WW1 Classic Aircraft

[Robert Cracknell]

I don't know how many of you watch Forces TV (Channel 181) on Sky but I have just watched a brilliant programme about the WW1 aircraft collection belonging to Peter Jackson in New Zealand. 9 restored/replica aircraft spanning the duration of the conflict flying in formation and he set up a model production line as well!

 

Well worth a look. Repeated on Thursday 31st 16.00 - 17.00 or on You Tube. Just search for 'Peter Jacksons Military Treasures'

 

It may have been on before but it's my first viewing.....

[EarlyBird]

 

[Alan Hilton]

Brilliant film thanks for posting 

[J D 8]

 Very good, thanks.

[Geoff S]

Excellent video, thanks for pointing it out.

 

I suppose what Peter Jackson and his team are doing is building 1:1 super scale models where every detail is accurate from construction to the materials used.

[Robert Cracknell]

Yes, traditional materials, tools and methods. It is a pity that the model kits he manufactured weren't actual flying models!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nigel R]

On a slight tangent... Jackson's "They Shall Not Grow Old" is well worth a watch, too.

[Andy Gates]

Got the film coming thank you, and thank you to the original poster for the notification - shame we do not have Sky.

 

My great grandfather could have been one of the folks shown riding the horses pulling stuff to and from the front.

Took me quite by surprise as I have only seen black and white stills.

[Geoff S]

Whilst this period of aviation and the whole between the wars one is the one that interests me most, I can't help feeling a little uncomfortable with the tendency to glamorise the war itself. It was a dreadful time and 3 of my uncles fought in it. One didn't come back.  My father, born in 1909, was too young for WW1 and disabled for WW2 but that wasn't much fun either.  Perhaps the current situation in Ukraine is getting to me.

 

Warplane are undoubtably exciting machines and technically interesting (wars tend to accelerate innovation just as the pandemic accelerated vaccine development) but I'm very ambivalent about their use. 

[Cuban8]

IMHO, it's very much a matter of how we look at history and in our case, the development of aviation both in terms of military and civilian use. The military aspect is real and deserves to be dealt with objectively, by which I mean certainly celebrate the asthetics and performance of for example, the iconic Spitfire, but equally, don't gloss over its original primary purpose of being a weapons platform designed to destroy enemy aircraft and usually kill the enemy crews as well.

This point is made very well in the recent documentary 'Guy Martin's Spitfire', a first class programme about the Spitfire and how modern techniques are used in warbird restoration. Seek out the part in the programme when the effects of machine guns firing live ammunition are demonstrated against a scrap car in a firing range.  Made my blood run cold.

 

[EarlyBird]

 

[J D 8]

         I consider myself one of the lucky generation. Those born in the years after the second world war [ or grew up in those years ]  We did not have to go to war [ respect for those who served ] and for most of the second half of the 20th century living standards for Britton's improved, along with better health care and better work conditions and more time for non work activity.

         Since the turn of the century there has been a steady downturn for many and I fear for today's youngsters see a further decline down the line, more so with recent happenings.

[Peter Miller]

My Father was first an officer in the trenches and then transferred to the Royal Flying Corp. He was an observer on 18 Squadron which few DH 4s where he was awarded the DFC.  He was officially credited with 6 kills from the rear cockpit before being shot down and badly wounded.

 

He was one of those who would talk about it so I learned a lot