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June 04, 2006
Inflatable Spitfires
Absolutely marvelous:
The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that a "big wing" of more than 10,000 inflatable Spitfires will this week cross into Germany and, when the World Cup starts on Friday, they could face the kind of frosty reception encountered by their wartime counterparts.
England football fans have been warned of arrest by the British Home Secretary, threatened with "zero tolerance" by a German police chief, and told not to mention the war by the creator of Basil Fawlty himself.
Some have responded by packing inflatable Spitfires by the thousand into their camper vans to sell throughout Germany and finance their World Cup trips.
Alf Ancell, 31, who designed the Spitfires, admitted he had found plenty of fans willing to sell the planes in Germany.
"I got 10,000 Spitfires in a couple of months ago and I am now down to my last 2,000 and expecting to sell the remainder.
Pure friggin’ genius. A few thousand of these things held aloft, the crowd humming along to the Dambuster’s Theme...a rousing verse or two of "Two World Wars and One World Cup"...
As the Assistant Chief Constable says:
"The Germans," he said, "have a sense of humour."
We’ll find out, eh?
At the German embassy, optimism was the defensive strategy of choice. "Let's wait and see," said a spokesman. "Maybe they won't inflate these toys."
File that under wishful thinking.
Anyone know if Alf Ansell, who designed them, has a website? I’d like to buy 10 or so for the lads down here.
And, of course, a picture.
June 4, 2006 in The English | Permalink
Comments
http://www.inflatablespitfires.com/
"If I thought the Germans had a sense of humour I would have probably made some Messershmitts..." ;-)
Posted by: dmatr | Jun 4, 2006 10:50:38 AM
What's 'marvelous' about the continuing obsession of the British with taunting the Germans over the Second World War? I suppose if thousands of German thugs came over here dressed as suicide bombers, we would be expected to find that hilarious?
Tim adds: If they came over here dressed as George III, the last time they did beat us, then yes.
Posted by: Jonathan | Jun 4, 2006 11:54:59 AM
"Some have responded by packing inflatable Spitfires by the thousand into their camper vans to sell throughout Germany and finance their World Cup trips.
Alf Ancell, 31, who designed the Spitfires, admitted he had found plenty of fans willing to sell the planes in Germany.
"I got 10,000 Spitfires in a couple of months ago and I am now down to my last 2,000 and expecting to sell the remainder."
Well these figures may all be true but it sounds to me like a rewritten press release from the manufacturer. There are 2 ways to make a lving as a journalist. Either go & wear out your shoes finding stories & checking facts or rewrite press releases & they both pay the same.
Posted by: Neil Craig | Jun 4, 2006 4:48:09 PM
Rather optomistically Mr Ancell's website says that these are ideal for display in the stadium, in the pub or in the street.
I suspect that the latter will soon become illegal once the pc maniacs in local government get wind of this: "Can't have the plebs displaying patriotism. God knows where it might end. They might start upsetting the French next and then we'll really be in trouble."
RM
RM
Posted by: The Remittance Man | Jun 4, 2006 8:53:19 PM
RM, RM. So good they named him twice.
Sorry about the typo.
Posted by: The Remittance Man | Jun 4, 2006 8:54:31 PM
Gertcha - come on then, fancy some do ya?
There - is that funny too?
Posted by: Bover | Jun 6, 2006 9:29:46 AM
Tim adds: If they came over here dressed as George III, the last time they did beat us, then yes.
Ha ha! That is something I would like to see. The wigs would spare us the sight of all those shaved heads.
Posted by: Jonathan | Jun 7, 2006 6:33:52 PM
