So is it?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAF-Spitfire-Seat-possibly-Battle-of-Britain-dated-7-40_W0QQitemZ300160175557QQihZ020QQcategoryZ112473QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Start time: 13:18

The clock is running! 🙂

I hate it when you guys do this:(

Interesting discussion….we had the MoD present at the first visit to the site we are currently digging. They produced a comprehensive report. Since then we have recovered about 1000% more than the first visit. We are aiming to recover every single piece so it is painstaking. We have already set up a sorting system to decide what is displayable (i.e a travelling display and 2 fixed displays), what is able to be melted down to make presentation models (corroded pieces of engine casing) and what will be unuseable (the latter will be returned to the site. As you may see, I do not scrap stuff….my pet hate is aircraft relics that have lost their history.

There are some sites where it would be nice to know where all the parts went/are.

Didn’t come back on DL1 out of New York by any chance did you Rocketeer? Thought I spotted you as I boarded.
Stunning weekend, got fed up with the rain on Thursday and went to Dayton, sadly didn’t get upgraded and had to make do with a Chevy Shed with an iffy wheel bearing. Superb selection of aircraft, just got 1700+ pics to sort through now….

it was indeed old chap! Dayton wiped out my brain!! Amazing fun I shot a similar number of phots to you, but we are lightweights compared to Geedee who did 5000+!! lol

Twilight Tear was lovely and did Horseman on all days except the Sunday… she was accurately ‘dirty’ and a joy to look at, cheers Mr Grey!

Cheers guys……bought myself a townie bike as apressie!! It is a old style town bike from the 30-50s, had it wrapped for the container today!

I look forward to those cigars!!! Though if we smoke too many I shall not make it to my forty-coughth birthday!

Happy Birthday Tony, but seeing as your out of the country, were gonna make a start on the cake…..:diablo:

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cheeky!!!

I proposed the idea through Flypast sometime ago (around the sad loss of Paul Morgan and Norman Lees before). At that stage I mooted that the memorial could have taken the form of a stone tablet – but NOT with names as that would be depressing and totally inappropriate, or better still a memorial garden…just somewhere where people could reflect.

I prefered the memorial garden idea with no mention of names. North Weald were willing to provide a home ISTR. I, and Flypast did a straw pole of some display pilots and the stone memorial was very unpopular as was any memorial that could be seen as one walks to ones aircraft for a display. Many display pilots/crew initially flew in the services and have a pragmatic and almost fatalistic approach to the risks.

I can fully concur with this view of the display aircrew. I am involved in Flight Test and can fully understand that a memorial can be off putting and an unwanted distraction when you are in your aviation ‘bubble’.

So i am not sure whether the memorial garden idea is a true goer, unless it is located away from the runway or path to the aircraft. That said, a memorial garden is not actually just for the aircrew, it is more of solace to the relatives who are just as much victims and are the ones left behind.

A good friend of mine was lost in a display accident leaving two young boys and a wife behind. Maybe a garden would be a nice place?

Another idea is a living memorial, a general fund to raise money to give disadvantaged children/people the chance to experiance flight (perhaps like the EAA Young Eagles?). Flight is still an experience that is as exciting today as it was for Cayley, Lillienthal or the the Wright Brothers. Making some good come out of a sad event may be the way to go?

Just my thoughts…..

I hope I have not upset anyone with these ramblings…It is a time for sadness, reflection and thought. One thing is for sure, these display aircrews do a fine job making history come alive and presenting these beautiful aircraft to the public in a way that brings a ltear to many an eye and a lump to many a throat.

Last month I watched beautiful displays by the HAC Hurricane and Spitfire at Old Sarum Castle and the hairs stood up on the back of my neck….this happened to many people there and the standing ovation and clapping spoke heaps.

As far as I am aware the Harvard is currently offsite having some restoration work carried out. How far they are with it I dont know at present.

Fantastic shots in her new museum setting, I got to see her in the flesh,so to speak-breathtaking, absolutley breathtaking- & thats from a fixed wing prop fanatic.

p.s The photo’s do her justice.- Thank you all again for the positive feedback….keep it coming please.

Some of the Harvard is onsite but not readily accessible….I went up last Friday and was delighted to finally make it up there. The museum is wow and delightful. The Gazelle is wonderful with an amazing history and a superb memorial…….