Hmmm… looks like it’ll be just you and me FB! 😎

The Se5a cockpit you mention is proving to be a great hit with visitors. Not intended to be an exact replica, it’s designed to allow visitors to experience a First World war aircraft cockpit. Complete with Vickers and Lewis machine gun sounds as well as engine sounds, the front part of the cockpit slides forward on rollers to allow access to visitors of all ages and levels of mobility. More info here: http://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/flight-simulators

Also in that section of the web site, the Hunter cockpit has recently been refurbished and although the Lightning sim is being re-engineered at the moment, it will be available on Sunday using the original software and a single projector visual system – have some fun and book yourself a ride as soon as you arrive (it’s free but very popular). There’ll be plenty of other things to do and see, too and your entry fee includes full access to the museum; if you fancy sitting down for a while there will be talks going on all day in the Neville Duke Hall with subjects including the RFC, First World War poetry and the history of Tangmere itself.

I hope you have a great time.

PP

Only briefly, Otis. During a few short scenes showing the specialist briefings before take-off, the signals leader briefs the w/ops on the code words to be used. Then, at Grantham during the raid, the signals officer listens to the phone then says to the waiting, Harris, Wallis and Cochrane something like, “It’s DINGHY! They’ve got the Eder, too.”
Pete

There was indeed and it was a version made specifically for the US market. It used stock film from the Warner Bros library and was later removed.

Anyone able to confirm if there was a code word for a second dam being breached ?

The code word indicating a breach in the Eder dam was DINGHY,
P.

When travelling from Prague to Vienna a few years ago, we came across this IL62 restaurant at the border crossing.

Pete

I do hope that they remembered on which side of the Atlantic Duxford Aerodrome is situated – and thus did not spell apologise with a z!

Ah, I see you don’t recognize the Oxford ‘Z’ when you see it. 😮 If you look in the Oxford English Dictionary you’ll see that -ize is the preferred suffix with -ise being cited as an alternative spelling. All OUP publications use ‘z’ in preference to ‘s’ in this context and it’s the house style of many other publications and journals and several universities including – if I recall correctly from courses I did a few years ago – the OU.

It was in general use in British English certainly for the first half of the 20th century and only began to lose ground to -ise in the latter part of that century. I think Microsoft had a big influence on this changeover by (incorrectly) flagging words ending -ize as spelling mistakes in spellchecker dictionaries supplied with early versions of Word. Interestingly, they no longer do this and both versions are now allowed.

One thing is for sure – words such as apologize and recognize are not Americanisms but perfectly acceptable alternative British spellings. The suffix -ize may well disappear in years to come – language, after all, is a living thing – but, at the moment, it’s a matter of personal choice (unless, of course, an organization’s house-style either forbids or insists on one or the other) so well done to Duxford for keeping up a fine old British tradition.

I interviewed Joe last year for the “Beware The Wild Winds” programme mentioned elsewhere on this forum and, boy, has he some fascinating tales to tell. Highly recommended.
PP

Thanks, Dave. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Here’s a link to a programme called “Beware The Wild Winds” which you might also enjoy. https://www.dropbox.com/s/fh78jvm9pfvbxfl/Pete%20Pitman%20-%20Beware%20The%20Wild%20Winds%20-%20UK%20Version.mp3

Telling the story of New Zealanders at RAF Tangmere, it was done for a New Zealand radio station and broadcast on ANZAC Day 2012. This version has the additional UK introduction.
Pete