So what are you doing this Battle of Britain weekend?

Tom H · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:26 am

We just finished having our Battle of Britain movie night in the Museum.

Sunday is our Battle of Britain Parade.

What are you doing this Battle of Britain weekend?

After all it is the 67th Anniversary of the first and possibly largest Battle fought virtually solely in the air.

Tom H

Elroy13 · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:35 am

umm...airshow meeting, birthday party, carshow, pub and darts....thanks for asking! :wink:

I just might watch Battle of Britain one more time! Thanks for the reminder Tom.

Tom H · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:12 pm

Tonight I sit here writing the final parade schedule, parade order and annouced guest list for our Battle of Britain Parade tommorow (Sunday September 16th) and I guest this is a piece of history we are forgetting about as we chase the technology of the day.

The Battle of Britain involved pilots from every allied nation including the USA, who had not officially become involved yet.

Possibly the greatest air battle the world will ever see and a most decisive one as if the Luftwaffe had succeeded Britain would have surely fallen.

The notes read like a movie script....700 young pilots standing against an invincilbe force and holding back an army of 250,000.

Reads like the next Star Wars episode...but has fallen from the free worlds mind...kind of sad.

But I will be on parade tommorow, along with several hundred others here in Edmonton.

Tom H

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:10 am

Tom, today Sat Sept 15, is celebrated in England as the victory day in the Battle of Britain; as Churchill said, Not the end or even the begining of the end, but maybe the end of the begining. I took fellow enthusiast for a ride in my Spitfire on a beautiful end of summer day in Boulder, then after lunch watched football. It would have been great if not for the sad news from UK.

K225 · **Posted:** Sun Sep 16, 2007 8:06 am

Spent the day helping to remove the flying control cables from Hurricane 5447 at VWoC. We lined the Spitfire, Hurricane MkIv and Mustang up for a Tv interview of Mike Potter by CBC on the Battle of Britain. Various press and video crews showed up to interview the pilots who had flown the Hurricanes and Spitfires during the BoB.
A surprise vistor was the CWH B25 who flew in to Gatineau from Hamilton. Then along came the Lancaster what a beautiful sight as she landed and taxied in.
After the interviews were over many of the vets stopped by to watch as we worked on the Hurricane and we got a chance to chat about their experiences.
Unfortunately the formation practice for the BoB cermony at the CAVM was cancelled because of the crosswind conditions and low ceiling.
Suddenly found my self pulling ramp duty as we launched the B25 for its return to Hamilton, what a beautiful sight as she did a low pass.
This morning Sunday is calm and clear great flying weather for the flypast . I'm glad for the vets its their day.
What a great opportunity to meet and talk with some of the few involved in the Battle of Britian!
Eric Dumigan's shot from last year say it all. http://www.airic.ca/html/bob2006.html

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:08 am

Why were you removing the cables ? And my best to all there. I fouind in my two warbird trips to Canada that the people up there seem to really appreciate their vets and the planes that serves so well.

K225 · **Posted:** Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:46 am

Hi Bill
We are doing a full retsoration of Willy McKnight's Mk1 to flying condition with new cables etc. for a full decsription check out the VWoC site here:
http://www.vintagewings.ca/page?a=323&lang=en-CA
Also Mike's pictures of the restoration:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/553411223dbswYL
You'll have to come up some time would be great to see a gathering of Spits and Hurri's.

Warbird Information Exchange

So what are you doing this Battle of Britain weekend?

Who is online