Why does Manitoba have Mosquitoes?
 

Water, water, everywhere ... just check out the map! Manitoba VERY marshy ... lotsa duck-hunting, lotsa mosquitoes, lotsa hunters ... men with guns EEEEEEEEK!

http://www.journey-manitoba.com/maps/Manitoba.htm
There are more links to maps for Manitoba towns and city.

FYI for all you Non-Canadians "over there"

Winnipeg is the Capitol city of the Province Manitoba. Manitoba located about the middle of Canada ... look below the southern tip of the BIG LONG lake on the left ... straight down is Winnipeg. Selkirk sits close to the lake tip. Up the right side an hour or so from Winnipeg, on the edge of Lake Winnipeg is where YAPPY yapped her first yaps and lived her early life, fishing/farming community ...

.... as did "Rifleman Edward Smith ... RWR's until he didn't come home from Normandy"

Lotsa history around there ... Hudsons Bay Company, Metis ... good fiddlers and jiggers GRIN Tommy Prince from around there too! His bro is my cousins dad. My PPCLI Daddy-O from Riverton up the left side of same big lake about 2 hrs from Winnipeg (used to be NEW ICELAND)

Look to the left border of Manitoba, about halfway up you will see FLIN FLON ... a little above that is a bigger splotch called a lake ... somewhere a part fo that lake is named EDWARD SMITH LAKE in commemorating my Uncles memory.

Anywise folks ... someon in here, for "over there" wanted to see a map of where I'm now located (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and I decided to post a link in case anyone else wants to see where Winnipeg and Manitoba are and why mosquitoes are a probleem
:eek: All that blue stuff is lakes and rivers.... I think they usd to have a saying on old licence plates saying "Manitoba... Land of 100,000 Lakes"
along with "Friendly Manitoba"

Serious duck hunting happens in this province :)
I wonder if you could just run over the ducks with a CMP? Or dive bomb them with a spitfire, Keefy with cam hangin' out the window shooting them in a different way?

Whaddayah say Keefy my friend, wanna come shoot some ducks?:D Bring your Spitfire okay? :p

gurgle gurgle ouch slap splat...Yappy

Bring your big guns or CMPS
 

...on second thought, Keefy, if you come to shoot you'd better bring something more lethal dangerous and bigger than a camera because of these things we have here::eek: :D

another mosquito
 

oooooops ... wrong kind of mosquito. This ones not a Manitoban:(

:D

Re: another mosquito
 

Nah, what you want is a Mossie with a GUN. . . . . . . . . .

R.

Now that's a GUN!
 

What's the weapon? Is it the COW gun? (I don't mean something to take out the moo-ing things)...

Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Heh, heh. :D

Nope, a 57mm or 6pdr with an auto-loader made by Molins who usually make cigarette vending machines. The idea was as an AT device but hitting the beggars was a problem, proved very good for anti-shipping though.

The poor old Mossie, if the 6pdr wasn't enough, they did do trials with an auto-loading 17pdr which worked just as well but really too late for much effect in WWII, and it gets worse.

Just post war some bright spark went one further and had an auto-loading 3.7" put in one aircraft and that worked too but tended to reduce the airspeed a bit after firing a few rounds.

In this latter process some ballasted trials were done to see the effect of loading and its placement in the Mosquito. On one flight the pilot reported it was a bit sluggish and possibly too much for combat use. This was supposed to be a 5 ton load, but on taking the sandbag ballast out they found a bit of a mis-count and it had actually been loaded to over 10 tons.

Not bad for a balsa and plywood glued-up aircraft.

Here's the 57mm Molins out of the aircraft.

R.

Now THAT last on looks like it could take out some 'squitoes:eek:

Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Ah, and you'll note in true, reserved British style we somehow omitted to tell the 'Murricans that our little wooden flying machine actually carried the same bomb load as a B17, the same distance, but twice as fast and with just two people.

No cockpit ash-trays though, bummer.
:D

R.

Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Now THAT is harsh and intolerable bummer stuff ...
Whre I go, my ashtray goes:D The guns would help me clear the air of non-smokers though:D

Can I borrow that plane? Winnipg is MORE non-smoking than BC ....:mad:

Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

And along the same lines, I read recently the fully loaded version of the final Spitfire was equivalent to a mark one carrying 32 passengers. Quite a feat, considering travelled a lot faster too.

Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Ah, you have that problem too. :(

Along with Spinny-Ball there's not many of us outcast smoking pariahs left now.

Even Ballard whinges interminably if I smoke in his garage amongst the vapours of arc welding rods, burnt slurry and acetelyne tadpoles.

Quite alright to start the DTB F15 V8 though with the doors shut.

R.

Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Indeed so, and an amazing feat of development. People that fly them though do report the Griffon powered device is a somewhat more clumsy and bruteish aircraft compared to the early Merlin marks that are so balanced and poised.

