Battle of Britain day 2007

[skevans]

Remember our fallen today.

They died so that we could live.

Thank you for my freedom guys.

Per Ardua Ad Astra.

 

[Dave-exfairy]

Above sentiments echoed.

Only seen 2 RAFA Wings Appeal Collectors this year and that was 2 days ago, The Few are getting fewer.

 

[Rich_P]

They will be remembered.

 

[tats]

I hope to be going to the memorial tomorrow, they should never be forgotten.

 

[MAINJAFAD]

The Few

The Few

Link Here lists the Few, where they where from, The unit's they flew with and if they survived the war or not. Two names to note are Sergeant Josef František , the top RAF Ace of the battle and Pilot Officer William Meade Lindsley "Billy" Fiske III, who is generally reckoned to be the man that the character of Christopher Hart III (CH3) in the Battle of Britain Novel, ‘Piece of Cake’ is loosely based on. Both were Killed during the battle, Fiske becoming the first US volunteer to die in RAF Service.

 

[TACAN]

Shoreham RAFA Air Show:

Some sad news just in :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/6996734.stm



Little info at present but looks as though a WW2 fighter has gone in following a mock dog fight.

No news on casualties or a/c type but the action was supposed to be between Messerschmitts and Spits. Fingers crossed for the pilot ...

 

[Rich_P]

They must of updated that report then since your posting, as they say it was a Hurricane that crashed and that the pilot was killed. Not good. ::

 

[Wonky Tonka]

The single Spitfire flypast down at Halton last night was amazing.

There's just something about that unmistakeable sound that stops you in your tracks and makes you proud.

We all all forever in the debt of "The Few".

 

[Highflight]

The Few and the Many

The Few and the Many

Never In The Field Of Human Conflict,
Has So Much Been Owed By So Many,
To So Few.

 

[leave your hat on maam]

The flypast at Lyneham was also very good always step out of my quarter to spend a few minutes to watch it while they are still flying. Voluntered my self for the Battle of Britain parade this weekend hope there are others with enough service pride to have done the same.

 

[Scaley brat]

Weds 12 Sept Had a Spitfire, Hurricane and a Dakota at Odiham.
They stayed overnight and left the following morning.
Thank you to the Hurricane pilot for a nice low pass as they left DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[ailiebird]

We should never forget what they did for us

 

[skevans]

Yesterday, shortly after starting this thread I donned my number one's and dutifully attended a short ceremony at the Spitfire and Hurricane memorial museum here at RAF Manston.

At this particular location I am lucky to see vintage aircraft on a very regular basis and There is nothing more evocative and awe inspiring than the sound of a Merlin engine. It always turns heads, and it makes you think back to the time of the War. Then as now kids would stop playing in the street and cheer and wave at the aircraft until it dissapeared out of sight.

There has been an awful lot of change since the late thirties, but true classic aircraft will always be a thing of wonder to old and young alike.

 

[gray]

Just got back from our BoB Church service with RAFA and the ATC.

"We will remember them "

Gray

 

[Scaley brat]

Yesterday, shortly after starting this thread I donned my number one's and dutifully attended a short ceremony at the Spitfire and Hurricane memorial museum here at RAF Manston.

At this particular location I am lucky to see vintage aircraft on a very regular basis and There is nothing more evocative and awe inspiring than the sound of a Pegasus engine. It always turns heads, and it makes you think back to the time of the War. Then as now kids would stop playing in the street and cheer and wave at the aircraft until it dissapeared out of sight.

There has been an awful lot of change since the late thirties, but true classic aircraft will always be a thing of wonder to old and young alike.

Personally I prefer the sound of a Merlin or two ! DT_Xtremez_15:

 

[mad_mo]

Down here in Southampton, I thought there might have been something on to commemorate the BoB to the connections with the Spitfire and RJ Mitchell.

Nowt! DT_Xtremez_21:

 

[wobbly]

The Pegasus is the Harrier Engine fella!!

The Merlin or the Griffon were the bad boys of the Second World War.

During our minutes silence exercised after our shift start brief the sound of a Spit roaring over the hangar for the Battle of Britain just set the moment off. It still makes my hairs stand on end today when you hear the 12 Pistons making their unforgettable chorus.

CLICK HERE for some gen.

Thanks to all who fought for our freedom during the war.

Per Ardua!

 

[Boarderlyne]

Very difficult to put into words as to how I feel about BoB. It was a defining moment for the RAF and to me as a RAF bod makes it very special. We owe so much to the guys that flew ungodly hours and answered "Repeat please" in so many different accents so that they could get into the fight themselves.

As a Force, it was when we came of age and knew that modern war-fighting could not rely on the traditional route of My army's bigger than yours. We, the RAF, demonstrated that a result could be disproportional to the personnel involved in it. Most of the time, the BoB celebrations centre on the guys that did the fighting and don't get me wrong that's where it should be centred, but what about a word or two for the ground crews who did sterling work in keeping the planes flying.

One of my uncles was in the 8th Army (Desert Rats) in Africa and another was with the Seaforths as they crossed the Rhine, so I am aware of how close we got to total defeat. Totally random comment there, but if the guys in 1940 hadn't done their stuff, neither of my uncles would have been able to do theirs.

 

[skevans]

Personally I prefer the sound of a Merlin or two ! DT_Xtremez_15:

Lol, consider it edited, what a t1t I feel now

I had just been posting in the hurrican crash at shoeham thread and was thinking of the Harrier crash there a few years back.