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#1
09-22-2010, 10:51 PM
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Found after 69 years ... fragments of Spitfire collision over Edinburgh.
IT WAS a tragic accident at the height of the Second World War which was witnessed by hundreds and left a girl haunted by the memory. In what is thought to have been the only mid-air aircraft crash in central Edinburgh during the conflict, two Spitfires collided over Inverleith, Edinburgh in September 1941. Now, fragments from one of the fighters have been unearthed in the Royal Botanic Garden after remaining buried for 69 years, The Scotsman has learned. And an eye witness, who was 11 at the time, has spoken of her vivid memories of seeing the plane crash just yards from where she was camping. The aircraft had been on a training flight from RAF Drem in East Lothian when the collision occurred. One of the planes, flown by Pilot Officer K M Simpson, crashed into playing fields west of Inverleith Park after he successfully bailed out. But the other Spitfire crashed into the Botanic Garden and its pilot, Pilot Officer Arthur Searle, 20, from Rhodesia, died after he bailed out too late. He is buried in Dirleton cemetery in East Lothian. While much of the wreckage was removed from the scene after the crash, some parts remained buried in the ground until they were unearthed in this summer's excavation, organised by Leigh Morris, head of education at the Botanics. They include parts of the engine and cockpit, found 10ft below what was then the curator's private garden. Mr Morris said: "We found fragments of the aluminium airframe, and the engine's carburetter plate, the stainless steel cockpit catch, and pieces of the Perspex cockpit cover. The aircraft exploded into lots of pieces and the big bits were taken away after the crash." The excavation site, about 70ft long by 35ft wide, is close to the garden's east gate on Inverleith Row, where a temporary shop had been located. Pauline Scott, who was 11 at the time, was left haunted by witnessing Searle's Spitfire crashing just 20 yards from her home in Inverleith Row. Mrs Scott, now 80, said she had been reading with a friend in a tent in the garden when she heard "unusual sounds" from some low-flying planes. She said: "I peered out of the flaps of the tent and was horrified to see this shape hurtling down towards me. "Visions of newsreel footage and planes exploding when they hit the ground flashed through my mind, and terrified, I attempted to get out of the back of the tent, which was well pegged down. "Somehow I escaped and made my way, legs like water, to the safety, I hoped, of the house. "I thought we were going to be obliterated - it was like a nightmare. The plane thankfully hit the ground on the other side of the high stone wall at the top of the garden. "The droning sound of that falling aeroplane haunted my memory for many years, especially when listening to night-flying aircraft." A special garden may be created at the Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum in Dumfries, which excavated the wreckage, to mark the incident when the fragments are moved there after being displayed at the Botanics.
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#2
09-22-2010, 11:47 PM
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recently declassified gun camera footage from japan. some pretty clear video.
http://wimp.com/guncamera/
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#4
09-24-2010, 07:46 AM
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and you wondered what you were going to do with all that spare change you have been saving up for years....here's an idea!!
http://www.platinumfighters.com/ check out the inventory special...could play BoP for real!!
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#5
09-26-2010, 06:00 PM
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jet powered lancs, wellingtons, and B24s...
they were used as testbeds for jet engines...strange but interesting. more info on thse sites.. http://www.iconicaircraft.co.uk/foru...t=1514&start=0 http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...lancaster.html
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#6
09-28-2010, 10:57 PM
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#7
10-04-2010, 05:13 PM
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FIFI flies again!
Fifi update:
Fifi is the worlds only flyable b-29 superfortress and has been grounded for years for an engine refit and various upgrades. she finished her 4th and final maintenance flight for FAA certifcation recently. she will make her big debute at the midland, tx airshow this weekend after 6 years on the ground. she will be based out of addison, tx at the at the Cavanaugh flight museum. she is actually 2 years ahead of schedule. the husband of a gal who used to work for me was hired to do work on her...Fifi that is... and i believe is the flight engineer. i will post more pics when she sends them.
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#8
10-05-2010, 08:04 PM
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everything you ever wanted to know about german ac rockets....a tiny bit of translations is required
 http://www.cockpitinstrumente.de/arc...M%20Orkan.html
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#10
10-10-2010, 06:04 PM
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an couple amusing joke about ww1.
if WW1 was a bar fight Germany, Austria and Italy are standing together in the middle of a pub when Serbia bumps into Austria and spills Austria’s pint. Austria demands Serbia buy it a complete new suit because there are splashes on its trouser leg. Germany expresses its support for Austria’s point of view. Britain recommends that everyone calm down a bit. Serbia points out that it can’t afford a whole suit, but offers to pay for the cleaning of Austria’s trousers. Russia and Serbia look at Austria. Austria asks Serbia who it’s looking at. Russia suggests that Austria should leave its little brother alone. Austria inquires as to whose army will assist Russia in compelling it to do so. Germany appeals to Britain that France has been looking at it, and that this is sufficiently out of order that Britain should not intervene. Britain replies that France can look at who it wants to, that Britain is looking at Germany too, and what is Germany going to do about it? Germany tells Russia to stop looking at Austria, or Germany will render Russia incapable of such action. Britain and France ask Germany whether it’s looking at Belgium. Turkey and Germany go off into a corner and whisper. When they come back, Turkey makes a show of not looking at anyone. Germany rolls up its sleeves, looks at France, and punches Belgium. France and Britain punch Germany. Austria punches Russia. Germany punches Britain and France with one hand and Russia with the other. Russia throws a punch at Germany, but misses and nearly falls over. Japan calls over from the other side of the room that it’s on Britain’s side, but stays there. Italy surprises everyone by punching Austria. Australia punches Turkey, and gets punched back. There are no hard feelings because Britain made Australia do it. France gets thrown through a plate glass window, but gets back up and carries on fighting. Russia gets thrown through another one, gets knocked out, suffers brain damage, and wakes up with a complete personality change. Italy throws a punch at Austria and misses, but Austria falls over anyway. Italy raises both fists in the air and runs round the room chanting. America waits till Germany is about to fall over from sustained punching from Britain and France, then walks over and smashes it with a barstool, then pretends it won the fight all by itself. By now all the chairs are broken and the big mirror over the bar is shattered. Britain, France and America agree that Germany threw the first punch, so the whole thing is Germany’s fault . While Germany is still unconscious, they go through its pockets, steal its wallet, and buy drinks for all their friends.
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