National Rally and AGM - Kenilworth, Warkwickshire - Plus Booking Form

[DavidLaver]

Over Easter I popped into the Midland Air Museum (its on the AGM weekend agenda, hence posting here) to kill a bit of time ahead of a Landrover production line tour - and we ran out of time... I'll absolutely be back again.  The "headlines" there are access to the Vulcan cockpit and a Frank Whittle exhibition, but of most interest to me was their Argosy.

http://www.midlandairmuseum.co.uk/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Whitworth_AW.660_Argosy

For air museum fans I think of Cosford "as just up the road from there" but its 50 miles and an hour...just happens to be very close to my sister (or more importantly nephew).

Landrover:

https://www.landrover.com/experiences/manufacturing-tours/index.html

We went a few years back to see the last of the Defenders - big hammers and quarter inch tolerances.  This time it was the "Velar" (new to me) which shares its line with the Jaguar F-Pace (and much else...) in Solihull.  They had tooling in place for a third car down the same line, "don't tell anyone but" its the electric I-Pace.  Aluminium, glue, rivets, lots of photos of glue lines etc (for ambulance chasers to look at as much as quality control) and working to microns.  I expect we'll go back for the engine plant in Wolverhampton, and I'd like to see their "classics" set up which is a production line restoration facility as well as the 500 car private collection.

[DavidLaver]

Their Voodoo is an impressive thing as well.  Not a plane I'd heard of, but a big scary thing with its engines sticking out the back like a hotrod.  Built as a bomber escort it was also an interceptor designed to throw a nuclear missile into the middle of an enemy formation and a "one way single trip bomber".  They had the range to break a lot of records and took the first photos of Cuban missiles.  Not without its issues they still built 800 of them before the Phantom took over in 1960.  Two Phantoms at the museum, they built over 5000 of them, some are STILL in service.

http://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-articles/flying-barrel-explaining-f-101-voodoo.html

PS - Not sure if I was more impressed or grumpy that it took the Peter Twiss / Fairy Delta II speed record...

[stanley sweet]

David, if you're interested in early jet aircraft I can't recommend a book I read recently highly enough. It's called 'Empire of the Clouds' by James Hamilton-Patterson,  ISBN 978-0-571-24795-0. It tells of Britain's post war aircraft industry and leaves you speechless with the danger, the lack of knowledge about jet behaviour and the age old story of muddled British management and letting others benefit from our ideas. It's certainly not a dull dry read.

[DavidLaver]

That looks like £1.83 well spent then    

Amazon - love them and loathe them - but they are a brilliant platform for independent second hand book sellers.

[stanley sweet]

When you've finished it you should watch the old film 'The Sound Barrier'. That's what happened to me - by pure coincidence as I finished the book the film came on tv. You realise how realistic the film is.

[DavidLaver]

...expensive day.  That's another £5:48.

[ENZ6493]

Do we an idea when we will receive official confirmation that our booking/monies have been received?
Also, I'm looking at extending my booking from Saturday/Sunday to Friday/Saturday/Sunday but I'm getting a failed email delivery to Mark Hall !

Is there an issue?

Cheers
Vince

[neil-yaj396]

Do we an idea when we will receive official confirmation that our booking/monies have been received?
Also, I'm looking at extending my booking from Saturday/Sunday to Friday/Saturday/Sunday but I'm getting a failed email delivery to Mark Hall !

Is there an issue?

Cheers
Vince

My credit card payment has been taken.

[MarkHall]

If anyone wants to come along on Sunday but haven't been in touch with us yet, I've attached the timetable.  It would still help us enormously if you could let us know if you want to come along - please drop us a line on nationalrally@lanciamc.co.uk

[GeoffJohnson]

A5 Closure

Those like me coming from the Southeast and wanting to avoid the M1 should note that the A5 is closed at Towcester High Street from 23 July until November.
The official diversion will take you from Old Stratford up to the M1, although there may be other (better) ways around it.

Geoff Johnson

[MarkHall]

As a resident of Towcester, I can vouch for the fact that the "official" diversion is a waste of time!  Simply turn left at the crossroads in front of the road closure, then left at the McDonalds roundabout, then you'll be straight back on track - adding no more than 1 mile to your overall journey!  Having said that, we always travel to Kenilworth by continuing West past Silverstone, then cut up Welsh Lane to join the M40 at Banbury - so much quicker and easier

[frankxhv773t]

Mark, is it too late to be added to the air museum visit?

[MarkHall]

No, just meet us at the hotel reception at 4pm

[frankxhv773t]

Thanks Mark. I'll see you there.

[DavidLaver]

I hope you all enjoy the museum tonight.

Having enjoyed "Empire of the Clouds: When Britain's Aircraft Ruled" (recommended above) I remembered this on the TV, and looking closer I think its "the documentary of the book".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNJl_EijuWA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvU7nQUethw

There are two versions of the book.  The later one has a lot of photos but 25% less text.  That's the version I read and have now ordered a couple more from the bibliography.