You know, Merlin or Griffon, having 20 Spitfires all fire up at the same time... now that is a spectacle I'd like to participate in.
Call me soppy but I'd love to be one of the people that gets to turn over one of those Rolls Royce motors!

I have a particular passion for armoured vehicles but even though the biggest vehicle might have a 'grunty' sounding engine, it's nothing compared to the throaty roar of a prop (or turbo-prop) motor

Originally Posted by KevinTheCynic

You know, Merlin or Griffon, having 20 Spitfires all fire up at the same time... now that is a spectacle I'd like to participate in.
Call me soppy but I'd love to be one of the people that gets to turn over one of those Rolls Royce motors!

I have a particular passion for armoured vehicles but even though the biggest vehicle might have a 'grunty' sounding engine, it's nothing compared to the throaty roar of a prop (or turbo-prop) motor

A perfect way to have one wet themselves is to see a flight of war era beauties like this swooping out of the sun towards you on a open plain...

I'd don't know if I be wetting myself out of fear or excitment.

I never skip a chance to listen to the ole' prop driven aircraft that are still in flyable condition , which is a ever smaller and smaller community.

Each aircraft and each engine, whether it being the Packard V12 of an H model Mustang at a heritage flight has it's own character about it.

Or all four Wright Cyclones of a restored B 17 firing up... The smell of exhaust exhibits a nostalgia that you can't find anywhere else.

Originally Posted by Yossarian

A perfect way to have one wet themselves is to see a flight of war era beauties like this swooping out of the sun towards you on a open plain...

I'd don't know if I be wetting myself out of fear or excitment.

I never skip a chance to listen to the ole' prop driven aircraft that are still in flyable condition , which is a ever smaller and smaller community.

Each aircraft and each engine, whether it being the Packard V12 of an H model Mustang at a heritage flight has it's own character about it.

Or all four Wright Cyclones of a restored B 17 firing up... The smell of exhaust exhibits a nostalgia that you can't find anywhere else.

Yeah I can understand that, although not a particular fan of trains, there's something about the smell and noise from a steam engine that perks up my interest. I think the same way about prop planes.

Nostalgia or whatever, I don't know, maybe it's simply the notion that the journey is half the fun and modern transport is just too damned fast to enjoy the trip... or something like that?

Originally Posted by KevinTheCynic

Yeah I can understand that, although not a particular fan of trains, there's something about the smell and noise from a steam engine that perks up my interest. I think the same way about prop planes.

Nostalgia or whatever, I don't know, maybe it's simply the notion that the journey is half the fun and modern transport is just too damned fast to enjoy the trip... or something like that?

When I was a boy I would go on holiday to my grannys (my mums side) house in South Wales and always travelled by steam train.

It was so amazing while waiting at Paddington Station in London to catch the train. The sounds and smells were stunning, the hiss of steam, the sound of a steam engine as it pulled out of the station and the smell of burning coal. There were a number of adverts on the station walls, one I remember as clear as day was "5 Boys" chocolate bars. My mum stepping on a "Speak your weight" weighing machine which boomed her weight out across the station, causing her to go bright red, me laughing because I stepped on it when she wasn't looking and then getting a clip around the ear. We get on the train where I claimed a window seat, mum breaking out the sandwiches and flask of tea. Then the train jerked as it pulled out of the station, the click of the rails as she gathered speed, smoke coming into the carriage when we went through tunnels.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

We had a Battle of Britain open day on our station where a privately owned Hurricane did a balls to the wall low pass over the airfield, he climbed then did a slow barrel roll accompanied by the typical Merlin cough. Without a doubt she was the star of the show.

Wonderful memories.

Nice memories, BritinAfrica!!

I hope the Spitfires are in good nick, sadly the reminded me of a story about a town in America that buried a brand new car to celebrate the 50th or 100th year of the town .... why don't I just find a link??

Anyway, they car was not in great condition when it was unearthed ....

Tulsarama the Buried Car - YouTube

Tulsarama the Buried Car - YouTube

http://www.ridrust.com/acid.asp#

I remember that car Gary, and you are right, it wasn't in great nick.

As far as I am aware the Spitfires were properly prepared before they were crated and buried, so with luck they will be ok. If not I am sure quite a few spares could be used to keep other Spitfires flying.

If anything one or two can at least be restored for static display.

I would rather see this as a last resort, but it beats being put on top of some run down gentlemen's club on an interstate somewhere to draw in patrons to see a few toothless beauties.

I hope they can get more then one or two back to at least flying condition.

Here is a clip of 16 Spitfires in formation at Duxford. Bloody stunning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6c3v...ature=youtu.be

See that makes you want to crank your neck back and look up.

Don't get that living or working by an airport these days. Every time a plane goes over there all you can imagine is another late flight and the thought of someone's luggage being left on the ground.

Originally Posted by Yossarian

See that makes you want to crank your neck back and look up.

Don't get that living or working by an airport these days. Every time a plane goes over there all you can imagine is another late flight and the thought of someone's luggage being left on the ground.

One of the things I miss about the RAF is the smell of burnt aviation fuel. I visited Southend airport many years ago to collect packages from their cargo sheds, immediately I could smell that wonderful odour of burnt fuel and in my mind I travelled back to the wonderful time of English Electric Lightning's taking off on reheat.

After watching the flight of those 16 Spitfires in the video, imagine what it would be like if those 20 Spitfires dug up in Burma were made airworthy. Absolute heaven!