100 years ago today

[jackalope]

Herman, Harley Davidson engines must leak oil in order to be able to run. This is probably why they are ok to race as Harley owners are used to the oil slick they leave. If you are not used to it, that's your problem.

Yes this was a joke, Harley owners please put your guns down.

[Estnische]

Wot? Nobody gave mention to Lucas - Prince of Darkness? Whatever you do don't let the smoke out.

[jarndice]

Jack I am not a mean spirited fellow which is why I held off with the Corvair but I have to go along with you about the ability to make a 5 litre V8 that produces less Horse Power than my last Motor cycle
I smiled even wider when you spoke of Hardly Davidsons oil burning abilities as I would bet an imperial gallon of Castrol "R" that Herman, him being from the Antipodes, was referring to any Brit Bike of the 40s/50s/60s/and 70s,
This inevitably reminds me of the Blackburn Beverly,
A large transport aircraft which I think I am right in saying was only used by the RAF,
I loved them, Great big lumps of Aluminium with 4 very large multi-cylinder propeller engines and a long boom with an "H" shaped tail plane,
In those days they carried a navigator and the story was the navigator would be found in the crew rest area on the return trip as the pilot was able to accurately backtrack by following the smoke trail those 4 old oil burning Bristol's left from the outbound flight,
Still they saved my worthless neck more than once.
Shaun.

[43rdRecceReg]

Never mind the vagaries of the British motoring industry, and occasional lapses in engineering excellence .. Just look at what happened when British architects were asked to come up with a state-of-the-art Housing complex with all the modern amenities :

Unfinished housing project on Lewis

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But, going back 100 years, as the lethal Battle of the Somme consumed ever more hapless Europeans....for those outside the tanks, life was just as short and brutal. All family members- so far as I know- from the Scottish side of my family in the Black Watch and Highland units survived the Somme and the War. The four brothers (including my boozy truculent grandfather) from the Irish side were not so lucky. Don't forget, in 1916, the whole of Ireland was still part of Britain and many young Irishmen now have a permanent home in the soil of the Somme. Here's what happened to one brother, he's in the second row, third from right sporting a Hitler/Chaplin moustache in the 'Before' photo:

Wounded on the Somme and lost a leg (how careless was that ! ) at the Le Treport military hospital:

After.. Woman in black veil is ex-pat Russian Grand Duchess...

Here he is again after the Germans had adjusted his appearance. Note the mix of units including RFC, Highland and others..
The recuperation hospital, complete with mysterious Russian Royal was in the posh northern town of Harrogate, I believe.
Four brothers survived the Somme, but one lost a leg. Another was killed at Arras 9th April 1917 (no known grave) ; the third was gassed and died of 'froth corrupted lungs' in 1920...so he doesn't count as an official 'kill' for the germans.
The Fourth, my grandfather, was also gassed and became a wheezing boozy tyrant for the rest of his years..
C'est la Vie, boys...c'est La Guerre