maryportfuncity 10,616 Posted June 20, 2006 Took the trouble to read his bio, the vast majority were low flying and slow Russian aircraft. It's still a sh*t-load of flying machines but it's just about possible. The real question is why the Russians kept taking off and taking the bastard on. Maybe - in the winter - the planes had good heaters, five minutes of warmth might've just been worth the certain death! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lady Die 63 Posted June 20, 2006 Not a person, but Top of The Pops is being axed. A programme near & dear to many people's hearts I'm sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Magere Hein 1,399 Posted June 21, 2006 Never heard of him, but I was interested to see his family reckoned he shot down 18 Japanese planes during WWII, which sounded like a lot to me. Until, that is, I found this list, which looks about as legit as the various claims to be the world's oldest human: http://www.1000pictures.com/aircraft/aces.htm The top British and US fighters had approx 40 or 50 "victories" (which I'm taking as having shot down another plane in a dogfight), the Soviets about 60, the mighty Romanians (were they even in the war?), claim 60 from mighty Prince Constantine Cantacuzene, the Japanese about 80 (hmmm, didn't they come into the war kinda late? Didn't they have a long way to fly before they actually engaged the enemy in combat? Didn't they pretty much get their asses handed to them from Midway onwards?). Then we get to the Germans, who claim an astonishing 352 victories for their top fighter. Riiiiighhhhhtttttt....... Yes, the Romanians were in the war, at the Axis side. They were quite good at being cannon fodder at the Eastern Front. On that Eastern Front the Luftwaffe scored amazing successes well into 1944. The Soviet Airforce eventually gained air superiority by out-producing and out-importing the enemy, but their pilots never were as good as some of their opponents, due to lack of training and experience. The first year of Operation Barbarossa was mostly a turkey shoot for the Luftwaffe, their effectiveness only being hampered by winter weather. I have no reason to doubt those 352 victories, but I'll do some fact checking tomorrow. regards, Hein Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tempus Fugit 214 Posted June 21, 2006 Hartmann's Wiki page, sounds like he got shafted by the Americans. A site that lists all his kills. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maryportfuncity 10,616 Posted June 21, 2006 Re Top of the Pops; I'm a little confused as to why they'd kill the brand totally. Even if they had a massive one off Christmas special each year it would probably be worth keeping the name. What do yers all reckon, like? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lady Die 63 Posted June 21, 2006 Re Top of the Pops; I'm a little confused as to why they'd kill the brand totally. Even if they had a massive one off Christmas special each year it would probably be worth keeping the name. What do yers all reckon, like? I completely agree. And I think they should keep TOTP2. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vinegar Tits 605 Posted June 21, 2006 And I think they should keep TOTP2. That was scrapped when that knobcheese Andi Peters took over. They should bring it back. I wonder what will happen to the other TOTPs around the globe? They were all built on the BBC brand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Octopus of Odstock 2,180 Posted June 25, 2006 Kenneth Griffith, film star & documentary maker, has died. Very familiar face in TV & film for aeons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tempus Fugit 214 Posted June 26, 2006 12 time Grammy Award winning record producer Arif Mardin, has died aged 74 from pancreatic cancer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest iain Posted June 26, 2006 at first i thought it was RichaRD Griffiths,BUT I CANT think of who Kenneth Griffiths was.Tell me a bit more about him because I dont think he was that famoous Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handrejka 1,903 Posted June 26, 2006 at first i thought it was RichaRD Griffiths,BUT I CANT think of who Kenneth Griffiths was.Tell me a bit more about him because I dont think he was that famoous He was famous enough for an obit on the 6 o'clock news on Radio 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Octopus of Odstock 2,180 Posted June 26, 2006 at first i thought it was RichaRD Griffiths,BUT I CANT think of who Kenneth Griffiths was.Tell me a bit more about him because I dont think he was that famoous It's Kenneth Griffith , not Griffiths. It depends on how old you are, Iain, really. More recently, he did less acting, but in most British films in the 1950's, he pops up. Presuming you're under 30 (which I'm guessing from the things you've watched), the best chance of remembering him is from Four Weddings and a Funeral where he played a delightfully eccentric old man talking to Hugh Grant at the first wedding: Still from 4W & AF His list of credits are extensive. He starred in, amongst others, Tiger Bay, a few St. Trinians films, I'm All Right Jack, Lucky Jim, Carelton-Browne of the F.O, Heavens Above!, quite a few episodes of "The Prisoner" alongside old friend Patrick McGoohan, The Lion In Winter, The Assassionation Bureau, Jane Eyre, Colditz, Callan, Who Dares Wins, The Wild Geese & near the end of his acting career, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. He was also an excellent documentary maker, and on top of that, one of Britain's leading historians on the Boer War. I mean, that's the basics, but read the articles about his death, or use Google for once, you might learn a bit more. But considering some of those you have heard of, or at least post here, Iain, I really don't think you have any right at all to snootily suggest Griffith wasn't that famous. Just because he didn't appear in Dr. Who doesn't mean he's not famous!