Last post of the year probably, but some major news on a personal front to finish off with; I’m retiring! From the day job that is. This year’s been a tough one on the mind and heart strings more than anything else, too many people departing this life, both family and friends, one very close to home and many of them not that many years older than myself. It really sets you thinking “how long do I have?”.
So after a few months with my head in a spreadsheet of pension figures, tax allowances and expenses, I decided to take my chances. I’m not of pensionable age according to the government, that set of moving goalposts is a few years away, so its possible I might need to pick up a little job beforehand, but we shall see.
Post Christmas, I’ll have time to do things I’ve not managed to do at home, unwind a bit (if only I could do a brain defrag…), maybe find a couple of new project to start, but mainly, I’ll have more opportunity to venture out with a camera(s), which will be nice, or I will do when the weather is kind. No more sat at my desk, staring through the window at blue skies even on a chilly day, and thinking about all that wasted light. No doubt the dog will also appreciate it as well!
I’ve also discovered some extra material for Vol.2 to shoot and fill in a bit of a blank for the Folland Gnat in the process, so that’s a day out at the Midland Air Museum near Coventry early next year.
If you’ve looked at the gig photos I posted the other week, “Dare” crop up on a number of occasions. Aside from loving their music, their end of year show is brilliant and is at the Holmfirth Picturedrome, which is only a short trip up the road from me. It’s a small, wonderful, if slightly quirky venue, but with decent acoustics and being largely standing only, arrive early and you can get close enough to take decent photos with your phone. It’s also got a lot of family feel to it, mostly Dare fan club members many who know one another, even if only from gigs, or last night, went to school with the Darren Wharton who’s band it is and gets a shout out mid gig!
Meanwhile, this was also the first chance to use my new iPhone 17 ProMax and at one point I got a tap on my shoulder from a woman who turned out to be Darren’s schoolmate’s daughter with “what is that?”, I think she was impressed. She must have been, as later on a pair of hands appeared over my head and decided to help take more photos! A quick chat after the gig led to a promise to send them copies of the photos. It’s nice when you meet lovely people.
Happy Christmas everyone and have a healthy and prosperous 2026.
As I mentioned in my review of the Nikon Z f, one of the drawbacks to me for this otherwise great camera is weight, the body alone tips the scales at 700g, add anything more than either of the small Z mount 28mm or 40mm prime lenses, and you soon learn possibly the biggest drawback to full-frame; a big sensor means heavy glass. After using the Z f for a while now, and despite buying two add-on grips, I’m also still not totally enamoured with the general ergonomics either. Yes, the retro styling looks great and I love some of the features, plus using dials for ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation is second nature, but the complete package still somehow feels awkward compared to the Z5.
It’s largely the weight problem that’s been playing on my mind recently, as the opportunity has arisen to be able to acquire one, if not a pair of additional lenses. This is mainly to have next year to get used to any peculiarities they might posses, as well as how they handle on the Z f, ready for a much anticipated cruise to Hawaii from San Francisco in 2027. With the Z f, and standard Nikon 24-70 zoom I already have, plus definitely a wide angle zoom and maybe a telephoto zoom, I was considering buying, I’d have lost just over 1/4 of my cabin baggage allowance! Unsurprisingly then, I’ve been poring over my options.
Having already dabbled with Nikon’s DX range in the shape of the Z fc and commented on the limited options lens wise, I’d immediately ruled them out. After spending over ten years using Micro Four Thirds, and despite some new models arriving from OM Systems which have been very well reviewed, it doesn’t take you long to realise that, certainly in terms of sensor development, progress has stalled and it’s not recently either. Prior to getting the Z fc that went on holiday in 2024, I briefly had a Lumix GX9. That used a 20MP sensor and came onto the market in 2018, yet the sensor itself was at least 2 years older than that. The latest models still use virtually the same sensor, but coupled with new processors to provide additional functions, whilst newer APS-C and full-frame sensors have all arrived in the meantime. So despite the heart saying yes to the beautiful used Olympus Pen F at a temping price in my local camera store, even knowing I’d get decent results, plus a lightweight kit and access to an excellent range of lenses, I reluctantly decided to pass.
