Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight

[Blackbriar 8,569]

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of a true pivotal point in history.

 

Britain stood alone, back to the wall, staring into the face of a planned German invasion.

 

All that stood in their way were "the few".........

 

Battle of Britain 75th anniversary flypast under way - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-33476099

[BGD 6,437]

That Typhoon painted like a WW2 fighter is a bit special

[Born Hunter 17,975]

They should have named the typhoon the spitfire. It's today's equivalent. Just didn't want to upset our German project partners.

[TOMO 29,541]

I watched one of them documentarys about battle of Britain ,,and the pilots were saying that them spitfires only had small calibre guns,,,I'm sure they said 762 same as service rifles,, so it was pecking hard to shoot down them meshersmits ...

 

When you here them old recordings of Churchill saying his little speech, about owing so much to so few,,,, how many of you does it make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up..

[paulus 26]

[Flipper_Al 1,012]

I watched one of them documentarys about battle of Britain ,,and the pilots were saying that them spitfires only had small calibre guns,,,I'm sure they said 762 same as service rifles,, so it was pecking hard to shoot down them meshersmits ...

 

When you here them old recordings of Churchill saying his little speech, about owing so much to so few,,,, how many of you does it make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up..

They had 303 initially same as the old service rifles, later models had 2 x 20mm cannons

[Malt 379]

 

 

I watched one of them documentarys about battle of Britain ,,and the pilots were saying that them spitfires only had small calibre guns,,,I'm sure they said 762 same as service rifles,, so it was pecking hard to shoot down them meshersmits ...

 

When you here them old recordings of Churchill saying his little speech, about owing so much to so few,,,, how many of you does it make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up..

They had 303 initially same as the old service rifles, later models had 2 x 20mm cannons

Yeah was going say they progressively modified them as the years went on..

[Born Hunter 17,975]

 

 

I watched one of them documentarys about battle of Britain ,,and the pilots were saying that them spitfires only had small calibre guns,,,I'm sure they said 762 same as service rifles,, so it was pecking hard to shoot down them meshersmits ...

 

When you here them old recordings of Churchill saying his little speech, about owing so much to so few,,,, how many of you does it make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up..

They had 303 initially same as the old service rifles, later models had 2 x 20mm cannons

Yeah was going say they progressively modified them as the years went on..

Do I recall correctly that the 20mm Canon variants were short lived for some reason? The firepower was preferable but some other reason meant there was drawbacks.

[paulus 26]

the type 300 had four .303 Browning machine guns on each wing the MK VB was equipped with two .303 browning and 2 20mm cannons on each wing, The MKV also saw the introduction of the C series MKVC had four .303 machine guns and four 20mm cannons

[TOMO 29,541]

Cheers gents I knew it was a small cal ...just the wrong one

[Flipper_Al 1,012]

According to Wiki, the later variants had .50 cal and 20mm cannon

[Flipper_Al 1,012]

Cheers gents I knew it was a small cal ...just the wrong one

I think it was the same round as the old lee enfield rifles used, i have read accounts of pilots closing to 250 yards to shoot at enemy aircraft

[truescot 234]

I recently bought a picture for over my fireplace.

 

3lancasters flying over a poppy field.

Liked it that much I bought another with a spitfire over poppy field.

 

Oh and the ironic thing was. I had to get them from liepzig germany lol

[Blackbriar 8,569]

 

 

Cheers gents I knew it was a small cal ...just the wrong one

 

I think it was the same round as the old lee enfield rifles used, i have read accounts of pilots closing to 250 yards to shoot at enemy aircraft

I believe 250 yards was the official distance where all the guns were trained on one point. Many pilots preferred much closer. I think Douglas Bader was one who had his guns synchronised at 50 yards and frequently got that close. They needed to because .303 at long range had little effect unless a pilot got hit or a vital engine part.

Flying to within 50 yards of a heavily armed enemy fighter, hundreds of feet up ?

Just when I thought it wasn't possible to have any more admiration for those men.......

[Flipper_Al 1,012]

Have a read of Bob Doe fighter pilot...eye opening
Also First Light a film about Geoffrey Wellum....