Also, found this among the trees in the front garden, all alone next to a now non-existent exit driveway (another relic from the war); I love it, and would gladly bring it home and put it in my house!

 

closer to home - the air museum outside of Carlisle is worth a visit - real nice folk - they recently opened up for a private visit for some scouts from the region and they all got to clamber in the planes and had free run of the place -- magic moments for them!! - not RAF but navy -- lol been to look at a 15" naval shell tonight that was dug up - glad it didn't drop on my foot!!

Sounds like an interesting place. I'm taking in the Newark Air Museum next trip to Lincs.

there is a decent RAF site on tinternet - I got some very relevant information from the about some spent casings I keep turning up on the Goswick ranges - they also had the Hartford and Cramlington sites in the wrong place (as in the Hartford camp and the airfield at Cramlington - I can still recall the sheds there and the airship shed at Nelson Village0 

http://www.shuttleworth.org/

Possibly the best air museum I have been to. I,d love to go on a flying day!

(My dad and I picked a huge bag of mushrooms walking the airfield.)

"Scramble. Scramble. Scramble. Bandits Jocko angels one five"

 

Sismerc's 'few' were stood down and their Jocko wing launched to see off Ivan's raid over the allied convoy north of Chillyjockoland. Her Morse message to merc was, "I am not allowed to say how many planes joined the raid, but I couldn't count them all out and I couldn't count them all back as I wasn't up in Jockoland."

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32308307

Are you intercepting our coded messages, Sym?

merc, if you are at your sisters on 12th July, there is a classic car meet at East Kirkby. They fire up "Just Jane" at this meet, this together with loads of classic cars is a good day out. I myself will be there with one of my classics. 

merc, if you are at your sisters on 12th July, there is a classic car meet at East Kirkby. They fire up "Just Jane" at this meet, this together with loads of classic cars is a good day out. I myself will be there with one of my classics. 

 

Orloff, you have piqued my interest there with my two favourite things - classic cars and classic aircraft! I do need to make a visit (to pick up a lizard of all things!) so may pencil it in for that weekend. May I ask what classics you own? Regards.

 

** edit - and if you let me know which you will be taking with you I can track you down!

Edited July 2, 201511 yr by mercuryg

merc, I have an Austin A30 and an Austin A35, both on the road but I will be taking the A35 as it is the best condition and has done under 6000 miles from new.

Wow! Fabulous cars! Just before I learned to drive my mother had, I think, an a30 van. I might be wrong but I think not. I learned in her next car. A morris minor. Few of my generation learned with double declutching in the routine.

Merc - old habits die hard, I still double de-clutch in MrsSyms jalopy* (it's not old - just a manual) when approaching a junction/roundabout at speed ... can't in my car 'cos it's an auto.  My Mum had an A40 ... I came across one a couple of weeks ago parked in a greenhouse at a garden nursery MrsSym took me to;  it was in showroom condition.  It was an exact colour match to my Mum's - pale blue - and when I looked inside it was like being transported back in time.  It was shocking to see just how small a vehicle it was in comparison to modern motors (even the small ones) ... sometimes she used to collect us and our mates from school and cram us all in - she'd get lifted by the Peelers these days for overloading.  My first car (my Dad got it for me at the Lion Garage on Front St in 1967ish) was an old Ford Popular 100e with a 3 speed crash gearbox ... I learnt to drive in it. I suppose these motors would be worth a bob or two these days.

 

*I know I don't need to do this but it seems to be a natural reflex.

Edited July 6, 201511 yr by Symptoms

"Ford Popular 100e..."

 

Great cars! Proper cars those were; these days there's so much electronic stuff that so much can go wrong. I remember pretty much renewing everything on one of my Mini's bit by bit, it was so simple even a mechanical ignoramus like me could do it.Nowmy mother drives a Nissan Micra that is utterly complex!

merc, will you be going to East Kirkby on Sunday?

Sadly Orloff I can't be in Lincolnshire this weekend; I really want to go but can't make it, and am disappointed! I hope you enjoy, take some pictures for us!

Beautiful beasts at Coningsby at the moment - who knows what this is?

Beautiful beasts at Coningsby at the moment - who knows what this is?

Same as those in post number 26?  if so it's Russian.

Merc, Foxy, I believe they are Russian built Sukhoi 30, they belong to the Indian Air force who in the U.K. on exercise with the R.A.F. Looks like the Indian roundel!

Vic, you are spot on!

To sell or not to sell.

Keep it, three bladed prop (early) Spitfire. We owe a lot to theSpitfire!

I have a similar one in pewter.

Thing is do I let the Grandkids play with it and others maybe priceless toys.

Decisions decisions!

Life can be difficult.

YES! Let the play with it but try and tell them about its importance, yes it will get broken, but that's ok it's Wort it.

If anything has a value, sentimental or monetary, keep the ankle biters well clear ... you know they just trash it.  Let them look and touch under your supervision whilst regaling them with the family/items history.  They'll thank you (when you're gone) when they tell the tales to their nippers.  I'm now thankful I listened when all the wrinklies in my family told their tales;  there's always a need for a  repository of oral history in a family, so start them young.

Great display in Birmingham.