Jotting down my criteria for what is my ideal travel camera, the major requirements were light(er) weight, preferably a camera body that was marginally pocketable or at least would fit in a small bag or pouch as opposed to an obvious gadget bag, access to a decent range of lenses from both the camera manufacturer and third parties, the best possible image quality I could afford and good ergonomics. Also high on the wanted list was a viewfinder, because after using Olympus’s first m4/3 series offerings, both E-P1 and E-P2, but struggling to see the rear LCD screen to compose shots in any sort of bright sunlight, as well as now being rather short sighted, an Electronic Viewfinder or EVF of some sort, with diopter adjustment, cures both problems.
Canon, having stopped production of their M-series models, and drastically restricting third-party lens availability on their RF mount had ruled themselves out, which realistically left me with two potential candidates: Sony and Fujifilm.
Sony was the other contender when I switched to full frame, if I’d found either and A7 II or III at the right price, its very possible I’d have opted for that as opposed to the Z5. The need for large diameter lenses for full-frame is down to basic physics, simply to focus sufficient light onto the sensor, whilst keeping the actual camera body a reasonable size, you need a wide lens and that makes for weighty glass. Sadly, this ruled out Sony’s rangefinder style full frame A7C and A7C II, as size wise they met my criteria, as well as having a EVF, plus a rock solid autofocus system. As for their A6000 series APS-C models, having tried a couple at photography shows and stores, they don’t seem to handle as I like.
Naturally enough, this left me looking more and more at Fujifilm, which for me is full circle, my first 35mm SLR being a Fuji ST-605 some 45(?) years ago. Not really wanting another SLR style body, nice though the X-T series are, and wanting the adaptability of interchangeable lenses that the best selling X100 series rangefinder style compacts can’t offer, investigations centred on the X-E, X-M and X-Pro series. As the recently released X-M5 has no viewfinder, that was soon eliminated, plus it uses the older 26MP X-Trans sensor and lacks in body image sensor stabilisation (IBIS) which is handy to have. Likewise, the most recently released X-Pro 3 is six years old (an X-Pro 4 is liable to arrive in 2026) and uses the older 26MP sensor, otherwise that would have been a contender.
Lucky for me then, that Fuji launched the X-E5 back in September, using a 40MP APS-C X-Trans sensor and essentially shoehorns that with the rest of the innards of the X-T5 into a very compact rangefinder sized body, complete with the requisite EVF and IBIS. The tilting rear LCD screen isn’t the same fully articulated affair found on both the Z f or Z fc, but it gives you sufficient options for creative angles, as well as a selfie-mode, though that does take a bit of effort to get right. The EVF is, ok, not very large and lacks a proper eye cup, but it works fine. Plus, just as a sweetener, Fuji have given you the option to switch to an electronic implementation of a 70’s or 80’s style swinging needle exposure indicator, complete other essential info in old school red LED iconography along the bottom; it’s pretty….but I’m not convinced.
Much like its X100 siblings, the X-E5 also has plenty of functions that makes taking photos fun! Key amongst these is the adoption of recipes to emulate the look of Fuji’s old 35mm film stock. Better still, the dedicated selector wheel introduced on the X-E5 has three spaces marked FS1 to 3 for custom recipes, and plenty now exist online for all manner of film stock and styles, all easily programmable from within the main settings menu. Also carried over from the X100 VI, is the multi-function and customisable lever on the camera front, adding even more useful functions at your finger tips. Fuji also released a compact 23mm f2.8 pancake lens alongside the X-E5, the pair tip the scales at just over half the weight of the Z f body alone.
