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October 2020 – Jim’s Issue No 106
In this edition I was hoping to have a report on Duxford’s Battle of Britain Air Show. But Boris said no we
can’t have people enjoying themselves en mass except football superstars and thugs. Also this ‘rule of six’ and
all the other random instructions issued has put paid to the last of any potential model shows this year, there are
two still on our list but realistically they are not likely to happen. Looking forwards we have received a
message regarding
PLYMOUTH MODEL MAKING EXHIBITION 2021
The three Plymouth clubs; The Odd Boyz, Plymouth Model Soldier Society & Plymouth Scale Model
Association are pleased to announce that we have secured our usual venue for the 2021 show which we very much hope is able to go ahead but matters are uncertain in these unusual times. The planned date is on Saturday 26th June 2021 at Plymouth Guildhall & full details of the show will be circulated later. For now, we are asking if you are likely to be able/willing to support our event by your attendance. Forever optimistic, could we have your thoughts please, also on the following that Henry Goodall
contacted me with recently,-- I have been giving Zoom presentations on behalf of Friends of the New Forest Airfields, to raise funds, as our Centre is closed due to 'social distancing' rules and Covid-19. I was wondering whether our members would be interested in one or more presentations, to fill the time until we can live 'normally' again.. The host would need the extended Zoom programme (the 'normal' one only allows 40 minute group connections). We ask for a minimum donation of £75 for the Charity. If you think that the Vikings would be interested, I am happy to oblige (list of topics on next page). Kind Regards, Henry
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Friends of the New Forest Airfields (FONFA) can provide knowledgeable and entertaining speakers on local aviation and
military history. If your group would like a ‘Zoom’ presentation, please contact us via the e-mail address:
Website: https://fonfasite.wordpress.com/ Our Chairman Dr Henry Goodall gives illustrated presentations on the following topics:
The New Forest Airfields during World War II This presentation is an overview of the twelve New Forest Airfields in WWII, including their purpose, genesis, locations, types of airfield, squadrons and aircraft stationed hereabouts and their uses, with particular emphasis on the D-Day period in June 1944. Stoney Cross (Airfield No. 452) - The Story of a New Forest airfield during World War II This presentation covers the building, operation and eventual closure of the largest of the New Forest airfields built in WWII, together with details of the various 16 aircraft types and 14 different units based there from 1943 to 1946. Advanced Landing Grounds in Hampshire – the story of the portable airfields of World War II This presentation describes the reasons for and purpose of these temporary airfields, their construction, operation and locations, together with the aircraft and personnel, which used them, leading up to D-Day in June 1944. The Allied Assault Gliders in World War II This presentation describes the various types of Allied Assault glider used in WWII, the differences between them and the ways in which they were used to spearhead ‘Operation Overlord’ in June 1944 and subsequent operations. In addition, details of their construction, repair and deployment are included. The New Forest and nearby areas have many associations with the other Armed and Civilian Services and events in WWII. To illustrate these aspects of local military history Dr Henry Goodall can also offer the following presentations: Hobart’s ‘Funnies’ – the inventions in ‘Churchill’s toyshop’ that made D-Day successful This presentation describes the innovative inventions that were produced to solve difficult and practical problems, which were expected to be encountered during the sea and land assault on Hitler’s ‘Festung Europa’, particularly in the D-Day landings, masterminded by the ‘Forgotten General’, Percy Hobart. The Battle of the Atlantic – the longest campaign in WWII This presentation traces Britain’s vulnerability to the deployment of Germany's Admiral Doenitz’ U-Boats and the counter measures forced on the Allies to defend the shipping lanes, to keep the supplies coming to Britain from the USA and elsewhere, during WWII. The U-boats, the convoy system, the escort vessels, the aircraft, the losses and the cost of the campaign that was the longest in WWII, lasting six years, are all described, together with the eventual victory, won by a variety of different means, on land, sea and in the air. ‘We Landed by Moonlight’ - Special Operations Executive missions in WWII This presentation describes the dangerous and clandestine night time flying operations to insert secret agents into France, to support the French Resistance during WWII. The aircraft, personnel and airfields are illustrated, together with the locations and agents landed behind enemy lines. Lepe Beach & The D-Day Mulberry Harbours of WWII This presentation describes why the Mulberry Harbours were devised and how and why Allies took their harbours with them, during the D-Day invasion in June 1944. The various types of equipment involved are described, what happened to them in practice and the relics left today in Hampshire, where many of the massive caissons were constructed.
