Monday 29 August 2011

Roger Tango! Ready for take off.


I took a drive out earlier. I have a day to myself and didn't want a day in. As my Dearest has taken the boys out to some kids theme park near Matlock and my friends have all gone out for the day I decided a drive in the country was in order. I drove to Coningsby, home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and just by luck the Lancaster, Hurricane and a Spitfire were all being checked over ready for flight. So I pulled over and got a few shots.


Being from a military family, my Dad served in the RAF, I have a soft spot for military aircraft (I'm not an anorak who spends his days stood on a stap ladder with a camera and taking down the Reg numbers!) so this was a pleasant suprise for me.


I think the fact these Aircraft are still flying is a good thing and a reminder that Britain was once great and produced some truely great things. Hats off to all those who battle to keep these wonderful pieces of British Heritage alive.

I wasn't alone of course. Standing next to the end of the Runway on a grass verge next to a single track road was a small collection of people. Among those were two elderly gents with what I presume were their grand kids, telling them in great detail the in's and out's of the Lancaster. Being a nosey sod and sanding next to them I listened in with interest. On the other side of me however were a couple of odd balls. 50 odd, never had a girlfriend, spots, baseball caps on with Aeroplane badges covering them, step ladder and camera with a lens a mile long. Normally I wouldn't mind these social outcast, everyone has their hobbies, but these two were crusing for a brusing. Huffing and puffing because other people were there, taking up the good vantage points, moaning there were kids mucking about, generally getting up my nose. Tossers.

I've just heard my Sister in Laws' Mum has had a heart attack. She's poorly but doing ok. Thinking of you Chris....hope you get well soon.




1 comment:

  1. Happy to spend all day on a fence with a camera lens, but never noted a serial number in my life (military aircraft fleet numbers are so small in NZ you don't really need to :) ).

    Having done a fair bit of that, I totally know the kind of anorak you refer to, and try to be the opposite (you know, could pass for normal). Many has been the time I have overheard two examples arguing over something, knowing they are both wrong but not bothering to step in since it wouldn't be worth the effort. Number one rule, especially with non-spotters is "don't be a dick". Not everyone is as interested in the shiny noisy things as you are...Worst I ever saw though was at a show about ten years back. Hot sunny day, two of them in the crowd with unwashed flight suits bearing every unrelated patch or badge you could think-of (i.e. definitely not aircrew or linies), and one of them keels over and falls in a heap. Does his mate do anything useful like put him in recovery position, call for help or anything? Nope. After helpfully making sure his pal was still breathing, he went right on back to watching the show...

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