After a brief hands on in Harrison’s in Sheffield, alongside some more homework into lenses etc, and as you can already guess, this provided the impetus to splash the cash on the X-E5, its lovely little 23mm companion and an equally svelte Sigma 18-50 “standard zoom”. The whole package comes in at just over 100g more than the Z f body. Better still, with the 23mm lens attached, it’s easy to slide into a jacket pocket and even with the additional lens, plus the usual accoutrements of extra batteries, SD cards, lens cloths and a couple of filters etc. will fit in a bag that doesn’t scream “CAMERA GEAR”; which one is my next quandary.
Stealthy black, the classic silver and black version is very nice, but is harder to hide on the street. The Smallrig leather half case adds a little protection and an improved grip, while the newly released Peak Designs Cuff Rope is all that’s needed.Hidden from the main road by trees, the track bed to the old Langsett railway line is now a footpath. First walk out with the Fuji.Down in the grass. Cropped but unadjusted JPEG straight out of the camera.
Volume 2 will finally arrive next year, huzzah! Email flurry with Key Publishing and my manuscript is to be in to them by the end of this year, but no definite time line yet, just; next year. I’m already half way through yet another read through and edit, a copy has gone off to my mate to sanity check and make sure I’ve got the right captions to the aircraft, which is harder than it sounds as I don’t have images for all the archive photos I’ve selected. This might entail another trip down to Stamford and the Key offices, a journey I’ve done that many times over the years, I can do on autopilot.
Once they set a publishing date, it will be a month getting printed, because the finished product has to sail back to the UK from India! Then they have to decide when to make it available, next year, obviously 🙂
Once the text is out of my hands and editing is over, I really don’t know what’s next, if anything. Having already canned what I fancied doing, never easy when they were all supposed to be secret projects, was probably for the best, as trying to get images for projects that never materialised, or have all been seen before for the ones that did surface from the cloak of secrecy, may have made it rather dry reading. Revisiting my “Seeing a City” is very much just for me, I doubt anyone would want to publish a comparison of Sheffield in 2010 to 2025, the council won’t, it’s just a bigger mess now than it was and with even fewer shops, but its not their fault, naturally.
Meanwhile, one of the 35mm compacts has departed, the Cosina CX-2 went back on eBay after managing to produce a blank film. Not a clue why, it certainly seemed to make all the right noises when I ran the film through it. The roll of Fomapan B&W I put through the Chinon Bellami was..OK, exposure was fine, but a number of frames had lines on, which makes it hard to determine why. If they’d been on all the frames I’d say it’s something on the camera, though that feels smooth across the film runs. I might have to put another roll through just to check, but if anyone wants to buy a neat little 35mm compact to play with, let me know.
Exposure seems OK, but why the lines?Again, exposure is fine and this time no lines.
Mixed results with the film cameras the last few months. The Yashica FX-D looked fab, worked a treat and sold easily. Even the tatty looking ones seem to be rising in price, so maybe people have realised they’re easy to overhaul if they work in the first place and an excellent camera for those new to 35mm.
The Cosina CX-2 appeared to be working fine, it certainly went through the motions when you used it and made all the right noises. Pity then the roll of Kodacolor 200 came out blank! So that’s going back on eBay to see if anyone who knows how to fix it wants a go at it.
The Chinon Bellami has had a roll of Fomapan 400 monochrome film through it and I’m expecting the results next week. It was sold as a worker but untested with film, so we’ll see what comes back. That too will likely depart either way, it’s a nice little camera but feels odd to use, the picture quality (assuming that doesn’t come back blank too!) will likely determine it’s fate.
My Konica 35EF which provided the roll of images with the delightful blue caste due to the age of the film I used, has now turned out a rather better set of images, all taken during a film photo walk around Sheffield city centre, arranged by Analog Wonderland and sponsored by Pentax. I took this and the Nikon FG along with me, which gave me some flexibility in lenses and a chance to ensure the Konica actually worked properly. It also allowed some comparison in end results between the two, bearing in mind the Konica is a relatively budget end compact, whilst although the FG was Nikon’s budget end SLR, the Nikkor F mount lenses it uses, again the cheaper E series, are still good quality “glass”.
