September 15th. . . . . . . . . .

Not quite an accurate re-enactment, but today is clear and sunny albeit a tad cooler at 17ºC than originally; today is. . . . . . . . . . .?

Very few (no more clues) here will remember.

R.

September 15th in History
1915: Tanks used for the first time, by the British in the Somme

(it's one eventof Sept. 15 in history!)

Originally posted by Vets Dottir
September 15th in History
1915: Tanks used for the first time, by the British in the Somme

(it's one eventof Sept. 15 in history!)

Good try, wrong war, wrong arm of service.
Try Sept 15th 1940.

Oh alright, here's another clue and a real give-away:
"Never before in the field of human conflict has so much. . . . . ."

R.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'

Indeed he did, but, what "day" is today ?
Someone must know, surely.
(Don't call me Shirley)

R.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by FV623
Indeed he did, but, what "day" is today ?
Someone must know, surely.
(Don't call me Shirley)

R.

Must be Battle of Britain day.

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Must be Battle of Britain day.

Quite so.
10/10

R.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

...and September 15th, 1945, none other than Douglas Bader himself lead the flypast over London, with Johnnie Johnson, Denis Crowley-Milling, Stan Turner and other immortals in attendance...

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
...and September 15th, 1945, none other than Douglas Bader himself lead the flypast over London, with Johnnie Johnson, Denis Crowley-Milling, Stan Turner and other immortals in attendance...

And today, not even a mention on the BBC main 6pm news.

Say no more.

R.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by FV623
And today, not even a mention on the BBC main 6pm news.

Say no more.

R.

I thought the Battle of Britain Flight still did that, Spits escorting your one flying Lanc? Or was it the BBC simply ignoring the Op?

If the latter, tell the buggers to go stuff themselves...

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

I'm going to go watch the bloody movie tonight, just to piss them off. You can tell them THIS Canuck remembers...

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by FV623
And today, not even a mention on the BBC main 6pm news.

Say no more.

R.

Doesn't this Flight, under the auspices of the RAF, still fly on commemorative occasions?

The Flight was quartered at RAF Coningsby, Lincs and consisted of:

Spitfire VB coded AB 910
Spitfire IIA coded P 7350
Spitfire XIX coded PM 631 (PR type)
Spitfire XIX coded PS 853 ( also PR type)
Spitfire XIX coded PS 915 (also PR type)
Hurricane IIC coded LF 363
Hurricane IIC coded P 2865
Lancaster I coded PA 474

Are you tellling us that these aeroplanes did not fly to-day?

If they didn't, shame on you! (Not YOU, you know who I mean).

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld

Are you tellling us that these aeroplanes did not fly to-day?

Jon,

According to the BBMF diary of display dates, a Spitfire was scheduled to appear at Coltishall, Wyton, Boston, Bentley Priory and Northolt today. The Lanc was also due to be at Hemswell.

Strictly speaking although the Lanc is part of the B of B Flight it did not really feature in the Battle.

This weekend the Flight is busy and also their C47 Dakota is to appear in Holland for the Arnhem anniversary.

Check out their seasons itinerary on ;
www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/displaydates.html
you can see that they do use them......

Richard

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by Richard Farrant
Jon,

According to the BBMF diary of display dates, a Spitfire was scheduled to appear at Coltishall, Wyton, Boston, Bentley Priory and Northolt today. The Lanc was also due to be at Hemswell.

Strictly speaking although the Lanc is part of the B of B Flight it did not really feature in the Battle.

This weekend the Flight is busy and also their C47 Dakota is to appear in Holland for the Arnhem anniversary.

Check out their seasons itinerary on ;
www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/displaydates.html
you can see that they do use them......

Richard

...and yet BBC news didn't pick it up!

Well, at least, as you report, they're still flying and doing their thing on appropriate dates.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
...and yet BBC news didn't pick it up!

