The model is for all intents and purposes complete. Spent the afternoon adding oily and muddy patina to the bike. Looking like it’s just been ridden from the Normandy beaches to the Ardenne.
May 22, 2020
Scaled Down
The 1/9th scale Triumph Kit is coming along a treat.
May 19, 2020
“Join the Wrens—free a man for the fleet.”
The Women’s Royal Naval Service was the women’s branch of the Royal Navy. Affectionately called Wrens they provided an essential supportive role during wartime and peacetime. They rode motorcycles as couriers and messengers such as this BSA M20.
May 17, 2020
Assembly Required
– here’s something that will keep me out of trouble for a few rainy afternoons. A 1/9 scale WW2 era Triumph 3HW. The ubiquitous single cylinder workhorse of the British forces. Indeed it is the motorcycle used by my grandfather George in his duties as a Military Policeman in the North African theatre.
May 15, 2020
Weathering
My new project arrived in the mail today. A plastic model kit of a 1943 wartime Triumph. After assembly I’ll need to decide if it’ll be in a clean fresh from the factory look or well ridden appearance.
April 20, 2020
Walking a Mile
Captain Tom Moore, who will turn 100 next week recently took it upon himself to walk 100 laps of his small garden. 25 yards per lap. His goal was to raise £1,000. As of today his donations have raised £27 million. His wish was for the funds to go to NHS workers who are putting their all into the care and attention for the Covid 19 I’ll. He was a Captain during WW2 in an armored division in Burma. After the war he actively pursued motorcycle racing aboard a Scott Flying Squirrel with trophied success.
A True British Hero!
April 6, 2020
Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus
Sadly one of the original action women of the silver screen died today. Honor Blackman who, in my opinion, is the definitive Bond girl. She played opposite Sean Connery in Goldfinger with perfect grace and grit. She started a life on two wheels as a dispatch rider during WW2 in London. She was 94.
March 5, 2020
K5054
On this day in 1936 Vickers test pilot ‘Mutt’ Summers took the RJ Mitchell designed prototype up for an eight minute test flight at Eastleigh Aerodrome. A legend was born.
November 28, 2019
CAPTAIN Hilts
The Cooler King | Our man Guy Martin is to recreate the classic Finland scene from The Great Escape made famous by Steve McQueen. In blue torn down sweatshirt and khakis he’s to jump a barbed wire border fence on a green Triumph Scrambler. On Channel 4 December 8th.
November 11, 2019
This position will be held
Lest we Forget | Anzac mechanics making field repairs in a muddy corner of the First World War. Ypres November 11th 1917
October 21, 2019
European Theatre Transport
Crated Glory | spied at the Russell Military Museum near Kenosha WI is this spotless wartime Harley Davidson WLA. It was just the tip of the iceberg… acres of tanks, aircraft, helicopters, armored personnel carriers… fascinating place.
August 23, 2019
Land Ahoy!
Jenny Wren | A group of smiling lasses serving as Royal Navy despatch riders in WW2.
June 4, 2019
Slav Deda
Ink’d grandpappy | One of the fellow adventure riders at the weekend was a fella from Montenegro; now a BMW GS owner from Chicago he had some cool ink on his forearm. Inspired from a family photograph of his grandfather who rode Dniepr’s in the Croatian army back in the fifties. Good composition and image.
April 17, 2019
Une force humaine
Soixante Quinze | More Gendarmerie Nationale Motorcycle police from the fifties. The uniform is very formal from the shin high leather riding boots, jodhpurs, tunic jacket, white Sam Browne holster belt, shoulder aiguillettes, and white gauntlet gloves. Quite the appearance. White wall tyre’d Triumph Thunderbird complete the look.
March 29, 2019
European Efforts
ISDT | Motorcycle Racer extraordinaire Marjorie Cottle was a Force for women riders in the first half of the 20th Century. Here she is flying through a pre-war Austria in 1939 on a Triumph attempting to earn a gold medal in the arduous International Six Day Trials.
History notes:
Despite the worsening political situation in Europe the German organisers went ahead with the event, which saw 61 British competitors make the start. Marjorie Cottle, riding a 250 Triumph, formed part of the Sunbeam ‘A’ club team, the other members being Geoff Godber-Ford (350 Sunbeam) and A A Sanders (350 Triumph). The trial commenced as scheduled on Monday 21st August with a run into recently occupied Czechoslovakia but within a few days the British competitors were becoming increasingly concerned. On Friday 25th the recall telegram arrived from the War Office in London and the remaining British contingent, including Marjorie Cottle, was escorted to neutral Switzerland and safety. Britain and Germany were at war nine days later.