I will never know, its 1000GBP for a half-hour in Caroline Grace's twin seat Spitfire. That's a bit over 2.5 Stalwart tank-fulls or three years playing. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Whilst we have an organised Spitfire beat-up along the Falaise road for this 60th D-Day year, wouldn't it be nice if Kermit Weeks and Ricardo's get his Tempest V finished so we can enjoy 24 pots of Napier's sleeve-valve finest at 3750 a minute.

Here's another lump of novel engineering that out performed RR litre for litre by a big margin and the truly huge Wasp Major by 100% having the same grunt for 36 litres that some needed 72 litres for.

See:
http://www.ptfnasty.com/ptfDelticHist1.htm
http://user.tninet.se/~ytm843e/lebrocq.htm

For some interesting insights into Napier stuff.

R.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Spinny-Ball?????????????????????????:D :cool: Thanks R.

Yeah ... smokin' ain't what it used to be ... neither is Winnipeg :( cause they also must have changed the streets because while driving tonite I scared the pants off my sister when I turned into oncoming traffic on a one-way street GRIN eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek ... yikes! Luckily it wasn't busy and everything worked out fine :) We (I) drove to Selkirk (about half hour drive from Winnipeg)

Teach me how to fly one of those planes? GRIN

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Well, Mr. Wallington-Binn did bring me some Can. Players to a Beltring, sensibly in 25s but seems everything there has namby-pamby mufflers on them which I was obliged to wrench off in order to make them into sensible straight-thrus.

Usually I'm obliged to make DIY combustible nails using some of McSpools excellent Dutch smoking material occasionally interspersed with long US straight-thrus as and when I can blag some off a visiting Septic to do mule duty for me. :D :D :D

Now I only have the virtual notion how to fly a WWII aircraft, best I can claim is dual in things like a Robinson Redwing, Chipmunks, Moths and the like. I have a gliding cert. from 1962 but anyone letting me loose in any flying machine now would have to be nearly barking; we'll call them Plaistow as that's two stops short of Barking on the Underground.

I'm sure we have some much more erudite flyers around here somewhere.

R.

Smokers
 

You smokers are sick puppies.;)

Re: Smokers
 

Well, some bugger has to pay the taxes for everyone else.

R.

Re: Re: Smokers
 

Here ye
here ye

R. ... yore my kinda people. Ignore that Keefy guy who made the "sick puppy" comment, he hangs upside down out of planes when they're in the air... his brains fell out so he doesn't remember who pays taxes. I'll bet he's also a reformed smoker... they're the worst! :D

yip yip yaperooooooo to you too Keefy ;)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

:D :D

But I need not explain Flathead V8 exhaust fumes are a veritable elixir of life, now do I?

H.

Re: Re: Re: Smokers
 

I thought someone would upset the Venerable Dame from Canada, always some friction between thems that do and thems that don't.

I can't accept sick just yet, possibly later; and puppy is way off the mark, that'd have been 1950 something or earlier perhaps.

Now, sickening old fart would be much more accurate.

R.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

If Mr Weeks would do so, I'd say he qualifies for an MBE immediately!

When I was a small boy we regularly visited family in the UK, and we would always do "a day in London". Hamleys toy store is well remembered, but the sight of the Napier Sabre at the Sience Museum really sparkled the imagination. I wondered how on earth an engine looking that complicated could work in the first place, and if it did, how it sounded. During his national service, my dad had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Centaurus who was then residing in RNLN's Sea Furies. Being one of Bristol's sleeve valve engines, the sound is probably more enthralling than US radial engines which are the only ones I have had the pleasure of seeing, hearing and smelling (see comment above...)

H.

P.S.: I wonder how that balsa and plywood glued-up aircraft would have fared with two Sabres stuck on it?

Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

Naw, I brought you the ones WITHOUT mufflers! Hard to find now, but I'll try my best this go-round.

Nothing better for breakfast than a good smoke and a beer! :)

Re: Re: Re: Smokers
 

I dunno about Keefy, but you should hear the Empress rail on.... sheesh... worse than the cats!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

The only thing better than a Merlin is TWO Merlins... unfortunately, I'll probably never get to hear the sound of a Mossie at full throttle.

Gotta admit, though, the Hamilton Lanc doing a high-speed pass at 200 feet kinda gets to ya... :)

I'm also kinda impressed by 18-cylinder double-banked radials, just wouldn't want to have to pay their fuel bills though.

PS: The TRUE Elixir of Life has to be the sound and smell of a 30-cylinder Chrysler tank engine... :p

Merlins and smokes
 

Four merlins is a great sound, but can't compare with the sound of a Spit, just seems to have it's own individual noise. Even the same engine in a Hurri just doesn't grab the eardrums quite the same.

