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Post by Bruce on Oct 20, 2005 22:07:39 GMT 12
I've just been drooling over the amazing photos from Duxford and Old Warden that Robbo has posted. For a number of us on the other side of the world we dream of visiting such places. If you had the Money and the time, what places would you make your Pilgrimage to? Special aviation places that you just have to get to?
My dream pilgrimage would be via Vancouver, where I would take a Beaver seaplane trip to an inland lake, to the UK where I would visit Hendon RAF museum.
IWM Duxford, Shuttleworth Collection, Cosford and the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington. On return I would go to Oshkosh Wisconsin to the EAA fly in, and maybe get to the USAF museum at Dayton. Maybe Reno?
I think I will need a good Lotto ticket for that one, but you gotta have dream.....
What would you guys do?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 20, 2005 22:55:12 GMT 12
Wanaka 2006 would be nice...
I'd love to make it to an Omaka airshow too...
But as for overseas, if I get back to the UK I want to visit some of the RNZAF airfields, like Feltwell, and Mildenhall where No. 75 Sqn was based, and places where our fighter squadrons were based too. Especially Bradwell Bay, where 488 Sqn was based under my mate Ron Watts and where another local man, Roy Calvert, crashed his Lancaster!
And I'd love to visit some of the Kiwi's haunts like the local pubs near airfields, etc. Places that are mentioned in autobiographies of some of the RNZAF pilots. that sort of thing really interest me.
I have been to Hendon and Duxford, but I'd go again. Especially to the latter as it's ever changing. Both are superb. I'd love to see some of the places that I missed on my two previous trips - Old Warden, Cosford and Elvington definately. I'd love to go to France and see my great great uncle's grave, who was a Gallipoli veteran who was killed in Flanders.
I have been to the IWM Lambeth twice, and though the aviation content is low, that's a must see again too. Same goes for the Science Museum which has an amazing aircraft collection, I'd visit there again. you should add them to your list Bruce.
Nothing in the USA really takes my fancy, although perhaps Kermit Weeks' collection would be worth the effort to check out the former RNZAF Sunderland and Tempest he has. I'd love to visit the Canadian Warplane Heritage at Hamilton, Ontario though, and if I had the money I'd take a Lancaster flight. I know I'll never have that sort of money though.
I'd also visit the BBMF Heritage Centre if I could in England.
Temora in Aussie is on my list too. I hope to get there in the not too distant future.
But my short term goal is still Wanaka 06...
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Post by steve on Oct 21, 2005 0:15:08 GMT 12
RAF Airfields with RNZAF coonections would ceratinly be a buzz. The then and now theme.
I remember a rather large book on RAF/USAAF british aerodromes with the then and now pictures. That would certainly be a great handbook for such a visit. RNZAF air crew serving at British bases and the going ons with mixing with the Brits etc from a personal experiences is really worth saving....... USA...hello..!!certainly not much kiwi connection...however I"m sure you would enjoy a flight or tour in a B17 at one of those southern air shows!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 21, 2005 0:37:55 GMT 12
Honestly the USA does not hold much interest at all for me, apart from catching up with some friends. I guess I would like a look at the USAF Museum and the Smithsonian, and maybe Oshkosh and the CAF headquarters, but I wouldn't go out of my way. I'd much prefer to travel Canada and visit old stations where the RNZAF and others trained, and their museums. Just me I guess.
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Post by steve on Oct 21, 2005 1:51:35 GMT 12
Hi Dave...I know what you mean..the kiwi connection is really strong and stations and villages where our air crew etc lived would really be of great interest. You are really lucky to be able to know some our retired WW2 air force people in their twilight years. I have had some conversations over the years with RNZAF fighter pilots etc and i have cherished their every word of recount of those days. What a shame we did not start recording their memories sooner for generations to come....As a country I feel we have been really slack in that field until recently.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 21, 2005 2:38:09 GMT 12
"As a country I feel we have been really slack in that field until recently. "
Yes and no - I think is some ways, as a country, our veterans have not wanted to talk too much about it till now. The climate is right now. A) they realise they won't be here much longer B) politically it is much more OK now compared to the hippy years of the 1960's and 1970's to talk about war C) they realise young people are genuinely interested. Look how many books are published each year now,,and how many people are at ANZAC Day parades compared to 10, 15, 20 years ago.
When our WWI vets reached the age that our WWII vets are now at, they still didn't feel like discussing it. They thought no-one would understand or care or be interested I guess. You cannot force them to tell.
I think the world environment is so much better for them now to want to express their memories. It's no longer seen in society as just ranting, or perhaps sissy to talk about bad experiences that upset you, or things like that. NZ has really grown up, we now, thanks to them, understand how bad war is and we want to know and tell our children and future generations.
I feel so priviledged to have been able to hear and record so many memories. Yes, I really wish I'd started ten years ago instead of two, but perhaps the amount I'm getting now and the ease at which the stories flow is much better than it would have been then.
An enduring memory for me is seeing a veteran burst into tears as a terrible memory came back to him. It was not combat related. He'd been chatting away merily and telling all sorts of stories. Then he got onto food in the Pacific and recalled suddenly how when eating bully beef and trying to keep the blowflies off, but one flew into his mouth and down his throat. He choked on it, and started to rech, and coughed so much his stomach lining came up and he thought he was going to die. He spent several days in hospital. As this memory came back after all those years he began balling his eyes out, it was so painful. Yet afterwards he felt good that he'd got it out of his system, and carried on telling more humorous stuff again. So, for them in some cases it is therapy too, and having someone who is keen to listen and discuss is really good for them. Not all have been as dramatic as this, though I did do one interview where the chap cried several times, rememebring his mates getting killed. Heartwrenching.
Well, that threw this thread off track....
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Post by Bruce on Oct 21, 2005 18:56:14 GMT 12
Little off track but great worthwhile contributions anyway  What If I got really difficult and asked if there was only ONE place you would make a pilgrimage to - what would it be. As a homebuilder, mine would have to be Oshkosh. Like some religions, to be a good aircraft homebuilder one has to visit this sacred site at least once in ones lifetime! (I know some who go every year....) |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 21, 2005 19:15:58 GMT 12
My one place... Wanaka
Beautiful place, beautiful aircraft
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Post by Bruce on Oct 21, 2005 19:26:24 GMT 12
Spoken like a true Kiwi, Good on yer Mate.... |
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