Broithe

Some parts of a much less carefully buried Spitfire were found to be workable a couple of years ago - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15660438 .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20925300

Mmm, we'll see what state they're in, seventy years after being dropped into a hole. Hopefully, there'll be enough good stuff to make a few flyable ones. MkXIVs, aren't they? So, Griffons rather than Merlins. Only about a dozen Hurricanes left now, apparently. No Halifax, Stirling - is there even a Beaufighter left..?

Always a bit fragile in the undercart region... There's about 50 flyable Spitfires worldwide - and twentyish more in the process of restoration to flying condition. There's far fewer of most other things of the same sort of vintage =- Hurricanes, 109s, 190s, etc. There must be a good few Mustangs, though..

I can't believe that I mis-spelled 'booth'! It's been a long day and I'm not well...

Rolls Royce's own Spitfire in wizzard prang at Castle Donnington today - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-20939051 - nobody seriously hurt.

8 & 9 in here - http://www.waterfordcountyimages.org/exhibit/web/PrintableBasicImageSearchListing/offset/0/location/_3_25_25_/subject/_1_7_3_/fromyear/000000000/toyear/201212311/ - might be of some interest..

Tax exile..?

Do they have a separate both where they apply the weathering?

"Horse racing is an outdoor sport". Somebody on BBC Radio 4 explaining why there had been so many race meetings disrupted by the weather lately..

Excellent.

Some years ago, I came across a book of aircraft pictures in a charity shop. It had one picture to represent each year. As I was looking through it, I noticed that the picture for 1942, a Lancaster, had been autographed for (I presume) the books previous owner. I was fairly sure that I could tell who had written the autograph, although the signature wasn't the clearest, and so I bought it. A bit of checking confirmed my opinion that the signature was that of Leonard Cheshire. A top find, I think you'll agree.

There's been a few goes at 7mm stuff in the past - http://irishrailwaymodelling.org/showthread.php/156-O-Gauge-071?

In Clones? they drive in the middle up there...

Just spotted this - have you surfaced yet..?

I came back after Christmas to find that a new model railway shop had opened just a mile away from me - Topp Trains - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Topp-Trains/289396587829410 - can't be bad. I been in and it all seems very good. Five minutes off the M6, junction 14, if you're going by and need to stretch your legs - and your wallet...

There's some distant shots in here - around 40 minutes.. There might be more. Edit - There is, have a look at 24 minutes in, too.

Some pictures of the similar one at Leconfield here - http://www.cbfsim.co.uk/cbfs_bb/viewtopic.php?nomobile=1&f=8&t=15509 -. 56 Squadron were at Akrotiri with F6s at the time*. The graphics were by colour television from a giant 3D landscape on a wall - essentially like a model layout - that's how I flew through the (plastic) tree. A camera on a travelling bridge was regulated by the path the plane was taking and transmitted the pictures to what must have been the world's only Baird-style 3-colour spinning disc projector. The effect was sufficiently realistic though, I was quite unhappy as I could see the tree approaching... It had only a minimal hydraulic movement, probably no more than a foot, but it did add to the fear. There is talk of a publicly accessible one, in a modernised form, becoming available at Tangmere. *They seem to have left this one behind..

I had a few goes in the Lightning simulator at Akrotiri - have we not spoken about it before? I did manage to fly it through a tree.

Ah, no - it was Boskonay's 'Stuck' post...

By my reckoning, that was the 20,000th post on this Forum!

If you like well-done documentaries, then any of Johnathan Meades' stuff is worth a look - https://www.youtube.com/user/MeadesShrine - I especially like Off Kilter..

There is another part of it on there, too. The whole programme was on RTÉ one night a few years ago and is all available on DVD now. Availability has definitely faltered in recent years - maybe austerity will drive the market again...? Next year, just invite the better behaved guests..

Probably best to come in disguise, then...

Some great period detail in here...