Guy Martins Spitfire

[Wedg1e]

I went to the sub pens at St. Nazaire with the ex and kids back in the 90s: they had a sub called the Espadon open to the public too, it was moored (if I recall right) in one of the original access locks to the inner basin where the pens are. Also went around the Chantiers de l'Atlantique (shipbuilders) museum, they had a 1960s computer plotter that was drawing sections of ship on paper the size of a house end! Also interesting to note that there's no mention of the war years in the history timeline of the town, it just stops in '39 and restarts in '45.
Mind you I don't think the locals were happy with the RAF continually bombing the town flat in an attempt to destroy the sub pens...


I haven't seen the Guy Martin prog but about 20 years back there was a TV documentary of a guy who restored a 2-seat Spitfire; seeing that fly at the end really did bring a lump to the throat - and there was none of the enforced emotional tugging they do now, just a good old-fashioned documentary of a genuine enthusiast.
When it came to fitting the wings, they'd found 10 or 12 women who used to work at Supermarine; the technique involved a guy sitting in the cockpit with the wing root bolts telling individual women carrying the wing (who each had a number) whether to go up, down, left etc. and once the holes lined up, he dropped the bolts in.
The ladies were all getting on a bit but they still managed to do the necessary teamwork to get the wings on!
Sadly, I seem to recall the owner/ pilot died not long after (car crash?) and his wife put in the effort to get certified so she could continue to fly the Spit.

 

[norlander]

"I went to the sub pens at St. Nazaire with the ex and kids back in the 90s: they had a sub called the Espadon open to the public too, it was moored (if I recall right) in one of the original access locks to the inner basin where the pens are. Also went around the Chantiers de l'Atlantique (shipbuilders) museum, they had a 1960s computer plotter that was drawing sections of ship on paper the size of a house end! Also interesting to note that there's no mention of the war years in the history timeline of the town, it just stops in '39 and restarts in '45.
Mind you I don't think the locals were happy with the RAF continually bombing the town flat in an attempt to destroy the sub pens... "

IIRC, the locals got a beastiing by the Germans in reprisals for the Commando raid on St Nazaire. The Germans assumed that the locals must have had a hand in or helped in the raid and I think there is resentment because of that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid.

You meet some french people over here who have the opinion that the english* should have surrendered or tried to stay neutral and a lot of fighting would have been avoided.
*Its always the english-not British-don't know if they assume the Scots, Welsh and Ulster people were prepared to chuck in the towel.

 

[mackie.m]

I went to the sub pens at St. Nazaire with the ex and kids back in the 90s: they had a sub called the Espadon open to the public too, it was moored (if I recall right) in one of the original access locks to the inner basin where the pens are. Also went around the Chantiers de l'Atlantique (shipbuilders) museum, they had a 1960s computer plotter that was drawing sections of ship on paper the size of a house end! Also interesting to note that there's no mention of the war years in the history timeline of the town, it just stops in '39 and restarts in '45.
Mind you I don't think the locals were happy with the RAF continually bombing the town flat in an attempt to destroy the sub pens...


I haven't seen the Guy Martin prog but about 20 years back there was a TV documentary of a guy who restored a 2-seat Spitfire; seeing that fly at the end really did bring a lump to the throat - and there was none of the enforced emotional tugging they do now, just a good old-fashioned documentary of a genuine enthusiast.
When it came to fitting the wings, they'd found 10 or 12 women who used to work at Supermarine; the technique involved a guy sitting in the cockpit with the wing root bolts telling individual women carrying the wing (who each had a number) whether to go up, down, left etc. and once the holes lined up, he dropped the bolts in.
The ladies were all getting on a bit but they still managed to do the necessary teamwork to get the wings on!
Sadly, I seem to recall the owner/ pilot died not long after (car crash?) and his wife put in the effort to get certified so she could continue to fly the Spit.

Google "Nick Grace Spitfire" for a full history of that one. I saw it originally at Strathallan before the collection was broken up.

 

[Wedg1e]

Google "Nick Grace Spitfire" for a full history of that one. I saw it originally at Strathallan before the collection was broken up.

