From the daughter of a Soldier.

[bennylaird]

An email I just received....................

Last week I was in Melbourne attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed one of the greatest acts of patriotism I have ever seen.

Moving through the terminal was a group of soldiers in their uniforms, as they began heading to their gate everyone (well almost everyone) was abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering.

When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered for, it hit me. I'm not alone. I'm not the only red blooded Australian who still loves this country and supports our troops and their families.

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work, and enjoy our home without fear or reprisal.

Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old, ran up to one of the male soldiers.

He knelt down and said "hi," the little girl then asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her.

The young soldier didn’t look any older than maybe 22, himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughters name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Corporal and had been in Afghanistan for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter, Courtney, missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up.

When this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of the soldiers huddled together for a brief second. Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military looking walkie-talkie. They started playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to Courtney, bent down and said this to her, "I spoke to your daddy and he told me to give this to you."

He then hugged this little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying "Your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and he is coming home very soon."

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young soldier stood to his feet he saluted Courtney and her mom.

I was standing no more than 6 feet away as this entire event unfolded.

As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed their applause. As I stood there applauding and looked around, there were very few dry eyes, including my own.

That young soldier in one last act of moment turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his cheek.

We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and thank God for them and their sacrifices.

At the end of the day, it's good to be an Australian.


RED FRIDAYS

Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Australian's who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or over-bearing. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.

Many Australian's, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of Australia supports our troops.

Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that every Australian who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make Australia on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football team.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long before Australians covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on. The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is..."We need your support and your prayers". Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday.

[bitingmidge]

No, it didn't come in an email to me, it's just that I hate the way this stuff grows and grows and grows..........

If someone is going to rip off a schmaltzy story, at least they should have the good grace to rip it off without changing it, or attribute it to the original author, Helen Demidenko.

No offence Benny, there's nothing essentially wrong with the sentiment, just that despite the words, it didn't strike me as being too "Australian", and I was right!

THANKFULLY THE LAST FEW LINES WERE OMITTED in your qoute though!

Cheers,

P


This came to me in an email. I intend to do it.

Last week I was in Atlanta, Georgia attending a conference. While I was
in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me
beginning to clap and cheer. I immediately turned around and witnessed
one of the greatest act's of patriotism I have ever seen.

Moving thru the terminal was a group of soldiers in their camo's, as
they began heading to their gate everyone (well almost everyone) was
abruptly to their feet with their hands waving and cheering. When I saw
the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them, being applauded and cheered for it
hit me, I'm not alone. I'm not the only red blooded American who still
loves this country and supports our troops and their families .

Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young
unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us sowe can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal. Just when I
thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men
and women a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old, ran up to one of
the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said "hi," the little girl then
she asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her. The young
soldier, he didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would
try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little
girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she
could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.

The mother of the little girl, who said her daughters name was Courtney,
told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in
Iraq for 11 months now. As the mom was explaining how much her daughter,
Courtney, missed her father, the young soldier began to tear up. When
this temporarily single mom was done explaining her situation, all of
the soldiers huddled together for a brief second. Then one of the other
servicemen pulled out a military looking walkie-talkie. They started
playing with the device and talking back and forth on it.

After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back over to
Courtney, bent down and said this to her, "I spoke to your daddy and he
told me to give this to you." He then hugged this little girl that he
had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He finished by saying
"your daddy told me to tell you that he loves you more than anything and
he is coming home very soon."

The mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the young
soldier stood to his feet he saluted Courtney and her mom. I was
standing no more than 6 feet away from this entire event unfolded. As
the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate, people resumed
their applause. As I stood there applauding and ! looked around, their
were very few dry eyes, including my own. That young soldier in one last
act of selflessness, turned around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a
tear rolling down cheek.

We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their families and
thank God for them and their sacrifices. At the end of the day, it's
good to be an American

Red Friday
Just keeping you "in the loop" so you'll know what's going on in case
this takes off.

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing
Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to
be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent, and are
voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers.
We are not organized, bois terous or over-bearing. We get no liberal
media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to
recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops.

Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity
and respect starts this Friday (July 21) -and continues each and every Friday
until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.
Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear
something red.

By word of mouth, press, TV-let's make the United States on every Friday
a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.

If every one of us who loves this country will share this with
acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family. It will not be long
before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the
once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more
than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says when asked "What can we do to make things
better for you?" is...We need your support and your prayers.

Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and
wear something red every Friday.

WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE,
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.

THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED---- SO WEAR RED! --- MAY GOD HELP AMERICA TO
BECOME ONE NATION, UNDER GOD.

[silentC]

"Mom" was a dead giveaway. And all the talk about God.


these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work, and enjoy our home without fear or reprisal
:rolleyes:

[bennylaird]

Bugger, sent to me by a sailor as well, blatant rip off if every I saw one.

Here's the bit I didnt copy as well.


IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON

IF YOU COULD NOT CARE LESS THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON. IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED---- SO WEAR RED! ---

Lest We Forget, Lest We Forget.


HAVE A GREAT DAY!

[Termite]

Well regardless of where it originated, it's not a bad idea. It's certainly better than the one that was in fashion about 40 years ago.;)
2122255

[sidon55]

So it was a rip off, but the sentiment applies equally here in Australia. At least the lads and lasses are getting support whether you agree they shopuld be there or not, unlike our Viet Nma vets.

[silentC]

I suppose the point is that our armed services people are doing a job that they are paid to do. They get my support but not my sympathy. I don't mean that to sound harsh, what I mean is that I don't feel sorry for them - they are there because they chose that career. It must be hard to be away from family and friends but other professions suffer from the same isolation.

I imagine there would be people there who just view it as a job and take it all on board. Others probably get right off on it. Then there would be the ones who wonder what the #### they are doing there and why Australia has to be involved in it at all.

We certainly shouldn't criticise them. If anyone is criticised, it should be the government that sent them there. I don't go in for all that emotional clap trap though. As I said, they chose that career and so they have to take the good with the bad.

Now conscription is a different story, but let's not go there...

[Clinton1]

WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE.
THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED---- SO WEAR RED! --- MAY GOD HELP AMERICA TO BECOME ONE NATION, UNDER GOD

Those Americans get a bit stirred up don't they?

[Daddles]

The thing we need to be careful about is adopting american militarism. The seppos hold violence as a great virtue and that is different to Australian standards of the past. We've always been in the forefront when it came to defending others and have always fought well and as a nation when required. The recent moves to invading others other countries for 'regime change' and other spurious excuses, the ready acceptance of military action to solve problems is something that is coming in from america (and they aren't the only ones who work that way, they cop a mention because that's where we're learning it from).

The courage and ability of our fighting forces is something all Australians can be proud of. We have a long reputation for efficiency and for being able to work with the local people. I personally am very proud of our armed forces, how they've conducted themselves and what they've achieved. That pride is being reinforced by our work in Iraq.

However, there is always the political side of it. There is much in recent politics that I take no pride in and much that I find abhorent. Those feelings do not transfer to our forces who are following the orders of the politicians.

While the sentiments expressed in Bennylaird's post have a nice foundation, I feel they come too close to lauding the use of violence, to promoting violence as a way of solving problems. The seppos can keep their militarism, it's not needed in Australia and this Australian doesn't want it.

Richard
a pacifist who loves reading about our fighting forces, who is proud of our fighting forces and who thinks many of the weapons of war are really neat :rolleyes:

[silentC]

a pacifist who loves reading about our fighting forces, who is proud of our fighting forces and who thinks many of the weapons of war are really neat
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with WWII. In particular, fighter aircraft, specifically the Spitfire. I was a Spitfire nut. I had a heap of war comics that had belonged to my Uncle and that was about all I ever read. I loved war movies and anything that had footage of a Spitfire in it sent my pulse racing. I had models of them hanging from my bedroom ceiling and I used to draw pictures of them. I still like the look of them and go to the War Memorial whenever in Canberra to have a look at theirs. Yet the thought of climbing into the cockpit of one and taking on some of Herman Goering's finest scares the pants off me.

[Daddles]

It's a shame that some really beautiful and effective machines have to be used to destroy and kill. The irony being, of course, that without that potential use, those machines wouldn't be there in the first place. I can still remember the first day I saw an F111. I loved my time with the SLR. The FA18 still sends shivers down my spine, especially when I remember the airshow where it flew rings around the small, dainty and gorgeous but aged Mirage.

And fear? I've often read that you can tell the insane ones in a war zone - they're the ones who aren't scared :rolleyes: Thank goodness I never had to do it for real and for those of you who did, you have my respect.

