Me, grinning like a school boy, in NX611, last autumn.

DS

East Kirkby first sounds an excellent idea. Burgers, teas and Lancasters all round! 🙂

I for one can’t afford to get any rounder, or I won’t fit in the turrets :rolleyes: ! For that matter, am I right in thinking we will get a chance to see inside the Flight?

DS

Fantastic- can’t wait! I assume those going will also want to watch Just Jane in East Kirkby, then go on to Conningsby for the evening? I might even try to catch the RAF Hendon Lanc first thing in the morning as well! Getting in the Duxford Lanc might be a bit too much….. 🙂

DS

Maybe the person in charge of food at Cosford should go and give some advice to their counter-part at Hendon as Cosford’s food was first class today.

The grub at East Kirkby is rather tasty, but very expensive. Mind you, they throw in a ride in a Lancaster for free.

DS

DS

easy: triangle markings on tail = 1st Air Division

K in triangle = 379th BG

look up 379th BG codes and the only one possible is LF for the 526th BS

WA = 524th BS
FR = 525th BS
LF = 526th BS
FO = 527th BS

😎

Martin

*Edit* – Skipper was faster (I lost again :rolleyes: )

Now you’ve explained it, I’m not so impressed!! 😉

This may be pure scandal – in which case I may end up in The Tower – but I saw a program on this a while back where it was alleged that he took the controls from the pilot, whilst not being in full control of his facalties. As a newt.

DS

Well, my late grandad was ground crew on Wellingtons, then Stirlings, then Lancasters, all with 149 Sqdn; I never ceased to be amazed at his sheer love of the Stirling, even over the obviously far better Lancaster. But for him, there was just something about it…he used to enjoy being stubbornly indifferent to seeing PA474 buzzing about over his head (Though really, I’m sure he loved it!) and I wish that there had been some Stirling for him to view during his lifetime. 🙁

For me it is the sheer ‘presence’ of the thing. Longer and taller than the Lanc, Stirlings were the biggest planes that most people in the RAF – outside of Coastal Command with its Sunderlands – had ever seen. They had plenty of faults – largely due to the restrictions placed on their design and the lack of a really good powerplant. But their solid build and high turn rates (even said to be able to out-turn a Hurricane?) won them a lot of supporters. And, as most often quoted, they were the first 4 engined heavy and specifically designed as such.

DocStirling