# Duxford Battle of Britain airshow



## Geedee (Aug 20, 2010)

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## Crimea_River (Aug 20, 2010)

Got my flight and accommodations booked Gary. Alas, I was was hoping to get a gold pass for the weekend but they were sold out so I just got the 2 day standard pass.

Would be great to meet you and Tony there!

Anyone else going?


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## Airframes (Aug 20, 2010)

Let me know where you're all staying guys. I don't know if my legs will take all the standing / walking at the show itself, but I'll try to get down to at least meet up with you for a pint or six !


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## Crimea_River (Aug 20, 2010)

That would be bloody fantastic!

I'm staying at the Dorset House B&B about 4-5 miles from the museum arriving Friday night. Not sure how I'm getting there yet. Arriving at Heathrow at 11am Friday and need to catch a train, probably to Cambridge. I'm kinda loathe to drive since I'd be the only one driving on the correct side of the road!


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## Geedee (Aug 21, 2010)

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## Wayne Little (Aug 21, 2010)

Sounds like it's going to be a great event..!!


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## wheelsup_cavu (Aug 29, 2010)

Looking forward to the pictures.


Wheels


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## Geedee (Sep 5, 2010)

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## Airframes (Sep 5, 2010)

Great stuff Gary ! Glad you met up with Andy, but I'm really hacked off I cpuldn't get there !


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## Rocketeer (Sep 5, 2010)

Well, my shots were not that good, but are a record of sorts!!

We had 5 of the UK's 6 Hurris, 16 Spits, a rare performance by Spit XVI TE184....4 Hurris were awesome. It was great to meet up with Andy too,


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## Airframes (Sep 5, 2010)

Great pics Tony. Don't think I've seen that Dutch Spit before, or has it been re-painted from camouflage recently ?


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## rochie (Sep 6, 2010)

love the shot of the Spitfire with everything hanging out !


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## seesul (Sep 6, 2010)

ope you´ve enjoy the event guys!
I´ve heard the Pink Lady was grounded forever, is it so?


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## Rocketeer (Sep 6, 2010)

Cheers Guys!

I have just looked at the picture Gary put up of Andy, Gary et Moi and there appears to be an old lady about to push down a plunger and blow us all up lol!!!


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## rochie (Sep 6, 2010)

Rocketeer said:


> Cheers Guys!
> 
> I have just looked at the picture Gary put up of Andy, Gary et Moi and there appears to be an old lady about to push down a plunger and blow us all up lol!!!


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## Geedee (Sep 6, 2010)

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## evangilder (Sep 6, 2010)

Great stuff, guys! The sound of 16 spitfires must have been awesome.


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## Airframes (Sep 7, 2010)

Gary, that guy is muttering, in Dutch, "I knew I should have latched the bl**dy door properly" !


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## Crimea_River (Sep 7, 2010)

Well, just got home tonight and checked out this thread. It was great to meet up with Gary and Tony, sorry to have not seen Terry or any of the rest of you lot. Thanks guys for showing me around and getting me in to the Friends of Duxford area. I guess my mug is now finally on this site! The old lady blowing us up is priceless. I thought she was actually powering up her cart to goose Tony.

After meeting the guys on Saturday, I attended Sunday's show as well. The weather was cooler and there was a stiff cross wind. On Gary's advice, I decided to park myself on "Tank Hill" for Sunday's show which turned out to be an excellent vantage point. Most of the show was run in overcast skies but then the sun broke out just as the Spits were taking to the field which was rather special I'd say.

On Monday, I headed up to Campbridge and had lunch and a couple of pints at the Eagle Pub which was a great experience as well. Made it back to my Hotel in London before just before the underground strike - whew!

Here's a sampling of some stuff Gary and Tony didn't throw up yet. The picture of Sally B landing shows the kind of wind the pilots were tackling. Enjoy!


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## Airframes (Sep 8, 2010)

Great pics Andy ! Glad to see the weather stayed reasonable at worst, and sunny for some of the time. We here in the UK probably take it a little for granted, but I've always wanted to know how people from other countries feel about seeing all these wonderful WW2 aircraft perform, on a historic, WW2, RAF airfield, especially one as well documented and photographed as Duxford. Personally, when I'm there, I 'feel' the history and 'emotions' of the place - what did you think mate ?


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## Crimea_River (Sep 8, 2010)

Frankly, I found it a bit difficult to "feel" the history out on the flight line during the show. All the booths with vendors selling cheap hardware and greasy burgers ruins it.

It was on the second day when the history filled my pores. I took my time to arrive early and wandered through and behind the hangars away from the crowds, visited the ops room and walked past the various barracks and dispersals and paused to reflect on the men and machines that filled these exact spaces those 70 years ago. That's when I felt it.

Tell me Terry, behind one of the hangars, there's a tower with open sides that resembles a bell tower but a rope hung over a block inside. Do yuou know what that was used for?


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## Geedee (Sep 8, 2010)

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## Crimea_River (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks Gary. I was disappointed with many of the shots taken with the Tamron lens my wife got with the camera. When I told my wife she said that she wasn't impressed with the lens either. Could have told me before!

Oh well, I guess I'll just need to come back....


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## Gnomey (Sep 8, 2010)

Great shots!


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## Airframes (Sep 8, 2010)

That's a great excuse to come back ! Anyway, if the tower you mention is the one I think it is, it's probably one of two things.
Either the hose tower for part of the station fire section, or the parachute drying /untangling tower, although that's normally on the end of the packing shed, if such a tower was used. I'd have to see which one you mean, and check it out. It might even be the remains of the station static water tank - virtually all RAF airfields had a water tower, often visible long before you got within reach of the airfield, and these were mainly steel girder affairs, but, on 'permanent' stations, built in the 'expansion period' of the '30s, they could be brick, concrete, and sometimes quite ornate structures.


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## vikingBerserker (Sep 8, 2010)

Man, those pics are awesome!

That had to be incredible to have been there!


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## Rocketeer (Sep 9, 2010)

great shots Andy! Glad you are home safely.
The tank bank was the place to go!


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## Crimea_River (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks Tony. It was so wonderful coming back to our lovely summer - currently 9degC and raining. England was WARM!

Terry, here's a pic of that tower.


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## rochie (Sep 9, 2010)

great pictures Andy


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## Crimea_River (Sep 9, 2010)

Thank-you Karl


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## Airframes (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks Andy. I'm fairly sure that's the Fire Section hose drying tower, but I'll see what else I can find and let you know. When the fire hoses were made of rubberised canvas, they had to be hung up after use, to allow any excess moisture to drain, and keep the hoses, in lengths of around twenty and thirty feet I think, straight, to prevent cracking and splits etc.


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## Crimea_River (Sep 9, 2010)

Makes sense. Thanks Terry.


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