No one else flown Vanguard (BEA) or Caravelle (Sabena / Aviaco) apart from me?

Viscounts 700 & 800 series, 707s, !-11s, 707s and 727s too.

Yup, all of the above plus a few more;

BOAC VC10
Sudan Airways Comet 4D
BOAC 707
Sabena 707 (the plane was half SLF, half NSLF, and was our final flight back to Ireland)
Iberia 727
Nigeria Airways (wet lease form Aer Lingus) 737-200
Alitalia Caravelle
Nigeria Airways F27
DC9 (can’t remember the carrier at this remove, may have been Iberia)
Sudan Air Force DC3
BEA Viscount
BEA Vanguard (loved those unfolding steps!)
Aer Lingus Viscount
BA BAC 1-11
BEA Trident

I’m sure there’s more so I must dig out my BOAC Junior Jet Club logbook, the first one was filled up with our travelling to and from our residences on the Dark Continent and the only entry in the second one is that final flight home on the Sabena 707.

Spotted this book in my local bookshop on Saturday and bought a copy on the recommendations contained here (this is South East Ireland, off the beaten track).

Delighted I did, it’s a thumping good read and I’m already halfway through.

Try this.

Spotted yesterday afternoon, a helo similar to a Bell 47 but with a longer cabin passed by my workplace at about 5.30pm. Also the bare skeletal tail was panelled with triangular panels just behind the cabin and under the engine.

Yesterday evening, about an hour and a half later, a Britten Norman Islander buzzed the quayside in our town twice but I had insufficient time to get the binos and get his reg.

This, remember, is in the South East of Ireland so the two visitors caused me no end of excitement!

Ah darn! I was thinking that but said to myself, no not that one go for the Shooting Star. I’ll be gutted if I lose out. Gutted!

It’s a quiet Sunday morning and gazing at those images elicits a powerful feeling of heroes all. What a way to wake up, much better than a cup of coffee! Thanks for those.

And that ebay item has been withdrawn, and I was going to bid as I want one of those just as a reminder of the men who fought for our freedom so bravely.

Fighter Squadron, released 1948. Loads of Jugs. Uses P51s as German fighters but never mind. Good movie.

Tora! Tora! Tora! is excellent too.