ResmorohRegretfully, the PPrune site gives us no more precise information than we had already. A lot of theories, maybe possibles, and/or possible maybes. Scuttlebutt by the bucketful but no hard, incontrovertible FACTS.
Having said that, however, earlier this year I took the bull by the horns and emailed the US Defence Attache at their Embassy in London. I was expecting the brush-off. However, he (or his office), came back with a precise list as to who (in the States) had what – apertaining to the Akrotiri U2 prang. Not only that but the email addresses of the Departments likely to be involved – and who (in those Departments) that I should direct my enquiries to. The proviso was that all this was USAF stuff. He had no knowledge of what might be the case if the flights were under the auspices of the CIA. The Op was OLIVE HARVEST which was, as far as I am aware, a surveillance programme on behalf of the UN to monitor what was happening after whatever Israeli/Egyptian war had just finished. That is in the public domain as far as the USAF are concerned. If, however, the CIA were also using the flights for nefarious purposes of their own, and thus NOT in the public domain, then even if we have the email addresses of the likely holders of crash enquiry reports, etc, etc, then we may still get the “runaround” on ‘Security Grounds’.
If – when I gird my loins to go into battle – I get any results (either positive or negative) then, never fear, I will report them to this Forum.
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohMondariz,
There’s good news and there’s bad news.
The good news is that you can wear a “Hughes Hat” for the first flight of the replica – although there was (in some quarters) mutterings about ‘bone-domes’!!
The bad news is that you are going to have to wear an approved ‘head-set’. It is hoped that an ‘approved’ design can be found such that it can be worn under the hat. If “They” insist on it being worn over the hat then – as I am sure you will agree – this will destroy the whole aesthetic approach to cockpit head-gear.
You may rest assured that I will keep a very beady eye on developments in this area. I suspect, though, that the approved head-gear will be ready before the airframe. Pity!
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohJa,
Yup, we could build a replica and fly it! Brilliant idea! There is sufficient expertise in the restoration and/or replica building religion(s) on this Forum (Sorry, Moggy!) such that if they combined all their skills you (note change of person!!) could be at the controls (with all knobs turned fully clockwise), one foot on the instrument panel, heaving away at the control column to get the beast into the air. World-wide TV coverage, etc, etc.
Just needs a modicum of dosh! I suspect that if we could assemble just 1% of all the money that has been spent in the past on crazy, lunatic, non-profitable, aviation “good ideas” then that should be more than enough! Even a hangar and slipway as well!!
I was going to mention politics in connection with the failed aviation “good ideas” – but as I’ve already mentioned ‘religion’ I fear that Moggy’s “heavies” may be at my door shortly (or The Men In White Coats in the Plain White Van!!!)
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohNewforest,
Yup! It’s only us scientific artists (and I include all the other support services) that aid and abet aviators (be they civil or military) to continually defy the laws of physics and finance.
“If you’ve time to spare – go by air”!!!!
I am, Sir, your obedient servant
Resmoroh
ResmorohMondariz,
Absolutely brilliant! Now I am not, by and large, an admirer of early aviation hardware as are many on this forum (sorry, chaps and chapesses! – do I hear many sharp intakes of breath??).
However, having actually seen that vast a/c in the Evergreen Aviation Museum at McMinnville, OR, I was forced to utter several expletives of amazement!! I was told, whilst there, that the Wright Bros first flight would just about fit into the cargo compartment!!! I’ll bet the Spruce Goose was a cow to fly. Anybody know if there’s a version for FSX?
I was reminded, as I typed this, of a programme (many, many, years ago) on BBC radio called “The Test Pilots”. The guy who first flew the first Beverley (at Brough?) said “After we had been trundling down the runway for what seemed like a fortnight, I looked down to my left. I said to the Co ‘Well, my side’s off the ground, how about yours?’ “. That was REAL flying.
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohI am a committed Conspiracy Theorist – I even put my socks on with a cork-screw!
There might just be a Conspiracy Theory here – but not with regard to the good General! It may be that the organisation charged with investigating WW2/Communist Era events in Poland is running out of things to do?!! Therefore, continued future funding for their activities (laudable though they may have been in the past) is now, possibly, in some doubt? What better way to get that funding continued than by raising an old ghost?
It’s not the first time that has happened, and I would bet it won’t be the last!
So, was the General murdered/disposed of – and, if so, by who? And at this distance in time only the historians should be involved in trying to prove the truth. But, in this case, I suspect that politics and finance are the main progenitors.
I will be more than happy to be proved wrong. But my own associations with (a) the upper tier of middle levels, and (b) the lower tier of upper levels of government departments leads me to conclusions outlined above.
I would be VERY happy for theories using logic, and reasoned argument, to prove otherwise. I cannot wait to get up each morning, turn my computer on, and see one of those theories on my screen.
AND, at the end of the day, if the General was actually “disposed of” is it going to affect the price of fish – or petrol – today?
