James May's Toy Stories

[Alan Frame]

Thought the James May Spitfire was real when I saw it at Cosford back in May as there was no plaque on it to give the background.

Remember thinking the paintwork was a bit slapdash but explained the trolley away by presuming the aircraft was being renovated.

Those kids did an excellent job.

 

[summerdays]

here we go.... one very dusty large scale (1/24) Airfix spitfire....

That doesn't look very aerodynamic for cycling Thought I like the idea that it could be fitted with little machine guns to fire at motorists that came too close.

Yes the family enjoyed the program... and I'm now wondering whether I should get an airfix kit for my son for Christmas - but as a girl I don't remember doing any as a child so I'm not sure of the age range. I mean I assume its a right of passage for a boy?

 

[Paulus]

I have just watched the program on the i player. As a fifty something, it bought a tear or two to my eyes and took me back to the days of my childhood. What a good prog.

 

[swee'pea99]

The whole nostalgia trip was fun, but what really made the programme - what really makes or breaks all such programmes - was the evident rapport between James May and the kids. It was clear that they genuinely enjoyed each others' company. He does seem to have a talent for that - witness, for a good comparison, his wine/beer trips with Oz Clarke - again, very different people thrown together, but it works. Largely because he's clearly a good bloke. (And seeing his mum & dad on the programme, you can see where he gets it from.)

 

[mr Mag00]

a must watch by all acounts, was so good the better half was late collecting me from the pool last night

 

[jimboalee]

I've got the 50th Anniversary Battle of Britain box set, still cellophane wrapped.

There was a sudden willingness for 40 and 50 year old employees to go to meetings at CB that afternoon.

Spitfires weren't made at the Jaguar factory. The factory became Fisher and Ludlow in the early 50s as body assy plant for BMC. Jaguar cars bought it off F & L.

I lived in Castle Brom for a few years. At the end of the street was a tree in a small hollow. Further along there was another tree in a small hollow.
If I stood behind the far tree, and aligned my eye to the two trees, they would point the way to the Jag factory. *

The Spitfire Island sculpture was designed by J.R.R. Tolkien's nephew.

Residents on the tenth floor of a block of flats in Castle Vale complained to the council about the noise of engines in the night. A 'taxi' girl crashed her Spitfire and died in 1940. The flight path of that tragic incident passed through where the tenth floor was.

* Bomb craters.

 

[Arch]

It's clearly a middle-aged man thing... my wife and daughter weren't moved at all!

Not quite - I loved it! Middle aged, yes, man, no...

Summerdays - there are kits of all kinds these days to suit various ages - how old is your son? There are some very simple snap together sorts which a younger kid might manage, although really the main thing is to have the dexterity to handle tiny parts, and the patience to let the glue dry properly at each stage (mine always had saggy undercarriages, because I put them down on the wheels before the glue was really dry). A good model shop, if you can find one, will probably be able to advise. I was certainly doing them at 11 or so.

Great programme. I look forward to the plasticine next week.

 

[Amanda P]

I enjoyed the program, but I wonder how much the full-scale kit has cost the license payers? It can't have been cheap. Probably worthwhile, though!

 

[Alien8]

here we go.... one very dusty large scale (1/24) Airfix spitfire....

Did you get that idea from the late great Sheldon Brown?

 

[Archie_tect]

Not quite - I loved it! Middle aged, yes, man, no...

Summerdays - there are kits of all kinds these days to suit various ages - how old is your son? There are some very simple snap together sorts which a younger kid might manage, although really the main thing is to have the dexterity to handle tiny parts, and the patience to let the glue dry properly at each stage (mine always had saggy undercarriages, because I put them down on the wheels before the glue was really dry). A good model shop, if you can find one, will probably be able to advise. I was certainly doing them at 11 or so.

Great programme. I look forward to the plasticine next week.

I like James May.

His parents clearly still do, in that understated way that people have when they think the world of someone... so he must be like that off camera which I find endearing.

I can't wait for the Lego one... I should really get a job with Lego in Denmark... when we went with our two when they were small, I spent hours in the lego bins with them ...after making one model of a windmill with moving sails operated with rubber bands every child around us wanted one... got into a production line!

I used to use too much glue on kits when I started so everything wolbbled and melted. I remember saving up for the first Mosquito [twin engined] kits with touch start motors for the propellers... that was fantastic!

 

[Over The Hill]

I enjoyed watching the programme but it did leave me with a slight "what was the point of that?" feeling at the end. It seemed they decided it was good TV to have James acting like a big kid for an hour and it sort of cobbled together his last two programmes on past toys and a challenge of some sort.

It is a bit spoilt by the fact that the results have been leaked all over the press and we have already seen the lego house and the Chelsea flower show garden.

I did not realise so many other kids had blown up their Airfix models as I did and I also realised (40 years too late) that it would have been a good idea to paint the bits before I glued it all together!

Now I have two girls aged 11 and 14 - I wonder which one will like an Airfix Spitfire for christmas??

 

[goo_mason]

Damn - forgot to set that to record on the PVR!

Guess I can catch it on the iPlayer though; isn't modern technology wonderful?!

 

[Dayvo]

I also realised (40 years too late) that it would have been a good idea to paint the bits before I glued it all together!

THAT never occured to me! Ever!

Although I did paint the Airfix skeleton in a luminous grey/green colour!

 

[rh100]

I've got the 50th Anniversary Battle of Britain box set, still cellophane wrapped.

There was a sudden willingness for 40 and 50 year old employees to go to meetings at CB that afternoon.

Spitfires weren't made at the Jaguar factory. The factory became Fisher and Ludlow in the early 50s as body assy plant for BMC. Jaguar cars bought it off F & L.

I lived in Castle Brom for a few years. At the end of the street was a tree in a small hollow. Further along there was another tree in a small hollow.
If I stood behind the far tree, and aligned my eye to the two trees, they would point the way to the Jag factory. *

The Spitfire Island sculpture was designed by J.R.R. Tolkien's nephew.

Residents on the tenth floor of a block of flats in Castle Vale complained to the council about the noise of engines in the night. A 'taxi' girl crashed her Spitfire and died in 1940. The flight path of that tragic incident passed through where the tenth floor was.

* Bomb craters.

I didn't know that was his, I quite like it.

 

[rh100]

I like James May.

His parents clearly still do, in that understated way that people have when they think the world of someone... so he must be like that off camera which I find endearing.

I can't wait for the Lego one... I should really get a job with Lego in Denmark... when we went with our two when they were small, I spent hours in the lego bins with them ...after making one model of a windmill with moving sails operated with rubber bands every child around us wanted one... got into a production line!

I used to use too much glue on kits when I started so everything wolbbled and melted. I remember saving up for the first Mosquito [twin engined] kits with touch start motors for the propellers... that was fantastic!

I like him too - he's made (been in) some really good programs - I particularly like the one where he went in the U2 spy plane at the edge of space.

I missed this one though - will have to get it on iplayer as mentioned.