The BBC were to busy reporting on protesters breaching security of House of Parliament to look up in the sky :

Richard

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
I thought the Battle of Britain Flight still did that, Spits escorting your one flying Lanc? Or was it the BBC simply ignoring the Op?

If the latter, tell the buggers to go stuff themselves...

Oh, you can indeed hire the BoB Memorial flight to overfly your event, gobsmackingly expensive though. They most likely did fly somewhere today but I missed it.

Now the BBC has far more important things to cover, the demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament by pro-hunt supporters and the invasion of the floor of the house by some protestors.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3656524.stm

All this after Batman (man in costume) evaded Buck House security and disported on the balcony with protest banner.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3652502.stm

Many people have been telling the Beeb to go stuff itself, and it has been roundly criticised lately for being less than impartial.

Ho hum.

Now I must scan something for your esteemed forum about a German marked French truck, I have been teasing info from the secretive and guarded Baron Paulus von Hocking; I even have a borrowed reference work.


R.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Well, I just did my bit for God, Queen and Country.... rewatched my aging VHS recording of THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN. Highly entertaining for a movie as old as it is. MANY classic lines contained within! (and the aeroplanes are neat too)

Originally posted by Richard Farrant
Check out their seasons itinerary on ;
www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/displaydates.html
you can see that they do use them......

Thank heavens, and long may it continue.

Hopefully some greeny pressure group doesn't twig that they guzzle leaded fuel at an alarming rate and start lobbying the powers that be.

Not that leaded petrol ever destroyed one brain cell, but ministers never did understand that metallic lead is a rather different thing from the soluble lead halide produced by the IC engine that washes harmlessly out of the environment.

Sodium and chlorine are rather noxious substances but together. . . . . . . . . . .table salt.

R.

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Highly entertaining for a movie as old as it is. MANY classic lines contained within! (and the aeroplanes are neat too)

If memory serves:

"Don't you yell at ME, Mr Warwick". (The quite tasty Susannah York)

Fox having trashed the glass cold-frame and been, correctly, offered a ciggy; "Oh, thanks awfully."

And the poor Polish pilot with minimal English accosted by the burly pitch-fork wielding farmer; "Good morning my arse, git yr 'ands up."

R.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by FV623
"Don't you yell at ME, Mr Warwick". (The quite tasty Susannah York)

Quite tasty indeed... I daresay...

Fox having trashed the glass cold-frame and been, correctly, offered a ciggy; "Oh, thanks awfully."

Very good, sah... the exact quote is "Thanks awfully, old chap." This to a child of approximately 12, with the good manners of proffering a cigarette from his father's guilded box.

And the poor Polish pilot with minimal English accosted by the burly pitch-fork wielding farmer; "Good morning my arse, git yr 'ands up."

"STEER TWO-THREE-ZERO"

"REPEAT PLEASE"

"STEER TWO-THREE-ZERO"

"REPEAT PLEASE"

"STEER TWO-THREE-ZERO"

"REPEAT PLEASE"

"STEER.... oh, bloody hell!"

There are hundreds of great lines and scenes in that...

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Quite tasty indeed... I daresay...




"STEER TWO-THREE-ZERO"

"REPEAT PLEASE"

"STEER TWO-THREE-ZERO"

"REPEAT PLEASE"

"STEER TWO-THREE-ZERO"

"REPEAT PLEASE"

"STEER.... oh, bloody hell!"

There are hundreds of great lines and scenes in that...

"Its two lumps, isn't it?"

"Its unforgiveable, I lost my temper"

"What was it this time? Instrument checks? Engine checks? Well, we've all done it."

"Turn that bloody bell off."

"Stick to me like glue. . . . . ."

". . . . . and the radio will NOT be used, I repeat, will NOT to be used, for private, Polish, chit-chat; and finally. . . . . ."

Hey, not bad for off the top of the head at 03:45, c'mon, fair's fair.

R.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Ye've done well, sah!

Now, give me some lines from THE WAY AHEAD...

