The Battle of Britain

[melinx]

Poetry doesn't have much place on this forum, but this year marking the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain I feel this is worth recording.

It was penned by fighter pilot John Gillespie Magee who was killed flying a fighter.

As an ex glider pilot, the experiences expressed resonate with me.

HIGH FLIGHT

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

[Tetleysmooth]

Mr Melinx.
Have you seen the 'After The Battle' book 'The Battle of Britain - then and now'?
Huge thick thing. Expensive, but worth every penny.
I'm off to Duxford on the 5th of September to see the Battle of Britain airshow. Close to 20 Spitfires flying and 4 Hurricanes - didn't realise there were that many Hurri's left.
Plus all the other stuff - fast jets, Red Arrows etc etc.
A tad expensive, £27 on the day, but once again, well worth it, just to listen to that many Merlin engines.

[Pedro]

Mr Melinx.
Have you seen the 'After The Battle' book 'The Battle of Britain - then and now'?
Huge thick thing. Expensive, but worth every penny.
I'm off to Duxford on the 5th of September to see the Battle of Britain airshow. Close to 20 Spitfires flying and 4 Hurricanes - didn't realise there were that many Hurri's left.
Plus all the other stuff - fast jets, Red Arrows etc etc.
A tad expensive, £27 on the day, but once again, well worth it, just to listen to that many Merlin engines.

You don't get a more stirring noise than that!

[melinx]

Mr Melinx.
Have you seen the 'After The Battle' book 'The Battle of Britain - then and now'?
Huge thick thing. Expensive, but worth every penny.
I'm off to Duxford on the 5th of September to see the Battle of Britain airshow. Close to 20 Spitfires flying and 4 Hurricanes - didn't realise there were that many Hurri's left.
Plus all the other stuff - fast jets, Red Arrows etc etc.
A tad expensive, £27 on the day, but once again, well worth it, just to listen to that many Merlin engines.

Thanks for the book tip must look around for it!
I suspect that the reason for there being more Spits than Hurri's still left is what was known as Spitfire snobbery; they are more likely to be preserved.
Far more aircraft were shot down in the Battle of Britain by Hurricanes than Spitfires, even the Germans suffered from it with many who were shot down insisting that it was a Spitfire that downed them when in fact it was a Hurricane.

You mention the Red Arrows; I still have a very vivid memory of them going from dots in the sky to the whole bloody wing passing about 50 feet beneath me probably doing 400 knots
It took a short while to re-tighten my sphincter 

[Tetleysmooth]

Yes, and the Hurricane could take far more punishment than the Spit, being made of fabric.
Shot used to pass straight through it. Apparently a better gun platform too.

Take a look here:

http://www.afterthebattle.com/

[Johnraka]

Went to Biggin Hill this year, a special 70th Anniversary show - damn good too.

Missed Farnborough this year (again!), got to wait 2 years for that now...

[80mojo]

I think the Spitfire snobbery is definately a factor, also the skills for keeping a canvas covered airframe (which a lot, but not all Hurri's were) aren't as common as the metal spits.

That said BBMF (see http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/) have still got two Hurricanes flying. If you've never been its well worth a visit to them at their home at RAF Coningsby, Lincs.

Spent five years working on the station and never, ever got tired of walking in there and seeing the fighters lined up along the sides with of course the Lanc at one end and the Dakota at the other. Not forgetting the two Chipmunks of course! 

[Tetleysmooth]

Here you go, Mr Melinx:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Britain-Then-Now/dp/0900913460/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282551767&sr=1-1

[melinx]

That's not bad, I have seen it up to £63: There are some available on ebay for around £25 but they may not be the latest revisions

[melinx]

Incidentally, for anyone interested in the history of the Battle, the link below gives a fascinating insight into one of the first RDF (as they were then called) stations to be attacked in the prelude to 'Adlertag'

Whenever I'm in the Isle of Wight I visit this site because, apart from it's historical significance, the view is magnificent !

I found the whole of this website fascinating but some of it may be a bit technical for anyone not into electronic and radar developments of the period but it does point out some of the shortcomings of the early systems that bear little resemblance to modern radar.

http://www.ventnorradar.co.uk/CH.htm

[Mitch1965]

Loving the poem mate!

