chrish Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 Looking great! mozart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncarina Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 I love this thread! My mom flew for the US Navy in the 1950’s, based in Corpus Cristi Texas. She told me once that she went to the restroom still in her flight gear and a lady came in behind her and told her she was in the wrong restroom! She let me wear her leather flight jacket when I was in my early teens. I was and am very proud of her. Cheers, Tom MikeC, scvrobeson, RLWP and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 Just now, Uncarina said: I love this thread! My mom flew for the US Navy in the 1950’s, based in Corpus Cristi Texas. She told me once that she went to the restroom still in her flight gear and a lady came in behind her and told her she was in the wrong restroom! She let me wear her leather flight jacket when I was in my early teens. I was and am very proud of her. Cheers, Tom So you should be Tom, they were an amazing generation. Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 Here's Maureen! No "instructions" so it's a good job the website has photos from all angles. The strap hanging down from her right leg is very thin and snapped so a little repair was necessary. Alain Gadbois, Landrotten Highlander, Uncarina and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcnickcn Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 I thought of a unique detail for the plane. If being picked up new, it would not have guns yet. They were installed by the MU. What did the plane look like for this one trip? Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 23 minutes ago, xcnickcn said: I thought of a unique detail for the plane. If being picked up new, it would not have guns yet. They were installed by the MU. What did the plane look like for this one trip? Also, would it have it's squadron markings? Richard Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) 49 minutes ago, xcnickcn said: I thought of a unique detail for the plane. If being picked up new, it would not have guns yet. They were installed by the MU. What did the plane look like for this one trip? 25 minutes ago, RLWP said: Also, would it have it's squadron markings? Richard Maureen picked it up from 39 MU so its guns were fitted, but if Fighter Command was the same as Bomber Command (and why wouldn’t it be) then squadron codes were applied by the squadron. So, serial number only (MK517) as applied at Castle Bromwich. Edited February 27, 2021 by mozart Uncarina, RLWP and MikeC 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 1 minute ago, mozart said: Maureen picked it up from the MU so its guns were fitted, but if Fighter Command was the same as Bomber Command (and why wouldn’t it be) then squadron codes were applied by the squadron. So, serial number only (MK517) as applied at Castle Bromwich. Isn't it interesting where this is taking us. Richard Uncarina, Alain Gadbois and mozart 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 Indeed Richard! I’ve just checked, 39 MU was at Colerne, near to where I spent the first 18 years of my life and where I experienced my first flight, Rapide of course for 10/-. Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncarina Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 The thread started good and got even better! I love the creativity here. Max, I’m looking forward to seeing where this takes you. Cheers, Tom mozart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 (edited) Thanks Tom. I have this vision in mind of a mint Spitfire LF IX delivered by Maureen being greeted by a 56 Squadron pilot. I think Maureen reported a bit of a misfire though so there could be a panel off for investigation, shoddy workmanship! Edited February 27, 2021 by mozart Uncarina and RLWP 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcnickcn Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 If I may be so presumptions to add to the vision. If I had skills this is what I would do. There needs to be a figurine of an ATA man. Kieth Jopp would be easy. Just lop off an arm and a leg and paint an eye patch. As a living embodiment of a Monty Python skit, he was only dangerous because he was a hot pilot being asked to do a boring job. Perhaps some men standing around speaking a foreign language to symbolize the American's who came before their country and high pay arrived. Pauline Gower at a desk with Allison King standing next to her would say volumes. There is a famous picture of five foot two Joan Hughes standing next to the wheel of a Lanc. Maybe use 1/64th for forced perspective and just build the gear. There were great women pilots searching for fame and fortune. Jackie Cochran and Lettice Curtis fighting their way to the front could be symbolized with something from the 1/32 mud wrestling collection. However the story of the ATA is in using average pilots. I see a small army of faceless pilots blending into the background where a thousand more are painted next to the graves. My mother would be standing next to her boyfriends. This was the first time a country had more planes than pilots. Somebody made the difficult decision to risk average pilots with little training for ferry duties because their losses would not reduce the countries ability to fight. Civilian men and women died in numbers equal to combat pilots to keep the front lines staffed. Keeping the front line staffed saved the island. In my opinion ATA pilots are part of the “few”. Better check on my facts, I am in my drunk history mode. Landrotten Highlander, MikeC and Uncarina 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozart Posted February 27, 2021 Author Share Posted February 27, 2021 Ha, a bit OTT “nick” and certainly beyond my capabilities and style! By the way, have you tried reading Lettice Curtis’ autobiography? It’s disappointingly boring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcnickcn Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 Interesting take on her book, it has brought a smile to my face. My library on the ATA is bigger than our Library of Congress or the British Library. Knock yourself out but I don't think this covid thing will last long enough: https://sites.google.com/site/atabooksite/ I came to England to research my book and Lettice refused to see me. It is really hard to be sympathetic to the elite group of women with the resources to fly after the war. However American ATA pilot Ed Herring told wonderful stories of Jackie Cochran which changed my perception of her. There is a lot going on there. I believe in your art because you don't have to know anything, just make it beautiful and it will say the right thing. RLWP 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quang Posted February 27, 2021 Share Posted February 27, 2021 Aha, another ‘been there, done that’ type. May be someone round here can show you how to post an internet link that works. Having said that, welcome to the forum, Cheers, Quang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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