Shoggz

Tom Neill one week, Geoffrey Wellum the next. By my reckoning, there are now less than five of 'The Few' still alive. It's ineviatble, but still very sad.

Good news for our friends over the pond: https://www.screendaily.com/news/spitfire-documentary-secures-us-deal-exclusive/5131010.article Now, let's hope we see something about everywhere else!

Cricket is one of my other real passions! I’ve always thought (hoped) that the T20 version could appeal to folks in the US, as it’s not a million miles away from baseball.

Anyone else get to see this tonight on its ‘one day only’ cinema release? I did - in a packed screening at Cineworld Rugby. It was an interesting film. As much emphasis was placed on the people as the machines. Some brilliant and poignant interviews with Battle of Britain veterans.. made even more so given we’ve lost a couple of them since they were filmed - with Tom Neill scant days ago. There were some breathtaking air to air sequences directed by John Dibbs - no stranger to filming warbirds. My favourite moment was when they reunited 101 year old former lady ATA pilot Mary Ellis with a Mark VIII she had actually flown in 1944 - quite moving. Hopefully the film will get a worldwide release so all can see it.

Yes! Just need to get them posted somewhere, so that I can publish them in here..

I went! VERY hot day (30deg+). Luckily, Mrs Shoggz and myself are both Premium IWM members, so we got to go in their nice enlcosure to watch.. It is a good show, with lots of thought put into the themes and movements. Highlights for me: Seeing a P38 Lightning in British skies again. Seeing the Jug that has just come back from the USA. The F35/Spitfire/P51D formation to celebrate the UK/US relationship was fantastic. When the two oldies peeled off and let the Lightning become unleashed it literally want straight up like a rocket with that fantastic jet 'thunderclap'. I know it is a machine with a troubled development, but boy, as a performer, it rocks! The large number of airborne Spitfires they manage is almost becoming passé - which it shouldn't! Converesely, it is still a real thrill to see four Hurricanes and four Buchons in the sky together.. (They did a tribute to the Battle of Britain film which filmed at Duxford 50 years ago.) There were three Corsairs and four P51Ds which is more than I have seen together for quite a while too. One quirk of the hot temperatures.. The 'baby' Spits (Mk.Is & Mk.Vs) were all towed back to the flightline after each flight.. I can only assume that their notoriously quick overheating radiators would not have coped with the taxying involved! The Mk.IXs and above all came back under their own 'steam'.

The few just got fewer.. I have had the pleasure of seeing Tom Neil at Duxford on a couple of occasions and have read his books. He always seemed so hale and hearty even in his mid-90s and I had this feeling (hope) that he could go on for ever.. Alas, I was wrong. RIP Tom.

This is pretty much my normal modus operandi! The only dual build I have documented though, that I can share with you is: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=60455

Great stuff Chris! Duxford is such a magical place for us aviation enthusiasts. I could spend everyday there. if you are a Duxo-phile, this is an interesting site to follow: https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?141202-Duxford-Diary-(2017)/page14&highlight=Duxford+Diary It basically logs all the happenings/ins and outs etc. that occur there virtually every day. (I think you can view the thread without being a member of the forum.) I really hope I bump into you at the September show.

I am indeed doing Flying Legends! ..and the September BofB show... I got myself and the good Mrs Shoggz IWM memberships this year and I really want to make the most of them! You don't get in free to the airshows, but it is a decent reduction.. You do get in free to the Churchill war rooms and the museum in Lambeth, so we've done both of those!

Peter, keep 'em coming!

John, inspired stuff - thanks for sharing.

I thought you'd broken the 'no politics' rule Brian, when I saw this thread's title! ..but, like you, I'm not a jet guy per se, but those Russian birds are striking aren't they.

I really like it. I logged all my stash into it and then exported the information into excel and augmented the information from there.

I tend not to post pictures of my builds, as 1) My photography skills and equipment are not really up to scratch, and hence I won't do my subjects much justice. 2) I'm self-conscious that I am a 'mediocre-modeler' at best and I'm a little shy to show off what I am doing when there are some truly talented folk who post here. I really, really appreciate those that take the time and make the effort to do so though, as I see it as all part of my modelling education. (I did post a set of builds in one of the group builds, but it seemed like there was less pressure there!)