'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines' • a wry history.

[Garfly]

 

 

[IBob]

Parts of that movie were shot........in typical British shoestring style........at Booker aerodrome, near High Wycombe, where I grew up. At one point someone makes a forced landing into what is meant to be a sewage farm (typical British toilet humour, wot?), they made that by flooding a small plastic lined area and floating crushed cork on the top.

 

Booker was one of the surviving large round grass airfields (no vectors, just take off and land into wind, regardless of direction), also housed RAF Avro Ansons, which were used for navigation training, back when that was done with a sextant and an astrodome..........

[Soleair]

And a healthy gliding club, too.  (At least there was in the  early 2000's when I spent a memorable summer learning the art).

[Marty_d]

10 hours ago, IBob said:

Booker was one of the surviving large round grass airfields (no vectors, just take off and land into wind, regardless of direction)

Sounds idyllic, but what about the "runway picture" for judging your descent?

[facthunter]

Good question. Newcastle  (District Park) when I started was an all over field and very small, You don't get the "too high, too low" aspect of the straight sided runway but it's not hard to just land as short as safely possible and take it from there. Bankstown was one Long runway and the rest  was an all over field. My first time there I landed over the clubhouse and pulled up before the actual  field started. which looked pretty silly  An engineer who marshalled me to park commented "I don't have to ASK where you are from" The tiny field at Newcastle had got me trained for the short ones and we didn't waste runway. Nev

[Garfly]

Another oldie but goodie in the annals of WWI aviation history:

 

 

[NT5224]

On 17/04/2021 at 7:23 AM, Garfly said:

 

 

Hi folks!

 

I just want to put it out there. I love this movie and have always loved it, since I was  young child.

 

Its just a great film. A perfect insight into the early days of aviation much  strengthened  by the authentic flying scenes. Also bloody funny!

 

In some respects its stood the test of time well... In others less so. That final scene meant to represent the future of aviation when the squadron of English  Electric Lightnings goes roaring over in V formation lookS distinctly vintage and smokey now...

 

And yet the old Lightning is still pretty much faster  than anything in the skies today...

 

I once had this film on VHS and it was stolen from my household possessions as they went through customs leaving a Middle Eastern country. Anyone know where I can get it again? 

 

Alan 

 

 

 

 

[spacesailor]

PIRATEBAY !

[Garfly]

On 25/06/2021 at 10:31 AM, NT5224 said:

That final scene meant to represent the future of aviation when the squadron of English  Electric Lightnings goes roaring over in V formation lookS distinctly vintage and smokey now...

Speaking of Lightnings ... this yarn is a new take on an old tale: