OT Spitfire (plane that is) help wanted for Ma

Given the breadth of knowledge and innovation to be found here, I
thought you lot may be able to help.

My 85 year old ex WRAF mother is looking to complete a war time goal.
During the Second World War she worked in RAF Operations Rooms talking
with the pilots during their patrols, dog fights and return to their
airfields. Part of her preparation for this function was to be shown
the cockpit of a Spitfire, this was to help her recognise the
environment the pilot was in. Of course it did not in any way prepare
her for some of the horrendous things that she was to hear as some of
the pilots were hit by enemy fire. The training session was to include
the opportunity of sitting in a Spitfire but as the session was cut
short due to some external event this training was never completed.
She has on a number of occasions said that she feels a need to
complete the incomplete training experience and perhaps lay some
ghosts to rest.

I shall be taking Ma to Duxford Airfield in the spring of 2009 to
visit the museum and look particularly at the reconstructed Operations
Room and view the Spitfire that is on display, unfortunately their
Spitfire is only a display plane with the cockpit stuff stripped out.

I've written to Duxford who told me they could not help, The Fighter
Collection who did not reply and only yesterday to the RAF Museum in
London.

Does anyone have any other ideas how I may be able to organise this?

Brian

 

http://www.flights4all.com/about_spitfires.asp

May be able to help

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

Imperial War Museum?

 

Manston Spitfire & Hurricane museum? The nearby RAF Manston history museum's
worth a visit too.

 

Caroline Grace?

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, platypus

Hmm... Potentially good call. She's Duxford-based as well, IIRC.

 

A number of good ideas to follow up. Thanks one and all.

Brian

 

I had a similar problem trying to organise access to a .303 rifle and bren
gun for my father, who was a weapons trainer during his National Service and
told us many times that he was able to strip down and reassemble a bren
blindfolded in less than a minute. We thought it would be fun for him to
have another try when he was over here in Cardiff for his 80th birthday.
The Welsh Regiment museums at Cardiff Castle and at Brecon were both totally
unhelpful. Good luck with your efforts on behalf of your mum.

I would have thought someone would have the heart to allow ex-servicepeople
to revisit their past. It's not as if we're asking for access to live
ammunition (though I bet dad would have a go if they let him!)

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, WolfWilf

http://www.projectpropeller.co.uk/

 

Just as a codicil to what I've written: it strikes me that this is one
of the most heart-warming and thoughtful posts I've read on ukrm for
ages, and the very serious way in which it's being treated by people
makes me realise why I spend so much time on this ng. I really, really
hope it works out.

 

It's not only Waafs that would like a go in a Spitfire pilot's cockpit,
but also vice versa.

 

No shit.
"Can we come down and use your Bren gun?"
"Yeah, sure, let's get out the antique machine gun, sort out a suitable
range, get the Army invovled to make it legal, and you are sorted.
£10,000 should cover it."

Working Bren guns are strictly illegal now. Only the Army and other
limited individuals are allowed automatic weapons.Hence there will be
very few, or maybe no (legal) working examples left in the UK.

The .303 is easier, as they are still used by Target Shooters, though
the only chance anyone without a Firearms Certificate can use one is at
a Shooting Ground Open day (Bisley do a good one every year around
Sept.), or if you know a member of a Shooting Club, who will allow you
to attend for a day.

Alan.

 

Better not tell him that I used to do it in less than ten seconds...

--
Ivan Reid, School of Engineering & Design, _____________ CMS Collaboration,
Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".

 

OTOH my mother has a picture of my late father at the controls of a
Lancaster taken at Scampton when they were up there for a forces
re-union a few years ago.

 

I've posted this message on the Real World Aviation forum on
JustFlight.com to see if anyone there can help.
--
Richard

XJ900S
BOTAFOT #138, YTC#18, OMF#12

Email-remove insult to reply

 

Pa handed back his ex-servcie revolver during on of the amnesties in the
late 1960s.

I don't know when the last amnsetsy was, but I do remember tht a
friend's Dad handed in a Panzerfaust in an amnesty in the early 1970s or
thereabouts.

 

There must be someone in Foreignland with a working Bren gun who would let
him have a play at his local gun club, and a holiday abroad would do him
good.
Why not ask in a more appropriate forum?

 

At school in the CCF we were regularly let loose with very little
supervision armed with bren and Lee Enfield .303s and plenty of blank
ammo. On good days we used to get thunder flashes as well.
Sadly, I suspect it might be a tad different these days.

 

I thought Duxford was the relevant part of the Imperial War Museum.

 

Oh yes, so it is.