Recent content by The Mad Hatter

In town: Akubra Banjo Paterson. In the country: Akubra Lawson.

Although not the most powerful, perhaps the most interesting Japanese battleships were the four Kongo class ships. The American Iowas actually were constructed specifically to ward off the threat the Kongos posed to American carriers.

The movie, Out of Africa, has inspired a clothing style: Here is at least one vendor, D&B Explorer Collection, who specializes in that style:

HMS Rodney: Not only did she support D-Day, but also played a major role in taking out Bismark. Despite which, IMHO, along with her sister ship, Nelson, she was IMHO the ugliest battleship. Still, perhaps my personal favorite:

Here is a chart of various WWII era battleship classes:

If that's what you want to discuss, then please do so.

Pick something up from the Santa Croce Leather School, Florence. Here are their current offerings. I did not check out all of them, but those I did were all lambskin. https://scuoladelcuoio.it/en/84-jackets Here is a general article about the Leather School...

Orvis offers many linen shirts. Of particular interest may be its Tri-Blend Bush Long-Sleeved Shirt, which essentially is a linen Indiana Jones-type shirt.

i have been reading the Charlie Chan mysteries. Of the six total, I have already read the first, The House Without a Key, and the second, The Chinese Parrot. I now have on order the third, Behind That Curtain.

People here might enjoy reading China's Wings, the story of William Langhorne Bond, who headed China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC), which basically was Pan Am in Chiang Kai-shek's China. https://www.amazon.com/Chinas-Wings-Intrigue-Romance-Adventure-ebook/dp/B00540P9DY It obviouisly...

In an outburst of irrational enthusiasm, I last night actually did purchase a black Aero cafe racer. Here is my fabulous acquisition: https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=5313 To put this into perspective, while I might someday be cast as a Marcus Brody, Indiana...

Harvie & Hudson has one: https://www.harvieandhudson.com/clothing/jackets/bold-stripe-cotton-jacket/?geoc=US So does New & Lingwood: https://us.newandlingwood.com/mens-clothes/jackets-for-men/navy-boating-stripe-single-breasted-deconstructed-jacket

Please forgive the paywall, but the Financial Times has an article about how WWII era training planes are popular: Harvard education: why 1940s trainer planes are taking off again ‘Pilot-makers’ are an excellent entry into second world war aircraft, and investment pieces in their own right...

Today is the anniversary of D-Day. Accordingly, I post photos of the battleships that supported the invasion: USS Nevada: USS Texas: : USS Arkansas : HMS Warspite : HMS Rodney : HMS Ramillies :

With all due respects, the DC 3 pales in comparison to the DC 2 1/2. The DC 2 1/2 was flown by CNAC, which basically was Pan Am in Chiang Kai-shek's China. At a certain point, CNAC was in a tight spot, so they joined a DC 2 wing to the fuselage of a DC 3. It actually flew. Reportedly...