Looks a little more interesting than Jessops Hospital that stood on the same site.Near identical shot, but taken with which camera?
Both shots are low res scan that I’ve not touched in Lightroom or any other software. One is taken with the Konica, the other the FG with a 28mm E Series lens. Which is which is at the bottom of the page.
I’ve wandered around Sheffield city centre a few times with a camera, some friends and I did the first Sheffield Photo Marathon back in 2016, a night shoot whilst at college before that, as well a lots of photos of the big wheel which stood at the top of Fargate for some time, they ended up as one big “joiner” image. I also did quite a bit of wandering around for my Seeing A City project which became my A2 coursework in 2011. But going around now, fourteen years later, I realised the place had changed once again. The empty spaces of 2011 had now mostly been filled with new buildings, yet there was more building work in progress in general, with more apparently to come. But, what struck me most though was the lack of people and the huge reduction in the volume of traffic, as well as the lack of “real” shops, not vape bars, pop-ups and lots of empty shells.
Fargate was one of the city centre’s busiest thoroughfares for generations, yet I stood at one and of it close to midday on a Saturday and it was virtually empty. I came back along the length about two hours later and it was just the same. The cafes and bars around town had customers, but there was no hustle and bustle like years of old. Later on we walked across The Moor, yes, more people but nothing like the volume from the day of the Photo Marathon just under 10 years ago, let alone the throngs I remember way back in the 80s and 90s.
Traffic is now limited to the outside of what’s left of the shopping area, which itself has shrunk considerably with the demolition of the old Castle Market at one end, whilst even the busses have been pushed out of the main routes in favour of allowing only pedestrians and cycles.
Walk This Way. The Konica lens is known to make colours “pop”. Seems to be working.What Traffic? It’s the middle of Saturday afternoon, and the city centre is dead.
The photo walk prompted me to dig out my Seeing A City book and compare the images I took in 2010/2011 with the two rolls of Kodak I used on the day, as well as think about the state of the city; as someone who’s lived here most of his life, it’s scary. Consequently, I think it’s time to revisit the work I did for what in essence was my first book I suppose and do a then and now. I might even post the result as a PDF on here.
Building a new Sheffield…hmm
As for Vol.2 of my actual book…who knows, still nothing from the publishers.
The first photo of the University building is taken with the Nikon FG and 28mm E series lens, the second is off the Konica 35EF with its Hexanon 38mm lens. Both are Kodak 35mm film, Pro Image for the Nikon, Kodacolor 200 the Konica. I think the Konica holds up quite well and it’s nice to use too, so that will be staying; just wish I could get the flash to work.
Meanwhile, I really do like the Deep Tone Mono preset on the Nikon Zf, as well as having a dedicated B&W mode at the flick of a switch.
Bempton Cliffs, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire. Nikon Zf using inbuilt Deep Tone Mono preset.
As the football chant goes “it’s all gone quiet over there”. Still no news on Volume 2, though I have once again gone through it this week and polished it a little more, if you know what I mean and yes it’s definitely feeling that way. It’s taken 3-4 requests for info on getting more author copies of Vol.1 and the responses have being getting shorter every time, so I do wonder if they’re getting fed up of me. Though telling my contact I know the book is available on the website, but given the problems I’ve had with that when trying to subscribe to something else, I very much doubt the thing recognises I’m the author of the book I’m trying to buy and offers me the correct price!
Out in the big wide world, one of my favourite lunchtime haunts when I worked in the centre of Sheffield is going through some changes. Newsagent W H Smith may split up into a version on the high street under a different brand, whilst the original name will stay in the profitable locations like train stations and airports. But it’s not just the retailer thats seeing habits alter, it’s the products that are available, especially printed media. We lost Digital Photographer magazine last month, the two magazines dedicated to Nikon and Canon users last year, as well as a number of long standing computer publications previously. Doubtless this is all down to people not buying physical media, which I’m guilty of as well and opting to read articles online. Consequently, publishers are cutting back on the titles not covering their costs and you hope, focussing on those which are.
