Date for UK diaries !

The indefatigable Herr Peter Spoden advises that he's due to be in England March 3-6 for a signing session at Aces High Gallery, Wendover, Bucks.

Make a note in those brand-new diaries !

 

Anyone interested in the slightest way should go there! And this is an order!

 

Herr Spoden hopes to be accompanied by Gunther Bahr and Karl-Ludwig Johanssen, both ex-NJG.6.....

 

A nice e-mail from Herr Spoden this morning - he's definitely coming to England this Friday ; so for me a pleasant journey on Saturday to the Aces High Gallery at Wendover is in prospect....

 

Knuckle biting time again!

I am sure you will be in for a great meeting, Martin! Wish I could be there, but Alas! I don't know whether he will remember me but please give him my best regards!!!! I enjoyed his book very much!

 

I wish !

greet the men for me please. I just wrote Peter several days ago but think he has already left his home in central Germany for merry England.

You will learn much Martin

Gruß

Schrumpf-Germane

 

I shall do that, Erich My wife will be accompanying me to this event so she can operate the camera for a change !

 

hopeful you can get some sigs in some your books and not charged a bundle in return // wonder if you will have access to some war time signed photos ? I'm due to write Günther in 2 weeks with a few questions.

Martin ask Peter and Günther about late 1945 ground attack missions if you would; were they flying them personally, Günther may well have and possibly Peter

E

 

Have fun Martin!

Definitely great stories to be heard??
( actually are they holding any lectures there or just a signing session? )

 

Just a signing session, I'm afraid Kai. Peter Spoden gave his lecture at the MKAS Forum last summer which was fascinating.

I believe you saw him in Finland...there are some pics of that event at his website ; -

http://www.nachtjaegerspoden.de/seiten/n_pictures.htm

 

I've had a great day today !

A beautiful early Spring day here - my wife & I set off early to Wendover by train ; arriving at the magnificent Aces High Gallery at 11:00. We're greeted by the sad news that Gunther Bahr couldn't attend due to ill-health, his place has been taken at the last moment by Otto Fries, ex-NJG.1.

I'm really excited by this as Leutnant Fries is one of the few surviving pilots of the beautiful and controversial He-219....

Clutching my copy of Theo Boiten's 'Nachtjagd' I join the small queue ( this is a ticket-only event ) to the signing room and have my camera at the ready.....

Leutnant Karl-Ludwig Johanssen who flew as Bordfunker with Martin Becker




And then a very cheerful Otto Fries : -




And, on his finest form, Peter Spoden deep in discussion with enthusiasts : -



And it's great to meet him again - he has so much to say that the gallery owner discreetly suggests I come back during the lunchbreak for a private chat....





Which is a shrewd move for Aces High...while my wife drinks coffee and eats biscuits, my eye is taken by a Trudgian print of the He219 and Me110 and an immediate impulse purchase follows ( despite vowing never to buy another aviation print ! ).

I return, and Otto Fries patiently - and with real pleasure - answers my questions about the near-mythical Heinkel ( Peter's gesture refers to a question about armament ! )....




I, and they, could obviously talk all day but now others are waiting. Peter insists that I send his best regards to Erich Brown : my wife and I enjoy lunch in a country pub nearby....

I've had a very good day ! My wife even seems to have forgiven my buying the print - now, where shall I hang it....?

 

Superb pics, Martin! It must have been a great day, since you're grinning from ear to ear in those photos! Like the A2 (?) jacket btw.
I'll bet those gentlemen had some fascinating things to relate.

 

Martin : you look quite daper there with friend Peter Spoden and Karl looks great too ! Otto Fries looks grand and still handsome as ever.

thanks so much for passing on my best to the guys and agreed some superb film footage of a historical event. hoping all had a marvelous time, moments like this shared will never be forgotten !

thumbs up M !!

Erich

 

Thanks Erich - if you watch your mailbox, a very small memento may soon appear

Gordon - well-spotted ! That's my 'Sunday best' Flight Apparel A-2 repro - I also have a badged-up Cooper for use as an 'airshow beater' and an Aviation Leathercraft for cold outdoor days when I'm working....

There's no hope !

 

WoW! Thanks for the pictures and that "sitrep", Martin! It certainly must have been a great day, thanks for sharing with us. Pics are great! Wish I could have been there....

 

Martin a very kind thanks in advance...........now to find you a Luftwaffe winter Lederjacke und Kombination for your next signing appearance ! of course we have to have you fit the part

 

Excellent pics, Martin! Thanx alot for putting them here!

 

Great pictures, I think I spy the print you purchased on the table in the top shot. Is that it?

Keep soaking up all of the memories you can from these men. They are fast disappearing.

 

Martin :

Leutnant Otto H. Fries from 1942 to 1944 18 kills in the Bf 110G-4 and the He 219A

E ~ now to get you a Lederkombination

 

Actually, no - I bought the Trudgian He219/Bf110 print which has already been savaged by Erich over at the 'He 219' thread.

http://www.aviationartgallery.co.uk/Images/Print-info/Into-the-cloak-of-darkness-info.htm

It's a typical Trudgian 'fantasy' pic but it's pretty, and also I was glad to have Peter Spoden add his signature under the Bf110. Oh - and it was also no 650 of 650 which is nice to have.

Thanks for the Otto Fries info, Erich - in the interests of Forum research ( ) I saw a copy of Remp's He 219 book in London yesterday and it has now found a home on my bookshelves....