On this day...

[DavidM]

Himmler , although in custody , manages to commit suicide . A trick later replicated by Goring …. Bonnie and Clyde shot dead 1934 …Italy joins the allies in World War One , 1915 , but we still win … Talking of Italy Napoleon is crowned King in 1805 … Captain Kidd hanged 1701 …Netherlands declare independence from Spain 1568 … Henry declares marriage to Catherine of Aragon null and void 1533 … 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

35 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

So the danger of them stealing the technology meant they weren used? 

How would they have faded against a traditional German fighter jet? I assume they would beich faster?

Like I say, the E.28 was used to test and refine prototype jet engines and was retired in 1944 before being put into operational service because by that time the Gloster Meteor had been developed off the back of the research carried out with the E.28 prototypes. 

The Meteor never saw a huge amount of operational service during the Second World War because of allied fears of the technology being captured but they were deployed in very small numbers in the low countries. They were part of 616 squadron. 

In terms of performance, against traditional propellor driven aircraft they were a lot faster with the E.28 achieving speeds in excess of 500mph but they were a lot heavier and had a much shorter range due to them needing far more fuel to power the jet engine. The Meteor was even faster than its experimental cousin, hence why that one was put into production, but compared to the equivalent German jet fighter, the Me 262, they were slower, less manoeuvrable and importantly less heavily armed as well.

The Meteor would go on to be the RAF's standard jet in the decade after the Second World War though and thousands were produced with the last being taken out of service in the 80s. 

Edited May 23, 2023 by The Hallucinating Goose

[DavidM]

‘ The Mighty ‘ Hood sank by The Bismarck , killing all but three of its 1418 crew . 1941

Edited May 24, 2023 by DavidM

[DavidM]

Star Wars opens in 1977 !  

JFK announces aim to put a man on the moon before the end of the decade , 1961

Battle of Dunkirk begins 1940

Richard Cromwell , mocked as ‘ Queen Dick ‘ , resigns as Lord Protector , beginning the process leading to The Restoration . 1659

 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

A few interesting ones today. 

On this day in 1588, the Spanish Armada sets sail from Lisbon. It consists of 130 ships and 30,000 men and will take until 30th May for all the ships to leave port. 

On this day in 1907, the first Isle of Man TT race took place. 

On his day in in 1932, the Afsluitdijk is completed in the Netherlands converting the Zuiderzee Bay into the freshwater IJsselmeer. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by The Hallucinating Goose

[DavidM]

21 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

A few interesting ones today. 

On this day in 1588, the Spanish Armada sets sail from Lisbon. It consists of 130 ships and 30,000 men and will take until 30th May for all the ships to leave port. 

On this day in 1907, the first Isle of Man TT race took place. 

On his day in in 1932, the Afsluitdijk is completed in the Netherlands converting the Zuiderzee Bay into the freshwater IJsselmeer. 

All happening today

Yeltsin elected the first president of the Russia 1990 … Heysel 1985 ….Battle of Goose Green 1982 …United win the European Cup 1968 … Hilary and Tenzing conquer Everest 1953 … Crosby records White Christmas 1942 …First flight of Messerschmitt 109 fighter 1935….Restoration of monarchy as Charles II is restored on his birthday 1660

Edited May 29, 2023 by DavidM

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On this day in 1453, the Ottoman army captured Constantinople after a 53 day siege, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On this day in 1431, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in Rouen. 

[DavidM]

Battle of Jutland 1916

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On this day in 1911, the RMS Titanic is launched in Belfast. 

[Futtocks]

 

[DavidM]

Tianamen Square massacre 1989 .

Rome is first axis capital to fall 1944

Operation Anthropoid , the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich 1942…. Same day as Battle of Midway begins 

Dunkirk evacuation ends 1940

Emily Davison runs out during the Derby and gets trampled to death by the Kings horse 1913 . A feat some cretin tried to partially recreate 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

A couple of significant events for any fellow aviation enthusiasts out there. 

On this day in 1783, the Montgolfier Brothers publicly demonstrate their hot air balloon for the first time. Air travel is officially born. 

A year to the day later, in 1784, Elisabeth Thible becomes the first woman to fly in an untethered hot air balloon. Her flight covers 4km in 45 minutes and reaches an altitude of 1,500 metres. 

[DavidM]

I can’t help but wonder what was going through the minds of well over 100,000 allied airmen , sailors and soldiers about now in 1944 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

34 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I can’t help but wonder what was going through the minds of well over 100,000 allied airmen , sailors and soldiers about now in 1944 

I feel like if I was there I'd be reminiscing about my past, getting very nostalgic about my childhood, thinking back over all my favourite life moments. Probably thinking about my family and how my wife would be sat by the fire, maybe doing some knitting while listening to the radio with the kids at her feet playing with some toy soldiers or something. I'd probably be staying so quiet, listening to all the noises of the world, birds tweeting, wind blowing through the trees, basically doing anything I could to distract my mind from thoughts of the following morning. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

On this day in 1883, the first regularly scheduled Orient Express departs from Paris. 

[gingerjon]

53 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I can’t help but wonder what was going through the minds of well over 100,000 allied airmen , sailors and soldiers about now in 1944 

"Did I leave the gas on?"

[Futtocks]

 

[RugoBy]

On this day around 700,000 demonstrators gathered in New York City's Central Park protesting the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Severe recession begins in the United States. Leonid Brezhnev the General Secretary of the Communist Party dies of a heart attack while in office.

[DavidM]

Nero marries …. Nero commits suicide .

No , not in the same year 

[Futtocks]

 

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, Futtocks said:

 

Royal Murder Mysteries did an episode on him . Bizarre story 

[Futtocks]

James Robertson Justice, born on this day in 1907. If you can find a copy of the biography by James Hogg, he had one hell of a remarkable life. The book's not particularly well written, but the remarkable content carries it.

[Futtocks]

This leads to a long-ish thread, in which every single post is bizarre and true.

 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Two notable birthdays today: Delia Smith is 82; Sir Paul McCartney is 81.