Let us keep things in proportion
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohGraham,
Tks dat! As I surmised – yet another ‘grey area’!!
JDK/Jenna,
Having been involved in the archaeology side of things it is my experience that, if you want to chase up something as recent as WW2 (etc) you need to find an archaeological organisation (either run by the Local Authority, or a Voluntary Body) that has a Modern/Industrial Archaeology specialist (or specialists). They do exist!!! Some archaeological organisations/societies reckon that anything after the Romans is, strictly speaking, not archaeology but history (I fell about at JDK’s description of ‘loonies poring over Norman documents’!). Like most organisations, if you can excite the interest of the person you’re phoning/writing/emailing then you’re halfway there. This is an art-form in itself. JDK is right – go knock on doors!!!!!!!!! It will produce results (or if they don’t know, they will know who does!).
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohGraham, Hi,
Ref post #3 on this thread (and I’m not trying to hijack the thread, or cause the dreaded ‘thread-drift’ – honest!!!).
If Barton (or however variously written) was taken over by the RAF in WW2, I note that it is not mentioned in the 1990 Omnibus Edition of Willis & Hollis. Was it known by any other name, or did the fact that it was an ATA airfield mean that, strictly speaking, it was not ‘military’? Just a minor ‘nit-pick’.
Rgds
Resmoroh
ResmorohYou guys have got it easy – only the Next Generation!
Wait until your 12 yr-old grandson emails you from the other side of the world and asks “Grandad, at what airspeed do I put the flaps down on a Lancaster on a normal approach?”. We are on Flight Simulator at this point! I was a UK Met Man from 1952 to 1996. But that is so far back in his head that he assumes that as I was involved in military aviation before 1960 – something that he cannot yet get his head around – he thinks I flew every aircraft ever used in WW2.
That, Sunshines, is VERY scary – I kid you not! You have to have all your wits about you, else Grandad will turn out to have feet of clay!!! Get boned up you lot – your time will come!!
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohThe first one looks like the Turdis at RAF Stanley in 1982!! Who got which idea, when, and from whom??
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohThere was, reputedly just after WW2, a Merlin driving a water pump into the R Nene just near the Dog-in-a-Doublet lock at Peterborough.
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohMH, Hi,
It was clearly obvious (from the very early days) that RAF Stanley could not be developed into a major international terminal (civil and/or military) – the ‘real estate’ just did not exist.
There therefore needed to be found an airfield site which could be (a) used for Island defence, and (b) availaible (and be defensible) to fly-in military re-inforcements – in the event they were required. Thus RAF Mt Pleasant.
Modern financial problems have not lessened the threat. Any possible Argentina Govt could go for it again as a reason for taking the citizens of Argentina away from their real internal financial problems and into ‘blue sky’ approach of winning back the Malvinas (same like Spain and Gibraltar!).
We are, thus, into international politics; and here, Oh Wise One. they don’t always compute with those of us who live in the real world!
Rgds
Resmoroh
ResmorohIt might be of passing interest to know how Mount Pleasant, Falkland, was sited.
On a bitterly cold (Falkland) winter afternoon a small group of guys (RAF, PSA, Met (and I was one!), etc) went to view this possible site (from RAF Stanley!). RAF said “OK”. PSA said “There’s going to be problems”(they were subsequently proved right!). Met said “With a, basically, E/W runway I don’t like that high ground (600ft AMSL?) to the N. Could give severe problems in a cross-wind”. However, the Fat Was Chewed, and eventually someone (I know not who!) stuck his heel into the sodden turf (as is always in those parts!) and said “Here”.
And so it came to pass!!
HTH
Resmoroh
ResmorohWe Will Remember Them – is in the future tense.
We have just finished a Book Of Rembrance to go alongside the newly dedicated Met Office Roll of Honour commemorating some 60+ casualties in both World Wars. We have remembered Them. They are remembered.
One of the sad things about compiling the book is that many of the casualties (particularly in WW1) have No Known Grave – on account of the fact that no body parts could be identified from these individuals.
My own most moving experience was at the Cemetery at San Carlos in the Falklands. A cold grey July afternoon (their winter). I was totally alone, and even as a Reserve Met Officer, gave a salute, at attention, to The Fallen that even the most ‘picky’ of Station Warrant Officers would have had some difficulties in faulting!
Each to his own. We Remember Them in different ways!
Respects
Resmoroh
ResmorohWas that the camera a/c they used for the early para scenes? These first air-to-air shots were – I believe (or so the story goes!) – of Belgian paratroops dropping from a Belgian a/c (C-130?) up above the Daks and being made to appear (by careful editing and other camera trickery) as if they were exiting from a Dakota! The early “rushes” were, so I’m told, a total disaster. The whole thing was binned and the decision made to “hire” a sizeable amount of 16 Para Bde (+ supporting Units) for the parachuting drop scenes. This is how I came to be involved!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HTH
Resmoroh
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