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8 Jan 2015, 00:50 (Ref:3490862) | #76 | |||
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
8 Jan 2015, 06:41 (Ref:3490895) | #77 | ||
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8 Jan 2015, 07:37 (Ref:3490903) | #78 | |||
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Gordon, another early adopter! (Japanese 'bike) Did you get a cold shoulder from Brit bike owners? I had a new CB250SS in 1967 when all the equivalent capacity bikes were Norton, Triumph etc. Didn't always get a warm welcome from 'Mates', probably because the Honda would knock spots off their machines..... |
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Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. (Einstein) |
8 Jan 2015, 07:52 (Ref:3490904) | #79 | ||
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I've decided to stop reaching out to people. I'm just going to contact them instead. |
8 Jan 2015, 07:57 (Ref:3490905) | #80 | ||
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I had a two year old Bonneville that I brought new for £275 as I got a trade discount and I traded it in for the 750 K1 Honda that cost a whopping £600 !.
I got stopped by a copper on the way home as I was doing 80+ mph in a 30 limit but as he was bike mad he said he only wanted to look at it and didn't do me ! Most of my mates were jealous but one by one started buying Jap bikes, why didn't I keep those bikes as they are fetching a fortune now ! |
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
9 Jan 2015, 12:52 (Ref:3491263) | #81 | ||
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Guess it didn't make national news, but certainly did locally- RAF Mildenhall air base is to close. Although 'RAF', it is a US base currently hostin a squadron of refuelling tankers. When travelling up and down the A11, you sometimes get a tanker or military cargo plane passing overhead on 'finals'.
But the thing the base will be most remembered for by many is its annual Air Fete, that sadly got canned when the 'war on terror' caused security issues everywhere. Visiting the event was like being transported across the Atlantic for a day. All the food and drink was flown in, so hot dogs for instance were authentic American size and quality! They certainly knew how to put on a show, and the crowds were always massive. Remember last visit with my late Dad, when we watched a V Bomber display (one of each type- not just a lone Vulcan!) and stood mesmerised for what seemed ages while a Sea Fury warmed up just feet away from our parking spot. Things like that you never forget! During the day I bought a huge limited edition print for Dad, a superb painting depicting a Lightning taking off. We had a squadron of them years before at our local base, RAF Coltishall, so knew what they were all about. I now have that print proudly on a wall at home, and it still brings back memories! Very happy days....... |
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Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. (Einstein) |
9 Jan 2015, 13:00 (Ref:3491266) | #82 | ||
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9 Jan 2015, 13:22 (Ref:3491269) | #83 | ||
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Flyping eck, its Marland Brando
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9 Jan 2015, 13:39 (Ref:3491274) | #84 | ||
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I can remember we had an old Beezer when I was at school that we used to thrash round the field until it died through lack of oil, someone took it away as to us it was just a piece of junk, later we found out it was a "Goldie" Hindsight Paaaa !!!!!
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Balls of steel (knob of butter) They're Asking For Larkins. ( Proper beer) not you're Eurofizz crap. Hace más calor en España. Me han conocido a hablar un montón cojones! Send any cheques and cash to PO box 1 Lagos Nigeria Africa ! |
9 Jan 2015, 14:41 (Ref:3491297) | #85 | ||
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The 'Fete' took place last year. They moved it a few years ago to RAF Feltwell just down the road. We went in 2012 in my mates ex USAF Dodge crewbus (it originally was a Mildenhall vehicle). Yep, loads of huge bbq's with all sorts on offer including turkey legs that were more Ostrich sized. Spitfire, Lancaster, Red Arrows and modern fighter planes all put on a display. Was an excellent day out. The 2013 fete was cancelled by the base commander due to budget cuts but it didn't go down well with the men what with it being 4th July and all that. Apparently an unofficial gathering took place off base. Last year it was back on, I sent my dad there and he too had a fantastic day. |
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CSCC Swinging Sixties #128 Red/Black Mustang |
9 Jan 2015, 16:22 (Ref:3491336) | #86 | |||
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Bonnies were girls bikes Goldies were the best bike BSA ever biult!! Lol. Although not exactly mine (half share with a mate) I used to use one every w/end, fantastic days/nights riding that thing. A regular Friday night thing was a blast down to Southend on the A127, 24miles and 16minutes including roundabouts. Mike, were you at Mildenhall for the first public showing of the Blackbird? What an amazing bit of kit that was, vibes from it certainly clear the chest |
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Living the dream,Chief instruktor and racing on the worlds best circuits-The Nordschleife and Spa.Getting to drive the worlds best cars-someone has to do it, so glad its me. |
9 Jan 2015, 17:39 (Ref:3491363) | #87 | |||
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Terence, we saw either blackbird or stealth thing on last visit, can't remember which. Remember it was very big, whichever......... |
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9 Jan 2015, 18:22 (Ref:3491376) | #88 | ||
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Not just Mildenhall affected from what I read in the Times, Mike - RAF Alconbury and Molesworth to lose USAF presence, too.....tho RAF Lakenheath will see some increase......and some yanks moving to Germany.
