Thought I’d post some relevant photos - A couple taken a while back during a reliability run organised by London's Detonators Car Club. We stopped by the RAF Chapel of Remembrance, at Biggin Hill Airfield. And another photo with the sun setting over my A and my brother’s Desoto at the Victory Wheelers rod run on the old airfield at Thorney Island a few years back. – And one of my old ‘56 Ford next to the derelict Control Tower at RAF Tangmere, taken in the late 1980s. And another going back even further to my first car, a black Ford Consul, pictured in 1984 on the airfield at Detling. (Now Kent County Showground.) In the Summer of 1940, all the above locations were really in the thick of it, being bombed, strafed, fighting for freedom. Over the years I’ve been able to enjoy all those freedoms at fun filled events at these old airfields, and more. I have raced, or at least had the opportunity to ‘floor it’, down wartime runways, both RAF and USAAF, at Dunsfold, Goodwood, Sywell, Long Marston, Bovingdon, Thorney, and Bruntingthorpe. Or I’ve just enjoyed, being inspired and entertained at hot rod events at airfields such as Poddington, Blackbushe, North Weald, and Manston. Seeing other people’s cars, like the one photographed below at Bruntingthorpe in the 1980’s, had a huge influence on me, drawing me deeper into this great hot rodding lifestyle. I’ve genuinely had a great time simply larking about, but I have to remember, particularly on days such as today - the anniversary of the end of the period known as ‘the Battle of Britain’, that these freedoms are all due to the efforts and sacrifices made by that wartime generation, for which I am eternally grateful. Where we're now having fun, they were having anything but. Lest we forget.
Great photos, did I see that car at the Hayride a couple of years ago? I recognise the grill emblem along with the car I believe. Nice coupe either way.
I worked for 27 years in the Plant where Victory Aircraft Canada built 433 Lancasters and numerous others including 3000 or so Ansen and Lysander AC that no doubt were involved in this Monumental Battle in some capacity (it is to be noted National Steel Car began WW11 AC production before Victory took over)... I worked on one of the surviving Lancs in Restoration...as well...I remember everyday for the freedom I enjoy...we truly are fortunate they turned the tide while facing incredible tyranny... ...Note the 39 or 40 Ford alongside the Ansen and Lysander in the background... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-aviation-restoration-the-lysander-canada’s-unsung-hero.1107664/#post-12573954 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Aircraft https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/happy-memorial-day.1194912/#post-13599908 The Ole Jalopy is parked in front of a Harvard...a US built Aircraft also instrumental in the successes realized in the War effort...there is also much more to this Allied Conflict...these are some of my local reminders... War, Sacrifice, Valor, Aircraft, Land and Sea...Freedom...The Hotrods were shelved for many till it was over IF they were fortunate enough to make it back... Lest we Forget... Thanks for sharing @japchris...by the way Nice Hotrods... Credit to Photographers, Owners
Hey Barrelnose - You were a long way from home to see my A! - Yes- I think it was at every Hayride. Stogy - I was over your way a few years back, as I was lucky enough to get a flight on the Canadian Warplane Heritage Lanc. As thrilling as the flight was, low level over lakes making me of course think of the Dams raids, the best bit was actually on the ground with pre-flight checks running up the 4 Merlins - the sound, vibrations, smells is a memory I'll always cherish. Of course American style hotrodding had not reached the UK pre-war, but the Fighter pilots were known for their love of fast sporty cars -
Kriegsmarine planners needed until 1946 to fully develop the surface fleet for an invasion of Britain,The Luftwaffe convinced Hitler they could do the job from the results of the spanish civil war and the fall of France. Air power's offensive capability was changed at that point,if fact it could be argued we tried to win with air power alone and failed,destroying cities and industrial targets from the air didnt stop the Germans,the Red Army and the Allied army did..
Hey Barrelnose - You were a long way from home to see my A! - Yes- I think it was at every Hayride, Certainly was Japchris, and met some great people and saw some good shit also , we enjoyed it that much we came back 2 years later to do Pendine Sands, both great events with great people but a shame the Hayride ended. Once we can travel again I’ll do it all over again, you guys know how to have a blast !
Never was so much owed by so many to so few - Wikipedia e"Never was so much owed by so many to so few" was a wartime speech made by the British prime minister Winston Churchill on 20 August 1940. ... Pilots who fought in the battle have been known as The Few ever since; at times being specially commemorated on 15 September, "Battle of Britain Day". And we are eternally grateful.
Nice one Chris. We were at RAF Conningsby a few years ago to visit The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Whilst on the guided tour we were treated to the unanounced arrival of these two beauties. Just flew in, parked up and the pilots got out for a "chat"!
My wife's family is from Steeple Morden, also home to a WWII airfield. The men pictured are my wife's great uncles, prewar. The airfield The site was eventually returned to farm land and a memorial stands there today. (I believe the building in the background is a surviving remnant.) .
I'm pretty sure that is Douglas Bader in bottom pic. A legendary fighter pilot.[/QUOTE] It is Bader. There were many in the RAF that would not use the word legendary to describe Bader. Monumentally egotistical and arrogant perhaps.
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