Ashley 288 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 " Douglas Bader Limited Signature Edition" (sounds like somebody copying guitars?) apart from that the sellers of such "The Bradford Exchange" state "the finest Spitfire pilot of his generation" and "Chief amongst fighter aces", Well theres no doubt he was a brave man and did shoot down a good few aircraft but was not in the "top ten" either in Battle of Britain or rest of war (the latter bearing in mind a PoW after crashing in France) why not the Ginger Lacey or Stanford Tuck watch? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 EH ?.....he was legless every night from what i hear ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Glad you said that! I was expecting some flak, now you should get it! flak get it? oh well never mind, sounded a careless bu99er, crashed before the war then collided with a kraut (or so he said) Ginger Lacey by the way had 7 forced landings or bale outs either via enemy action or aircraft failure during the war! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 and of course bore a strong resemblance to the top half of Kenneth More Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Glad you said that! I was expecting some flak, now you should get it! flak get it? oh well never mind, sounded a careless bu99er, crashed before the war then collided with a kraut (or so he said) Ginger Lacey by the way had 7 forced landings or bale outs either via enemy action or aircraft failure during the war! What about two famous fighter aces with Nottingham connections? James "Johnnie" Johnson was born at Barrow-upon-Soar, near Melton Mowbray, Leics, in 1915. He was educated at Loughborough College and Nottingham University, where in 1937 he qualified as a civil engineer. He was rejected by the Auxiliary Air Force and the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Johnson, who became a great friend of Douglas Bader, crashed his first Spitfire four days after flying it for the first time. But he dominated the skies from the final days of the Battle of Britain to the end of the war. He had 38 confirmed "kills" and his tally might have been higher had he not missed the beginning of the Battle of Britain because of a rugby injury. The injury made flying difficult and at first he was suspected of cowardice, or "lack of moral fibre" in the terminology of the day. But he convinced his CO otherwise by choosing to have an operation so that he could get into combat Albert Ball VC, DSO & Two Bars, MC (14 August 1896 - 7 May 1917) was an English First World War fighter pilot and recipient of the Victoria Cross. At the time of his death, he was the leading Allied ace with 44 victories[1] and only trailed the Germans' top ace, Manfred Von Richthofen. He ended up tied for 11th place with Captain J. Gillmore in the top 20 World War One pilots in the British Empire. The RAF has produced many brilliant heroes and inspiredminds,far more worthy of praise than Bader. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 and dint Snoopy fight the Red Baron ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 step father was in RAF and met Bader, in his words right arrogant b****** according to him he did not collide with a german ace but was shot down by an NCO which was covered up. SOME career RAF pilots of late 30's/early war years tended to be thus, you had to have gone to the right school to fly etc and took great exception to "lesser ranks" flying and reserve enrolled who could fly, saying they should not have to share huts with such, when powers that be ordered they should there was segregation with blankets over rope to seperate them (I stress SOME) and as for that Pilot Officer Singh, or Flight Sargent Hajid, god knows Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 and dint Snoopy fight the Red Baron ? Yep, Snoopy, Albert Ball and the Red Baron all crashed in and after the same encounter/battle. The Red Baron claimed Ball as one of his `kills',but this has been disproved. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Sheesh ...I knew more than I thought flyswat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 "10,20,30,40 50 or more that bloody red baron was building up the score" lol, I used to go out with a girl who had pic of snoopy on her crash helmet! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 What has all this to do with a 70th anniversary watch of the 50s ? The RAFs 70th anniversary was in 1988 , so therefore have just celebrated their 90th anniversary!! And yes indeed Johnny Johnson was the best (In my opinion and countless thousands of others too) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ube 38 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 step father was in RAF and met Bader, in his words right arrogant b****** Yeh my dad served as fitter/armer....met him afew times....said he was a big headed tw@ and he ad his legs off so he could get further up his own ar$e Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 The watch is commemorating the Spitfire's 70th. The watch is on sale as the "RAF Spitfire 70th Anniversary Chronograph" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Ah that explains it !! Did Johnny Johnson fly Hurricanes perhaps?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Yes he did, there he is !!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Johnson also flew spits and Bader also flew hurricanes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I am sure the choice of Bader has much to do with licencing of the name. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I am sure the choice of Bader has much to do with licencing of the name. oh for sure it's all to do with money Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Was Bader on HALF pay ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Or short time Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Or short time I suppose Bader would have been more at home flying modern jet aircraft. A large proportion of amputees (50-80%) experience the phenomenon of phantom limbs; they feel body parts that are no longer there. He could have had rubber limbs fitted,they could have been Vulcan...ised! Bye the bye as Hurricanes were mentioned earlier,who was Marmaduke Pattle? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 [A large proportion of amputees (50-80%) experience the phenomenon of phantom limbs; Would that be the F4 Phantom?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 [A large proportion of amputees (50-80%) experience the phenomenon of phantom limbs; Would that be the F4 Phantom?? Spot on oh Beefy one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Or was he just a low down bum, While I agree with celebrating fighter planes and their pilots what about the bombers, pilots, aircrew,ground crew and all the others who put their lives at risk so that we could say what we want on sites such as this without the sensor altering our words and thoughts. Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Or was he just a low down bum,While I agree with celebrating fighter planes and their pilots what about the bombers, pilots, aircrew,ground crew and all the others who put their lives at risk so that we could say what we want on sites such as this without the sensor altering our words and thoughts. Rog Just the politically correct morons ,Rog. Why have British people given their lives over so many wars,just to hand it overto any Tom ,Dick,or Mustafah who decides to land on Britains coast. To further answer your note.Have a look at the mortality rate amongst Bomber crews in the last war. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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