Richard

[Wongo]

Support our troops so we all have oil to run a bloody big car.:rolleyes:

[meerkat]

Lets not forget that we shouldn't confuse politics the military.

Lets not forget that its the failure of our polititians and diplomats that lead us into war.

Lets not forget that it's the radicals of this world (whoever they may be) that incite the ongoing hatred and fear that lead the other more balanced people into conflict.

Lets not forget that it's the polititians that try to hide our vets when they return and not recognise them for what they did. What did they do ? What the polititians told them to do.

Those who feel strongly enough that protecting our way of life with their life should be supported regardless of the political decisions being made.

There are most probably quite a lot of diggers around that would rather not be where they are today. Give them the support and credit for standing up and saying I'm sticking this out.

We shouldn't be painting them with the same brush the others are painted with.

Also lets not forget those who are risking and have given their lives helping others in peacetime etc as well. The Sea King in Indonesia, Peacekeepers (military and civilian) all around the world of whatever persuasion and countless others.

[Paul H]

My office is near the RSL "ANZAC" club in Perth city. When I go out at lunchtime, if I see any diggers heading in there I make a point of going up to them, shaking their hand and saying thanks. It shouldn't only happen once a year. We owe the ex- and current service men a lot and should let them know we are grateful.

[bennylaird]

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with WWII. In particular, fighter aircraft, specifically the Spitfire. I was a Spitfire nut.


And rightly so, forget the mission and admire the flying machine.

[bennylaird]

What sort of man can climb out of a trench into devastating machine gun fire so as not to let his mates down? Maybe that's why we respect the ANZAC legend?

[silentC]

I think there are several sides to that story. The one we like to remember is the story of bravery and comradeship. That's a good story to remember and it makes us proud of them.

One of the other sides was revealed to me when I read the diary of a great grandfather of an ex-girlfriend. He was stationed in France at the front line and was basically ####ting himself the whole time. He was there for a few days and was sent out into no-man's land on reconnaissance and almost caught. He was expected to write down everything he saw but in the heat of the moment, he bolted and forgot everything. After about a week in the trench, the Germans launched a mustard gas attack and he spent most of the rest of his time there in the military hospital while they shoved wires up his nose (he never explained why) and in excruciating pain. They sent him back eventually and he got hit by some shrapnel and was eventually sent back home.

He talked about the young blokes crying in the trenches, didn't say whether he did or not. It was very matter of fact and unemotional, but then he was only 17 at the time.

[bennylaird]

Like I said what sort of man (woman) can go through it all. To follow insane instructions from command. Bravery? Madness? Just glad that my military service didn't put me in that situation. Vietnam vets have good reason to despise after the treatment they received on return. Conscripted and doing what was ordered only to be spat upon by peace activists using violence to get their points across??????

[namtrak]

I have my grandfathers diary from WW1. He spent a year around the Somme and wrote about it, on a regular basis. He was pretty phelgmatic about it all "copped one in the shoulder today, thought I was a gonna but met up with Jimmy Phillips and we followed a little dog to safety" etc He got a lot more excited about his days off out the back where they beat the Waikato 1st Regiment 5-0 in a game of Rugby, or got sloshed on some plonk he found etc

[bennylaird]

My Dads stories of the Middle East and New Guinea were mainly all the good times, very rarely mentioned any of the bad times. Some idiot asked him once if he saw any of his mates die. He was clearly not happy to recall such things...

[Studley 2436]

My experience is the same Benny

The vets I have known are happy to talk about funny things that happened, but never the fighting or killing. I did get to hear a story once though about one diggers patrol. He went on a march into the mountains of PNG armed with a mere 6 rounds of ammo! Shoot straight son *LOL* Anyway he came to a position above a harbour the Japanese were using and made a radio call to direct an air strike. There was a submarine that dived but after the raid he saw an oil slick come up. I've never never heard a guts and glory story I don't think it has ever been told by anyone who was there. They just don't do that.

In more recent times with the respect given to returned soldiers there are fakes around the place. I was at a bar once and one guy we were talking with was going on like he was the real deal so the other guy there said to him, as soldiers always do, which unit were you with. The first guy said I am not into those numbers and that. Well the second guy and I just turned our backs. Those unit numbers are like names and addresses to those in the military. They know them as they let them know who is who. Can get confusing to a civilian when they start talking such and such was there replaced by so and so. I can't keep up with the numbers myself but being a civilian that doesn't matter.

