[sniperUK]

Spent a very pleasant Saturday at the Irish Air Corps base at Baldonnal outside Dublin,full access to everything including the new AW139 helicopters one of which was delivered on Friday and the museum,enjoy

The Museum











The helicopters

[sniperUK]

The fixed wing aircraft.

[Shamrock]

Glad you enjoyed your visit to Baldonnel, Sniper. It is a fine setup albeit in it's development stage. I hope you were able to see the 'Paddy' Finucane rose 'Spitfire Paddy' in the memorial garden beside the garrison church. Finucane aged twelve along with his brother Ray, took to the air for the first time at Baldonnel in 1932 during an air show when their father paid a few bob for a pleasure flight for the budding aviators.

Well worth a visit when you're next in Dublin is the National Museum of Ireland in Collin's Barracks. Hanging from the museum roof is a D.H.Vampire and a Miles Magister both donated by the Irish Air Corps. The 'Soldiers & Chiefs' exhibition highlights Irishmen at war for the last 450 years. Also on display courtesy of the Finucane family, is 'Paddy' Finucane's log book illustrating his first kill in the Battle of Britain in August 1940.

[STARMAN 352ND]

Cool pictures you posted there SniperUK.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
JP

[sniperUK]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

Glad you enjoyed your visit to Baldonnel, Sniper. It is a fine setup albeit in it's development stage. I hope you were able to see the 'Paddy' Finucane rose 'Spitfire Paddy' in the memorial garden beside the garrison church. Finucane aged twelve along with his brother Ray, took to the air for the first time at Baldonnel in 1932 during an air show when their father paid a few bob for a pleasure flight for the budding aviators.

Well worth a visit when you're next in Dublin is the National Museum of Ireland in Collin's Barracks. Hanging from the museum roof is a D.H.Vampire and a Miles Magister both donated by the Irish Air Corps. The 'Soldiers & Chiefs' exhibition highlights Irishmen at war for the last 450 years. Also on display courtesy of the Finucane family, is 'Paddy' Finucane's log book illustrating his first kill in the Battle of Britain in August 1940.

It was my second trip down first was with a group of ATC cadets this one with RAFA ,fantastic welcome especially from Mick Whelan. Yes I saw the rose and the church ,the windows are fantastic especially the ones dedicated to the Dauphin crew .I have sourced a Corgi Finucane Spitfire and it will be on its way down to Mick as soon as it arrives so it can join the model collection. Mick does his best with the collection but its too much for one person ,I hope he gets some official support soon.

[djjeffhall]

Fantastic pictures. Thanks for sharing that.

[Folgore]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

I hope you were able to see the 'Paddy' Finucane rose 'Spitfire Paddy' in the memorial garden beside the garrison church.

If anyone has a picture they can post of the Spitfire Paddy in bloom, I'd certainly appreciate it. Thanks!

[flyXwire]

Ah, don't you just love the feeling of being in those places? It's breath-taking ambiance and being surrounded by all these different types of airplanes/helicopters is just stunning! Thanks for all the excellent pictures, SniperUK.

[Shamrock]

I'm a RAFA member myself Sniper and I must agree that Mick does a great job with the museum. Folgore if you would like to see more information on the rose please go to www.ashdownroses.com click on rose library, hybridzers, then Sean McCann (the grower and breeder) and select 'Spitfire Paddy'.
I have some snaps of the rose in bloom and I will try and post them. The rose was not commercially available but his surviving brothers Raymond, and Kevin were given shrubs.

[sniperUK]

Quick quiz, does anyone recognise the single storey buiding in this photo? And Shamrock you cant answer.