homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Battle of Britain + Battle of Britain II Here's what happened (Continued)

Folks,
MG:

Me also. Imported beers, yes, but I can't recall ever tasting real, honest to goodness, German brewed beer. Several in my crowd used to drink Heineken Beer. This was partly because JFK drank it I suppose or was reputed to (In the early 70's I saw a bottle of that beer prominently displayed on a pull up tray in the mock up of JFK's Air Force One in the Smithsonian) also because it was more expensive, 'imported' and therefore must be better than domestic beers, right? Well that beer is brewed and bottled right here in the US now I understand.

C51 is no different from many other folks in his love for going fast. Most of us do. I dunno for sure (PV1 would certainly know) however I suspect that because Canadian babies are fitted with ice skates before they get their first pair of booties; Canadians are used to going fast from very early on.

I agree with you regarding traveling over there in your own car. Trains can take you most places inexpensively with little hassle in Britain and across Europe. Rental cars are, in my opinion, preferable to driving your own vehicle. Be sure to take out the insurance though. Wealthier Americans purchase their Mercedes or BMW car at the factory, drive it about for a time and then they have the car shipped to the states.

I guess maximum list is determined by the center of gravity of the vessel. Twenty degrees is a noticeable list! Considering all the recent notoriety attendant to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and recent sinkings of cruise ships I'd imagine that would get the crew's attention as well these days.

Speaking of speed; do you recall the time that Olga happened upon Dux and nurses Anita Biggun and Ivana Huggankiss playing strip poker in the tall grass behind Drubbin's barn? The eagle-eyed Dux saw her coming in their direction at a respectable distance. He knew he could never outrun Olga in a fair race. So he desperately looked about for something that would lean the odds in his favor.

He longed for the speed of his Spitfire but there wasn't even a car anywhere in sight. Then he spied farmer Drubbin's ancient, rust encrusted Penny-Farthing bicycle that was leaning against the mercifully distant pig sty. Dux headed for it at a brisk trot looking back over his shoulder as he ran shoe-less, sock-less and shirtless through the tall grass. He fell once and on instantly rising he looked back and saw Olga coming in his direction at what seemed to him to be great speed.

His heart pounding in his throat Dux tore off toward the old bicycle as fast as he could run. He ran as if his very life depended on it. That was because it did. Arriving at the old bike he took hold and shook off a cloud of rust. Using the rails of the pig sty as a ladder he climbed aboard the saddle of the freakish contraption and launched himself forward. To his great relief he soon was flying downhill at a very good clip.

For those unfamiliar with the machine the Penny-Farthing is a very odd contraption indeed. The front wheel is about shoulder high and the back wheel is about calf high to a grown man. The saddle is perched high on a metal frame. There is a chain and pedals similar to a regular bike on some models. Fortunately for our pal he was going downhill for it was all Dux could do as he bounced down the rutted old road just to stay on the thing.

It was said by several startled pedestrians who were forced to dive into the ditch as he passed them by that before Dux abruptly ended his flight from Olga head first and shoulders deep in farmer Drubbin's gigantic manure pile at the base of the hill that he was smiling ear to ear and traveling at a truly astonishing speed.

It was too bad that Dux was not aware that Olga had not recognized him at all. In fact she had come upon Anita and Ivana without noticing him as he disappeared down the road obscured by a great cloud of dust and rust. On being heartily invited so to do Olga had happily joined the two nurses in their card game never knowing Dux was anywhere near.

This inconspicuous condition was short lived. Having plunged into the stinking manure pile, from that moment on everyone within a city block radius knew when Dux was near for several days to come.