Anyway Richard I have to say the old Mirage IIIC flies the wings off of the FA-18. It is faster has a higher ceiling, better turning too. It doesn't have the same avionics and weapons systems and it can't carry nearly as much ordnance. It belongs to another time. War planes today are largely ordnance delivery devices. It is unlikely that planes will be close enough ever for them to explore their "dogfighting" abilities.

Studley

[bennylaird]

Never get in the way of a Mirage on approach, nose is so high they have to land blind, favorite exception was the nice procedural turn approach side slipping all the way in with a quick kick straight before touchdown.

We had an air trafficer who used to run up the control tower calling everyone to watch the Mirage on a flapless approach.......

(Mirages hvae no flaps, so every approach is flapless)

Hmmm lots of good memories rekindled and I don't think a RAAF Mirage ever fired a shot in anger at anyone?

Proud son of a 2/6 Battalion veteran..........................

[Andy Mac]

I'm reminded of an occasion at Adelaide Central Station, where a mate and I were on our first leave from RAAF rookies at Edinburgh, 1980. Straight into town, uniform on, looking very pleased with ourselves. We were having a coffee or something when this old digger came up to us, and with tears streaming down his face he let us have it, both barrels! "Think you're so bloody tough, you don't know the truth of military service ...etc!". We snuck away as he went on, but he must have had a tough time during the war, losing family or mates. We felt pretty sheepish though.
I too used to enjoy making aircraft models as a kid, Mosquito being a bit of a fave. I love that plywood technology with monster engines!:D And later enjoyed working on aircraft in the RAAF...the old F111 is an amazing bit of engineering still. It seems an unfortunate truth that war/military technology provides a great boost for technology generally, as it filters down.

Cheers,

[meerkat]

My Dads stories of the Middle East and New Guinea were mainly all the good times, very rarely mentioned any of the bad times. Some idiot asked him once if he saw any of his mates die. He was clearly not happy to recall such things...

You know, I've heard a guy in whatever they call the army cadets ask an Iraq vet if he ever saw dead people or the like. I was gob smacked but eventually put it down youth and inexperience.

I learnt early on not to ask vets about their tour(s). If they want to talk they will if not leave it be.

Ok now we are onto stories, my best memory of an F111 was when I was in Brisbane and an F111 did a fly by past our ship so close it wasn't funny. I was at attention for quite a while after that;):o:D

[bennylaird]

Like this??

[bennylaird]

While at rookies I was marking along, (no such thing as walking...)
Saw a shadow flit past, then the earth shattering roar as 2 F111s went over me at low altitude. Not at attention, but time for a change of underwear......

[meerkat]

While at rookies I was marking along, (no such thing as walking...) ...

Marking along... better keep you away from our dog, between the two of you we'd get nowhere :D

and yep close

[silentC]

We were driving somewhere out near Wagga and we heard this rumble. What the F is that? Next thing these two F111s flew straight over the top of us, one behind the other. I swear the car lifted up on its suspension as they went past.

[Daddles]

We were driving somewhere out near Wagga and we heard this rumble. What the F is that? Next thing these two F111s flew straight over the top of us, one behind the other. I swear the car lifted up on its suspension as they went past.

You're lucky they flew OVER you. I was surveying out in country NSW and two of the sods came through BELOW us, following a gully at something like 'fence height plus a foot' (to be fair, we were in a bombing range and we were on top of a hill, but it was a very low hill and they were in a gully).

And as for Studley claiming the Mirage will outfly an FA18, well ... I must confess that my only exposure to them is at airshows, but I've been going to them for over thirty years. Mate, I've never seen a Mirage haul around the sky like an FA18 can - it's call brute force amongst anything else (the Mirage is one of the prettiest a/c ever). The incident I was referring to was with both a/c in the sky at the same time ... though it's possible they were asked to fake it, the difference was, let us say, dramatic. As for dogfighting being dead, are you telling me that Top Gun was just fiction :eek: :D

But we mustn't be too hard on politicians, there are some good ones, the cemetaries are full of good politicians. Bit like cats, my Dad comes into my house and always asks my Siamese - "haven't you become a good cat yet?"

