Rarest flying thing seen today I'll wager!

[weekender]

Altaltman


Air Fete began in 1976 as part of the celebration of America’s 200th birthday. It was held every year, usually on Memorial Day weekend, until 1999, when it was called off during Operation Allied Force, the NATO-led effort to push the Serbs from the Kosovo province. It was held again in 2000 and 2001 with crowds reaching half a million people for the Saturday and Sunday flying and static aircraft shows. In recent years the Air Fete has been cancelled due to operational requirements in support of the Global War on Terrorism, and a scheduled runway construction project in 2004.


Sent from somewhere?

 

[BillyBlade]

Stunning aircraft, and as the grandson of a spitfire pilot, the sound of the merlin always stops me in my tracks. It was yet another engineering product we got 'just right' back in the day.

Regarding the 'mad minute', I have an AiA which is really just an updated enfield with regards to a detachable box mag and being in .308. My other grandfather carried an enfield back when he was angry camping.

I have done the mad minute with it, and I ran out of shoulder long before I ran out of rounds. Big girls blouse that I am.

Huge respect for that generation. I hope we never allow ourselves to forget their sacrifices and achievements.

 

[British Red]

I have done the mad minute with it, and I ran out of shoulder long before I ran out of rounds. Big girls blouse that I am.

I hope you didn't use your index finger on the trigger?

 

[BillyBlade]

I hope you didn't use your index finger on the trigger?

Grandfather was a senior NCO in the Cameronian Regiment. What do you think!

He'd have risen from the grave if I had I'm sure.

Edited to add I was using the 30 round box mag at the time. The chiropractor I use (being Texan) was highly amused when I admitted why I needed her to put my clavical back in place.

 

[British Red]

Ahhh they are great guns - I did 450 rounds through a Jungle Carbine one afternoon in an ETR comp. Then I picked it up by the barrel. Not a mistake I'll make again.

 

[BillyBlade]

Always fancied a No5, flawed though it is. It was really a scout rifle, long before the scout rifle concept was in existence.

I have a No4, and although I dont shoot it as much (due to ammo cost really, cheaper to spit out .308) it's a beautiful piece of history. It helped the good guys win the last world war. It may help them win the next one as well.

 

[atlatlman]

Altaltman


Air Fete began in 1976 as part of the celebration of America’s 200th birthday. It was held every year, usually on Memorial Day weekend, until 1999, when it was called off during Operation Allied Force, the NATO-led effort to push the Serbs from the Kosovo province. It was held again in 2000 and 2001 with crowds reaching half a million people for the Saturday and Sunday flying and static aircraft shows. In recent years the Air Fete has been cancelled due to operational requirements in support of the Global War on Terrorism, and a scheduled runway construction project in 2004.


Sent from somewhere?

Bloody terrorists. I went to the 1976 one. Boy that was a hot year. I sat on the wing of a phantom jet and had my photo taken. Not for long though, you could fry an egg on the bonnet of a car that day.

 

[Biker]

A rare sight indeed Hugh, well done for grabbing the pix on the fly like that. Last year while I was in Kent at my Mother's house she and I were in the shed looking for something when I heard the sound of a prop driven plane flying over, I grabbed her hand and pulled her out with me and before we saw it I said that's a Spitfire! And it was, she looked at me with a "How the hell did you know that?" expression. I'm no expert but you can't mistake a Merlin rumbling overhead. Later that week I took her to the Spitfire and Hurricane museum at Manston. She grew up in London during the blitz and her Dad was a fireman during those eventful days. She said that the sound of a Spitfire had a very different meaning back then. I suppose living through it and not knowing the outcome of the war must have been pretty bloody scary

This time next month I plan on being up at Arromanche for the 70th anniversary of D-Day. I was there for the 65th and it was a humbling experience to say the least The Memorial flight was there then and I'm sure it'll do another fly past again this time.

Thanks again Hugh

PS I was at the Bicentennial airshow at Mildenhall back in 1976. We roasted that day.

 

[CLEM]

Fabulous

 

[British Red]

The Memorial flight are very close to us at Conigsby Aaron - do call in if you ever go to see them when you are here

 

[atlatlman]

You can understand how the Germans thought it was machine gun fire.

[video=youtube;SqtiSQRoy98]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqtiSQRoy98[/video]

 

[British Red]

Mostly semi autos rather than Enfields there though - SKS et al.

 

[atlatlman]

Mostly semi autos rather than Enfields there though - SKS et al.

Just noticed that myself on the second viewing.

 

[Ichneumon]

Entry in my father's flying log circa 1939: 'First flight in a Spitfire - scared witless!' He was aged 19! Served in a number of squadrons including 92. After the B of B, fought in North Africa and went through Monte Casino (life expectancy for a pilot in that theatre - 14 days) and then on to Northern Europe. He's in his 90's and still firing on all cylinders - of his Merlin, of course.

 

[atlatlman]

Entry in my father's flying log circa 1939: 'First flight in a Spitfire - scared witless!' He was aged 19! Served in a number of squadrons including 92. After the B of B, fought in North Africa and went through Monte Casino (life expectancy for a pilot in that theatre - 14 days) and then on to Northern Europe. He's in his 90's and still firing on all cylinders - of his Merlin, of course.

Thank god for men like him.

 

[peaks]

Canadian Lancaster over in the UK later this year ( being flown over) - will be flying with BBMF at times. Chance to see 2 Lancs flying together...............

 

[spandit]

Had the Lancaster fly over my house very low when I happened to be outside. What it must have been like to see 1,000 bomber raids going over I'll never know

 

[nuggets]

Thank god for men like him.

just found this ,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u4Md_aXVJE&app=desktop

 

[spandit]

We have planted a monstrous number of Flanders poppies this year given the centenary

Don't you have to plant them on bare soil? Wish I'd planted some but I suppose I can always get some ready for 2018

 

[Nice65]

Don't you have to plant them on bare soil? Wish I'd planted some but I suppose I can always get some ready for 2018

The seeds survive for years and they're everywhere. Turning the soil, by plough or by bombs and destruction, causes them to germinate. Viable poppy seed has been found in ancient Egyptian tombs.