More earthworks at LM

[Fax]

I did ask this gentleman what their instructions were for bailing out from his position and they told him simply...Any way you can!
I asked him if he'd flown in a B-17 since the war (B-17's fly into Cincinnati a couple of times a year for airshows at a local municipal airfield, they offer 45 minute rides to the public in a Flying Fortress for about three hundred dollars, which is tax deductable, but the flights are free to veterans.)  He replied "Nah, spent enough time in one of those things.  Said they're cold, noisy, and uncomfortable.
Fax

[Canada Phil]

All of this had me thinking of a encounter I had back in summer.  One Saturday afternoon a couple of buddies and I were out for a long ride on the motorbikes and decided to stop in a little typical road side Pub.  Sitting alone was a small, elderly man wearing a cap with the insignia of a Eighth Air Force bomber group and a small pin of a B-17.  I politely asked him if he served with that group and he replied that he was a tail gunner on a B-17 between July of 1944 through Feb 1945.  I told him how heroic I thought he was and he replied very modestly that there was nothing heroic about it, just doing his bit.
I asked if he had any kills and he told me that he shares a ME-109 kill, he said he and about five other gunners put fire on it and brought it down, but he said one of their waist gunners had a confirmed ME-109. When he talked about looking out his position and seeing another Fortress hit and in trouble he became very emotional.
As you said, it came at a very high price.
Fax

Hi Fax,
          My buddy Jim refers to himself as a miracle baby. when some one rises to the bait he explains his Dad was a Rear Gunner in RCAF.
He and I are planning a Motorcycle Rally to West Virginia for Memorial Day week end if you would like to join in.
Canada Phil

[Fax]

Hey Phil,
Sounds like fun, West VA's just a stones throw for us, e-mail me the details and, maybe we can talk Harper into shooting over on the Triumph as well. Some great roads to ride on over there, done alot of white water rafting on the New and Gauley rivers over the years.
Fax

[Andy Zarse]

I had a new experience the other day chaps, I sh*t myself as I pulled my hat on.
Now, incontinence isn't exactly a stranger round these parts, I once cr*pped myself in Cameroon while stooping to brush my teeth, and that was no picnic, but I must admit that the hat incident caught me completely by surprise, and for the last few days, and probably for the forseeable future, I'm steering clear of any headgear, just in case.
H

I've had a similarly perturbing experience yesterday, and whilst it wasn't a total shock, it did catch me off guard. I crapped myself whilst boarding the 05.13 train from Belgrade to Zurich. You should have seen the state of the Serbian lavs on the train and that was before I cleaned myself up. I certainly can't recommend their toilet paper but fortunately I had a copy of the Daily Mirror to hand. My perrineum has yet to recover.

[Barry]

According to the ACO website, reprofiling of Tetre Rouge has been delayed untill after this years race, due to budget constraints. Work will begin after the Classic.
For 2007 they will build a 'Welcome area' on the inside of Tetre Rouge.
No plebs then

Looking at the webcam. it looks like where the poo bar was is a giant hole in the ground.

[Barry]

Re-reading the report, there is a indication that there will be a spectator area between the bend and the Welcome area, we live in hope that it's part of the GA ticket.

[Steve Pyro]

Lots of interesting photos in the 'progress' section here http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/dossiers/travaux/index_gb.html

This one shows the new tunnel with the old Poo Bar site on the other side.
(sorry - big photo)

[Steve Pyro]

Here's a good aerial view (big photo again)

The new Dunlop chicane is 2 90 degree bends now 

[Andy Zarse]

Whilst I'm sure the new village will be lovely and shimey, quite frankly it will need to be. I mean, there's not going to be a lot of opportunities left for seeing the cars is there? Why on earth should you have to stand about 100 yards away from a forty mph chicane? This change is disasterous from the specatators point of view.

As the ACO says - "The legend is written in your eyes". They should add - "but only with the help of a good pair of binoculars". Hurrumphh!

[Gilles]

According to one of my mates working as "geometre" on this earthwork they discover least week an another WWII bomb at Tertre Rouge this time.

It won't be the last and each time it delays end of works.

Opening Race is planned on the Bugatti 18 and 19.March !!!

[Andy Zarse]

They have got 108 days til the race, less than 100 til test day. Will the track be ready, let alone the Village? This makes the problems of Wembley Stadium look like a small oversight. Maybe they could hold this years race at the Millenium stadium in Cardiff?

[Nordic]

To be honest whatever they do to the Dunlop area of track is meaningless.

It was ruined when the chicane first went in, and it's neither better or worse now. I don't ever stop to watch the cars from there any more.

http://rupert8766.fotopic.net/p7266191.html
http://rupert8766.fotopic.net/p2780294.html

Photos from happier times.

Quite why the cars need to be slowed to walking pace is beyond me, it will cause a bottle neck and lead to more crashes than before.

[Andy Zarse]

Slightly before my time Nordic but I take the sentiment. Having said that, standing at the end of the pit straigh looking up the hill, you did sometimes see some good late braking going into what was once a fairly mild first corner. Won't be seeing that again, it'll now be too easy to guard the inside line.

[Bob U]

Great pictures Nordic,but a bit before my time too, I do remember those wonderful wooden tribunes. I am sure the accoustics of them contributed to the engine sounds of the cars, unlike the soulless scaffold and canvas monstrosaties they bung up every year now.

I'm affaid that with the remodeling of the Dunlop Chicane, the bloody awful run down to The Esses and the imminant desicration of Tetre Rouge, it seems that the ACO are hell bent on f**cking up all the spectator areas for the genuine Le Mans fan.

Curse the ACO, a pox on them

[Lawnmower Man]

One would hardly recognise the circuit from when I first started to go.  The old Pits had real character.   They used to be crammed with people from early on the Sat moring till right up to the end of the Race.   The wonderfull new stands are mostly empty.    Though I guess things are better for the Teams these days.

Yes they have to make safety changes from time to time.  But some of the changes look to me to change for changes sake.

t.