Richard

[Auld Bassoon]

Driving through northern Germany heading east in the late seventies minding my own business when I noticed a couple of shadows flash past - then a humongous earth-shattering roar as I saw that two F104 Starfighters had passed just a couple of hundred meters overhead - then sat on their tails on went onto reheat. Cor!

Has just passed a USAF airbase. I guess they didn't need signs with that kind of show :D

[ozwinner]

From the Melbourne Air show 2003.

Al :)

[stevebaby]

I'm reminded of an occasion at Adelaide Central Station, where a mate and I were on our first leave from RAAF.....
I too used to enjoy making aircraft models as a kid, Mosquito being a bit of a fave. I love that plywood technology with monster engines!:D ...images/attach/jpg.gifPhoto-reconnaissance version,no armaments,drop-tanks.And made of wood...appropriate for the forum.Click to enlarge.

[scooter]

Darren (or anyone else :) ), did you see that BBC programme shown on the ABC (I think) on the Spitfire, it ran over a few episodes & covered a lot of Spitfire/WW2/Battle of Britain stuff.

The main premise of the show was about some youngsters from different walks of life in Britain being trained up & put through their paces, the best of the lot being able to actually fly the Spitfire on a dummy "mission".

It was meant to represent what the young pilots in the Battle of Britain went through & were faced with.

Terrific show, loved the historical stuff.


Cheers...............Sean

[bennylaird]

Have to give Navy pilots their due, when we had a fleet air arm. We had 3 trackers leaving East Sale after a week of exercises. We climbed on top of the control tower to see them do a beat up. First one dived in from about 500 ft to run down the runway flat tack at about 12ft alt. The next did the same but the props almost left furrows.

The last one not to be outdown did the same but down the taxiway, we had to look down to see him. The guy in the slasher mowing the airfield near the taxiway must have looked up late and when he saw him he jumped out of the tractor over the slashers. Then spent the next few mins chasing after the tractor trying to get back on.

[silentC]

Darren (or anyone else ), did you see that BBC programme shown on the ABC (I think) on the Spitfire, it ran over a few episodes & covered a lot of Spitfire/WW2/Battle of Britain stuff.
Missed it. They show a bit of stuff on the History channel every so often. Most of the series off the BBC are available on DVD, so I might have a look next time I'm in the ABC shop.

[bennylaird]

Good movie is Dark Blue World, get the dvd as it has good add ons on how it was made.

Polish fighter pilot with an interesting twist. Shows how vets can be treated badly.

[Studley 2436]

I did see one show that was just like what you were describing but they were training to fly a Lancaster bomber.

It was very interesting to see particularly when they did bombing runs and sometimes fluffed it completely with just the pressure to stay on the show. Wonder how that compares with having the enemy shooting at you?

One good bit was an old airman saying how they once landed at an American base and got to see the B17. They stirred up the Yanks by saying where do the bombs go? The B17 with all it's extra gunners and armour plate had much less room for payload.

Studley

[bennylaird]

images/attach/jpg.gifPhoto-reconnaissance version,no armaments,drop-tanks.And made of wood...appropriate for the forum.Click to enlarge.

If you want to help restore one?????:D


http://www.raafmuseum.com.au/

[bennylaird]

Heres another pic

[bennylaird]

Tell the Yanks about the 10 tonne Grand Slam that thes could deliver?

[silentC]

I was looking through some stuff packed away in boxes since I was a kid a few months ago and found my old Airfix catalogue. That was my bible when I was 15. I had been through and circled all the ones I wanted to get. I had half the RAF and Luftwaffe selected. Never liked the yank or Jap planes much. I had a thing for the BF 109E and the Ju 87 as well as the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the Lancaster bomber. :o

[Andy Mac]

Never liked the yank or Jap planes much.

I had a model of a Corsair, which was a pretty grunty aircraft in its day. And the Lightning...P3?? with twin tail booms(empenage?) was a stylish, sleek looking thing.

Cheers,

[stevebaby]

If you want to help restore one?????:D


http://www.raafmuseum.com.au/I'd love to,but Pt Cook is a little too far to travel.
Someone in sydney is apparently restoring one,but I've never been able to track them down.
My old man was an armourer on Lincolns.There was an inspection imminent and one of the guns was u.s.,so the armourers made a replica.
After the inspection,noone wanted it so Dad brought it home for me.
It made the other kids,with their chrome plated cap guns,really jealous when I took it to school.
LOL,how long would an 8 year old last today,walking to school carrying a replica Browning .303 machine gun?

