Hey Paddy!

[MikeyB17]

Well well, Paddy, do you put a little shamrock on the top when you pour the Guinness? Mine's a Bushmills! Good evening folks, allow me to introduce myself. I'm another WWII/flight jacket nut from the jacket forums, and Paddy and I know each other from there. We've never had a chance to meet as we live at opposite ends of England (I live in Cornwall, as far West as you can get), but hopefully we'll be able to sort something out one day. It's nice to join this forum which from what I've seen is a particularly civilised and interesting one. My collection of jackets and memorabilia isn't as extensive as Paddy's (I've yet to acquire an original WWII jacket, he's got them coming out of his ears :-) ), but I currently own an Eastman A-2-their factory isn't too far from here-and several Aeros, plus a number of nylon flight jackets. I also have a fairly extensive collection of WWII and aviation books which sometimes comes in handy. I don't currently own any fedoras, but I've been eyeing the hat section with interest! (Hey Paddy, I'm off to Normandy next Friday-Leger holidays!) Hopefully I'll be able to make some useful contributions to the discussions here.

Mikeyb17 (Mike Bennett)

[PADDY]

Glad you could drop in here Mikey, haven't spoken to you in ages!

I've been giving VLJ-II and T20-c a break for a while (other than to post the fact that I'm selling my B-10 Roughwear and B-15b flight jacket, needs must Mikey sadly!).

This is a cracking little forum Mikey and in the WW2 room, all new angles and stories and kit sharing is welcome.

But this is a GREAT surprise to have you here! I was hoping to have seen you in July at Duxford Flying Legends, as quite a few of the other forum lads made it and dressed up!

I'm assuming your Legers Normandy tour is the same one I did back in Easter (5 day) where you stay at the Hotel Clarine in Caen (pretty nice hotel). If so, make sure you make the effort to use their metro and go into town for a look around (as too many Brits just don't venture out of the hotel in the evening). Great wee French cafes and restaurants, well priced, and Caen is a major feature in the Normandy campaign of course.

Make sure you take loads of pics too. The museum at Saint-mere-Iglise is really good (the toilets are the cleanest I have ever been in!! ), but try to have a look around the village too, and there's a little army surplus shop just off the main square (2 min walke from the museum) that has original trinkets for sale (no-one will tell you it's there, but it is!).

And say "hi" to the 82nd Airborne trooper who is still hanging off the steeple!).

Pont du hoc is amazing too, where the Rangers scaled the cliffs (scary cliffs too!), as it's just as it was left after being bombareded from the sea.

Can you tell I wish I was going back with you?...!!!!

Omaha Beach, just looking at it today, you can see what a killing ground it was, just a butcher's yard Mikey.

Anyway, tell all when you get back, and bring all your chat and experience and love of WW2 into the room for a natter with the rest of the guys!

And get yourself a Fedora, you KNOW you want to!!! .

[MikeyB17]

Yes, I've had a little lurk for a while, ever since you mentioned this forum on C20th, everyone seemed extremely amiable so I thought it was about time I poked my oar in! My trip to Normandy is only the 4-day I'm afraid, couldn't get a date for the 5-day that fitted in with my rota at work, but I'll use it as a bit of a 'recce' and probably go back again at a later date. Looking forward to it though, still deciding which jacket to take-sadly I doubt it'll be cold (or dry!) enough for the B-3. A-2 again I expect! I'm charging up the batteries for the camera as we speak!
On the jacket front, I have a cunning plan to nab myself another A-2 this winter-possibly an Aero Indian goat, but I'm also considering selling off a few little-worn jackets and going for the Aero Bronco, which I have coveted ever since it appeared-we'll see. I'm also thinking about what I'm going to do for my avatar pic-planning a trip up to Davidstow Moor (ex-coastal command base, also used by the Eighth) with my B-3 and B-2!