Does history - not an historian. Does aviation - not a pilot. Writes, reads, learns, communicates. @AvCulturesConf Org. Freelance. Fully Vaccinated. He/him.
Goldfields, Vic, Aus
Joined May 2013
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“You’re still here?
It’s over!
Go home! Go!”
(See you elsewhere! - JDK)
Just dropping by to share that Nigel Hitchman and I produced a report on the latest Warbirds Downunder airshow at Temora, NSW, Australia. Join us 'there' through the words and pics.
(PS. You shouldn't be here, you should be somewhere healthier. Toodles.)
vintageaviationnews.com/airs…
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This Saturday, 17 February (starting Friday in the Americas!) @AvCulturesConf is hosting a FREE Spotlight event looking at #AviationArchaeology. Expert presentations from the UK, US, Aus & Hong Kong! Register here: aviationcultures.org/spotlig…
My obituary for Geoff Goodall, 1947-2024, on @WarbirdsNews. Sad to report the loss of aviation fact compiler and raconteur, lovely gent, friend, and someone who laid a solid foundation for those of us keeping tabs on surviving historic aircraft.
vintageaviationnews.com/warb…
With the current owner enabling ignorance and bigotry over basic manners, and while what made Twitter a phenomenal multi-direction comms medium are crippled by the current failings, I'm putting my account into stasis. I can be found in other places inc where the skies are bluer.
James D Kightly retweeted
I borrowed this book from the @velibrary for a quick summer read. It's a good brief overview that's well illustrated from the Qantas heritage collection.
James D Kightly retweeted
Io Saturnalia!
I cooked some Ancient Roman recipes for us and two friends so that we could celebrate Saturnalia with a mini feast. Lots of wonderfully strange and alien flavour combinations packed with the ever-present asafoetida and fish sauce. We had: 🧵
HIGHLY recommend @NavalAirHistory's Fw 200 book from @mortonsbooks on the Condor's war use, and pre-war story. Not expensive, and a tight (but better than Twitter-length) answer to this Q.
Arrived last week, both @NavalAirHistory’s magnum opus on the Focke Wulf Fw 200, and @BeaverWestminst’s book on Capt Eric Brown. As well as the books overlapping, their authors do too! Great reading in both so far.
ALT Photograph of two books being held over a garden - both books mentioned in the text, the first called ‘Winkle’ by Paul Beaver, the second Fw 200 by Matthew Willis.
Excited to report on the restoration to flight of HARS Fokker Trimotor 'Southern Cross' replica this week. Great news for the weekend, on a 20 year epic rebuild.
I've done full details here, plus a link to the original, preserved VH-USU in Brisbane too.
vintageaviationnews.com/airc…
And here's the backgrounder on the original Fokker F.VIIb 'Southern Cross' - one of the most important surviving record setting aircraft from the golden era.
vintageaviationnews.com/avia…
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Of course all of this is built on the insight - learned in 1917 and again in 1941 - that when the United States decides to go isolationist and disengage and let the other major powers do what they want abroad, we end up getting dragged in later anyway and at greater cost. 13/
Next @AvCulturesConf event lining up in Feb next year. Will be a cracker, with @danieljleahy & T J Heap organising. See you there!
ATTENTION! On 17 Feb 2024 we will be bringing you our next Spotlight event: Aviation Archaeology MkII.
This Spotlight will bring together 6 world renowned aviation archaeologists to present live, via Zoom, followed by a Q&A! -TJH
#aviationarchaeology #aviation #WWII #archaeology
ALT A poster banner that reads: Aviation Archaeology Mk.II. Online On Zoom. Saturday 17 February 2024. Morning and Afternoon Sessions (AEST).
For those who like a bit of retro film, may I recommend my friend (and former colleague) Alison Strauss' report on the excellent sounding Silent Film Fest? Enjoy!
hippfest.wordpress.com/2023/…
Was Kurt Tank of Focke Wulf would be the last major designer to test fly his own aircraft?
(For the purpose of this Q, 'major' is defined as a manufacturer designing & mass producing types ordered & used in numbers in front-line roles by a nation's military - or major airline.)
"Mary Ross, as her team called her, was assigned as a computer to the team tasked to fix the design of the [Lockheed] P-38." Cherokee pioneer woman does transonics, Lockheed Skunk Works and Space. nationalww2museum.org/war/ar…
![A Poster produced for Native American Indian Heritage Month with a portrait of Mary Golda Ross. Image courtesy of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. [As per linked article]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-O8oz6aYAAQepX.jpg?name=orig)
ALT A Poster produced for Native American Indian Heritage Month with a portrait of Mary Golda Ross. Image courtesy of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. [As per linked article]
Like owner, like woodworm: "In some cases, the cost of exterminating the pests exceeds the value... of the paintings." ...or society. STILL loving this article weeks later... bbc.com/news/world-europe-67…
“So, if you were to drop the asking rent, it would decrease the property’s value. Some landlords looking to protect the value of their portfolio or key assets do so by maintaining or raising rents.” Grim note in Contessa Balmain shows why Sydney is broken news.com.au/national/this-gr…
Recommended as a proper analysis (knowing the author and his resources!) of a complex, fascinating, and often confused period of air combat. H/T @RAFMhistorian
My book on airpower and the evacuation of Dunkirk is out now in paperback and @BloomsburyBooks have done an amazing job preparing and printing the copies
bloomsbury.com/uk/air-power-…
#airpower #Dunkirk #1940 #WW2
