This seems a friendly place to rabbit, and 'Old Dux' is perhaps well named, so here goes.

I went to a thing at the 'Hop Farm' in Kent on Friday. The largest collection of old military vehicles in Europe, hundreds of them, re-enactors walking around all dressed up as jerries and yanks and such. (Complete with guns) Lots of large bangs.

There was a vast area of s/h bits and stuff from all over Europe. Even new reproductions of kit, although why would anyone want a nice new pillowcase with a SS badge or a swastika on it?

There was a re-enactment group there (amongst dozens) who had a complete full size Spitfire propped up on some broken earth as if it had crashed (no undercart). I asked about how they got it, and it seems that it was originally the gate guardian at Duxford and is a full size facsimile of a Mk 8 spit. A few years back it was damaged in a storm, written off by the insurers and eventually given to the re-enactment group who were able to glue it all back together. The squadron letters for that aircraft, DU X.

P.