Modern Vespa

Yes, that's right.

The RAF (Royal Air Force) are now cashing in on the popularity of the beloved blue, white and red symbol and have released an official RAF brand of clothing.

Not sure if it's a copyrighted symbol so the Modern Vespa logo should be safe for now.

N.B. Have deleted the link as this is the incorrect URL.

Basically all the cloths have designs based on the three coloured circles.

You're talking about that Target bikini in the Sun today,aren't you?

Guess everyone should buy the new patches early before the embargo hits..

Yes. saw on breakfast TV this morning. The bikini is one of many items. I guess they've just realised (40 years later) that the RAF symbol is quite a popular fashion thing

Apparently the money goes to RAF charities.Better than when that guy bought the "Lambretta" name,I suppose....

http://2strokebuzz.com/index.php/?p=2487

The Ministry of Defence sued Lambretta Clothing in 2003 for using the RAF roundel, but the UK patent office rejected the case, saying the MoD had exclusive rights for anything but clothing.

Ben Sherman also uses it a lot in their clothes, and of course a million other brands do too... and this site.

I guess the MoD figured they should be getting a piece of the rondel action and decided to make their own clothes. Maybe Lambretta Clothing will start making replica Spitfires. I totally want a Spitfire, it's like a flying Vespa (with an 8-cylinder Rolls Royce engine...)

Bb.

Make mine a Merlin.

Spitfires also make the best sound when flying overhead. They are great - a dream would be get to have a spin in the rare two seater ones!

I was passing my local RNZAF drome and I heard this amazing sound. Stopped wheels and looked up to see a Spitfire totally banked curving overhead, it had been rebuilt and had a Brit test pilot checking it out for certification. That guy could fly and the SOUND I was entranced and oblivious to anything around me, when finished I found other cars had stopped and guys leaning on them just watching.
I then realised the tears were rolling down my cheeks!!! Absolutely TRUE.
Old Mod

Wow - that sounds fantastic, Old Mod. Stunning stuff and all the better for being unexpected.

They are bewitching things, that look good, sound good and saved our arse in the war. I saw them doing acrobatics at Duxford, and ended up thinking that I'd be speaking German if it weren't for that plane... (and Winston Churchill may have played a part)

Spitfire is even old Elizabethan English for "firey woman". I love it, the Spitfire is the real deal when it comes to patriotism!

Yes, I think I had a religious experience that day!
Thank goodness for the channel!!!!!!
This precious stone set in a silversea,
which serves it in the office of a wall
or as a moat defensive to a house
against the envy of less happier lands
This blessed plot , this earth,this realm ,this England
Old Mod

I reckon its a wicked idea by the RAF.
Old Mod, gotta agree with you mate - there ain't nothing like hearing a Spitfire. I remember as a kid in the 60s going to Yeovilton air base and seeing their Battle of Britain rememberance fly past. Spitfire, Hurricane, Wellington Bomber... awesome power, superb site. Takes me back and yes, it gives me a tear or two.

"Never was so much owed by so many to so few" -The Prime Minister

WW2 had a massive air war for a long time .
For a long time it was only Bomber Command and the US Army Air Force that could carry the war from the Island to the enemy and the cost was horrendous!!
Bless them All!
Old Mod

Rule Brittania! God save the queen!

Ah les memoirs. Clipped English and Gerry's at two o'clock sir!

Right, anyone fancy a 'cup of tea'? Perhaps a biscuit to dunk!

And if anyone says Illnoise,Wonder, Paul,Tim and I are soft,say that to our faces we will thump them and take off to the Pub to laugh till we cry again in our Pints of Bitter.
Say guys is there a dvd of a Spit doing its thing for a while, think how we could drive the rest of the household barmy just having it cranked up on the stereo!!!
Happy Days.
Old Mod

You are right it is memories , but a lot of 18/25 year olds didnt make our age and thats sobering. I seem to think 55.000 aircrew most probably more.

and an awful lot of civvies on both sides.

Might have to dig out Battle of Britain on the weekend, pretend its Bank Holiday in England at 3pm on a rainy sunday afternoon. CLASS.

Old Mod, if you get the special DVD edition it comes with a wicked film about the making of B.o.B.

Hi Old Mod,
I had a similar experience in about '97 sitting at the cafe at Treble Cone ski field near Wanaka. A P51 Mustang came over the summit at low level and headed straight for the cafe, and pulled out of the dive at what seemed like the last second. You could just imagine the machine guns blazing! A very fearsome but beautiful sight which gave me an incredible spine tingle - everyone at the cafe stood up and cheered. Tim Wallace (owner of the Mustang and also a Spitfire) did another slower close flyby below the cafe - close enough that we could see him wave as he went past.
Incredible plane!

Speak for yourself, I'm pretty soft.

Bb.

If anyone does really want their own Spitfire and has oodles of cash, you could try looking at one of these. Snag is, it comes as a kit and you have to build it!



http://www.supermarineaircraft.com

The Riverside Airport air show is this weekend.

http://www.riversideca.gov/airshow/

My house is under the flight pattern, and I get to see lots of different warbirds flying over.

Maybe I'll have to take a scoot on over.

They usually have a modern jet fly along side a P51 mustang to show the contrast on abilities.

The fighter jet is flying almost in a stall.

Someone should SO paint their scooter like that!

these are more in my price range.

Do it next weekend,when it really WILL be...


I live about 2 miles from Manston airport,where a lot of the scenes in the film were shot.I still enjoy a trip to the Spitfire museum every year...

+1

Mike Zorn did:

edit

i suspect the adoption of the RAF rondel by the art school crowd was a riff on the targets in jasper johns' pop art paintings, like "target with four faces" from 1955

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/J/johns/target_4.jpg.html

hate to be the one to say it, but he was a yank
(but of course we all know who the "four faces" are, hehe)

edit

You are right Culture , RAF greatcoats and sometimes Navy to be different.I never saw those flak glasses though or didnt register on them.
Ok on the cufflinks Jerome nice.
Salty I am pretty envious of your location.
Dont you guys forget that the Mustang got even better when a Merlin was stuffed in it. That will get things going I bet.
Persh theres a Magnetos run you will like this weekend.
Old Mod

I made it to the Riverside Air show this last Saturday. I was the lone Vespa rider, at least while I was there in the afternoon. Had to park with the cruisers, and rockets.

I didn't see one roundel on any of the planes.

PS, sorry for the cell phone pic quality.

I was lucky enough to animate the Battle of Britain sequence for the movie Pearl Harbor. It was a great fun animating Spitfires over those beautiful background plates of Dover Cliffs and I had a great sense of pride being British. It's a shame the movie was far from great but I still think the work we did was some of the best stuff we've ever done.

Fast forward to 1.30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTD58USvft8

-Kav.

Good for you Salty, well the only scoot brought some Class!! Looks good weather, I know dont rub it in , typical SoCal day. I so like my brother in laws little town called Upland.
Kav, cool history story really neat.
Cheers Old Mod

And combining 2-wheelers and aircraft...

Yes it was a gorgeous day, Salty Dawn was off to a wedding shower so I was bach'in it, which gave the opportunity to attend the show.

Upland is not far from here, in the "Inland Empire", (IE).

I love the chopper with the rotary engine!

That was some good youtube footage.

The airshow had a simulation of the Japanese zero and F-6 "Helcat" dog fight.