The likes of services such as Readly and even Apple News, where for a subscription you can read multiple digital copies of what are normally monthly glossies does work out a lot cheaper, to the point where if you used to buy just a couple of physical magazines a month, the subscription cost is easily covered, plus you get access to a whole host of other titles and you save a few trees in the process. One problem with this method though is the publishers can withdraw their products from what’s on offer at will. Hence after using Readly for a a year or so, when one of the aircraft magazines I like departed, along with the rest of that publisher’s material, it wasn’t worth paying for Readly. The other thing is, after buying a subscription to a real magazine last year for the first time in ages, of all things the now defunct Digital Photographer, it was nice hearing a thump onto the doormat every month and being able to leaf through actual pages, as well as being able to rip out and keep a few. So this year it’s Digital Camera World’s turn and I’ll see if I can kill that off too!
The Nikon Zf is growing on me. I still think its a tad on the heavy side, but its manageable and I’ve narrowed down the lenses I want to a couple of suspects, with the aim of covering as wide a focal range as possible, with minimum weight to lug around in hand luggage. I’ve also had play with the pixel shift image function and yes, it works as advertised. The in camera process is much quicker than anticipated given that on the highest resolution it’s taking 96 images and on import into Nikon NX Studio to process it, each image is automatically recognised as part of a stacked whole. You click on the relevant button and it dumps out one photo. The end result? A single uncompressed image thats 512Mb! Even the resultant full size JPEG is 19Mb, so what you see below is set to 50% quality just to be able to upload it. What you also see is what happens when there’s a moving “object” as you shoot your stacked collection.
A 16 Shot stack, set at 50% quality JPEG output. No guesses for the cause of the white blur. The RAW file is 512Mb.
I finally got hold of a copy of a book I’d been after the other day, and after only a brief read through came to the conclusion that what I’d started working on as the next writing project is pretty much a waste of time. Although there’s no single book covering the subject, there’s enough out there already for those interested in what’s a rather niche subject. Such a focussed topic doesn’t really help sales either, whilst a dearth of source material, short of a few months in the national archives, leaves me limited in where I can cross-reference to and I’m not just going to regurgitate other people’s work. The other issue is there’s virtually no chance of images of any of the subject matter that haven’t been seen before, I’m definitely not getting into paying for image rights again after last time! So after amassing a shelf of reference material, which to me will still be worth reading, I’ve downed tools; though I might finish the few chapters I’d started and put them on here.
It would have been nice to write something else, but certainly when it comes to old aeroplanes, someone else got there first. As for writing fiction, forget it! My English vocabulary is simply not broad enough and the last time I had to write any sort of story, aside from my CV….., I was still at school! So unless I discover something else that inspires me, I’ve got to find something else to occupy my time/mind.
There’s still no update on Vol.2, let alone any reply to my emails asking to buy more author copies! But Vol.1 is still on their website at the launch price, so at least I’ve not been discounted, YET!
Meanwhile on the equipment front, in the year or so since I decided to swap the last Micro Four Thirds camera I had, a Lumix GX9, for the Nikon Z fc, it’s become glaringly obvious that Nikon is primarily dedicated to its full frame camera series. Yes, we’ve just had the Z50 II released (the Z fc is essentially the original Z50 in a different body), but it’s not a huge spec boost , there’s still no IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation) that my old Olympus and Lumix had and all the full frame Nikons have, whilst much of what has been added is more benefit to the “creators” and videographers. But after using the Z fc for most of the year, a camera with dial controls and the classic SLR style, much like my Olympus OM-D, then having hold of its Zf big brother, and reading the specs, the seeds were sewn. Consequently, all the Z fc and associated kit has gone, a few other bits have also departed and surprise, surprise, a Zf has appeared.
