Billy Sheehan

Since there seems to be a sub-thread regarding bass players, what about Billy Sheehan? This is the bass solo from Mr. Big’s Addicted to That Rush.

PMN, I’m surprised you haven’t mentioned this bloke!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRuOQtg-pJ0

Chris

So where is ‘627 based now it’s left East Kirkby?

Chris

Very sadly “car crash TV” has been going on for ages and unfortunately, it seems to attract an audience. Look at how many times Donald Campbell’s Bluebird crash has been wheeled out on the box. There are also many land speed record incidents which seem to be replayed ad nauseum – some are fatal, some aren’t. Also, you only have to look at Youbend to see how many of these very unfortunate episodes are posted up.

Do I go looking for them? Er, no. Unfortunately, many seem to be “linked”, either by aircraft type, era, etc and are not very explanatory and sometimes we see them by accident.

Sadly however, there ARE people out there who DO seem to want to see either a catastrophic accident OR its aftermath.

Not me though.

Chris

This might explain why the moulds were in France. I wondered about the same thing. From Wikipedia of all places but probably right!

Decline, purchase by Humbrol

In the 1980s, the plastic kit modelling hobby went into a rapid decline. Some think this was due to the rise of computer games, others that new manufacturing techniques such as precision diecasting took away the market for toys, where a person was less interested in the construction and finishing of a model, but simply wanted to play with the finished product, others the declining birth rates leading into smaller generations and declining numbers of potential enthusiasts. However, the decline may simply be a side effect of large increases in the sticker price of plastic models following the oil crisis of the late ’70’s which led to high inflation as well as an increase in the price of plastics. This also may explain why the emphasis of the modelmaking hobby is today on adults rather than children.

Due to large losses in Airfix’s other toy businesses, even though the model business was still profitable, Airfix was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1981. The company was bought by General Mills (owner of rival US kit-maker MPC) through its UK Palitoy subsidiary, with the kit moulds being quickly shipped to its factory in Calais, France.

Four years later, General Mills withdrew from the toy market to refocus its efforts on its core food manufacturing business. At one point it looked as if the Airfix range might die out, but eventually, in 1986, it was bought by the Hobby Products Group of Borden, Inc., who had tried to buy the range in 1981. Borden were also the owners of British model company Humbrol. The moulds remained in France but were relocated to the Group’s existing kit manufacturer, Trun-based Heller SA. This was a logical acquisition, since Humbrol’s paints and adhesives could be used to complete Airfix kits and the Heller factory was under-utilised.

The Hobby Products Group was sold to an Irish investment company, Allen & McGuire, in 1994 and continued under the Humbrol name.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airfix)

Chris

Oh God – 48.4! 🙁 I may as well end it all now!

Chris

A quick look at Air Britain reveals WT339 to be a B(I)8 and served with 88, 14, 3 and 16 Sqns and became 8198M on 09/06/72

Chris

Edit. Oops – should have read Ross’ post 😮