noelh

Really fascinating topic. Definitely an interest of mine. I'd love to visit most of the places mentioned. I live in Galway city. On an aviation theme there's the former RAF Oranmore nearby. Now set up as a possible industrial park although still an open field and mooted once as a possible airport. Once it was a base for No 2 Squadron Bristol Fighters. A long way from the current Typhoons in service with 2 squadron. But of course the city is actually medieval so chock full of hidden history. Not so hidden are the city walls in the local shopping centre. The medieval streets are not so much fun for us car drivers. But a lot of it is hidden in plain sight. My brother in law who happens to be the local heritage officer produced a map showing various medieval features in the city centre. You'd never know until you had the map. It was very much an English city at the time. The walls kept the Irish out. There at least four maybe five or six castles nearby, more fortified tower houses. One restored tower now houses Ukrainian refugees. Imagine how they feel about finding themselves living in a medieval tower so far from home? Then there's the Alcock and Brown landing site. I stood on the spot and sank nearly as much as the Vimy on the day in 1919. Chock full of history this place.

No pics at all. No links. Looking forward to the fix. Sounds great.

We're the Sweeney son and we 'aven't 'ad any dinner. Brilliant!

An absolute icon for me. George Carter and indeed DI Regan (John Thaw) of the Sweeney represented a familiar contrast to the US cop shows in my teens. Actually I couldn't believe London could be so violent in the seventies having being there on a school tour. My teenage illusions have been shattered since. Even my native Dublin makes the 70s Sweeney look understated these days. Terry Mc Cann his other iconic character in Minder I really enjoyed. After I drop my boys to school most mornings. I settle in as befits my age and have breakfast and watch ITV4 repeats of the Sweeney, Minder, Avengers, The Saint, The Professionals. Most of the cast of these shows are now dead. At least Dennis Waterman is still with us I thought. No more. I find that really sad. Now my only remaining icon is Martin Shaw, Doyle in the Professionals. I actually worked him in George Gently. Plus he's a fellow pilot. It's sad when you reach an age when your contemporaries are fading out. End of an era.

Those photos simply show extremely faded OD. The middle one in particular is obviously taken in Kingman, Arizona post war. It's not yellow It's faded OD. But if you want to accurately depict 'Bit o Lace' in the timeframe of the photo the anti glare panel needs to as faded as in the photo.

Ukraine was a Republic of the Soviet Union at the time and so Soviet markings only. It wasn't an independent country. I think there was an air service after WW1 until the USSR was formed in the twenties. In WW2 there were Ukrainians who were in German service. Doubt if there were any pilots. Edit: Did a search. It turns out Ivan Kozhedub the Soviet ace was in fact Ukranian. So one of his aeroplanes might fit the bill.

I think it's a good example of even a colour photo being misleading. Like @Michael51 I have Roger Freeman's, The Mighty Eight in Colour. Some of photos of B17s might lead you to believe B17s were painted in desert camouflage given the fading and reproduction of the photos. That photo was obviously taken after 'Bit O Lace' was repaired when flak blew off it's port tailplane and riddled the tail fin on April 4th 1945. Possibly post war. So the fading on the anti glare is extreme by then. Incidentally I'd recommend anyone with an interest in US aircraft in the ETO to acquire a copy of The Mighty Eight in Colour. I constantly refer to it. It's invaluable. Some are available online for the Amazoningly low price of £1.45.

Very good, reminds me of the time in my former life when a retiring aircraft engineer was given a present of a rocking chair made from with jet engine parts complete with a compressor disc as a back rest. Excellent.

This is the last online social media account I'm signed up for. Time to go. How to do it?

Ah! that explains it. Missed that bit. It's certainly a very well travelled kit.

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Always love a Corsair. You've captured the grubby look perfectly.

I don't know but the Osprey is a bit scary to me. I dare say the crew of the CV 22 weren't too upset being stranded in Cornwall. A pilot friend of mine spent a happy time there working for Skybus.

Yes I first saw one taking off in the distance. It looked huge. That impression was not negated when I walked into the real thing. Think your school hall multiplied by three. I sat in one of the seats along the fuselage and marvelled at the space. Also everyone who calls themselves an aeroplane enthusiast must go to Oshkhosh once in their life. I also sheltered from the rain under a B17. Plus you can walk up to a warbird touch it and chat to the crew. Or the latest USN jet. I'm seriously looking at going back in 2022.

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