Now either there’s some sort of anti-gravity field in Harrisons Cameras, or I’d had my Weetabix the day I was handling the Zf in there, with the same lens I have for my Z5 fitted I hasten to add, but it’s a LOT heavier than I recall! It’s not massively bigger body wise than the Z5, though it is a smidge wider. Add the SmallRig grip that’s basically essential for easy use, but doesn’t add a deal weight wise, so why the extra mass? It’s a combined effect of the Zf and the Nikon S line 24-70 f4 lens. The Zf on its own is 710g, without the add-on grip, whilst the Z5’s is only 30g lighter, but you seem to notice every gram. It’s just a very odd feel handling wise, even with the added grip attached. So for now and until I’ve used the Zf in anger shall we say, I’m honestly less than 100% convinced it’s staying……
However, the first photo out of it certainly pops! Quick grab from the garden outside my office window.
First post of 2025, welcome to the quarter century!
Sadly no update regarding Vol.2 appearing, other than it was reconfirmed the publishers will ask for it at some point so they can fit it in the schedule. Hopefully this time I get a photo on the front but to be honest, I just want the blessed thing done with and I’ll settle for mine on the back cover again if needs be.
With stony silence on finishing Vol.2, there’s been more prodding and poking by myself around how to approach what’s next. Reference material is still being amassed shall we say and the more digging I do, the longer I can see the project taking,. At the same time, the need to visit the National Archives at Kew for at least a couple of days grows, along with a few trips to odd parts of the British Isles for photos of related equipment or seemingly innocuous bits of concrete in some cases! Still, it keeps me quiet.
Christmas saw the first get together for more years than we thought of all my friends I made doing the photography course at Sheffield College, and who did a pair of Coast to Coast photo shoots with after that. We’ve all done bits and bats in between times, though our lecturer has now finally retired permanently and he’s now had one of his paintings permanently hung in a local gallery, which was great news.
Aside from trying to assemble material for another book, my journey back to film photography continues, with unexpected results in one instance, as can be seen if you look in Analog Days. The latest and probably last purchase on the 35mm compact front arrived this week and I’ve finally succumbed to bringing back an old friend for I think the third time! An Olympus XA rangefinder. The electronics can be a little wayward, hence a profusion of them listed as “spares or repair” on eBay, which usually means stripped for spares, as there’s a couple of components which, unsurprisingly after 40 years since they left production, are no longer available. There’s a few other quirks too and people try selling or at least listing XA2 or XA3 as XA, but for me the original rangefinder model with aperture control is the best. The big draw is the lens, it’s typical Olympus of the time, sharp, plus they’re so pocketable and better still in my case, you can’t lose the lens cap, the cover just slides across to shut down the camera and cover the lens. Sadly despite it coming with the matching A11 flash, that doesn’t appear to work, but it was the camera itself that matters to me. A dedicated pre-cut set of light seals are now winging their way from Japan, courtesy Aki-Ashai Camera Coverings my favourite source for seals and new skins for film and some digital bodies. Once fitted I’ll run a film through it and post the results on Analog Days.
Prompted by the arrival, finally, of an invoice to use my images from one of the major museums, before paying up I enquired if Volume 2 was going ahead, as it had all gone a bit quiet shall we say. But I’m happy to report it’s a goer and I can pay the bill, better still because they didn’t send it in time for Volume 1 and I didn’t use any images of their aircraft as a result, it’s saved £50!
Seeing as sorting out the cover image last time took a bit more of an effort than I certainly anticipated, I’ve started the ball rolling for that, basically because if we get one certain aircraft on the front, people will buy the book simply because they think it’s something new, when in truth I doubt anything more could be said about this aircraft that’s not already been said; TSR2.
There’s probably been more words and hot air expended talking about this aircraft since its cancellation in 1965 than all the rest put together, and unlike some of the others mentioned in the books, at least this one flew! Why this is..you’ll need to buy the book! 🙂
Luckily for me, I’m already about two-thirds the way through a bit of a re-write to Volume 2, the source materials have been rechecked, so my dates are definitely right and I’ve made sure I’m writing something that makes sense to potential readers and not just me. This will hopefully save me a great deal of time once the proof reader gets hold of my ramblings, unlike last time… There’s no timeframe for a release yet, so could be this year, might be two years, not a clue, I’m just happy it’s going ahead, though it would have seemed a little odd publishing one volume without the other.
