Well ain't THIS gonna be fun?
 

A brand new forum, for aviation nuts of all kinds. Retired like me, but still with the bug that daily courses the veins from which there is no know cure.

When this forum was first muted, I wanted to ensure that it would be possible to express every facet of aviation. With contributions and discussions from display pilots, from test pilots, from Captains or FO's of some of the world's most brilliant aircraft sallying forth to their hearts content about the great steeds they have had strapped to their rears.

From fighter pilots old an new. I will get some input from BoB pilots I hope. Our friend John Farley will make a contribution or two and I will, a little at a time, pick out a few of the precious aeroplanes I have flown.

Talk about 'old' aircraft if you can, but this doesn't mean that you must, talk of the olden and golden days too.

Just let go and let people know how you feel and how you felt about your careers and your memories. Get the log books out and pinpoint those great moments.

That's it for now. I have officially opened the forum so please enjoy it - with each other. I'll get ringing old friends. Now where is that telephone number of he who used to fly Constellations for Britannia.

I want to make this forum one of the MOST read on PPRuNe.

Wow, first reply on a new forum (if no-one else has a faster finger!!).

Seriously though, my Father was a career RAF pilot both before and through WWII right up to the late sixties. He picked up a few medals including an AFC. He does not want to talk much about his experiences (coming from an age when self glorification was not the done thing plus I'm sure the sheer traumatism of some of them). Is there a site/route that can be used to trace the award of medals etc that anyone is aware of.

TIA
CCrab

I just found this one CC, might be a help. But by using the search engine GOOGLE, you can use the smallest definitions and it will still find you something.

Anyway, worth a go.
http://members.tripod.com/~Caryl_Williams/veterans.html

Let us know how you get on.

Will be a regular lurker!

Good luck with the new forum - way past time we had one.

LL

CC: There's a very effective historical unit run by volunteeers/retirees at the MOD.

I wrote to them regarding my dad's operations on Stirlings during the war. Immensely helpful - Squadron History (149), crest etc supplied and can do much more if requested. I don't have the current address to hand but I'm sure there'll be someone along who can help further.


Best Wishes
Rob Lloyd

Is it just possible, to save me hitting the PPRuNe Fund, to let me have a set of 1/2m topo's of the UK. Up to date would be nice but not vital.

(Trying again - sorry if this is a duplicate)

PPRuNe Towers

Are you talking about the MoD Air Historical Branch? My brother works for them, so they are not volunteers or retirees, although I expect they get some help from that direction. Very helpful bunch indeed - I can pass on contact details if required.

CamelPilot

Great idea for a forum - I'm gonna enjoy this one :) :)

CP: I've got two or three from the early to mid fifties somewhere if that is up to date enough for you. :)

Well, it is a nostalgia forum !.

[ 17 December 2001: Message edited by: henry crun ]

As a lover and pilot of any old aircraft I can get my hands on I will be looking at this forum with great interest - can provide info/ anecdotes for many types esp. Dh.

Great stuff!

By coincidence tonight I was just going through some very old aviation books and stuff I was presented with by my wife's granny (as a reward on gaining my RAF wings in the 1970s).

Got one book from 1911 (cost 1 shilling!) that describes "Lift and Drift" as opposed to lift and drag. Written by a lady called Gertrude Bacon, who I believe was one of the first British women to fly.

Also found an autograph book with the signatures of a few aviation pioneers such as M. Desoutter, W. H. Ewer and Lewis Turner, all piloting aircraft and signed at Hendon in August 1912. Also B.C. Hucks (Hucks starter?), G. W. Hamel, dated Oct 1912.

Also re-discovered what I understand to be the sole surviving copy of a (1950s), RAF produced, 16 mm film about the last Spitfires in RAF service, the 3 Mk 24s based at Kai Tak. One of these aircraft is now in the RAF museum.

Lots of other stuff from before the great war until the 1960s.

Fascinating, to me at least.

ShyTorque

Interesting to us too. I was asked on another thread to say what it was like to fly a Camel. I have done that.

I would like anyone with interesting nostalgia and things they have or have done to let us know about them. It really is as simple as that. Share it. If it's interesting to you it will be interesting to us.

foxmoth

I had a bet with myself that the minute you found this forum you would be in it. As I know what you do and what types you fly, how about giving a sample?

Ooer!

Just done a search for Gertrude Bacon. She was the FIRST woman to fly in the UK.

And a copy of her book, identical to mine is now on sale for £300. That 1 shilling my wife's grandfather paid for it new has multiplied in value by a factor of 7,200!

My big box of old books is going to be looked after more carefully from now on.... :eek:

You aked for it Camel!
Remember the Strathalen collection sale, well I picked up the Leopard Moth (G-AIYS)after the sale. The first problem was a sticker saying "compass unreliable, only to be flown within 25 miles of Strathallen" (I know I have spelt it differently - just making sure I get it right at least 1 out of 2 goes!). Phone call to the CAA at Perth tells me - go ahead and submit peperwork when you get the a/c to Goodwood - more of that later!
Flew down to Goodwood aligning the DI with known features, ie runways, A1 etc. not needing to stop for fuel but running out of OIL just short of Cambridge.
Next day rang CAA to be told " before you leave Strathalen you need a class A permit to fly it down to Goodwood."
After ripping into them about THEM having invalidated the insurance etc. because of Perths advice I got an apology.
For those aces flying Spamcans this was flown non radio and (as you have read) no compass.
NB- Where do you know me from, is it just my postings? Also, how can I get MY hands on the Camel?

All Hail to this Forum!

ShyTorque take care of that wonderful stuff you have!

The Spitfire film sounds interesting. Peter Arnold has a request in the most recent Aeroplane Monthly for rare/unique Spitfire photos and footage.


Gertrude Bacon was not the first British woman to fly. After earlier balloonists, the honour of first fixed wing flights belong to either the sister or the cousin of Percy Pilcher (both flew his gliders in the late 1890s, don't know which came first). This is not very well known.

Superb! Lets bring it on!

CP

You picked a good day to launch your new forum, 17th December being Wilbur and Orville's anniversary and also the anniversary of the first flight of the very first DC-3. May AHaN flourish. If anyone shares my passion for Lockheeds check out

"The Lockheed File"

Shy Torque - you MUST get that film transferred to video so we can all see it!

Can't wait........

ShyTorque

I know how you can do that! Get 'that' film transferred to Video. One of our PPRuNers is a Video man, has produced dozens of the Flight Deck series.

Get in touch with me, my e-mail is easily accessible.

Actually, that Lockheed site is awesome. I have just finished reading "Smithy - The Life of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith" by Ian Mackersey, so found the Altair bit with the "Lady Southern Cross" very interesting.

henry crun

Thanks, but just a bit too old for my purposes. I need them on hand to answer questions like the one earlier about Skipworth Common.