Another of his absolute favorites is Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes is a 1965 British comedy film set in 1910, when Lord Rawnsley, an English press magnate, offers £10,000 to the winner of the Daily Post air race from London to Paris, to prove Britain is "number one in the air".
For many years, my Grandfather would hum, sing, or whistle the zany song from this movie while he worked. It goes like this:
They Go Up, Tiddly, Up, Up.
They Go Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.
They Enchant All The Ladies And Steal All The Scenes
With their Up, Tiddly, Up, Up
And They're Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.
Up! Down! Flying Around.
Looping The Loop And Defying The Ground.
They're All, Frightfully Keen
Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines.
They Can Fly Upside Down With Their Feet In The Air.
They Don't Think Of Danger.
They Really Don't Care.
Newton Would Think He Had Made A Mistake.
To See Those Young Men And The Chances They Take.
Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines.
They Go Up, Tiddly, Up, Up.
They Go Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.
They Enchant All The Ladies And Steal All The Scenes
With their Up, Tiddly, Up, Up
And Their Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.
Up! Down! Flying Around.
Looping The Loop And Defying The Ground.
They're All, Frightfully Keen
Those Magnificent Men, Those magnificent men!
Those magnificent men and their fly--ing ma--chines!
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Last Saturday, braving the heat and humidty, my dad and I went to the Golden Age Air Museum in Bethel, PA.
The "Golden Age of Aviation" is the two decades between the great world wars, the roaring 1920s and the fabulous 1930s. The museum's concentration is this glorious time that included the birth of the barnstormer, airmail, and flying circuses.
The Curtiss JN4D was designed during World War I as a primary pilot trainer. The majority of American pilots going off to war learned to fly in a Curtiss JN4D. The name "Jenny" was adapted by pilots from the Curtiss "JN" model number.
The museum's Curtiss JN4D had not been flown since the 1920s. The paint scheme represents famous barnstormer and Hollywood pilot Earl S. Daugherty of Long Beach, California.
My dad and I watched in awe and excitement as they pulled a fully restored 1918 Curtis JN4D from its hanger, prepared it for flight, and then gracefully took to the air.
We saw acrobatics, flying circuses, old cars and trucks driven recklessly, and had a great time, not wanting to leave until darkness had fallen and a hush grew over the airfield. I hope you will play the movies and hear how those old planes sounded.
On the way home, my dad and I sang the rousing chorus from one of my grandfather's favorite songs.
They Go Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.
They Enchant All The Ladies And Steal All The Scenes
With their Up, Tiddly, Up, Up
And Their Down, Tiddly, Down, Down.
If you want to listen, go ---> (here)
19 comments:
You know me....I love aircraft of any kind. I loved this blog post and loved looking at all of your pictures last night in your Flickr account.
The videos were great. It's fun watching those older planes fly and have fun.
I remember that song. Loved that movie, too. :)
I hope you have a great day today. Thanks for sharing your pictures and videos. :)
(and thanks again for your help with my computer)
I WAS enjoying the sounds of the planes from the video until Dora the Explorer kindly interrupted me and I had to turn it off. But I got a good listen. :) It took me back to 8th grade when I did a presentation on Amelia Earhart.
I have been feeling so nostalgic (can you actually feel nostalgic if you haven't experienced a time period?) lately and this just brought it on even more. To have experienced those times would have been amazing.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this post, Iggy. I actually have tears in my eyes. I will probably never get to experience what you showed me in those videos. And I am hoping that was your dad chuckling in the background - it was such a delightful chuckle. I miss my dad so much. We never did anything like this but he was just always there when I needed him.
Thank you for this wonderful share and the wonderful memories you brought back to me. You are the bestest.
I read Mutiny over and over and over - loved that book. And I'm going to be humming a certain little ditty the rest of the day. Huge hugs.
Now...I'm going to be singing that song all day.
Jealous in a way -- my dad and I didn't do things together. He just worked worked worked and then he died.
Brave men, mighty mighty brave men, to go up in those pretty little planes with engines sounding barely louder than the engine in my lawn mower ;)
Thanks for sharing the videos. I too caught that chuckle ... a sweet sound of delight.
What a happy song I like that! Sounds like you had a good weekend with you dad and I am glad and I loved all the pictures thanks so much for sharing I loved this post HUGS
I remember that song! Must have learned it at summer camp back in the day.
that plane was loud! I turned my speakers on to hear it after your suggestion, Iggy, and the sound made Koda jump (LOL). What a fun adventure/outing for you and your dad! I can imagine the goose bumps as you watched that plane take off, all the history of it, the age of it, etc, magnificiently flying through the air! Indeed a memorable day that will stay with you both for a very long time!
betty
I have wonderful memories of going to air shows with my dad..all the time..they were wonderful times..im so glad you and your dad had such a great time..
This is going to be a project of mine yet, i have always wanted to build a plane,im just not sure yet just how big of a plane i want to make.One big enough to fly or just for veiwing. IF i ever get a Two car garage and make a shop on the end of it like i want to do, then maybe i will attemp to make something. The thing best to do is if flying is what one wants to do, then buy one all build by the pro's. and thats $$$$'s
What great sounds, Far Guy said "That one plane purrs just like a kitten!" Thanks for the video's we really enjoyed them..that last photo is just stunning! It sounds like you and your Dad had a great day together! :)
This made me smile :)
*Makes airoplane noises* :)
ah, nothing like a little glen miller and some old-timey airplanes to make me feel nostalgic about times i never lived in :)
looks like a fun time! i want to hear that song, though. i kept singing it in my head to the tune of the "man on the flying trapeze" song
I hope that was your dad's giggle I heard. :)
I remember the song, but not all the words. I mostly relate the sounds and sights of those old planes to the many old movies I watched. Must be neat to see them in person. Thanks for sharing this sweet day you had with your dad. :)
(she goes off humming....and wishing she had a penny whistle...)
I love that last shot.
my Jacob went with his friends right along the coast this morning to Bournmouth where they were having their annual airshow.... but, its rained almost all day and very overcast and windy, so much much almost all lol of it was cancelled..... you dont even have to pay, you just sit on the beach and they do it all over the water.... so he came back early cos of the weather, but there was an old biplane with wing walkers which did their bit before the weather closed in to much..
x
my Jacob went with his friends right along the coast this morning to Bournmouth where they were having their annual airshow.... but, its rained almost all day and very overcast and windy, so much much almost all lol of it was cancelled..... you dont even have to pay, you just sit on the beach and they do it all over the water.... so he came back early cos of the weather, but there was an old biplane with wing walkers which did their bit before the weather closed in to much..
x
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