That's the one, thank you sir

 

[brewdexta]

I eventually got around to see this, kids in bed and missus out so no stupid questions that could have waited until tomorrow

What could go wrong?

Sodding recording finished short, just as they were about to obliterate the BMW with the .50 calibre

I shall find a source of it from somewhere but it bloody annoying, poxy humax PVR, will build me own when I get around to it.

 

[DanielW]

Don't know about yours?..but

On my recoder it has a routine of starting recordings 5 minutes before and stop recoding 5 minutes later.

Most programs are never at the scheduled times of airing.

 

[optima21]

it finishes on more 4 in 5 minutes and then is on again in the early hours at 12.35 tonight

 

[brewdexta]

watching it now - thanks

My PVR barfs if somebody watches certain channels while its recordring, its a satellite PVR with 2 x LMBs. We now get terrestrial around here with decent signal strength as of a few months ago so I may ditch it. Also I think I may have a dodgy LMB, I've seen signal straighten dip occasionally.

 

[brewdexta]

High speed broadband coming from 2 to 6 months according to Superfast West Yorks so may not need new PVR They have installed the cabinet and DSLAM and are putting the link cable to the existing cab so in theory could come quicker as I know the fibre is there but we shall see.

The missus came back and talked through some of the show, something about holidays next years, I think I grunted in agreement a few times, god knows what I agreed too

 

[Cyberprog]

High speed broadband coming from 2 to 6 months according to Superfast West Yorks so may not need new PVR They have installed the cabinet and DSLAM and are putting the link cable to the existing cab so in theory could come quicker as I know the fibre is there but we shall see.

The missus came back and talked through some of the show, something about holidays next years, I think I grunted in agreement a few times, god knows what I agreed too

Aye, my new house has a Fibre Cabinet sat right outside. Looking forward to the end of December when they turn it all on!

 

[brightspark]

Aye, my new house has a Fibre Cabinet sat right outside. Looking forward to the end of December when they turn it all on!

there was one outside our house .ntl when they cabled the whole aeria up and pestered me to change so i signed up the agreement a week later they came and couldnt connect up there was no cable or gutts in the box another week went by and i got the answer the rep shouldnt have signed me up as its going to cost them 8 grand just to connect my house as the cable conection point was 800 yards away i said give me 4 grand and i wont have it then no chance .ok then get it put in or i will see u in court as we signed the contract and it works both ways , job done at there loss

 

[Cyberprog]

there was one outside our house .ntl when they cabled the whole aeria up and pestered me to change so i signed up the agreement a week later they came and couldnt connect up there was no cable or gutts in the box another week went by and i got the answer the rep shouldnt have signed me up as its going to cost them 8 grand just to connect my house as the cable conection point was 800 yards away i said give me 4 grand and i wont have it then no chance .ok then get it put in or i will see u in court as we signed the contract and it works both ways , job done at there loss

Lol, mine's def. FTTC, I'd love to go back to Cable (alebit at the fact that no static IP's are possible on home use) but the area isn't cabled, and probably never will (rural)

 

[anjum]

High speed broadband coming from 2 to 6 months according to Superfast West Yorks so may not need new PVR They have installed the cabinet and DSLAM and are putting the link cable to the existing cab so in theory could come quicker as I know the fibre is there but we shall see.

The missus came back and talked through some of the show, something about holidays next years, I think I grunted in agreement a few times, god knows what I agreed too

Aye, my new house has a Fibre Cabinet sat right outside. Looking forward to the end of December when they turn it all on!

Brewdexta, that's why she let you watch it. Cunning, the female of the species!!

Is that what you agreed to whilst you weren't quite listening, Cyberprog, did your wife install it??

 

[Premiershipman]

I got a letter the other day about VDSL finally available in my area, getting upgrade on Saturday.

Supposedly I will get 38-40MB download when its connected, faster youtube loading !

 

[Cyberprog]

Cyberprog, did your wife install it??

Nope. Not silly enough to marry her. She keeps dropping hints, but it's really not my thing marriage.