MK5 Golf GTI

General => Random Chat => Topic started by: RedRobin on September 20, 2012, 03:02:57 pm

Title: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on September 20, 2012, 03:02:57 pm
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Especially for you, Hedge, but for others too I'm sure  :happy2:

Tonight Ch5 8:00pm, Douglas Bader, first of weekly series of six.

Docu chronicling the exploits of some of the most famous combat pilots in military history, beginning with WW2 fighter ace Douglas Bader who had lost his legs in a flying accident in 1932.

I have vivid memories of my father taking me to see the original 1956 movie "Reach For The Sky" with Kenneth More as Bader. Shows just how old I am, eh.



^ "Douglas Bader, with his tremendous energy and gay good humour" to quote from the movie trailer.

 :happy2:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: Hedge on September 20, 2012, 03:47:58 pm
On it already Robin.  :wink:

Douglas Bader's accident happened at Woodley Aerodrome just down the road from where I work. Lots of aeronautical references in the road names.  :smiley:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on September 20, 2012, 03:59:56 pm
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Just out of curiosity, Ian, have you always been so interested in flying aircraft since you were a little boy? Or was there a particular event which sparked your enthusiasm?
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: rich83 on September 20, 2012, 04:06:05 pm
ooooo good... ive set and alarm!
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: Hedge on September 20, 2012, 04:07:10 pm
Dunno Robin. Always had an interest in cars and bikes with plane to a lesser extent.

Reading Vulcan 607 by Roland White after Clarkson said it was the best book he'd ever read was the real turning point as I went to Dunsfold in 2008 to see the Vulcan fly but it went tech en-route.

The subsequent year I saw it several times just to make up for it and with many things saw lots of other nice planes at various airshows and the rest is history.  :ashamed:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: rich83 on September 21, 2012, 09:51:17 am
That was a good watch.
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on September 21, 2012, 10:32:04 am
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Indeed it was, Rich - Hey Ho, chaps! Very well made documentary.

I was amazed that the Germans allowed a Brit plane to drop an artificial leg for Bader while he was a prisoner of war.

I also didn't know that Bader had done so much for paraplegics causes after WW2.

I personally knew quite well the late Brian Kingcome who was a highly decorated squadron leader Spitfire ace. Like most of those guys, a very modest and humble man who did not consider himself to be a hero. I really must read his book - I think I even have a signed copy somewhere.

My father took me to see "Reach For The Sky" when I was 9yo and I remember being a bit shocked by the amputation scenes. As a WW2 front line soldier my father naturally held Douglas Bader in extremely high esteem. I never managed to introduce him to Brian Kingcome unfortunately as my parents mostly lived abroad.

Next week's programme is about a Canadian fighter pilot.
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on September 21, 2012, 10:37:53 am

Reading Vulcan 607 by Roland White after Clarkson said it was the best book he'd ever read was the real turning point as I went to Dunsfold in 2008 to see the Vulcan fly but it went tech en-route.


....Clarkson is a lot to blame for getting people interested in all sorts of things. He's the catalyst in me buying my Mk5 GTI and not another BMW.

I noticed the part in last night's prog where it was said that even at a party in the company of ladies, those flyers spoke about nothing but about flying.
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: Hedge on October 04, 2012, 09:46:23 pm
Last weeks wasn't so good but tonight's was excellent.  :happy2:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on October 04, 2012, 11:16:51 pm

Last weeks wasn't so good but tonight's was excellent.  :happy2:


....Why was last week's prog not so good?

I haven't seen tonight's yet.
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: rich83 on October 05, 2012, 07:55:07 pm
Just watched the repeat of the lancaster one. Really good.... im just glad that i wasnt around then....  :scared:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on October 05, 2012, 08:11:37 pm

Just watched the repeat of the lancaster one. Really good.... im just glad that i wasnt around then....  :scared:


....I expect that you would have been told in no uncertain terms to get a haircut!

I just watched it too. Quite amazing that the surviving British airmen landing in Germany weren't lynched or shot either by the German military or Nazi troops. How long were they in PoW camps? - I missed that info.
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: rich83 on October 05, 2012, 08:12:45 pm
Hey... you cant talk about long hair.....   :rolleye:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on October 05, 2012, 08:34:06 pm

Hey... you cant talk about long hair.....   :rolleye:


....Yes I can! I didn't grow mine until the swinging sixties when I went to London.

I'm one of these guys:

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2FRedRobin_05%2FRR%2FRevAdkins_2066.jpg&hash=6de8cb6d83fa27cdb4f5a6181bc0a9cecc735b39)

^ But which one?

Of of these little boys, one later had a D-type Jaguar, another has raced an Aston Martin, another's father had a Railton and his uncle an original supercharged Brooklands Bentley, and another was chaplain of HMS Ark Royal aircraft carrier. Another is married to the very famous 1960's model Jean Shrimpton and his first car as a teenager was a lightweight Jaguar SS Saloon. Yet another grew up to be a yachtsman of some repute. Looking at them, who would have thought it?
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: rich83 on October 05, 2012, 08:37:21 pm
Hmm... 3rd row 2nd from the left?
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: Hedge on October 05, 2012, 08:48:42 pm
2nd row 3rd from the right.  :P
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: rich83 on October 05, 2012, 08:51:36 pm
2nd row 3rd from the right.  :P

PMSL!
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on October 05, 2012, 09:04:24 pm

Hmm... 3rd row 2nd from the left?


....If you mean 3rd row from the front then that's my friend who's dad had the Railton etc.


2nd row 3rd from the right.  :P


....Swedish Assistant Matron and a natural blonde  :evilgrin:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: Hedge on October 18, 2012, 08:09:50 pm
I'm liking this evenings programme already.  :happy2:
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: rich83 on October 18, 2012, 08:10:48 pm
just tuning in!
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on October 19, 2012, 09:24:52 pm
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Robin Olds  :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Excellent prog and so good to include interviews with so many of the actual pilots.
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: JJ on October 19, 2012, 11:46:46 pm
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Robin Olds  :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

Excellent prog and so good to include interviews with so many of the actual pilots.

I've just read Colonel Old's wiki page - what a boy! Seems he didn't get promoted higher because of his maverick views and penchant for drinking!

Talking of Robin's, is that you stood behind the Headmaster RR?
Title: Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
Post by: RedRobin on October 20, 2012, 09:40:30 am

Talking of Robin's, is that you stood behind the Headmaster RR?


....Nope. The Headmaster (very John Cleese-like!) isn't in that half of the pic. You probably mean the Chaplain and nope it's not me stood or anything else behind.