Day 6 21/5/16 Longstone Tour, Coventry Air Museum and Gala Dinner

Day 6 International Alvis Weekend - Day 1

The couples split today with Alan and Dale in the 12/60 heading off to Coventry Air Museum whilst Noeline and Maritta went with the Blundell's in their TA14 on the Longstone Tour.

The collective of Alvii parked outside Wroxall Abbey before setting off for the various tours

Alan and Dale found the air museum quite amazing in showing the number of aircraft that where built in the Coventry area. There was also Russian and US planes on display but the majority are local.

We where able to climb up in several including the Vulcan Bomber which was used as a Nuclear deterrent during the cold war and also during the Falkland war.

Mike Baker tries the Russian helicopter for size

View from one of the Aircraft

Alvii collect under the protective wing of the huge Vulcan Bomber

Part of the navigators console in the Vulcan, Navigators and radio operator are facing backwards at 600MPH

The pilot and co-pilot squeeze in there somewhere - comfort was rarely considered.

The girls on the Longstone tour with the Blundell's visited various historic sites.  First stop was Kinwarton to see the historic dovecote and the old rectory and church.

Kinwarton Dovecote

Noeline sneaking a peek into the Dovecote

Kinwarton church gardens and cemetery

Church stain-glass windows

We stopped for lunch at Mary Arden's house (Shakespeare's mother).  Set up as a Tudor working farm. 

Tudor style house

 Then we travelled on crossing the Union Canal at the "ugly bridge". It didn't appear that bad to us.

Canal boats on the Union Canal

We then headed for Baddesley Clinton Mansion. We did suffer some navigational faux par's but eventually after asking directions from a local lad we reached our destination.  The boys also joined us at the mansion.       

Main bedroom

Walled gardens

Geese and goslings feeding on the lawns

Outside view across the draw bridge

Tonight was the IAW dinner - a dress-up affair - black and white.  Either formal black tie or this year you could dress up in the theme of the Abbey's history as a catholic girls school. A collection of priests, nuns and school girls could be spotted in the group.  It was a great night.

Heavenly Noeline preparing for the evening vespers!

Father Alan getting a little too close to school girl Kaye

Kaye and organiser Jenny