As I recall, one of the main characters was himself an RAF pilot; central to the plot (especially in the early episodes) .

Fair enough, not the strongest of links to ‘Historic Aviation’ but we can let it slip under the fence…but if my earlier post is read correctly it was a dig at Moderator procedure …we in the ‘Mother Country’ need our sense of humour, more that ever nowadays perhaps, but fair play also still counts for something, and rules for one and changing goalposts for another ,is slightly irksome….only slightly… God knows there’s enough to concern us without trivia like this. Mea Culpa… for even bothering to rise to the bait! No hard feelings to all those Oz b******s and ex-pats who used to be my friends!

PS I like Foyle’s War…I like Michael Kitchen..his understated method of acting is excellent…did you see him as Berkeley-Cole in ‘Out of Africa’…and Meryl Streep….now there’s supreme talent!….Better not go there! Mod! MOD!MOD! Where are you? OK I’m going….:p

14 Squadron Vampires

Hi Speedy, another photo for you : ‘A’ Flight’s aircraft. Equipped with F.B.1’s in May 1953 , part of the ‘Fassberg’ Wing , 2nd.Tactical Air Force, Germany, they are carrying the Fassberg lightning flash on the nose and tip tanks.

Apart from WK413 B Z (nearest camera) other representative a/c were WE349B F and WE363 B A Regards, Brian S.

Spitfire Mk V 4th FG 1942 Debden, UK : Despite the obviously British aircraft , the featured groundcrew in this shot couldn’t possibly be other than USAAF, could they? You can almost taste the Wrigley’s gum!
Thanks for sharing these classic photos.:)
On second thoughts, has anyone else noticed why are they all so camera-shy? Ex-Chicago, perhaps? :diablo:

Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945 ( Ray Sturtivant -Air Britain) adds a little more info: 820 Squadron, port undercarriage collapsed, over side ‘Indefatigable’ Code 3 (I have no details on the Code system : presumably written off) Date 28/7/1945 Pilot was Sub Lt.DM Thomas.No mention of fatalities .(Another interesting entry is for JZ613 820 Squadron , also in the ‘Indefatigable’ same pilot ,20/04/45 , bounced,floated over No 1 Barrier and crashed into No 2.
(Another Code 3..whatever that indicates) And Sub Lt Thomas , yet again, JZ443 Caught No 3 wire, landed to starboard, wing hit ‘Indefatigable’s’ island (The dreaded Code 3 again, this time 2/04/1945)
Whether it was ‘three strikes and you’re out!’ I can’t say, but I imagine this particular pilot could have wished for a less-eventful posting to 820 and the ‘Indefat’.
(All credit to the late Ray for his untiring trawl through the records to glean the information that exists today for our benefit. Ray, you’re sadly missed)
It may be worth contacting the FAA Museum Yeovilton, to see whether more information may be gleaned from 820 Squadron records, if any survive. )

The report also calls him Torrens-Spens, but that could be a typo.

Is this the gentleman in question? MICHAEL TORRENS-SPENCE. If so, as you can see from the attached url. sadly, no longer with us, but what a distinguished career he had, and to quote from James Michener’s novel ‘The Bridges of Toko-ri’ ,the closing line from the film – “Where do we get such men?”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1361880/Michael-Torrens-Spence.html

Brian S.

returning 458 back to bear metal is not and option for us as there are only 5 of us.

Whatever happened to the Scout’s ‘Bob-a Job’ Week? Once upon a time me and my pack would have gladly paid a bob, and brought our own Brillo pads. Or doesn’t it work like that any more? DYB – DYB- DYB !!! { For the post Decimal lot…Pay attention at the back! 1-Bob =12 Old Pence = 1 Shilling = 5 pee } DOB-DOB-DOB :rolleyes:

PMSL Brian. Maybe I should have phrased that a little better. 😀

Couldn’t resist it Martin, just the wee devil in me! I hope you’re not sleeping on the couch tonight as a result! Tell her I didn’t mean it! 😮

Blimey, just when I was giving up all hope of finding any pictures of goats on Spitfires – and look what turns up!

Even intensive Googling couldn’t find me a goat on a Spitfire either ! Snake in a Tomahawk, donkey in a B24, yes, but nadah for a goat!:rolleyes: