Souvenirs: Wristband, Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, 30/04/15.

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Birmingham, Birmingham Science Museum, Brough Superior, Castle Bromwich, Millennium Point Birmingham, pangolin, Queen Victoria, Royal Train, Souvenirs, Spitfire, Spitfire Gallery, Ted, The Black Alpine Brough Superior, Thinktank, triceratops, wristband

On my way down to Bristol to visit my sister, I changed trains at Birmingham New Street and picked a leaflet with “New: Spitfire Gallery, Thinktank, Birmingham” written on it. Six days later, on breaking my journey at Birmingham New Street again, I rushed through the famous Bull Ring, across previously unexplored territory, to Millennium Point for the quickest of quick looks before continuing on my way.

I was completely unaware of Birmingham’s connection to the iconic Spitfire, so the Spitfire Gallery was very much an eye opener.  10,000 Spitfires, including the example suspended from the ceiling at Thinktank, were produced at the Castle Bromwich Aeroplane Factory. Unfortunately, I didn’t note down any of the interesting facts I came across that day, but I am left with a general impression that it was very good!

The notes I did scribble down describe a pangolin [“This armoured anteater uses its powerful claws to pull apart ant-hills and termite mounds“], the fossilised skeleton of a triceratops discovered in Montana in 1098, The Black Alpine Brough Superior motorcycle [“Top speed 85 miles an hour“] and an oil lamp from Queen Victoria’s Royal Train, so I must have been particularly taken with these exhibits. I’ll have to have a more leisurely look around the next time I’m in Birmingham.

If you’re interested in science and industry or the natural sciences, the Thinktank is well worth looking into.

A Spitfire “Not Looking Her Best”, RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hangar, RAF Coningsby, 26/02/15.

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aviation, Battle of Britain, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, engineering, hangar, RAF, RAF Coningsby, Royal Air Force, Second World War, Spitfire, Spitfire Mk IIa, World War Two

The Spitfire Mk IIa P7350.

The fuel tank, amongst other things, removed whilst repairs are carried out.

If you are lucky enough to visit the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s visitor centre at RAF Coningsby and you pay to go on the hangar tour, as I did, you will more than likely see the aircraft of the Battle of Britain in a whole new light, for example I had never seen the petrol tank from a Spitfire before. The petrol tank, the hood which usually covers it, the pilot’s seat, the nose cone which and one or two other bits and bobs were arranged neatly on the hangar floor, whilst sections of the fuselage sat on selves beside the aircraft [each aircraft had its own set of shelves so the different pieces do not get muddled up]. I cannot remember the exact nature of the problem with the aircraft, but Richard, our guide, did not seem concerned [although he did admit to only being a very experienced pilot and not a very experienced engineer]. I’m sure team at RAF Coningsby will have it back up in the air in no time at all [relatively speaking].

Souvenirs: Inflatable Spitfire, Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire, Late 1990s.

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accents, American Air Museum, Cambridgeshire, Captain Edward Vernon Rickenbacker, Duxford, First World War, Hat in the Ring, Imperial War Museum Duxford, inflatable, inflatable Spitfire, planes, Second World War, Souvenirs, Spad XIII, Spitfire, Ted, US Army Air Service

I can’t recall the date (or find any other reminders) of my first visit to the Imperial War Museum Duxford, but it must have been later than 1997, when the American Air Museum, designed by Sir Norman Foster, was reopened on the site (I think it was the publicity surrounding this event that brought the museum to my Mother’s attention and necessitated the family outing).

My American readers might be interested to know that, despite taking home a very British souvenir, one of my most lasting memories of that first visit to Duxford was of seeing the French built Spad XIII First World War biplane, painted in the 94th “Hat in the Ring” Aero Squadron colours of Captain Edward Vernon Rickenbacker, the US Army Air Services’ most celebrated pilot.

Also, if memory serves me well, Duxford was the first place I heard an American accent in a public place, because the American Air Museum was a popular destination for American visitors to the United Kingdom at the time; it probably still is.

Photo Archive: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Cleethorpes, 2013.

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Armed Forces Day 2013, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Beach, Cleethorpes, Cleethorpes beach., Humber Estuary, Hurricane, Lancaster bomber, Seaside., Spitfire

Taken on Armed Forces Day last year; 29th July 2013.