[Jon Skagfeld]

Gentlemen:

At our monthly Legion meeting, held tonight, I tabled a motion, duly seconded and passed, that a moment's silence be held in observance of that event which occurred 64 years ago.

This was done.

A small part in a small community, but, dammit, someone's gotta stand up for our heritage and the sacrifices made.

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Gentlemen:

At our monthly Legion meeting, held tonight, I tabled a motion, duly seconded and passed, that a moment's silence be held in observance of that event which occurred 64 years ago.

This was done.

A small part in a small community, but, dammit, someone's gotta stand up for our heritage and the sacrifices made.

R.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by FV623
"Its two lumps, isn't it?"

"Its unforgiveable, I lost my temper"

"What was it this time? Instrument checks? Engine checks? Well, we've all done it."

"Turn that bloody bell off."

"Stick to me like glue. . . . . ."

". . . . . and the radio will NOT be used, I repeat, will NOT to be used, for private, Polish, chit-chat; and finally. . . . . ."

Hey, not bad for off the top of the head at 03:45, c'mon, fair's fair.

R.

...and add...

Taka-taka-taka-taka- "You can teach monkeys to fly better than that!"

[Keith Webb]

The Moorabbin flying club are going to get as many aircraft airborne as they can tomorrow (Sat) morning to honour the Battle of Britain and if you haven't seen or heard a P51 yet you should be there - it's unforgettable. Details are in the Melbourne Herald Sun.

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
...and add...

Taka-taka-taka-taka- "You can teach monkeys to fly better than that!"

"Never fly straight and level in the combat zone."

Of course!!!! How could we forget that; we need to say it in unison however.

"They got the Rose and Craan!"

" 'ee'll 'ave to drink at the Red Lion naa; if they'll 'ave 'im"

Regrettably Geoff, I'm not well up on "The Way Ahead", you have to remember before the days of 11.5GHz digital data streams from the skies and with just four 600MHz analogue offerings, we were presented with BoB on a very regular basis.

If I might present the view for this side, it does illustrate some typical scenarios of the era for all elements of life and the character direction is good, especially the side shot of the Stanmore plotting table balcony where the actors chosen are near doubles of the people often seen in the original and real shot. In fact the major players are quite good representations of the real people in the case of Park, Leigh-Mallory and Dowding.

Some of the props and fakes are a bit obvious though and the theatrical fire-balls are pure Hollywood. It does tend to suggest again that you could fly around for hours in a Spitfire/Hurricane and expend limitless ammo, whereas the truth is a typical sortie duration of little over 1 hour and 14 secs of ammo.

I wish too they'd have removed that very obvious plastic bell push from the cottage door frame.

It only touches on the distain and snootyness of the regular RAF pilots who treated the trawled-in ex-civvy and RAF reserve sergeant pilots in a very shabby manner.

Also it misses the quite despicable official handling of "Stuffy" Dowding who was called back to set the show up and officially retired/re-called several times during the war only to be heaved out when it was over in 1941; real history does at least record the huge contribution he made not only in effectively winning the BoB by good management but earlier in the design competitions that lead to the Hurricane and Spitfire, plus his foresight in the building of early radar stations and their integration into an effective command and control network. Indeed you could argue Dowding had won the BoB before it started.

Perhaps, like the other BoB (Brothers) it would have had more impact using unknown actors rather than instantly recognisable big names, but we'd have missed the rather tasty Don't-you-yell-at-me, Mr Warwick, Susannah York. . . . . . . . . . Probably being made in the days when it was perceived that the cast names sold the film rather than the content.

Of course it awfully easy to sit here and be a computer-chair critic; could I have done better? I think not.

I'm minded from way back Geoff and I have a idea to do a "proper" film about the events around Caen in 1944; trouble is, by looking at the UK/Canadian side only we just have my two and sixpence ha'penny in the budget kitty and little chance of serious multi-million funding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .:

R.