I will do. I have a whole room that I can use that nobody is going to come into and disturb things. Sod the idea of a lodger. I want the smell of dope and the rasp of saw on balsa.
I may start to smoke a pipe. ( A sort of R.J Mitchell thing going on!)
"Take this, brother; may it serve you well."
^ You'll have to work it into your baking schedule.
"While Jim is milking the Russian Boar, I'm in the shade of a Baobab tree being served a cool drink by a beautiful young indigenous girl. "
Marlin Perkins
Aloha - Aloha HARD
I shall.
With my baking, model making, and pipe smoking, I often throw open wide the french windows and let the sunshine stream in. In my house it is forever 1937.
Tomorrow I shall prepare sloe gin, ginger beer and some cucumber sandwiches.
I am hearing some disturbing and awfully exaggerated rumours about Herr Hitler's plans in Europe. Lots of silly stories are circulating. The usual sources of course.
I'm afraid that I have some misgivings regarding Mr. Chamberlain's recent overtures to the Germans. As if they pose a threat to us! Ridiculous. Poor Ribbentrop was quite insulted (though he is too much of a gentleman to say so.)
If we are not careful I fear that madman Churchill may soon be back on the front benches with his obsessions and hyperbole.
We have nothing to fear from the Germans. These Nazzis are a flash in the pan. Wiser heads will prevail and Herr Hitler and his thugs will slink back from whence they came.
Last edited by Anna Key; 16th September 2012 at 00:04.
Worthy of a green but the rules forbid it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...b8d_story.htmlMyanmar signs deal to begin excavation of British Spitfire fighter planes from World War II
Myanmar has signed a deal with a British aviation enthusiast to allow the excavation of a World War II treasure: dozens of Spitfire fighter planes buried by the British almost 70 years ago.
Aviation enthusiast David J. Cundall discovered the locations of the aircraft after years of searching. The planes are believed to be in good condition, since they were reportedly packed in crates and hidden by British forces to keep them out of the hands of invading Japanese.
The British Embassy said Wednesday that the agreement was reached after discussions between President Thein Sein and British Prime Minister David Cameron during his visit to Myanmar earlier this year.
The excavation of the rare planes is slated to begin by the end of October.
The Myanma Ahlin daily reported that the excavation agreement was signed Tuesday by Director General of Civil Aviation Tin Naing Tun, Cundall on behalf of his British company DJC, and Htoo Htoo, managing director of Cundall’s Myanmar partner, the Shwe Taung Paw company.
“It took 16 years for Mr. David Cundall to locate the planes buried in crates. We estimate that there are at least 60 Spitfires buried and they are in good condition,” Htoo Htoo Zaw said.
“This will be the largest number of Spitfires in the world,” he said. “We want to let people see those historic fighters, and the excavation of these fighter planes will further strengthen relations between Myanmar and Britain.”
The British Embassy described the agreement as a chance to work with Myanmar’s new reformist government “in uncovering, restoring, displaying these fighter planes.”
“We hope that many of them will be gracing the skies of Britain and as discussed, some will be displayed here in Burma,” said an embassy spokesman, using the old name for Myanmar.
Myanmar has since last the past year turned away from many of the repressive policies of the previous military government and patched up relations with Western nations that had previously shunned it.
Myanma Ahlin cited Transport Minister Nyan Tun Aung saying the agreement was a milestone strengthening the friendly relationship between Myanmar and Britain and amounts to the British government’s recognition of the democratic reforms of President Thein Sein’s new government.
Cundall has said his quest to find the planes involved 12 trips to Myanmar and the expenditure of more than 130,000 pounds ($210,000).
Some of you Thai residing plane buffs may be able to get in on the excavation and restoration if you had a mind to.
We could all sit outside on banana lounges discussing the best way to rebuild a 4WD transmission and agree, through shared stories of conquests supporting our assertions, that there is no basis to the proposition that those least assured of their persuasions are the first to condemn others for theirs.
Does Anna know about this?
Once he wakes up and logs in he will.
I read about this guy months ago. If I remember correctly there's no proof that the planes actually exist and are in fact buried where the guy thinks they are.
Start digging and hope for the best. I really hope they are there and if he finds 60 Spit's waiting to be restored that will be incredible.
Lost Squadron Of Pickled Spitfires FoundAviation historians and warbird enthusiasts are drooling at the discovery of at least 12 and maybe as many 20 perfectly preserved brand-new Spitfire Mark 14s buried in Myanmar, which was formerly Burma. Thanks to the tenacity (and apparently considerable diplomatic skills) of British farmer David Cundall, the lost squadron of pristine fighters was found where they were buried by U.S. troops in 1945 when it became clear they wouldn't be needed in the final days of the Second World War. At least a dozen of the aircraft, one of the latest variants with their 2,035-horsepower Roll Royce Griffon engines replacing the 1,200-1,500-horsepower Merlins in earlier models, were buried without ever being removed from their original packing crates. It's possible another eight were also buried after the war ended. After spending 15 years and $200,000 of his own money, Cundall was rewarded with visual proof of the magnitude of his discovery. "We sent a borehole down and used a camera to look at the crates," he told the Telegraph. "They seemed to be in good condition."
The aircraft were declared surplus when they arrived in Burma because the Japanese were in retreat by then and carrier-based Seafires were getting all the action. They were ordered buried in their original crates, waxed, swaddled in grease paper and their joints tarred against the elements. Cundall found some of the soldiers who buried the planes by placing ads in magazines and was able to narrow down the search before using ground-penetrating radar to confirm the burial site. The next obstacles to recovery are political. Myanmar's former military junta was under a variety of sanctions, among them an international convention that prevented the transfer of military goods to and from the country. Recent political reforms have led to the lifting of that ban effective April 23. Cundall will also need the permission of the new Myanmar government to unearth the treasure. He helped his own cause by making numerous trips to the country and earning the trust of government officials. British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to seal the deal with Myanmar President Thein Sein during a visit.
Looks like he did.
Nice! I want to see those photos!Originally Posted by Umbuku
I've been up for a couple of hours, honest. Just logged into the Grauniad and read this news. Fantastic.
It leads one to wonder just what would one use to pickle a spitfire...
you don't need a saw for balsa. an x-acto knife will do nicely. still leaves the lodger right out in the ... errr.... warm. though.
---Update---
regarding the pickled spitfires... damn shame they're the late-model ones with the bubble canopy and not the classic merlin-powered Spits.
Imodium can't stop me.
Yes, I did have a twinge at that. Still, a Spit's a Spit....but the Merlins would have been gold.
a spit's a spit, but... these things are like P51Hs. too much, too late. still as you say it's a treasure. so which one is you? is you back to Anna now?
incidentally i've used a flying ace photo to illustrate my enforcement of the "no computer games before 3.30" rule. a photo of David McCampbell, with my face photoshopped in, and instead of japanese flags to represent kills, i've used little gamer icons. sadly, it's not terribly effective and the little shits still keep gaming in spite of having to wash dishes if they're caught before school's out. i think by year's end i'll pass von Richtofen. anyway, i'm back to Football Manager 2013 now.
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