Denis
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Posts posted by Denis
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Both super and equally good Paul
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Another two great images in your inimitable style John
.gif ":)")
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Part of my other interests is the placing and building of local aviation memorials to both Airfields and local wartime crash sites where crews had lost their lives and nothing to mark the locations, this is our third such memorial to make sure these people never get forgotten.Sunday the 1st of August saw the unveiling and dedication to another RAF Hunsdon crew that were lost in a flying accident on the 31 August 1943.Pilot Officer BW Joblin and his Navigator Pilot Officer TW Weston crashed one mile south of the airfield while undertaking a air test of their aircraft prior to that nights upcoming combat operations. Their aircraft, a deHavilland Mosquito NFII DZ739 of 157 Squadron (motto-'Our cannons speak our thoughts') rolled out of a climb and dived into the ground within sight of P/O Joblings pregnant wife who was watching from the nearby Officers Mess at 'Bonningtons' a few hundred yards away.P/O Westons wife, also heavily pregnant and due to give birth, had only just left the day before to return to their home in Wales. Mrs Jobling joined Mrs Weston to have her son in Wales and the first time these two sons met in person was at the unveiling of the Hunsdon airfield memorial several years ago. They met again on Sunday the 1st of August 2021to unveil and to take part in the dedication of this memorial that now stands close to the crash site of their fathers aircraft.There was a really good turnout of local people including the MP for East Hertfordshire Julie Marson. The Dedication was read by Edward Butt from North Weald RAFA, North Wealds RAF Standard paraded by Clive Simpson in close attendance along with the Standard Bearer for 1239 Squadron (Broxbourne & Hoddesdon) RAF Cadets under Warrant Officer Barry Lynn & Sergeant Sarah Jane Marchant. Squadron Leader Tony Hall RAFAC was also present.The Last Post and Reveille were played by Tim Bray of Sawbridgeworth. Welcome Refreshments were on hand afterwards at the Farmhouse home courtesy of Miles Dymock and his family. Both families and the HAMG funded the memorial that is now alongside part of the popular 140 mile figure of eight walking route known as the Harcamlow Way.
The two sons of the Pilot and Navigator of the RAF Mosquito unveiled the memorial.
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Great stuff Paul
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First time I have seen one of these close up..are these technically Spiders or not Paul?
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A nice set Geoff, wonder where it got its name? No4 reigns supreme for me
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The old CF, outclassed by the Ford Transit but still the second most popular light commercial on the market, spares for these are worth a fortune and I suspect these are donor vehicles for such parts .
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Cracking set :)
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Now this is amazing, what a great view of something so common yet looking so alien
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An interesting perspective John
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Mum and juvenile Geoff?? great set
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Kites are Majestic birds
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What a great photo Fogey
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Very clear shot John, that camera certainly works well!
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46 minutes ago, FUJI said:
Thank you for…making my day…
FUJI
It made my year Cyril... Still grinning today!
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And I flew it !
Enjoyed a day at Biggin Hill airfield in Kent on Sunday where finally 10 months after I booked it, I got my flight in my favourite aircraft of all time, the Hawker Hurricane. My Pilot for the flight was none other than Anna Walker, one of Britains top aerobatic display pilots,she is super, friendly warm and very down to earth and a pleasure to be with. We discussed my previous flying experience on Tiger Moths, my friends aircraft that I fly quite often, with him as Pilot in command, and my limited experience in a microlite and very quickly once airborne let me take control and just told me to enjoy the aircraft and fly it., Anna then did some aerobatics before returning to Biggin Hill, the only trouble is that I now have this semi permanent grin that has not gone away!
'Built at Canadian Car & Foundry Company factory in 1942 as construction number CCF/R20023. The aircraft was originally ordered as a Mk.1 for the RAF and allocated the military serial number AG287. The production batch was subsequently diverted to RCAF use and a new Canadian serial, 1374 was allocated. Delivered on 11 February 1942, she served with the RCAF until being returned to the factory in 1943 to be up-graded to Mk.XII standard – this included the installation of the more powerful Packard built Merlin 29 engine. Returning to RCAF use she was issued to No.1 (F) OTU (Bagotville, Quebec) where she remained until struck off charge on 6 September 1944.
Following the end of hostilities the airframe was sold off to the private sector, as were many surviving RCAF Hurricanes at that time, often becoming much needed ‘hardware stores’ donating their parts to keep the tractors and machinery running on the many enormous farms of the Canadian prairie. BE505 was lucky and remained substantially whole and was acquired by collector Jack Arnold in the 1970’s. After passing through the hands of other collectors she was purchased by Tony Ditheridge of Hawker Restorations Ltd. Returning to the UK and initially stored as a future personal project, restoration work began in earnest in 2005 at HRL’s facility in Suffolk. The project made steady progress until it was acquired by Hangar 11 Collection in 2007 and re-registered as G-HHII.
The comprehensive restoration was completed in January 2009 and saw this rare Hurricane rolled out in fighter-bomber configuration resplendent in the markings of BE505, a Manston based Mk IIB operated by 174 (Mauritius) Squadron in spring, 1942. Her first post-restoration flight took place from North Weald on January 27, 2009. Since then, BE505 has been converted to a two-seat configuration and moved to its new home at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar.' (Text from Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar Website)
I left the camera with my son who while not used to the camera or the lens, got some good shots considering the heat haze and humidity in the sky, well done Alec
oh, and a little bit of in cockpit camera resording one of the victory rolls Anna did while in flight back to Biggin speakers on for the sheer noise of the Packard built Merlin 29 in the cockpit !
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Well done Cheryl
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I too spoke with Dee a short while ago by telephone, and take this chance to wish her well for the upcoming Op.
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A briliant photograph that reminds me why I like the colder months more than the hot sticky days we get when the sun does shine!
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Well done Cheryl
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Lovely detail and background Cheryl
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Like the mono processing as the blade blur & clouds really work well.
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A great shot John, the foreground daisies make it even better
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Terrific Roger!
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Sycamore moth caterpillar - Acronicta aceris.
in Close Up and Macro
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Can't say I have seen one of these colourful chaps over this side of the country John, I'm sure I would have spotted one as they look so distinctive!