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Author Topic: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....  (Read 1394 times)

Offline RedRobin

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Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« on: September 20, 2012, 03:02:57 pm »
.
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:


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Offline Hedge

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #1 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:

Offline RedRobin

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2012, 03:59:56 pm »
.
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?


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Offline rich83

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2012, 04:06:05 pm »
ooooo good... ive set and alarm!

Offline Hedge

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #4 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:

Offline rich83

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2012, 09:51:17 am »
That was a good watch.

Offline RedRobin

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2012, 10:32:04 am »
.
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.


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Offline RedRobin

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #7 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.


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Offline Hedge

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2012, 09:46:23 pm »
Last weeks wasn't so good but tonight's was excellent.  :happy2:

Offline RedRobin

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #9 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.


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Offline rich83

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #10 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:

Offline RedRobin

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #11 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.


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Offline rich83

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2012, 08:12:45 pm »
Hey... you cant talk about long hair.....   :rolleye:

Offline RedRobin

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #13 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:



^ 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?


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Offline rich83

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Re: Heads-up: Heroes of the Skies....
« Reply #14 on: October 05, 2012, 08:37:21 pm »
Hmm... 3rd row 2nd from the left?