Flyby PC Posted June 29, 2010 Posted June 29, 2010 You noticed the tail sections - very good. But what I was wondering about, is that there is a Mosquito in the picture. Very early prototype. The sergeants in the mess had a competition about what they could build with some bits of wood, a pot of glue and bits of string. Quote
Olham Posted June 29, 2010 Author Posted June 29, 2010 The sergeants in the mess had a competition about what they could build with some bits of wood, a pot of glue and bits of string. The ways you British win your wars! Quote
GeorgeBoles Posted June 29, 2010 Posted June 29, 2010 (edited) Evening Chaps, This is a plug for a little museum I came across in New Zealand. I photographed my Sopwith factory photo (hand-held, natural light) at the excellent WWI Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka (near Blenheim) in New Zealand. Is this the best WWI aircraft museum in the world? I do not know, but it blew my socks off. How many Pour le Merite's, complete with citations and ribbons, would you like to look at? Would Ernst Udet's be of interest, or the less formal comemorative version that the local jeweller made him as a keepsake when they could not provide him with a replacement for his lost original medal? A photograph of Immelman actually looking happy? A huge photograph (more than 4' long) of Fokker grinning as if not having a care in the world with Werner Voss standing alongside looking war weary and exhausted at the age of 21 (the same photo is on Wikipedia, but this looks like it has been taken off the original 10"* 8" negative). A flight of flyable DrI's (four when I was there), one of the Pfalz IIIs from the Blue max, a flyable DH2, a DH5 perhaps, or a recently flown Ertrich Taube replica? This is one of Peter Jackson's hobbies (not only Hobbits) - WWI aircraft and memorabilia - and he is a major contributor to the museum. I thought that was good until I saw the Vintage Aviator airshow clips on Youtube ( and ) - and the Vintage Aviator mob are different to the Aviation Centre group, one on the South Island and the other on the North Island! But you can ring them up if you want a NEW Oberursel for your DrI, or a 200hp Mercedes for your Albatross DIII or some spares for your Beardmore. Now I don't know whether to go to the Omaka airshow next year (with a newly built Mosquito +/- a newly restored Fw190 plus WWI plus lots of others) or go to the Vintage Aviator Airshow instead, or both! Those Kiwis are strange birds, but they can put together a spectacular WWI (and WWII) flight experience for such a little country. (I think I will have a rotary powered Sopwith Triplane please, or an SE5a, or perhaps a nice F2b so I can take my surfboard to the Gold Coast in the rear of the fuselage.) Regards, George. Edited June 29, 2010 by GeorgeBoles Quote
GeorgeBoles Posted June 29, 2010 Posted June 29, 2010 Olham is right though. In the end each of the big wars was won by industrial and economic might. Extreme valour, battles for a hill or a bridge, individual campaigns and technological advances helped sway things backwards and forwards on a small scale, but 2 or 3 or 6 average aeroplanes are usually more than a match for 1 very, very good one; same with tanks; same with soldiers and pilots. Retrospectively there is an inevitability to those big wars which makes the heroism, suffering and losses even more poignant and tragic. Regards, George. (Please note the italics as an important modifier!) I am writing too much with inadequate consideration. Must go to bed. Quote
RAF_Louvert Posted June 29, 2010 Posted June 29, 2010 . That tears it! I'm moving to New Zealand. Heck, I'm already a fan of The Conchords... (best poster seen on Murray's office wall in the series) Cheers! Lou . Quote
Olham Posted June 29, 2010 Author Posted June 29, 2010 George, if you search through my recent posts, there were three with video links to the Vintage Aviator Airshow. Here is the address of Part One - you'll like it! http://combatace.com/topic/56605-the-vintage-aviator-airshow-2010-in-hd-part-one/page__view__findpost__p__418917 Quote
Flyby PC Posted June 29, 2010 Posted June 29, 2010 wow!..I never spotted the Mossie! Stealth version. - Happens all the time. Quote
UK_Widowmaker Posted June 29, 2010 Posted June 29, 2010 Stealth version. - Happens all the time. Quote
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