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Thread: AAR - Those Magnificent Spitfires of Old Chester Green: September 15th 2015!

  1. #1

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    Red face AAR - Those Magnificent Spitfires of Old Chester Green: September 15th 2015!

    Those Magnificent Spitfires of Old Chester Green

    On September 15th 2015 the largest assembly of airworthy Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes descended on Goodwood Aerodrome in West Sussex to commemorate Battle of Britain Day. But unlike on The Hardest Day the flypasts staged out of Goodwood only covered southern England whereas on The Hardest Day the north of England was remembered too.

    What a shame ... thought somebody nameless who lives near Derby which is the home of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Maybe we can hold our own Spitfire Rally featuring just over 20 aircraft?

    Hell why not says a partner in crime at Fanshawe's Tractors between Leeds-Bradford and Doncaster / Finningley - featuring the Wings of Glory and Wings of War clan.

    Erm ... I'm going to need some assistance! The Reply: Will Flight Instructor Arden and I do? To which the answer is yes - GAME ON!

    Fast forward we go to September 15th 2015 at Goodfood Aerodrome which has been specially created on the dining room table with three of us present. Here is the Pilot's Briefing Room along with the Flightplan for both sets of Spitfires:

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    The plan is for both groups of Spitfires to cover the dining room table which sees a lot of action along with the kitchen table where the Lady Wife and I play a lot of our games. Then it's up up and away to the attic where the mainline aircraft collection awaits their Wings of War / Glory siblings. It is worth noting that of the 1/72 Spitfires featured in this stunt not one of them was a diecast / Easymodel - all have been assembled from kits.

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    At 13:00 with Marginal VFR weather conditions the first take off goes ahead featuring the planned 1 x Spitfire Mk I and 2 x Spitfire Mk IIs.

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    They begin with Turn 1 and by Turn 5 have turned towards the kitchen where the three will cross the kitchen table. By Turn 7 the three-ship formation has crossed over to the kitchen table which they complete ensuite with bottles of Spitfire Real Kentish Ale being used as gaming mat weights! As Turn 11 starts the Spitfires hit the attic where they pause though it takes a turn to move them into position out of the display path. There is then a live flypast by a polystyrene Spitfire Mk I DW-K (supplied by Sylvia - cheers me duck!) followed by five minutes of Corgi Showcase Spitfire Mk II and Hurricane Mk I action. Following the Corgi Showcase action it is time to leave again and Turn 14 takes our three Wings of War Spitfires back into the air ... Heading back for the dining room table and Goodfood Aerodrome. Turn 18 sees all three back safely in the dining room having made their transition downstairs and by Turn 20 the three are ready for landing. My estimate of 24 turns was not far out ... The three Spitfires are all safely landed back at Goodfood by the end of Turn 22. Everyone's feet need a break ...

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Name:	34. Spitfire Formation 1 air display at Spitfire Rally.jpg 
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Name:	37. Time for Spitfire Formation 1 to take a break.jpg 
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Name:	39. Manoeuver performed during Turn 13.jpg 
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Name:	41. Spitfire Mk I DW-K flypast just caught on camera.jpg 
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Name:	45. Corgi Showcase display breaks formation.jpg 
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Name:	55. Spitfire Formation 1 in departure position.jpg 
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Name:	57. Spitfire Formation 1 airbornes from Spitfire Rally.jpg 
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    Because at 14:30 the second take off is all set and ready to go. Changeover time is around fifteen minutes to ready 4 x Spitfire Mk IXs to make the same trip. There is a sweepstake as to how fewer turns these faster aircraft will complete the journey in and Ben (Arden) wins this by guessing 20.

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    Again things proceed at the start of Turn 1 from Goodfood and by Turn 6 the four-ship formation which distorted slightly during the turn towards the kitchen is ready for transition. They cross the kitchen table in four turns meaning that when they hit the attic the four Spitfire Mk IXs are already one turn faster than their earlier-war counterparts. Turn 12 moves these four out of the way so more of the same as before is able to take place obstruction-free. This time DW-K is caught much better on camera as it overflies live before the five minute display is this time performed by Corgi Flight Spitfire Mk I / Hurricane Mk I. This all goes down very well and after the Corgi Flight performance it's time for the Wings of Glory Spitfire Mk IXs to move again. Turn 13 takes them into the air and back towards the dining room just like before. However by Turn 18 the four Spitfires have broken up into pairs after a brief discussion between the three participants as to how best to land these Birdies. By the end of Turn 20 the four of them are safely on the ground back at Goodfood Aerodrome. Everyone's feet definitely need a break!

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Name:	79. Tabletop as Spitfire Formation 2 crosses kitchen table.jpg 
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    The end of the Rally is celebrated with a bottle of Spitfire Real Kentish Ale from the kitchen. The event ends around 17:00 so everyone can get home in time to watch Battle of Britain: Return of The Spitfires on Channel 4. Since this event took place Ben Arden has emailed Barney to ask more about starting up his own Wings of Glory interest which would be excellent if he does. Rules in use - Basic Rules.

    BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ... Especially Sylvia whose idea this all was in the first place

  2. #2

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    Those Spitfires are real eyecatchers...
    Voilŕ le soleil d'Austerlitz!

  3. #3

    Thumbs up

    Well Done Barney! Great stuff.

  4. #4

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    Now that was probably a barrel of fun.
    Well played!

    But now the question every one is dying to ask:
    Just how many of these Click image for larger version. 

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stumptonian View Post
    But now the question every one is dying to ask:
    Just how many of these were consumed during the course of this undertaking ?
    One each at the end of the mission - which was both a great laugh but also a good way of commemorating Battle of Britain Day in a unique way given what was happening at the same time over southern England

  6. #6

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    I'll drink to that Barnaby.


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  7. #7

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    Barnaby,
    I really enjoy your sorties...

    I can tell/believe you really like the whole aircraft/flying aspect...

    Very refreshing good sir...
    Chris

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    When I look back at the missions I have flown and the AARs I have written including the Avro Vulcan sorties I think I have to say that THIS ONE was my finest hour.

    Was talking to one of the other two people involved in this earlier today and it still comes up in conversation rather frequently. A great day full of happy memories.

  9. #9

    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by Tonx View Post
    When I look back at the missions I have flown and the AARs I have written including the Avro Vulcan sorties I think I have to say that THIS ONE was my finest hour. *********SNIPPED*********
    A very apt quote Barney!

  10. #10

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    Those spits are just so nice. Every time I see them I get one step closer to the dark side

  11. #11

  12. #12

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    On March 5th 2016 it is the eightieth anniversary of the first flight of the Supermarine Spitfire. Prototype K5054 airborned from Eastleigh (Southampton) with Vickers Chief Test Pilot Mutt Summers at the controls: The flight lasted for eight minutes.

    However game-wise we have a problem: March 5th 2016 is also the date on which Hammerhead 2016 is being held with many Members attending: One of whom has an event trophy to retain from last year.

    But we need to mark this anniversary with a follow up to this Spitfire-Specific event. Especially as there are at least five more Spitfires which did not feature in this event to include in the next one ... Any ideas?

    There was talk of another game taking place to coincide with this same anniversary at the RAF Museum in Cosford on this same date however nothing further has been heard about this beyond October 2015. To constitute as an Aerodrome Event at least three Members have to be present and this time there would be two (the Wife and I) though we would need assistance from at least one other person in running something like this again: Three people were involved in this event - two Members though one has since left and another non-Member. The location would be here once again and we do have the facilities to operate a live-link to somewhere on site.

    Talk about CRUNCH TIME!



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