Spitfire starting up at Daedalus airport. The propellor was running at full speed, but due to the frame rate of my phone camera is seems to stand (almost) still.

Wind was all over the place, 4-11mph and changing direction a lot, but we had fun anyway! Pretty decent spacing, eh?

Some relaxed flying today. First a Rare Air Air Shield I was given recently. Interesting to fly a Rare Air trick kite, as I am used to Rare Air as precision kites. And then our Scorpion / Scorpion 2-stack pair. As the stack flies a tad slower, refuelling is a doddle! #kites #kiteflying #sportkites

Model of a very early Spitfire, the 3rd ever produced, added to the collection. More here if you're interested: supermarinespitfirestuff.blogspot.com/2025/04/1938... #spitfire

Bumpy flaky wind, but still a beautiful day for team flying! And of course, you need to pray to the kite goddess ... #kiteflying #sportkites

Unveiling of Spitfire Makers plaque #14 today! More here, if you're interested: supermarinespitfirestuff.blogspot.com/2025/03/plaq... #spitfire

Yellow-nosed Spitfire model added to the collection! supermarinespitfirestuff.blogspot.com/2025/03/yell... #spitfire

Beautiful day for team-flying! #kites #kiteflying

Unveiling of Spitfire Makers plaque #13!

Good luck and have fun! Are you aware of the Sport Kite Pairs & Teams group on FB?

Decisions by the IRBC (International Rule Book Committee), the organisation that oversee rules and regulations for kite competitions worldwide.

Playing with three obsolete STACK figures today :)

Cold easterly wind!! #kites #kiteflying

'Beer truck' Spitfire added to the collection. If you want to know more: supermarinespitfirestuff.blogspot.com/2025/02/beer... #spitfire

Lazy team-flying! #kites #kiteflying #sportkites

Overcast, drizzly, 2-5mph wind ... But we went out to fly a bit anyway, giving some kites from our B bag some air time! #kites #sportkites

Just enough wind upon arrival on the flying field to test out a pair of Flexifoil Matrix kites we were given ... and then the wind switched off ... #kites #kiteflying

Cold day team-flying! #kite #kiteflying

Very happy I got the ball rolling on this, and to see how enthusiastic the university then embraced it!

Group photo with individuals standing on either side of The Spitfire Makers plaque. From left to right: Lord Mayor of Southampton David Shields, Alan Matlock (Chair of the Spitfire Maker’s Charitable Trust), Professor Mark E. Smith (Vice-Chancellor, University of Southampton), Dr. Lex Kraaijeveld (Principal Teaching Fellow in Ecology and Evolution, University of Southampton), and Royston Smith (former MP for Southampton Itchen).

Vice Chancellor Mark E Smith stands on the left, while Dr Lex Kraaijeveld, Principal Teaching Fellow in Ecology and Evolution, stands on the right. They are both holding ribbons as they unveil a plaque mounted on the brick wall of a building.

We’re proud to unveil a plaque celebrating the University’s historical contribution to the Spitfire's production.

The Spitfire Makers plaque tells how the university hosted the manufacturer’s Design Office after its factories were bombed in 1940.

supermarinespitfirestuff.blogspot.com/2025/01/univ... for the full story

In 1940, shortly after the war broke out, Sid Ody made a Spitfire brooch from an old penny for his wife Mary. Sid's daughter Penny (a friend of us) wanted me to have it, given my interest in Spitfires. Perfect timing for Tuesday! What's happening Tuesday, I hear you ask? Watch this space ...

Good picture, for sure. Muntjacs normally don't let themselves get photographed easily.

Muntjac!

Beautiful cold day, and a walk around the Common to boost my bird list for 2025: 13 species new for the year, bringing the 2025 total to 29 so far.

Will try out next time!

Two Koi kites, off eBay (from China) for £13 each (including p&p). Decided to stack them; worked a treat! Stack is quite dynamic, but stable enough to just let them play with each other for hours #kite #kiteflying

Anyone interested in knowing more about our kite-flying, check out flyingfishkites.weebly.com

Best wishes for 2025 to all sport kite flyers on BlueSky!