If anyone wants to go along to the Lincs aviation museum for a Bof Britain memorial. The vodc are having a meet/gathering there..

Come along and join us?

CLICK ME!!

[80mojo]

FWIW, a bit of spottery, but I guess I'm reasonably placed to find out...

There are 13 Hurricanes left still flying. 

[Tetleysmooth]

FWIW, a bit of spottery, but I guess I'm reasonably placed to find out...

There are 13 Hurricanes left still flying. 

How many ME109's and FW190's still flying?
I was surprised at the amount of Hurri's still flying.

[80mojo]

FWIW, a bit of spottery, but I guess I'm reasonably placed to find out...

There are 13 Hurricanes left still flying. 

How many ME109's and FW190's still flying?
I was surprised at the amount of Hurri's still flying.

Now there's a tough one...

Can tell you there's two Lanc's still flying! 

[Tetleysmooth]

I remember seeing an ME109 - Black Five at Duxford one year, don't know if it's still flying though.
I know the FW190 wasn't a Battle of Britain fighter by the way, I don't think that appeared until our lads went on the offensive.
Nice one at Hendon though.

[melinx]

The film is on AGAIN tonight

I've  seen it that often that I can recognise some of the anomalies, like a group of supposed British aircraft with the sun behind them with one or two ME109's amongst them (you can tell by the tail struts )

It's being brought home to me how old I am I happened to be in Cannes when the premier was on; 1969 I think ! and twice this week I've been called 'sir'

[Tetleysmooth]

So, a Dornier DO17 has been found on the Goodwin Sands.
What an incredibly rare find. Hope they can raise it intact. I'll certainly pay a visit to the RAF museum at Hendon to see it.
Also hope someone makes a documentary about the recovery.
More here:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3122896/Nazi-jet-found-in-sea-off-Deal-Kent.html

Unfortunately, they call it a 'jet'.

[melinx]

Unfortunately, they call it a 'jet'.

C'mon, It is the Sun It's surprising that they didn't call it a Nazi underwater stealth bomber

[Tetleysmooth]

Yeah, surprised they didn't find it on the moon 

[Johnraka]

Sounds like you been reading an old copy of the Daily Sport, they reckon they found an old Lancaster Bomber on the moon...

It's true, honest guv...

[Tetleysmooth]

Sounds like you been reading an old copy of the Daily Sport, they reckon they found an old Lancaster Bomber on the moon...

It's true, honest guv...

You read it as well then......
I went to Duxford yesterday. Several highlights, the best being the 16 Spitfires performing to close the show. Sad to say, but me and the missus had a ride in a flight simulator. It depicted a dogfight between Me 109's and Spitfires over the south coast. Threw us about all over the place. Was it really like that?? Made me think.........

[melinx]

About 30 years ago, I was talking to a member of the gliding club who I knew had been in the Luftwaffe and had been P.O.W here.

I asked him how he came to be a P.O.W ? he said "when I am learning that we are to attack Britain, I was the bomber pilot and I am thinking that you cannot dodge around much in the bomber, so I am converting to the fighters !

The first time I am over England, there are suddenly parts of my instruments flying all around the cockpit and I am on fire, so I jump out ! and I never even saw the bastard what shot me"

As a P.O.W he was working on a farm and 'having it off' with the farmers daughter; she got to spend the rest of the war in Holloway and after the war they got married, eventually they inherited the farm.
He had own power plane, bought a new Merc. every couple of years and reputedly paid about £300 a year tax.

He used to be at the gliding club regularly with an attractive woman who I assumed to be his wife for a couple of years, but eventually I was told 'Oh no, that's his mistress'

Ain't it a funny old world

[Tetleysmooth]

TV programme alert!!!
I think it's next Tuesday, on the BBC. A docu-drama called 'First Light'.
It's about Geoffrey Wellum, the youngest pilot to fly and fight in the Battle of Britain.
I've read the book - a couple of times - and if the programme is anywhere near as good as the book, then we're in for a treat.

Just found it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ttjz0

[melinx]

I watched the memorial service today; very moving.

Where was Tony Blair

[melinx]

Tonight on BBC 2 8:00 presenting the story from the German point of view !

Personally, I shall find it fascinating, it's a very little known perspective since the victor gets to write the history