[bennylaird]

still when it comes to ugly no one beats the French.

[stevebaby]

I was looking through some stuff packed away in boxes since I was a kid a few months ago and found my old Airfix catalogue. That was my bible when I was 15. I had been through and circled all the ones I wanted to get. I had half the RAF and Luftwaffe selected. Never liked the yank or Jap planes much. I had a thing for the BF 109E and the Ju 87 as well as the Spitfire, the Hurricane and the Lancaster bomber. :oAnd when they got broken you could hang them from the clothesline and set them on fire.
Only the german ones of course.
How little we knew of the reality of aerial combat,and what brave young men they were.

[silentC]

Don't worry, the German's had their own ugly ducklings:

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/wwii/photos/gallery_005/Blom%20&%20Voss%20BV%20141.jpg

[stevebaby]

still when it comes to ugly no one beats the French.P 38 Lightning?

[bennylaird]

nice in an ugly way

[silentC]

when they got broken you could hang them from the clothesline and set them on fire
Me and a mate used to pull old TVs out of the tip and get the capacitors. If you picked the right ones, you could put a 240volt charge through them and they would explode like detonators. Somewhere I have a video that we took with my Grandfather's portable video camera (portable!! you should have seen the size of the thing) in which we inserted a capacitor into the body of a model of a Bristol Bulldog and connected it up to the power. Awesome! Well, we thought so at the time :o

[stevebaby]

Don't worry, the German's had their own ugly ducklings:

http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/wwii/photos/gallery_005/Blom%20&%20Voss%20BV%20141.jpgWhere's the other half?:D

[bennylaird]

Me and a mate used to pull old TVs out of the tip and get the capacitors. If you picked the right ones, you could put a 240volt charge through them and they would explode like detonators. Somewhere I have a video that we took with my Grandfather's portable video camera (portable!! you should have seen the size of the thing) in which we inserted a capacitor into the body of a model of a Bristol Bulldog and connected it up to the power. Awesome! Well, we thought so at the time :o


Was enjoying watching one burn in the sand pit, that is till I noticed the petrol can in my hand was on fire. Had a nice aircraft crash senario with a bushfire as well when I threw it down.

[stevebaby]

nice in an ugly wayCorsair?
I know my airfix!:)
Recently read a history of the invasion of Okinawa...The marines on the ground loved the sight of these things.

[bennylaird]

Ok when I break right you break left?????:D :eek:

[bennylaird]

P 38 Lightning?


Nah was thinking two things at once..... P38's are nice....

Will find some ugly French aircraft to post.

[bennylaird]

But a different slant

[Andy Mac]

Was that a Dornier? Yeah the P38 was a beautiful thang. Corsair, you're right, ugly but in a nice way! One of my models was a Junkers Ju52, a bit like a Dakota, light transport, but could have been made of corro!

Cheers,

[silentC]

could have been made of corro
It was. The skin was corrugated metal. Not unlike the Ford Tri-motor the yanks used to use for transport and parachute drops etc...

Tri-motor:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/4515/Ford-Front-Left2.jpg

Ju 52:
http://www.siegerland-airport.de/pictures_galerie/JU52.jpg

[stevebaby]

Sheds with wings...I want one.:)

[bennylaird]

These are available as kits if you want to knock one up for your self. Not a lot of woodwork in them though.

[scooter]

Missed it. They show a bit of stuff on the History channel every so often. Most of the series off the BBC are available on DVD, so I might have a look next time I'm in the ABC shop.

Just did a quick google, Darren, it was called Spitfire Ace, here's (http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/n-s/spitfire.html) a link.

Only had a quick look but seems there may only be a book of the series, doesn't seem available on DVD.

Someone may have taped it if you're lucky.

Well worth tracking down if you were keen on 'em.


Cheers................Sean

[bennylaird]

Another series, from a book of the same name, Piece of Cake. Fictional but a good storyline with lots of Spits.

[silentC]

Thanks, I'll hunt them down.

Can't wait till my son is old enough to start building models. I'll buy him a Spit for his first go. My first was a Spit and so was my last - it was an Anniversary edition of the 1:72 kit and I bought it from the shop in the Imperial War Museum in London.

[bennylaird]

If you ever get a chance go to Duxford, so many aircraft so little time. And of course lots of Spits........