BATTLE OF BRITAIN (1940) - Respecting THE FEW.

[Smithy]

Well yesterday (31st October) was officially the end of the Battle of Britain period, so the 70th anniversary has finished. The next big one with be the 75th although sadly I fear The Few will indeed be few when that rolls around.

It should also not be forgotten that although officially the Battle ran from 10th July until the 31st October, the Blitz continued well into 1941 and even daylight raiders (usually fighter sweeps, fighter bombers or a kette or two of bombers) continued to poke around over Britain.

 

[Talbot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6c3v9iihgw

 

[Spitfire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6c3v9iihgw

I was there! The most fantastic sight I've ever seen at any airshow!
I had tears in my eyes.

 

[Talbot]

Perfectly understandable.

Recurring goosebump syndrome here - and thats just from the vid!

T

 

[B-24J]

Thanks for posting Talbot.
Nothing like the sound of Merlin engines!
John

 

[Smithy]

The most beautiful mechanical sound that mankind has ever produced IMHO.

I have posted this before somewhere on here. But have a shufti at this. Also listen to this with the sound turned up as loud as you can. Even apart from the incredible piloting skill, the noise in this is truly sublime:

[video=youtube;Xf3UtmHLKUU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3UtmHLKUU[/video]

 

[Spitfire]

Just found this amazing BBC feature on BoB - it's 9 pieces - 90 minutes but worth every second:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t3gjpuwriA&feature=related

Featuring Ewan McGregor and his brother Colin (who is a RAF pilot and gets to fly a Spitfire), veteran pilots like Wellum, Tom Neil among others. The tactics explaine by several wellknow writes on books on the subject.
Enjoy!

 

[Edward]

I watched that show on transmission, Spitfire - it is indeed well worth viewing.

 

[csmiller]

BoB Special

Hi Spitfire,

Thanks for posting this. I enjoyed it - just wish that American TV could produce something this good. As much as I like to watch the History and Military Channels, I just wish that they could stop spending the first minute back (after the all too frequent 5 minute commercial breaks) reviewing what they were previously talking about. Americans may have short attention spans, but I'm sure that we don't need the reminders.....

Craig

 

[Edward]

Heh. From what I've seen of TV in the US, to be honest I don't think I'd bother with a set over there. An episode of a sitcom that has a run time of maybe 20 minutes or so here would be scheduled for a half hour - that's with an ad break either side (not within the show's credits) and one in the middle. I found it rather a bizarre experience to watch the same show on network tv in NYC a few years ago - felt like nearer 40 minutes with all those breaks! I'd never have the patience for that! lol

 

[csmiller]

Us tv

Heh. From what I've seen of TV in the US, to be honest I don't think I'd bother with a set over there. An episode of a sitcom that has a run time of maybe 20 minutes or so here would be scheduled for a half hour - that's with an ad break either side (not within the show's credits) and one in the middle. I found it rather a bizarre experience to watch the same show on network tv in NYC a few years ago - felt like nearer 40 minutes with all those breaks! I'd never have the patience for that! lol

Hi Edward,

Unfortunately your 20/40 minutes time for a 1/2 hour/1 hour long show is about right. Here in the US very few channels are without commercials. I use them for breaks to use the bathroom, do the laundry, load the dishwasher, talk to the cats, channel surf ...... well, you get the picture. Hate commercials but I have been exposed to them for my entire life so I have just learned to ignored them (especially when you see the same ones over and over and over....).

Craig

 

[Talbot]

As Homer says "Important messages are OK. At least they're not lousy commercials"!

 

[Story]

(Reuters) - A rare World War Two German bomber, shot down over the English Channel in 1940 and hidden for years by shifting sands at the bottom of the sea, is so well preserved a British museum wants to raise it. The Dornier 17 -- thought to be world's last known example -- was hit as it took part in the Battle of Britain. It ditched in the sea just off the Kent coast, southeast England, in an area known as the Goodwin Sands.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/08/us-britain-warplane-idUSTRE7373JZ20110408?sp=true

The work has become urgent because recreational divers have now discovered the wreck and already souvenir hunters have started taking bits of it to the surface. In doing so they risk prosecution, since the wreck is MoD property.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12997528

See also
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ing-THE-FEW.&p=1078548&viewfull=1#post1078548

 

[Story]

I'm surprised this wasn't already posted, too.


The youngest Spitfire pilot in the Battle of Britain has been honoured with the Freedom of the City of London.

Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Wellum joined the RAF on a short-service commission in August 1939 at the age of 18.

He served with 92 Squadron, taking part in "dogfights" with German planes when Battle of Britain began. He was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Mr Wellum, now 90, said it was "probably the greatest air battle of all time".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12833450

 

[Story]

On 2nd and 3rd of June 2010 the Royal Air Force Museum in conjunction with Wessex Archaeology conducted a survey off Goodwin Sands to examine the wreck of Dornier 17 Z-2 Ser No 1160 of 7 Staffel, III Gruppe/KG3. Here we show part of the survey.

[video=youtube;DlBKYXHSuhc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlBKYXHSuhc[/video]

 

[B-24J]

Anybody knows when this First Light is going on air - and the next question: Since it will (propably) not be shown on danish TV, can anybody make a DVD of it?
Or is it possible to buy it on DVD somewhere?

I see that the BBC Shop in the UK is taking pre orders for "First Light" on DVD for shipping on June 6th. I guess we in the States will need to wait a while longer as BBC UK does not ship to the US and BBC America does not have it listed yet.

John

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks John - I noticed it too. Amazon is also taking pre-orders. Maybe the way to go for you?

 

[B-24J]

THANK YOU Soren!!! Surprised I didn't think of Amazon UK, considering how much business I've done there. I am now pre-ordered. Like Eisenhower and Montgomery, I can hardly wait for June 6th. Of course I probably will not receive the DVD until the 12th.

John

 

[W4ASZ]

THANK YOU Soren!!! Surprised I didn't think of Amazon UK, considering how much business I've done there. I am now pre-ordered. Like Eisenhower and Montgomery, I can hardly wait for June 6th. Of course I probably will not receive the DVD until the 12th.

John

I noticed that the Amazon UK DVD is in the PAL format, so be advised. :eeek:

Surely an NTSC version for us in the US is in the pipe. I hope so. :eusa_clap

 

[B-24J]

Thanks W4ASZ, I watch my European DVDs such as "Target for Tonight", "Night Bombers", and "Reach for the Sky" on the PC.

John