a lot of General Aviation types flying in and covering most of the jet pan. Highlight of the day was the Yale going up for a short handling flight. There were two air to air photo shoots with P-51/Miss Helen going up with an Aztec and later in the day Aero Legends two Spitfires and Prentice were going up with the Old Warden based Dornier Do-28/NC123C photo ship.
Sony Alpha A6300 CSC & Tamron 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Lens/LA-EA3 lens adapter
Brian
Saturday 29th September
A warm, sunny, quiet-ish Saturday at Duxford. An Agusta-Westland 109 helicopter was sitting on the jet pan and the ex Boscombe Down Harvard flew first. P-51/Miss Helen took off for an away day and amongst the Tiger Moth flights, Classic Wings were flying wing to wing with Spitfire N3200 and in a Spitfire with PV202. A lot of GA visitors the most unusual being a Rotorsport UK Calidus gyrocopter. in the order taken.
Sony Alpha A6300 CSC & Tamron 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Lens/LA-EA3 lens adapter
Brian
Thursday 27th September
A quiet day at Duxford and with the air show season over it’s going to get even quieter flying wise. An ex RAF Gazelle helicopter called in first thing for fuel, a visiting Chipmunk was circuit bashing and Spitfire/PV202 was doing passenger flights from ARCo. There were a few GA types flying in and out, taking advantage of the wall to wall blue sky and sunshine. Martyn Coleman from The Fighter Collection was out on the airfield very early this morning, 06.39 according to the exif info, to snap with his camera phone P-47/Nellie in dawn’s early light. Sunrise was at 06.53 In the order taken.
Sony ILCE-6000 + Tamron 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 Di-III VC Lens.
Brian
Monday 24th September
After the cold and relentless drizzle of air show Saturday, it was Scorchio at Duxford today. Well at least +16C when the Vampire’s fired up this afternoon to fly home. The Mk.VIII/D-FEUR also left and there was quite a bit of flying from the Duxford based war birds. In the order taken.
Sony Alpha A6300 CSC & Tamron 16-300mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD Lens/LA-EA3 lens adapter
Brian
Friday 21st September
Despite the blustery wind, A Gnat from North Weald flew in for two practice display’s. A Jet Provost, Tutor and Yak arrived during the morning but most of the flying while I was there was courtesy of ARCo. In the order taken.
Sony Alpha A6000 CSC & Sigma 100-400m f5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens + Sigma MC-11 SA-E Mount
Brian
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