Ah, the famous Canterberries that go so well with a Folkstine Flush. . Never heard of them? No? Neither have I.

Gents,

JRT,

No airships yet but we have the Gotha G.V bomber which, like the Zeps, caused consternation out of all proportion to their numbers or damage caused.

As welcome as the recently announced developments certainly are, I would like to see much greater emphasis on the first two years of the air war, more ground detail, hedgerows, different species of trees, moo-cows and livestock, populated airfields with juicy ground attack targets thereon and battlefield sited guns etc. German airmen and balloonists had parachutes in 1918; Georing was obliged to use one but I haven't seen one in RoF yet.

Folks,

MG:
Like you, there are so many things I have never heard of. These days with digitally enhanced photos and historical facts being re-written the more I learn the less I seem to know. I suspect quite a bit but probably know for a indisputable fact very little.

Dux:

More moo cows and livestock are needed, eh. Haven't you had enough livestock already? You have landed, one way or another, in Farmer Drubbin's pig sty or cow pasture so many times the animals flee for cover every time a plane flies over. It has gotten so bad that Drubbins has sent a bill to the Air Ministry for animal psychiatry treatments.

Gents,

I've recently had a clear out of WWII militaria but have certain items more in keeping with the RAF/Battle of Britain era coming my way.

Even bits and pieces from the BoB era command high prices these days but it's nice to own a few things which have some direct connection with those momentous days. Reproductions abound and it can be a minefield for the unwary. For example; there is a dangerous copy of the Aircrew Europe Star now in circulation - not to be confused with earlier, easily identifiable copies. There are ten points to look out for if you don't want to throw away £230 which is the going rate for the genuine thing. Then there is the Battle of Britain Bar. A tiny strip of bronze currently changing hands at hundreds of pounds.

Caveat emptor!

Sounds very interesting and worthwhile. I'll be glad to view the pictures.

I'll be glad to put them up soon Jens.

Gents,

Jens likes these...

You had to have 100% faith in your Merlins before trying this stunt. Hopefully, he got at least one other going before the circuit and landing pattern. What's that rig on the rear fuselage?

This was at Boscombe Down at the end of WWII.

Now that is low level flying! I think the bulge in the rear part of the fuselage i because the mother is pregnant

Or it might be the H2S or Gee dome, accommodating a dish for a radar dome. H2S and Gee were introduced to aid navigation as one of the many challenges facing Bomber Command was finding the target and bombing accurately.

Thanks for posting. I've never seen this image before. Where did you find it, and is there any information as to which particular Lanc it is, squadron, crew, station, occasion etc? You can probably tell that I'm pretty excited about seeing this picture!

Folks,

Dux:

I guess it is finally time for me to dig myself out of my depression and rejoin the living. Thank you my friends for your expressions of sympathy.

The photo is dark and lacks resolution. I have tried to enhance it but there is nothing there to enhance. There were quite a few modifications made to that great war plane designed by Roy Chadwick. I suppose it might be the mod code named "Village Inn" a RADAR aimed gun turret and I don't know if that was mounted ventrally or dorsally. It does not look much like a gun turret. Could it be that special modification designed by Barnes Wallis to carry a drum shaped bomb?

Gents,

JRT, Jens,

Good to see you back JRT. We, of course, remain mindful of your very recent and tragic loss and understand the great difficulties that each day must bring. Those of us here that know will of course do our best to provide some diversion from your present emotional distress and struggle.

I am familiar with the H2S fairing. I was referring to the two uprights with a cross-piece near the rear turret on top of the fuselage. Might be a water spraying rig for de-icing tests?
All sorts of mysterious things happened at Boscombe and probably still do! The photograph does look somewhat pixel-ated and has probably been blown up from a much smaller image. It was from a website under My Stash but I'll have to search around a bit. It's in one of my files if I can just find it again...
Their are lots of very interesting pictures which stem from a New Zealand discussion thread. Pleased you like it Jens!