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Richard Murtha: You don't stop racing because you are too old, you get old when you stop racing! But its looking increasingly likely that I've stopped.....have to go back to rallying ;) |
9 Jan 2015, 18:28 (Ref:3491381) | #89 | |
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CSCC Swinging Sixties #128 Red/Black Mustang |
9 Jan 2015, 20:09 (Ref:3491414) | #90 | ||
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So, old airfields. What on earth could one use them for? |
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9 Jan 2015, 20:10 (Ref:3491415) | #91 | |||
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Also remember when they were at Wethersfield in Essex as well. My first insight into how the Americans did air shows but Mildenhall was so much larger and packed. Fantastic. Oh, it did make national news as well. Going to miss the air traffic coming over us here at Redgrave on their approaches to the base. Never thought they would wind mildenhall up. |
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"If you would do great things, first set your sails to the wind" |
9 Jan 2015, 20:21 (Ref:3491422) | #92 | ||
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Stayed an extra day to "do" the site and, feeling peckish come lunchtime, I thought a small turkey leg had to be tried. So, "small" turkey leg, "Small" coke and about $5 lighter in the wallet I set about luncheon. 2 hours later I had barely started the leg and was totally gassed out by about 5 gallons of Coke. It was about 90f at the time and I had come to realise that there was no seating or shade for anyone who was snacking off the fast food stands rather than eating in the more expensive serviced restaurants. I wondered if I could make the leg last for a few more days but being scheduled to fly on to the next destination in the morning I realised that was probably not an option no matter how sensible it seemed at the time. Have to say it was a great leg. I noticed a couple of days ago that the local Coop had a small offering of what they called Turkey Legs. Quite large but compared to proper American legs they looked more like something small sparrow would have provided. |
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9 Jan 2015, 20:39 (Ref:3491438) | #93 | ||
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10 Jan 2015, 02:28 (Ref:3491519) | #94 | |
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Nice long straight available but iirc the folks around Mildenhall are not too keen on noise these days.
So, a huge area like that would make an excellent new town I would have thought. Lots of nice incomers for them to greet. Alternatively, given that somewhere along the line our wonderful leaders will make us all go "electric" the place could be become and electric motor sport centre. Electric dragsters on the main runway might be nice quiet fun. They could build an entire wind farm to power the whole thing. Obviously my hope in the short term would be that such a development keeps existing tracks from the threat of being "converted", at least in the rest of my active lifetime. Failing that, back to the straw bales idea .... |
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10 Jan 2015, 06:39 (Ref:3491531) | #95 | ||
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Well, RAF Coltishall that I mentioned earler closed in 2006, and is still waiting for decisions to be made on the way forward!
Home to Hurricanes (Bader was based there at one point) and Spits during the war, then used as a V Bomber 'dispersal' base, through Gloster Javelins (that I watched and heard every day while growing up) and Lightnings to SEPECAT Jaguars and Air Sea Rescue, with BBMF based in the hangers also for several years, I find it disappointing to know that the place is gradually crumbling away. There was even a suggestion of giving the land back to the local farmers from whom it was compulsory purchased in 1939. That would have been better than the situation we have now! Think there are still housing plans under consideration, but whether the infrastructure can cope is another question..... |
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10 Jan 2015, 10:35 (Ref:3491569) | #96 | ||
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Yeah I just read about the bases Mike, very sad. On my regular jaunts East over the last 20 years or so, Mildenhall and environs was always a treat. Just watching KC135s, F111s, various choppers and so on was great. I never saw a B52 though. Whats that old one near Fakenham, disused for many years I think?
I fear they'll be housing estates before too long |
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10 Jan 2015, 12:36 (Ref:3491587) | #97 | ||
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10 Jan 2015, 13:37 (Ref:3491598) | #98 | ||
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One sight I'll never forget was the 17 F111's going out to Iraq in the morning and only 16 coming back in the evening.Not pleasant thinking of what had happened to the pilot.
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Living the dream,Chief instruktor and racing on the worlds best circuits-The Nordschleife and Spa.Getting to drive the worlds best cars-someone has to do it, so glad its me. |
10 Jan 2015, 14:20 (Ref:3491606) | #99 | |||
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10 Jan 2015, 16:16 (Ref:3491628) | #100 | |||
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Recollect that Jaguars were sometimes painted pink when on operational duty in the Gulf etc....... Not sure if it was a good look! |
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Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. (Einstein) |
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