Thing is, once it’s all over, there’s definitely still something of an itch it would be nice to scratch: “what next”? I have toyed with a few ideas, though one would entail spending weeks digging through public records at Kew, because what I’m interested in hasn’t been digitised, so I can’t access it online. Much as I fancy doing it, especially as there’s no book on the subject available, I don’t think the bank balance could withstand London hotel prices for a month.
So near, yet so far! One of only two survivors. The only one to fly along with the one scheduled to fly on the day of cancellation, plus five others all scrapped one way and another.
As advertised, the author’s copies of my book have arrived! In a way it’s a bit disappointing, as it’s taken considerably longer than first thought or even suggested by the publishers (by about 3 years!) to get to this point and consequently, the person who would likely have been the proudest is no longer around to see it. But I could say that about a couple of other people as well, but that’s how life goes.
So now, I just need people to buy the darn thing! I might then recoup my costs paying for image rights for a start, but I’ve no idea as yet when it hits the shelves, nor where. You’d hope they supply the shops attached to most aircraft museums, being an ideal audience and all, but I certainly don’t recall seeing any by this publisher in the likes of Waterstones or W H Smiths for that matter, so most likely online orders only direct from Key Publishing or specialist aircraft bookshops.
It’s been a struggle at times, for more reasons than one, frustrating at others, especially the final 6 or so months sorting out the image rights, but it’s actually here and I still don’t quite believe I’ve done it. Volume 2 is basically done from my side, certainly my photos are, but it will doubtless need a trip or four through the proofreader process before I can say the text is done. Image rights for my photos are all done bar one and I’m expecting the invoice for that shortly, but doubtless it will be Key Publishing telling me a couple of their images I wanted to use, I actually can’t and then sorting out alternatives. Maybe, just maybe, it might be done and dusted by the end of the year.
Would I do it again….I wouldn’t be averse, trouble is I don’t have another stack of photos laying around to use as a starting point and you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that more famous authors (in the aircraft field at any rate) have already done an excellent job covering a similar topic for aircraft in France, Germany and Italy; so there goes my European tour! The other problem is most aircraft or military history topics, including one or two that I definitely have a thing about, have been done to death or at least well covered previously and a part timer like me isn’t likely to do a better job. We shall see.
Finally here, Volume 1 in the flesh, well, paper at least.
After a quick re-jig with three images for the usual reason, even after Key Publishing contacted those concerned as I was getting nowhere. So we have some choice photos from a couple of image libraries just to get the job done and the thing put to bed. Sadly it’s going to lack a few un-submitted edits, and I did ask, now if there’s ever a reprint….Ha. I’m told the books will be back by the end of next month.
As to Vol 2, nothing’s been said yet, but the original contract was for two volumes so we’ll see. That I think it will sell more simply because TSR2 is in it, that some people will buy anything with this in is beside the point. Though it also means the people would wouldn’t get back to us so we could finish Vol 1 will have to be sorted, as they have one of only two surviving and it would be nice to include my photo of it. Might even call in and knock on a few doors in the meantime!
A trip to Stamford in a week’s time to meet up with a my fellow ex-RAF Harrier engineers will be a good start to what should be an exciting month, as the week after it’s off to LHR (That’s London Heathrow to the uninitiated) for a flight to MIA, a week in the Florida Keys, a week “doing Disney” (again…) and flight back from MCO (look them up!) by which time I might finally get to see my name and photos in book form. Unfortunately, work are dragging everyone on our team to Birmingham for a planning meeting the day I break up; brain checked out you’d think? No, probably more a case of making a point in no uncertain terms and still having a job to come back to!
Which means, unless something exciting, interesting or miraculous occurs in the next couple of weeks, the next update should see a photo of Volume 1 in physical form, being proudly held aloft by a me shaped lobster.