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Godot 149 Posted June 26, 2006 at first i thought it was RichaRD Griffiths,BUT I CANT think of who Kenneth Griffiths was.Tell me a bit more about him because I dont think he was that famoous As OoO has said so comprehensively Kenneth Griffith was an exceptional talent. I remember him in Colditz, also caught one of his documentaries in Wales. I would go so far Iain to say that Griffith is as famous as you are ignorant and he's pretty bloody famous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VSBfromH 74 Posted June 27, 2006 12 time Grammy Award winning record producer Arif Mardin, has died aged 74 from pancreatic cancer. He was featured on Radio 2 in a documentary about Dusty Springfield just a few days ago. I would certainly have put him in the "Near Misses" thread based on his fame rating, but then it's all a matter of personal perception. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phantom 2,530 Posted June 27, 2006 TV chef, Robert Carrier has died at the age of 82 Strangely enough I mentioned him here in this posting Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anubis the Jackal 77 Posted June 29, 2006 Leading British / Commonwealth Ace, Marmaduke Pattle Leading US ace, Richard Bong No wonder the Germans shot down so many! http://www.1000pictures.com/aircraft/aces.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Four Horsemen 26 Posted June 29, 2006 I'm assuming that none of those Japanese aces were full time Kamikaze pilots..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DevonDeathTrip 2,357 Posted June 29, 2006 (edited) 12 time Grammy Award winning record producer Arif Mardin, has died aged 74 from pancreatic cancer. He was featured on Radio 2 in a documentary about Dusty Springfield just a few days ago. I would certainly have put him in the "Near Misses" thread based on his fame rating, but then it's all a matter of personal perception. Moderators/ers, Could the above posts be merged in to the near misses thread, it distresses me that Arif Mardin's good name languishes here in the company of the obscure. All he's got it common with these losers is that he's dead. I seem to have missed out two posts about him even though I clicked the quote button. Buggered if I know how to edit them back in. Mind you, I have been drinking again. [Posts moved -- MH] Edited June 29, 2006 by Magere Hein Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DevonDeathTrip 2,357 Posted June 29, 2006 12 time Grammy Award winning record producer Arif Mardin, has died aged 74 from pancreatic cancer. He was featured on Radio 2 in a documentary about Dusty Springfield just a few days ago. I would certainly have put him in the "Near Misses" thread based on his fame rating, but then it's all a matter of personal perception. Moderators/ers, Could the above posts be merged in to the near misses thread, it distresses me that Arif Mardin's good name languishes here in the company of the obscure. All he's got it common with these losers is that he's dead. I seem to have missed out two posts about him even though I clicked the quote button. Buggered if I know how to edit them back in. Mind you, I have been drinking again. [Posts moved -- MH] Thank you. I'll sleep so much better tonight Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VSBfromH 74 Posted July 1, 2006 Ryutaro Hashimoto Former Japanese PM "who retired from politics last September citing poor health" - would have been a good pick for this year then! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest iain Posted July 1, 2006 founder of Mercury records Irvin Green has died at 90 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Six 23 Posted July 3, 2006 Near Miss - Ohhh, that was close... apparently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cowboy Ronnie 78 Posted July 4, 2006 Near Miss - Ohhh, that was close... apparently. I'm not scared of that asteroid, even if its orbit means it might hit Earth at some point in the future. By then we'll have the technology and know-how to send Bruce Willis up there to nuke it. And if that fails and it does hit us, if it's powerful enough to wipe out a small country as that one scientist predicts, can I nominate Belgium? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Magere Hein 1,399 Posted July 4, 2006 And if that fails and it does hit us, if it's powerful enough to wipe out a small country as that one scientist predicts, can I nominate Belgium? Belgium is a bit too close to my taste. May I suggest Vatican City? regards, Hein Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Six 23 Posted July 4, 2006 I'm guessing we wouldn't get to select the country, but I could be wrong. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
