Tag: Spitfire

Categories
Airforce Art Poetry

In the Hangar

#IWM #Airfix #Duxford

D-Day Spitfire Airfix – Made and Photographed by BF Kirkham.

A poetry piece by B.F. Kirkham.

There’s a bucket of wings on the table,

but this ain’t no KFC

You’re there with your mates at the ready

and take home a plane for free

You pick up the pieces as listed

the fellow from museum there to help

as your classmates fumble with pieces

and boys and girls start to yelp

Behind you is the perfect model –

they tell you it took men all those years

as part of the wing it does come off

and it almost brings you to tears

Patience – comes call from behind you

as you fiddle with the pieces for a while

it won’t take you long – and you can’t get it wrong

as the teacher gives you a smile

Suddenly it all comes together

the tail end the wings and the prop

resembling that big plane behind you

and its something you don’t want to drop

So you say ta to the model instructor

with your plane that’s been made paid and mended

and your classmates all fly, those planes from time gone by

before the trip to the museum is ended.

Categories
Airforce Poetry

Legacy

D-Day Spitfire, one of three planes (built by me) on my windowsill
D-Day Spitfire built and photographed by Inky


Lately , with the health lockdown i’ve been

Engaged in craft activity, whilst being away from the Museum

Great planes now parade on my windowsill

A squadron from D – Day to Modern day – though

Come to think of it , I’m yet to get my paws on

Your really modern planes – the eurofighter or the F-22
Categories
Heritage Historical IWM North Museum Museums Photography Travel War World War I World War II

A Busman’s Holiday – In Cosford

#DiscoverWP

Shared journeys

Old Trafford, Manchester , 5th August

Time        :   Zero Nine Hundred Hours.

Location :   Imperial War Museum North, Old Trafford, Manchester

Destination : RAF Museum, Cosford, Shropshire

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Bill by the RAF Twin-propped Bomber – and it wasn’t raining!

Having done the Great Orme (see here) Bill Nigel and me meet up for a trip to the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford, Shropshire.

Travelling down the M6 from Manchester and then the M42 we reached our destination, despite queues and roadworks.

Upon arriving at RAF Cosford, we enjoy a bite to eat in the form of soup and a roll in the café.  I had the Tomato (V.Nice!)

Then we hit the Galleries.  Each hangar told the tale of planes that flew in the first and second world wars, as well as some of the individuals that took part in their operation.  A mini timeline, similar to that of IWM North’s Main exhibition space (only a lot smaller) told the history of the RAF from its earliest time as the Royal Flying Corps all the way to the role played in more recent conflict in the Middle east.

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Experimental Aircraft

I particularly enjoyed the Test flight Gallery.  This explained the developmental process behind Planes like the Spitfire and the Harrier Jump Jet .

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Nigel taking shots of the aircraft….

War in the Air had both Allied and German Planes on display as we read how they came to be, and their roles in the Battle of Britain and beyond.  I’m pleased to say I saw a Supermarine Spitfire up close whilst walking round the exhibit, and the one I saw was the oldest surviving model in the world

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All planes have to have something to make them tick – and Cosford’s collection delves deep into many of the engines that got them going.

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I also viewed the artillery used by the RAF Regiment – The Air force soldiers who are assigned to protect the airfields.

It was a most enjoyable day – a pin, bookmark and mug – as well as my photos will remind me of viewing some great pieces of aviation history….just need to get the photos off the camera now 🙂

Something for Historical scholars to spot – my pic shows a statue of Lenin in the distance – but can you spot the other Russian leaders in this pic ?