DD_Arthur

By the time of the D-Day landings the Russians had expelled the Germans from the whole of the Soviet Union and were racing into Poland and the Balkans. By this rate of advance it was evident they would overrun all of eastern europe by the following winter - as indeed they did. This horrified Churchill. He understood exactly what Stalin was. Churchill pressed for an immediate invasion of Germany to bring about an early surrender and thus halt the progress westward of the Soviet armies. This desire produced the Anglo-American airborne invasion of the the lower Rhine crossings at Arnhem in September. An attempt at a lightning strike across the north German plain to capture Berlin. Unfortunately it was defeated and so in October Churchill flew to Moscow in the hope that the diplomacy of realism could secure what the paratroopers had failed to win. At a meeting with Stalin in the Kremlin on 9th. October Churchill asked him directly "How would it do for you to have ninety percent predominance in Rumania, for us to have ninety percent of the say in Greece, and go fifty-fifty about Yugoslavia?" Churchill sketched out these figures on paper, adding 50-50 for Hungary and 25-75 Bulgaria. Stalin "took his blue pencil and made a large tick upon it, and passed it back to us". Stalin also agreed that after the war Britain would be the leading Mediterranean power. Notice - significantly - that there was no mention of Germany, Czechoslovakia or Poland? Churchill understood they were lost. There would be no practical way of preventing Soviet occupation in 1945 just as there was no practical way to stop the German occupation of 1939. However, Greece was saved from Soviet occupation, Yugoslavia was allowed to go its own way and the threat of Soviet influence upon the immediate post-war politics of Italy was removed. Could he have done more? Its difficult to see what else he could have done.

Now there's a thought! Yesterday evening was the first time I've been in the sea this year not wearing a wetsuit.

Eastbourne or Herne Bay? Now that's a dilemma!

Fascinating Ovy! I do know quite a lot about Romanian history so I'm quite aware that most countries of central and eastern europe exchanged one set of jack boots for another in the spring of '45. Not quite sure how you were "sold out" by the west to Stalin. Do many people in Romania think that way? The "West" in '45 was basically the US and UK. By the spring of '45 the only way to stop the Russkies from rolling over eastern europe would have been for people like my dad and his brother to have fought the Red Army. Seems like a big ask for a country exhausted by six years of defying Hitler and helping to liberate our neighbours. Unfortunately for the peoples of south-east europe they have been squeezed between the Austrians, the Turks and the Russians for the last five hundred years. Not too much the US or UK could have done about that.

It's lovely!!! Been evening swimming last couple of days. Lets hope it lasts.

5.4litres!!!! C'mon Rog; lets see it. What does it do to the gallon? ten to fifteen? For your info; if my calculations are correct we're paying around $5.40 here in the UK for a US gallon of unleaded. Whats it like in Missouri? GSXR was just irresistible after I rode it and...well...why not? Fastest bike I've ever owned before this was a 1982 GPz1100A1. Last bike I owned before this was a 1973 750 Triumph Bonneville - about eight years ago. I've got a bit of catching up to do....slowly.

Ok, it's official. I've lost my marbles.

This. http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Motherboards/1244/i.html?_dcat=1244&Socket%2520Type=LGA%25201155%252FSocket%2520H2&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

A little demonstration of the physics engine and how to blow a '109 engine into the bargain! BoS on sale again; http://il2sturmovik.com/

мудак

Fantastic FT. Did the Romans hurl scrap cars at the poor savages they were besieging?

The writing is certainly on the wall for Duxford as a major airshow venue and I presume its all over for Shoreham anyway. The CAA's reaction is predictable. They have much bigger fish to fry than being embarrassed by a tragedy at an airshow. The increase in their charges announced soon after the accident has nothing to do with improving safety but from their point of view is a simple way of removing lots of the problem; a massive hike in charges will simply kill off lots of the smaller shows. This won't change. As has been pointed out, this is an opportunity for lots of the "anti's" to get their way. The airshow industry will have to adapt to whatever is thrown at them or simply stop. I must admit, I have been slightly surprised at some of the information that has come out post - Shoreham, about how air display routines are authorized and how display pilots flying them are checked out. I do feel sorry for Andy Hill and I mean that without irony but I was surprised at the number of hours - or lack of them - that he had on type and the fact that his authority to display seems to have been issued by a member of his own aerobatic display team. This can - and I've no doubt will - be construed as a conflict of interest.

Don't forget Medal of Honour Cat!

Don't worry Kira; if he'd been a 'hofficer instead of merely a lance corporal, he would have got the VC!

Must be time for a mega over-clock?

https://gfycat.com/ConstantWateryFox

Well I thought this was going to be a bladder problem thread Uh-hu. I know that feeling. Definitely a middle-aged thing

I thought Kermit's Tempest had an engine? Hasn't he got two anyway? Tempests, that is.

Wow! Built from scratch. That would be eye-wateringly expensive.

Hmmm....its in several pieces and has been under water for over seventy years and the Swedes want to keep the engines. Airworthy again? Sounds like a long shot to me.

Is this what you bought Mayhem? https://www.g2a.com/il-2-sturmovik-battle-of-stalingrad-cd-key-global.html 'Cause this says its the standard game with 8 planes. If it is then I'd get in touch with G2A and ask for another key to the standard game. What you've got is supposed to be for the Russian market only.

I wonder - to be as future proof as possible - might it not be better to have a cpu running a stock speed of around 4ghz? Stuff like BoS/BoM and DCS 2 Nevada map really benefit from this. If building this system is a step by step process; make the graphics card the last component to be purchased. The price can only fall.

Cor! Looks pretty good to me. One question; what is the clock speed of the i5 6600?