Why don't we buy a Mossie for the BBMF?

[soddim]

Saying it again does not make it any better nor any more likely to be right WH904!

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by 10Watt

l was stunned to see the one on display at Hendon when l visited earlier

this week, four years since my last visit.

ln `97 l remember seeing lumps of mosquito laid about on the floor at

Duxford being etch primed,etc. Same one l assume.

Well the Mosquito would have been there 4 years ago as well...... in fact it's been there since 1992
And no it's not the same one as you saw at Duxford.

And the current B.35 version that's been at Hendon since 1992 replaced the previous Mosquito T.3 TW117, which had been on display at Hendon for the previous 20 years since it first opened in 1972.

[Easy Street]

Originally Posted by WH904

Basically, what I'm saying is that we've come a long, long way from WWII therefore it's a bit questionable to have a unit devoted to commemorating one event, when there are others that are just as important.

Well, if you repeat yourself, so will I! I disagree with your premise in bold above, and consider the RAF's role in WWII as a whole to be more important than its role in any conflict before or since (including the Cold War).

Those of a naval bent will argue all day about whether the Battle of Britain was actually 100% critical to our national survival. I don't think there is a need to get into those arguments now, save to opine that it was bloody important and marked the "beginning of the end of the beginning" to the British public and the onlooking world, to adapt and mis-apply a great Churchillism. There is absolutely no doubt that the Battle of the Atlantic was critical to our national survival, and the RAF had a major role in it (despite the best efforts of the bomber-focussed leadership). Finally, while the effectiveness of the bomber campaign has justifiably been questioned, it undoubtedly served a twin purpose both in helping the nation to keep its head held high and convincing the US that we meant business.

The V-Force did play an important role in the Cold War, albeit diminished after the advent of Polaris. We can't know for sure whether the V-Force would have reached Moscow, because they were never called upon to do so. Less clear is whether the V-Force reaching Moscow would actually have ensured our national survival. Even less clear is whether the absence of a British nuclear bomber force would have tempted the Soviets into marching westwards (especially bearing in mind that we were members of NATO). Against this level of uncertainty, I can't possibly conclude that the V-Force's contribution to the Cold War was of equal importance to the RAF's major contributions to WWII.

[WH904]

Gawd this is hard work! Easy, essentially you're agreeing with me in regarding BofB as just one in a serious of important events. That was my point - if we can't commemorate all of these events then it's slightly odd to commemorate just one of them.

Soddim, If I'm not right, I'm not seeing any arguments to the contrary...