PDA

View Full Version : Battle of Britain Day


Blacksheep
15th Sep 2012, 22:27
Well, the 15 th of September has nearly passed and I haven't noticed any mention of the day's special significance. Nobody on the street selling wings. No earnest ATC Cadets in uniform pestering passers by. I suppose its inevitable that after more than 70 years The Few should be swept under the carpet and forgotten. The Duchess of Cambridge's tits are far more important than the events of 1940. :(

rdemonta
16th Sep 2012, 09:00
"Our" Spitfire did a flypast over Wellington NZ on the day.

treadigraph
16th Sep 2012, 09:17
I had a lovely view of a Spitfire (probably Peter Monk's IX) cruising past while I was cycling on the North Downs at 3pm.

And a real WTF moment at about 6pm. On the local common I suddenly glimpsed what I thought was a glider in a very low and steep right hand turn over Warlingham - as perspective corrected itself, realised it was the Lancaster rather further off and turning for a run in over Biggin Hill.

But you are right. Although I wasn't listening to the news much (there's only so much titillating gossip one can stand) I heard no mention of BoB day.

bigal1941
16th Sep 2012, 10:07
I had already seen 2 Merlin engined planes both on the Friday and Saturday which I assumed were Spitfire and Hurrican were doing demonstrations at The Newbury Show. But on Saturday at around 1700 going East to West just south of the M4, was a radial engined low winged monoplane with a high back at the rear of the cockpit, my spotters instinct said FW190, couldnt possibly be could it ? a new build out of Munich ?. If it wasnt, what was it then ? I saw a similar object going North South traversing Benson's runway a few years back. Thanks in anticipation Alan S

treadigraph
16th Sep 2012, 10:55
So far as I know the only new-build Fw190 that's been operating in Europe is currently being rebuilt in Germany after ditching in the Med off France a couple of years back.

Possible candidate is The Fighter Collection's P-47G Razorback which is now flying - it was at Goodwood this weekend. They also have a P-36 flying which also fits the dexcription.

gulf papa
16th Sep 2012, 11:02
My14 year old son was out last week collecting with the atc (loughgborough 229 sqn) and has two battle of britain day parades to day .
THE FEW ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

PPRuNe Pop
16th Sep 2012, 12:26
There was a BoB day at Leuchars yesterday, with a Diamond 9 of Typhoons - among many others. Well at least it was the 15th.

G.O.G.
16th Sep 2012, 17:46
Attended airshow at RAF Leuchars yesterday. Brilliant day except for high winds but best airshow this year for me. Drove 300 miles home and attended Battle of Britain parade at Lincoln today complete with Spitfire flypast. Happy man

bigal1941
16th Sep 2012, 18:22
Thanks, Alan

SpringHeeledJack
16th Sep 2012, 18:50
A lone Spitfire overflew St Paul's Cathedral at around 12 today. I'm not sure if it was making a tribute to military personnel below or on it's way to Biggin Hill, but from the altitude I'd have guessed the former.


SHJ

Blacksheep
17th Sep 2012, 21:43
Excellent, gulf papa. As ATC cadets in the sixties, we were in the cinema foyer every night with our collection boxes and out in the street at the weekly market for the two Saturdays preceding BoB Sunday. The whole event has become very low key these days, but its good to know there are still young folks our there in at least some of our towns, keeping the memory alive.

goudie
17th Sep 2012, 21:51
ATC were collecting at Sainsburys last Saturday.
As with many Ppruners I remember BoB w/e as a major event at many RAF Stations. Jolly good fun it was and loads of dosh collected too.

brokenlink
20th Sep 2012, 21:50
I don't know about earnest but there were certainly some 30 or so ATC cadets spread around Ely all day last Saturday collecting. Same bunch turned up at the Battle of Britain Service in St Marys Church in the city on the following day. May be something to do with the grumpy git of an OC growing up and living at Biggin for donkeys years and appreciating the sacrifices made in our name 72 years ago by young men and women hardly older than some of the cadets.

Wander00
21st Sep 2012, 08:27
Brokenlink - Good to know the ATC were out in Ely - 1971-72 I was a VR(T) officer with City of Ely Sqn between TA and regular RAF careers. IIRC CO then was a guy called Bob Browne who had been a wartime Observer on Blenheims at Watton (and I guess pretty lucky to have survived)

brokenlink
30th Sep 2012, 20:59
WanderOO, If you PM me I'll update you on what the unit is doing today.

BL.