GrahamODRE: Hendon chaos
Rather lacking…..
That’s very diplomatic……absolute bleedin disgrace would be nearer the truth.
In this day and age, there is no excuse for any museum of any kind to have info details relating to exhibits being too brief/inaccurate/badly sited/poorly worded/non-multi-lingual etc.,etc.
It’s not rocket science……..
GrahamODRE: Buccaneer XW986 to fly on Saturday
Interesting info, especially the Warton bit.
Does this mean Ian Pringle/Thunder City/Barry Pover/Delta Jets have negociated a deal with BAe to airtest/ferry the Bucc under COMO to bypass the CAA ruling on Complex catogory aeroplanes???
GrahamODRE: English Electric Lightning
There are two books that should cover your needs:-
Lightning by Ian Black – Airlife Publishing
(I think this book may now be out of print?)
The Last of the Lightnings by Ian Black – PSL Publishing
Flt.Lt. Ian Black was the last RAF pilot to be trained to fly the Lightning and took a wealth of photos during the last 18 months of Lightning operations, the majority of the photos in both these books being from this period.
GrahamODRE: Coningsby and the BBMF
I have to agree with Scampton being the logical choice from an enthusiasts point of view, but of course, the MOD aren’t enthusiasts!!
Scampton would be the choice from an historical point of view, certainley from the Lancs point of view. The BBMF vistor centre could include Gibsons office and Nigger’s grave etc, and they could do a whole lot else I’m sure to actract tourists.
There was talk of XH558 possibly operating out of Scampton as well if they ever get the funds to operate her again.
GrahamODRE: A little something for everyone?
Mmmmnnn….when was this photo taken??
Very interesting to note the T-bird Lightning, wasn’t aware that any T.5’s had been ‘set aside’ that early on, anyone know it’s identity? Interesting to see the B24 at the back, is this the example now at Cosford?
Also, what’s the identity of that Mosquito..!!??
GrahamODRE: Favourite airshow moment? (So far!)
Got to be Flt.Lt.Pete Chapman’s jaw dropping Lightning solo at Biggin Hill B of B show, Sept 1974.
Then again…….any of Flt.Lt.Paul Millican’s display’s in Vulcan XH558.
or
Stefan Kwrowoski (spelling?) displaying TFC’s Bearcat at a damp drizzly Great Warbirds at West Malling, sometime in the early eighties. (83/84 possibly)
or
Any display by Ray Hanna and the late great Mark Hanna in anything with wings…..
or
I have to say as well that, emotionally, one display that sticks in the mind is the 2 x P51 display at the USAF Golden Airshow at Nellis in 1997. The aircraft were in the markings of wartime squadron pals Chuck Yeager’s ‘Glamourous Glen’ and Bud Anderson’s ‘Old Crow’, but on this day these 2 x P51’s were being flown by Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson, amazing to see these veterans flying ‘their’ aircraft over 50 years after the wars end.
GrahamODRE: P47
‘ere,’ere….
Notice when the Dambusters is shown on TV these days, any reference to the dog’s name is now edited out. At least with the ‘Reds’ and possibly in the future, the BBMF, being based at Scampton, his grave will continued to be tended, and the PC brigade won’t demand the headstone being removed!!!
GrahamODRE: Thunder city colours
Black is the ‘corporate’ colour for Thunder Cities fleet of aircraft. I did read some time ago that one Lightning F.6 and one T.5 would be kept in natural metal finish to reflect the history of the Lightning. I have to say that that would be fine, but as you say one of the T.5’s has the incorrect pale blue/pink small roundals rather than the early large red/white/blue pattern (type D?). I have to say that I wasn’t keen on seeing a Lightning in O/A gloss black, but I have to admitt that when you see a photo of the the T.5’s parked next to each other, the gloss black (ex-XS452), does look rather fetching, and more pristine. I think Mike Beachyhead should paint all 4 of them gloss black now. Although, perhaps, the ex-XR773 could be put back in her 74 Sqn colours when in the far east circa 68-71. Polished natural metal with a black spine fin, with correct Sqn. markings, at least that is a compromise between the 2 finishes……
GrahamODRE: Supermarine Swift
I wonder if she won’t end up in sunny Cape Town. As for civilian operated ex-military jets operating in this country…..there is already a presedent. I remember the SHF Draken displaying at Biggin Hill some years back, and that certainley had reheat!! If the CAA were happy about a foreign registered aircraft in that category giving a public display, why not a British owned and operated one? That is something I’ve never fathomed out, no wonder Barry Pover upped and buggured of to SA.
