TT,

Thanks for your vote,

The Bulldog was satisfying because it turned out to be where I was looking for it, but the recovery of a rare Demon Tank by “accident” to fit in a “hole” where it was needed was a real highlight of my involvement in this hobby, (especially since I had been offered it only earlier that day, declined it as a piece of unknown a/c that wouldnt fit easily in my Datsun 180B already loaded to the hilt with good-stuff) and so left on a trailer intended to be dumped at the tip.

As this was the second time I was guilty of unknowingly passing up a rare item that was going to be dumped, I immediately unloaded my car, departed Jacks Hangar and raced off to reclaim it before it was dumped.

The “urgency” of this, the “must do” of this, was due to the fact that at the early age of 14 I purchased my first aircraft relic with my hard earnt pocket money, and had to choose between a slightly damaged, but still fabriced Wirraway aileron, or a length of straight/NOS but unidentified fuselage structure.

After many days of indecision I chose the aileron (which launched my Wirrway project and parts hunt) but caused me to leave the other part to be otherwise disposed.

Imagine my dismay to learn later (and confirm by photos) that this was a section of fuselage from a rare locally designed/built CAC CA11 Woomera 🙁

:(:(:(:(:( I have been doing penance ever since by finding Hawker Demon parts, and Bullldog remains in the bush, to ensure my soul doesnt burn in hell.

So far I havent lost another patient.

regards

Mark Pilkington

thanks GASML,

The aluminium firewall looked 100% Tigermoth, but the cockpit openings and rear fuselage didnt at all – BE-2 replica explains why they didnt

regards

Mark Pilkington

GASML,

is that a DH60 or DH60M or just a garden variety DH82 in the garden shed??

regards

Mark Pilkington

I recently found a link to GOOGLE – EARTH on this website and spent hours touring the globe as a virtual tourist.

I understand that there is also a GOOGLE – MOON and I intend to download and play with that one tonight., and see what I can see in the Sea of Tranquility.

As to the “hollywood” creation of the moon landings, yes I have no doubt if the US Government had wanted to fake it that they could have done a credible job at it with 1960’s technology and it would take a few years for it to leak out, but its an entertaining theory but not really likely.

Surely one day this will be all proven conclusively to be real by the future trips to the moon, by historians, or “general public” paying tourists (from the higher income brackets certainly) which will no doubt visit the “one small step site” and take plaster casts of the shoe prints, tourist pics next to the “flag” and climb all over the four legged base of the “lander” and see what still turns on? and what souvenir’s they can unscrew and pocket without anyone seeing them being taken.

(I wonder if you can declare a “World Heritage Listing” to a patch of dirt and footprints on another “world” to protect it from tourists and souvenir hunters for future generations? 😀 )

There is much more “evidence” of the landings on the moon, than the reflectors, maybe Google -Moon will one day have the resolution to see the show size of Neil Armstrong.

I and my generation have seen an historic moment on TV and will take it to our graves, and my children take all this technology as a given and simply expect more of the same.

But my grandfather was born in 1900 and died 1993, he and his generation lived through the most unbelievable leaps foward in technology our civilisation – Air Travel, Space Travel, moving pictures, talking pictures TV in the home, Telephone – Communication, CARs, Computers, Microwaves, heart transplants, cloning, the internet, rock and roll and of course “wrap music”, — his eyes must have been constantly overwhelmed by what happened around him, and his ears deafened by the roar of technological progress (and the load music he couldnt stand us listening to, its something I now share in common with him 😉 ).

Again – 36 years since Neil took that step for us all!, and only 66 years after Orville and Wilbur launched us all into the air! – WOW!!!!

regards

Mark Pilkington

As a “Mark” that did get grilled about voicing an opinion that I agreed was simply that, I fully support the right of the hosts of this site to cool off debates when they become pointless and endless, or alternatively are at risk of entering the site into litigation. – It is their site.

I sought to end my involvement in that thread as pointless, and welcomed the actions of the Mods, interestingly that thread is now “rebirthing” itself here.

I dont intend to repeat or endlessly defend those same opinions here either, or bite on the hooks being dangled by some, to re-enter the same worthless debate.

My open invitation to take this into PM in the other thread was not taken up by anyone, it still stands if thats whats needed to let people vent it out of their system.

But I will not waste further time or screen space of other more important topics on debating that issue in the other thread or this one, – end of story.

regards

Mark Pilkington

It IS amazing to think its 36 years since the first moonwalk

(which had me enthrawled and let off from school so I could watch it in front of a out of focus black and white tv),

I too take my hat off to Neil Armstrong, and without in anyway belittling his great acheivement its worth noting he is just the very lucky man who got chosen to take the last step, in a very long walk, crawled by many men before him, to get him there.

It is nearly UNBELIEVABLE? to consider it occurred only 66 years after Orvile and Wilbur managed to get off the ground in a box kite contraption at Kittyhawk USA, now thats really wow!! to think what had to happen in those 66 years to get Neil safely up there, and back again – safely!

regards

Mark Pilkington

Damien

I am obviously wrong, I withdraw the lot, and I have no idea why anyone should complain about near miss accidents, the rising cost of Airshows, the falling patronage, the lack of funding for display teams and the rising costs of insurances?

Are airshows becoming risker?

No I dont think so, we are tending to plough in an historic aircraft or latest combat aircraft at the pretty much the same rate we always have for the last 15 years?? but now dont ask me to prove that – its a generalisation and intended so!

I am not sure what rate of near misses and hard hits is an acceptable number, 0 is a noble target to strive for, but there is a realistic limit while aircraft are flown, regardless of the safety margin.

I would hope “we”, “they”?, “someone” might reduce “the” rate of crashes and lost pilots or lost aircraft?? and all be concerned about that and try and achieve it by learning from mistakes, errors, failures etc.

I actually think Airshows could become less riskier, and that might lower insurances?? (insurance is the price of risk)

Please dont cut and past my opinions back to me, I wrote them, I know what I wrote, If you cant understand my rantings – ignore them, if you dont agree with them – fair enough – explain what you think happened and why its acceptable and just leave me out of it.

if you dislike my command of English – tuff I speak effluent Orstrayun, and besides I have got in first :rolleyes: ……..and I admit I am obviously wrong! lets just leave it at that.

I am obviously wrong, I withdraw the lot, and I have no idea why anyone should complain about near miss accidents, the rising cost of Airshows, the falling patronage, the lack of funding for display teams and the rising costs of insurances?

soory folks I love a good debate but…..I have far better things to do in my life

regards

Mark Pilkington