Tonx
09-22-2015, 11:32
:singin: Those Magnificent Spitfires of Old Chester Green :singin:
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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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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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 :)
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:
176551
176552
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.
176553
176554
176555
176556
176557
176558
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.
176559
176560
176561
176562
176563
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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176567
176568
176569
176570
176571
176572
176573
176574
176575
176576
176577
176578
176579
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.
176580
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!
176581
176582
176583
176584
176585
176586
176587
176588
176589
176590
176591
176592
176593
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 :)