GrahamODRE: Re-enactors, Actors and medals
Halibag,
If you are seriously into re-enactment,have or do you, or anyone from your ‘unit’ visit/post to the UK WW2 Living History Forum?
It’s the best way of communicating with other groups in the UK.
Go to:-
http://www.delphiforums.com/
In the yellow border on the left side click on ‘Hobbies & Crafts’. From there click on the ‘next 10 >>’ icon at the bottom of the page until you see ‘UK WW2 Living History Forum’ title. Click on this and enter as ‘guest’ or create a login to post items. Hope to see you there.
GrahamODRE: Re-enactors, Actors and medals
As a re-enactor of a number of years I can say that this is a touchy subject even within the re-enactment circles. I can say that all the recognised and well runs societies portraying British/Commonwealth units DO NOT allow the wearing of campaign or gallantry medals. Most of these re-enactment groups have close ties with various veterans organisations and the majority of those left have no problem with what we do, as long as what ever we do is historically correct. The trouble is there are many individuals who turn up at forties theme events in a uniform and such like that do wear medal ribbons. These people are not true historical re-enactors and treat it all as some sort of fancy dress event and are usually given short shrift by any of us. Rank is less of a problem, but a lot of the groups have ex-service personnel and they will often wear the rank that they had when ‘in’.
As for actors, well, it’s a neccessary item if someone is portraying a particlar person in a film. I mean it would look silly if a film was made about Guy Gibson, post Dams raid, and the actor wasn’t wearing a VC ribbon. Having said that, and from my experience of working with film companies on wartime sets, they are not really interested in too much historical accuracy I’m afraid, despite what Speilberg and others would have you believe. They will go to great lengths and expense for some things and then ignore other blindingly obvious errors!! Their attitude when any error is pointed out to them on set is one of, “It’s not in the script so it can’t be changed and anyway nobody will notice luvvy darling”……..
Only by us ‘anoraks’ that is!
GrahamODRE: Hendon
Hendon is a great Museum, and an important tourist attraction being accessable from the Tube network. As such it is fine where it is. I agree entirely with the comments about the Graham White hanger and tower, what is a shame is that the powers that be didn’t forsee the situation developing earlier and not sold off the land in the first place!!
My constant critism of RAFM is the inclusion of certain exhibts. As the Royal Airforce Museum there should be only Royal Airforce aircraft inside (exception of possibly the B of B Hall with its opposing forces layout) Including US made aircraft is fine if they were operated by the RAF and in RAF markings. Eg, the B17 in Costal Command markings (altough being a G model, perhaps not sot accurate, better still the B17 could have gone to Cosford and the B24 could have come to Hendon and put back in its RAF markings, far more logical!!!
Ground running…..nows there’s another thing. Not appropiate for Hendon I feel, but better for Cosford or Duxford. Black 6 should have been left at Duxford so as to be able to ground run her on public days, and definately not left idle in Hendon. Duxford flightline on flying days with the 410, Black 6 and the 190 all running up infront of the crowd…….ahhh magic!!!!!!!!!
GrahamODRE: South African Lightning F6 flies!
Wonderfull…….
I wonder how long it’ll be before Delta’s Hunter pilot Dave Roome, will be flying out to SA to take her up? After all, the former XR773 was ‘his’ Lightning when he did his tour with 74 Sqn at Tenegh 30 years ago……….
GrahamODRE: RN Historic Flight
Absolutely…..mind you I’m one who feels the flight should have taken on a Buccaneer S.2 on retirement for returning to Naval config., not to mention the Sea Vixen, as companions for the Sea Hawk. There was also the missed opputunity to have ‘ear-marked’ a Falklands combat veteran FRS.1 Sea Harrier for future use as well.
I know….money, or rather lack of it, same old chesnut!!!!
GrahamODRE: Englishelectriclightning.com *Chat room now open*
Have spent last few weeks trying to access this without much success. Always get message ‘server unavailable try again’.
Also is this a live chat or a post forum like this flypast site? Hope it’s like this Flypast site as my only access to a PC is the one at work, so a live chat site is going to be out of bounds to me. What we need is a ‘Frightning’ dedicated Flypast style forum. The Lightning Preservation Group have a suitable one in the form of their ‘message board’ but it does’nt seem to be visited by many people!
http://www.photo-restorations.fsbusiness.co.uk/lightnings/
Aahh…me getting sentimental over the the whoosh of an avpin starter and the whine of a pair of avons…again!
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