Hey Carmen, are they anti-smoking in BC? I just walked around the streets of Victoria with a gasper in my gob the same as I do here. As Victoria is cleaner then anywhere I've seen in the UK, I was just a bit more careful what I did with the butt ends.:D

Speaking of Mosquitoes......
 

...I came across this today and thought T'd pass it along:

Who cares wins Mozzie killer ... Avon so-soft By ANDREW PARKER

FEARLESS SAS troopers are using a secret weapon for jungle warfare — ladies’ Avon hand cream. The Who Dares Wins regiment began applying the scented lotion after learning it contains a mystery ingredient which wards off mosquitoes. Now the gunge, from Avon’s Skin-So-Soft range, has been adopted as an official part of SAS kit. Favourite among the battle-hardened soldiers is the Woodland Fresh hand and nail cream range. But troopers say a moisturising body spray from the Woodland range can also keep insects at bay. An SAS source said: “Jungle training is one of the hardest and most gruelling things we do. “Staying alive there is a skill on its own. Jungle warfare is not just about fighting the enemy but adapting to the surroundings. “It is important to learn to cope with the creatures there. “It is not just just the snakes, spiders and other poisonous creepy crawlies, but mosquitoes and the like can cause havoc. Not only can bites be a major irritation, but some carry disease. “In these conditions, troops must take all the protection they can. All the guys use this cream now — a lot of them swear by it.” Troopers began using the Avon cream after one man at their Hereford HQ was recommended it by his wife before a jungle tour. The hand cream costs £3 for 75ml — while the body spray sets soldiers back £5 for 150ml. Conventional 3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent used by US and British armed forces costs £9.99 per tube. Last week it was revealed that Marmite also keeps mosquitoes at bay — because they hate its odour. An Avon spokesman said the firm were aware the Skin-So-Soft range was reputed to repel insects and was used by troops. She said: “It must be quite good because the SAS are using it but we’ve never done any research into its properties. “A lot of customers seem to swear by it, however I must stress it is only reputed to keep away mosquitoes and midges. “There is no scientific evidence to back it up — although the proof is in the pudding.”

(from the on-line SUN)

Cheers

:)

Yippy-Yappy Smokers
 

Not reformed, yapster, a never was one - I think because my parents both smoked it put me off for life. The worst times (as a non-smoker) were the long family drives in the '59 Pontiac with the front seat passengers both smoking. GAK!

Yippee - aye - Coughhhhhh! HAAAAAAAKKKKK!!!!

Re: Speaking of Mosquitoes......
 

Well, how's that for an excuse for Canucks to accept a gift from friends from Down Under?!? ;)

Re: Re: Speaking of Mosquitoes......
 

If Marmite merely keeps them away, think of the havoc VEGEMITE might wreak on the little suckers!

PS. Had a look at the map, Carman - looks like quite a watery wonderland, although by the sound of the nick-name "Winterpeg" I imagine the water is solid a lot of the year.
Brrrrr.
BTW, we had our first rain for some time yesterday and it's now cold - at least down to plus 9 last night.

Re: Yippy-Yappy Smokers
 

Keith,
What do you do after sex.You can't light one up??I know,go flying & hang upside down.Last word to wife-"Thanks honey,going flying now"Wife's response-"Well,at least do up your fly before you fly"

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Now that's a GUN!
 

I do have the workshop manual for the FOUR bank P&W R-4630 if you need it Geoff, 28 pots and 56 spark plugs. Perhaps you could secret yourself away under the desk for a late night, undisturbed read.

However, I would commend to all the aero engine petrol-heads a most excellent, but I suspect very hard to find book now, by the enigmatic L J K Setright, a bit of a Jez Clarkson forerunner which McSpool will understand.

His book, "The Power to Fly" deals only with piston engines developed specifically for military service and I see Amazon has one at 275USD - its only 1/2" thick. Two notable pages that stuck in my mind were the simplicity of a stripped down sleeve valve cylinder compared to a conventional poppet valve one; and the BMEP chart which has all the air cooled radials around the left middle, the Merlins and Griffons towards the upper right, but has the Sabre drawn off the chart scale beyond the top right corner.

Of course Mr. Ball-Spinnington some of us had the pleasure of getting up close and dirty with the pristine A57 in Mr. Carl Gas-Axe Multibank-Brown's M4A4. Whilst I have the thing committed to videotape on the borrowed camcorder, these things have an audio compressor necessarily and even a CD cannot manage the +110dB range of your lugholes.

Hence the shattering rip of the 30 holes in unison from a burbling idle to heavy right hoof is somewhat lost, but perhaps I shouldn't have stood 2ft 6in behind it. No one can erase the personal recording retained between my ears though, and I do believe McSpool has a personal copy too.

I'm not sure though now when I see the original B&W film of Normandy with columns of radial and A57 Shermans rolling by the British and Canadian troops whether they are grinning or grimacing. . . . . . . . . . .

R.