Engineering Science Aviation Group

ESAG visited the Boscombe Down Aircraft Collection yesterday and we can recommend a visit to this excellent facility. As you would expect, it's full of aircraft that have some connection with Boscombe. There are numerous, enthusiastic staff willing to help without being overbearing, although their enthusiasm is evident.
Below are a few photos to give you a feel of the place. Many of the cockpits are open and are free to enter. As well as the aircraft, there are many displays relating to various aspects of BD. There's also a cafe for drinks and snacks both hot and cold.
We would definitely recommend a visit there, you will not be disappointed but unless the wife/girlfriend/etc is keen, don't take them because you'll be there for hours!!

ESAG is organising a visit to the Boscombe Down Aircraft Collection on 4th March and welcomes non-members. If you are interested, head over to the ESAG website at www.esag.org.uk ,follow the link to the Diary page and click on the event for full details.

This WWII Fighter Was NICKNAMED "Whispering Death" (Here's Why) In 1939, as war descended upon Europe, Britain faced a desperate need for a new kind of weapon. The RAF required a long-range, heavily-armed fighter that could protect the coast, hunt in the dark, and strike far from home. The BEAUFIGHTER: The Plane That Was Half-Bomber, Half-Fighter. Restored Historical Footage In 1939, as war descended upon Europe, Britain faced a desperate need for a new kind of weapon. The RAF required a long-range, heavily-armed fighter that could protect the coast, hunt in the dark, and strike far from home. #WWII #AviationHistory #RestoredFilm #beaufighter #avgeeks #aviationdaily #historicalfootage #Warbird #BritishAircraft

Major General Takes on Army's DEI-DIE Sycophant...

From Evelyn Webb-Carter: Grenadier and former Major General:
Letter to the Deputy Chief of the General Staff

Dear General Eastman,

Thank you for your recent circular on inclusivity and private members’ clubs, a document so consumed by moral purpose that one almost forgets we’re supposed to be an army, not an HR department.

You’ll forgive me for saying that, to many of us, it reads less like a directive from a fighting force and more like an email from a diversity consultant on her third soy latte. I’m sure the enemy will be delighted to know that, before we shoot at them, we’ll first review whether their club rules align with our “values of equality and respect”.

The men and women of this and most other regiments have spent years learning to fight, fix, and, where necessary, fall. They did not enlist to be lectured on gender access to the billiards room. It’s hard enough to get recruits to march in step these days without demanding they complete an inclusivity audit of White’s.

We’ve taken the liberty of conducting your proposed “review of affiliations.” The findings are as follows:

1. We are a regiment.
2. We fight wars.
3. We occasionally drink.
4. Our “policies” extend to saluting the flag, cleaning the kit, and making sure no one dies unnecessarily.

As for “engagement with clubs”, we’ll leave that to those who enjoy committees. Most of us prefer a pint.

If it’s all the same to you, General, we’ll continue to measure inclusivity by whether a comrade will pull you out of a ditch under fire, not whether they’ve read the Equality Act.

We remain, as ever, devoted to King, Country, and the faint hope that one day our generals will remember what an army is for.

Yours, with enduring respect and mild despair,

The control tower at Elstree Aerodrome in November 2025.

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Hawker Typhoon: The Tank-Busting Terror of Normandy FULL VIDEO: Gods of the Sky: The History of the British Fighters https://youtu.be/bQrl9Z6attE Explore the Hawker Typhoon, the legendary British fighter-bomber of World War II, in this ishort intro film featuring restored and colorized historical footage. #HawkerTyphoon #AviationHistory #WWIIDocumentary #colorizedhistory #wwiiaviation #aviation

Update on UPS Accident

The Polikarpov I-16 was a revolutionary aircraft for its time. When it first appeared in the mid-1930s, it was the world's first low-wing cantilever monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear, making almost everything else instantly obsolete. It earned its famous "Rata" (Rat) nickname from the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War, while the Republicans affectionately called it the "Mosca" (Fly). Whatever you call it, its place in aviation history is undeniable, serving as the backbone of the Soviet Air Force (VVS) in the early days of World War 2. If you love classic warbirds and appreciate high-quality sound, this video is for you. Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more vintage military aviation videos from our archives. We've got plenty more on the way. And let us know in the comments: What's your favourite-sounding radial engine warbird? #polikarpovi16 #airshow #warbird #enginesound #i16rata #aviationhistory #ww2 #ww2aviation #radialengine #aviation #militaryhistory #sovietairforce #classicaircraft #fighterplane #vintageaviation #flyingdisplay #warbirds #ww2aircraft #historicaviation #vvs