Crack o' Dawn, Again

Twenty past five and my eyes are open again, like yesterday.  I wonder if this is going to be a thing?  And where is my little Buddy this morning?  Not snuggling up against my back, as usual! How does he fare?

Cosford Album Is Up!

Ok, the LMA Cosford photo album is online!  You can find a link in the sidebar on the right.  I will be adding more and more photos as time permits, so keep coming back for more!

LMA Cosford - OMG!!

So, after a late start (which I blame on simple exhaustion yesterday), we went off to the Large Model Association show at RAF Cosford.

The British CAA regulates large R/C models (20 Kg and up) as if they were full sized aeroplanes, which would normally require a Certificate of Airworthiness.  But a model aeroplane can not be issued with a CofA.  Instead, an Exemption Certificate must be issued before any large model can legally be flown.  The Large Model Association was formed to ensure that for large models, both pilot standards and model airworthiness are sufficient for the CAA Exemption Certificate to be issued.

The LMA also hosts several model exhibits and airshows each year, where owners of large model aircraft are invited to meet and display their models and their piloting skills.  One of the best of these shows is held at RAF Cosford each year.  Cosford is also the site of an excellent RAF museum.

OMG, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven!

A stupendous Avro Vulcan bomber that played a starring role in the James Bond movie Thunderball (one of my favourite Bond flicks, thanks to it's Caribbean setting),

Two European aerobatic champions,

Two BAE Hawks in Red Arrows livery...

I posted nearly 30 photos and videos on  a special WhatsApp group so my buddies could enjoy the action "live" from the shows.  I also took 1,218 photos with the Nikon, but I won't post them all here.  Instead, I will create an online album and post some of the best on that.  When I get myself sorted, I will put a link in the sidebar on the right.

Tomorrow, we will attend the second and final day at the LMA show, but we will also visit the RAF museum, also located at Cosford!

Up early, to my surprise!

I'm up early, after a comfortable (and much needed) nights sleep. It's comfortably cool without A/C, but I miss the low, background noise and the wafting air from my fan.

Derek is still sawing wood, but I have finally got the WiFi to work, which is a good thing.  (There is no trouble with the WiFi here, because the phone and tablet took to it immediately. But this new  laptop is a little different...)

Knackered!

It's been a long day. I didn't get much sleep on the plane, and sat in a restricted space for eight+ hours.Then we arrived at Gatwick and went through the formalities of entry rather easily.  Next, it was time to buy connectivity. I paid for a one month, unlimited data plan, and Derek paid for a less expensive plan, but it took quite a while to get my data plan to work, probably because my phone is over five years old. It worked fine in the end, but it took a while to kick in.

Then, the car.

They had demanded a string-band worth of documentation, none of which was actually required. But we did get a Jag, which is nice. Unfortunately, it turns out there is not much more room to move around in a Jaguar than there is on a Boeing 777!

So we went to Peter's place to drop off a ton of pepper sauce, and because I like my little camera, I didn't take his picture. After a pleasant chat with Pete (lovely to see you, mate! so sorry we missed Di, though.), we set off for Blenheim Palace.

It would take a full day to scratch the surface there, which we didn't have time for. But we had a good look around and then had lunch, before we set off for our first AirBnB booking. A very pleasant host received us and made us welcome in the 16th century farmhouse. I won't post any photos until I clear it with her, but we're here for three days, so...

But now I am bushed. Eight plus hours sitting on a plane followed by eight plus more in the car, and I ache all over. So, time for a shower, and bed.

The plane! The plane!

It's hot.  Very hot.  I am in a pyjama pants and a tee_shirt and I sweatin'. Or I was, until I entered the departure hall.  Blissful A/C, and it's blowing right on the back of my neck. According to Google, it is 85°F at BGI, whereas it is only 67°F at LGW.  I long for it.

But our carriage awaits!

I think it's a triple-7 and it has our name on it!

Sitting in the departure lounge wondering what we forgot to pack. Derek forgot his phone charger, but I have a spare. Did I pack my boots? My camera lenses? An almond Snickers bar?

The day has finally come.

Well, Budweiser is off to the kennels, and was very happy to go off with the kennelman! I was somewhat hurt how happily he was lead away, without hardly a backwards glance. Mind you, I did spend the morning telling him he was off to Doggie-Holiday-Camp.

So, I guess that means the time is upon us.

Here is another sign:

No Townace van in my garage! Because it's off to the mechanic for a checkup while I'm away.