 | Gathering of WW2 Legends/veterans- East Kirkby -May 2 Lincs| WWII Events Discuss Gathering of WW2 Legends/veterans- East Kirkby -May 2 Lincs in the News & Announcements :: READ forums; On Bank Holiday Monday, May 2nd, East Kirkby Heritage Centre, home to 'Just Jane' Lancaster and its resident two seater ... |
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03-24-2005, 01:49 AM
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#1 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2
| Gathering of WW2 Legends/veterans- East Kirkby -May 2 Lincs
On Bank Holiday Monday, May 2nd, East Kirkby Heritage Centre, home to 'Just Jane' Lancaster and its resident two seater Spitfire will be holding a special veterans day to celebrate VE Day.
Special Guests confirmed to attend include,
Richard Todd- Real life Pegasus Bridge hero and film star (loved by most of us aviation buffs for his role portraying Guy Gibson in the epic 'Dambusters' movie)
Wing Commander John Freeborn- Dunkirk and Battle of Britain Spitfire Ace (13.5 kills, 12 probables, 10 damaged) with 74 Squadron.
Squadron Leader 'Stapme' Stapleton- 7 kills on Spitfires with 603 Squadron in 1940
SOE/French Resistance heroine codename 'Beatrice'- helped run an allied escape line in the north of France (an amazing lady) and she played an active part in 'Operation Jericho' when Mosquitos bombed Amiens Prison.
Wallace McIntosh- Bomber Commands top scoring gunner (8 kills, 1 probable against night fighters)
Various Bomber Command and 617 Squadron Tirpitz Raid veterans.
Altogether approx.20+ veterans attending
Spitfire Flying Display
Just Jane Taxi Run
For more info. please visit www.robin-smith-aviation-art.co.uk | 
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03-24-2005, 04:59 AM
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#2 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country:  | wow that should be amazing.......
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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03-24-2005, 05:30 AM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ploiesti
Posts: 194
Country:  | Amazing indeed
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03-24-2005, 07:45 AM
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#4 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,486
Country:  | Somebody get down there and get some pics of those guys! To have that many WWII vets in one place these days is great, and it should be captured and preserved on film, or video.
__________________  http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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03-24-2005, 08:31 AM
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#5 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country: | i'm sure it will be, i just can't wait to hear if the canadian lanc can come over here and join the BBMF in a flypast over london, that would be truely amazing...............
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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03-24-2005, 12:20 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Saffron Walden/Sheffield
Posts: 3,001
Country: | Imagine if they got Just Jane in the air aswell, a trio of Lancs flying over London would be amazing
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When you realise that the light at the end of the tunnel is actually an oncoming train, you know it's time to run for your life | |
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03-24-2005, 12:24 PM
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#7 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country:  | Someone had better get some pictures and post them, or else... 
...I might cry.   | |
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03-24-2005, 12:34 PM
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#8 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country: | there are currently no plans to restore "Just Jane" to airworthy status........
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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03-24-2005, 12:36 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Saffron Walden/Sheffield
Posts: 3,001
Country: | Oh well, hope springs eternal
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When you realise that the light at the end of the tunnel is actually an oncoming train, you know it's time to run for your life | |
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03-24-2005, 12:38 PM
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#10 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country: | and there's no way in hell it was gonna happen before the celebration of VE day..........
__________________
"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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03-24-2005, 05:39 PM
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#11 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2
| Personally I can't wait to get a shot of Richard Todd with Just Jane and the other 617 boys.
Theres a member of the Few going, Jack Toombs,a Blenheim gunner who later survived 50 ops with Bomber Command including the elite pathfinders. Heres an interesting story. Theres some serious research going on at the minute regarding an incident in August 1940 when he destroyed two Bf109s over the Channel with a flare gun.
He had just been attacking Brest harbour on a low level attack with his Belgium pilot, he used all his ammo up shooting at sailors. On the way back they were attacked by two Bf109s. All he had to hand was a flare gun which he fired at them in an attempt to put them off or to make it look like they were signalling for help. The flare explodes in front of the lead attacker instinctively he pulls up and hits his companion and both go into the drink. Theres various lineshooters on the squadron so rather than risk ridicule he doesnt say anything. Researchers have narrowed this event down to a handful of possible days using the pilots log book
so confirmation looks likely shortly of this story and a hero may receive his long overdue praise.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking Spitfire Ace 'Stapme' Stapleton along to a previous Spitfire display there given by the former Battle of Britain Memorial Flight O/C Paul Day. 'Stapme' is pretty well known after his book and appearance in the TV series 'Spitfire Ace' and he never had a moments peace such was the interest in him.
At East Kirkby is an actual cockpit from a Heinkel 111 and Stapme cheekily climbed over the safety rope and had a good look at the aircraft visualising the gunners position and pilot seating as he'd never seen one that close before. He also couldn't take his eyes off the Spitfire there, 85 years old and he still loves it all.
For American readers, John Freeborns wartime exploits are covered in an
article is in the current issue of World War 2 Magazine. www.TheHistoryNet.com for those UK readers interested. | |
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03-24-2005, 05:49 PM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Posts: 11,130
Country: | Looks amazing, shame I won't be able to make it. If someone goes, it would be great to see some pictures of the whole event (and of VE day celebrations as well as I will miss those too )
__________________  "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts"
Sir Winston Churchill
"To him the people of the world largely owe the Freedom and liberties they enjoy today"
Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London
Moderator WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum | |
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03-24-2005, 08:13 PM
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#13 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 699
| Not only was I born in the wrong decade, apparently i was born on the wrong side of the Atlanic as well! 
Someone needs to go to this, and get lots of pics!
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03-25-2005, 11:58 AM
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#14 | | Master of Ewes
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,959
Country: | sorry i won't be able too...........
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"Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy." | |
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04-05-2005, 10:24 AM
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#15 | | Konfused with a 'K'
Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Turin, Italy
Posts: 20,412
Country:  | And I, er, Dont particularly want to
__________________  with my one last gaping breath id apologise for bleeding on your shirt... | |
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