Cont
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Each illustrated presentation lasts approximately 45-60 minutes, with time for questions, and are delivered as PowerPoint slide shows, accompanied by expert commentary. They can be shortened on request. We can also modify the content of a presentation, if listeners have a particular interest in one or two locations. PLEASE NOTE: We are a small Educational Heritage Charity (Registered No. 1063648). Our Patron is The Lady Montagu of Beaulieu. We have no sponsors or regular Local Authority subsidies. We ask for a minimum donation of £75 to FONFA funds per presentation and a contribution to the speaker's mileage costs. These and our New Forest Airfields Heritage Centre visitor donations are the ONLY sources of the FONFA Charity's regular income and are greatly appreciated.
Ian Thorp sent this as part of his contribution to Bovington’s virtual model show, but I thought you should see it
first. It is difficult to believe that this Rolls Royce Merlin is made from card
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Here’s one I prepared earlier. These photos from Austin of his 1/72nd
Lloyd C.V. Austro – Hungarian fast
reconnaissance aircraft of 1917 were missed by me earlier in lockdown, but in preparation for Bovington’s
virtual show he has re sent them and so here they are for your delight
More on next page
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And here is the latest one from the Austin Stack miniature aircraft factory.
Albatros J.II armed and armoured infantry co-operation aircraft in 1/72 scale, September 1918
.Here is my take on the above, factory-fresh, late production. It's the Chorozy Modelbud resin kit, plus engine, guns,
wheels, struts, etc from my usual aftermarket favourites, with old Almark lozenge decals (which gave me some trouble).
Although J-class machines entered the fray on the Western Front in 1917 equipped as ground attack machines, with downward firing guns and grenades associated with that role, they and their highly trained crews were, by mid 1918 onwards and all the rolling British offensives, simply too high-value for working below 100 metres. Austin
More on next page
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I happened upon this piece in the Daily Express and as many of you are acquainted with this gentleman and he
is a Dorset modeler. I thought it to be of interest
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2020 SHOWS and EXHIBITIONS
As mentioned last month Bovington Tank Museum are going to hold a virtual model show, don’t know details
yet but I have sent the photos that you contributed along to the organizers.
( Have since heard this probably will not occur in October as planed but they will hold photos for future use)
I have not officialy heard that the following two shows are canceld but in all probability they are
October 24 Portsmouth PO6 3LS
December 6 London plastic model show NW3 2BQ
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Last month’s military theme quiz Answers
1. At what battle in 1815 did Napoleon surrender to the British? Waterloo
2. Which main battle tank did Challenger Two replace? Challenger
3. To which Class does the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales belong? Queen Elizabeth Class
4. Which former Army Sergeant won two gold medals at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens? Dame Kelly Holms
5. In 1917, Roland Bradford VC became the youngest man to attain the rank of General in modern British military history, but how old was he? 25
6. What was the name of the Royal Navy submarine that sunk the Argentine ship ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War? HMS Conqueror
7. What was the name of the standard riffle used by British soldiers throughout WWI? Short magazine Lee Enfield
8. How many rounds per minute can the General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) lay down when operated by a two-person crew? 750
9. How many Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross has there been? 117
10. Which current Formula One driver and former World Champion served in his native country’s armed forces before becoming a professional racing driver? Kimi Raikkenen
11. What was the name of the Royal Air Force’s high-altitude strategic bomber, operational from 1956 to 1984? Avro Vulcan
12. What Royal Navy rank does Ian Fleming’s James Bond hold? Commander
Now this month the theme is Dorset.---- 1, Name the Dorset cliff which at 191 metres (627 ft) is the highest point on the South Coast? 2, What is a Dorset Knob? 3, Durnovaria is the Roman name for which place in Dorset? 4, The grave of writer Mary Shelley can be found in which town?
cont
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5, Where would you find "The Cobb"? 6, How tall is the Cerne Abbas giant? 7, What is the collective name for the 6 men who formed a friendly society in 1833 to protest the lowering of agricultural wages? 8, Where does Chesil Beach start and end? 9, In what year did Bournemouth and Christchurch become part of Dorset?
10, In 1973, Ridley Scott directed an iconic British advert which was shot on Gold Hill in Shaftesbury. What was it for? 11, Which is the longest river in Dorset? 12, What is noteworthy about the post box found at Barnes Cross near Sherborne?
A test sent by Trevor
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You can tell thing are getting boring because Ian our treasurer has done his usual show comparison document for our nonexistent April show, funnily enough we lost money this year. Unfortunately I couldn’t incorporate the Excel document in to this newsletter so I have sent it
as a separate item.
Finally my effort with the little 1/144 Polikarpov Po2 from Zvezda
Newsletter production by – Jim Smith © October2020
