How the mighty has fallen (Quiet)

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 360

... aaaaaaaaaaaand today it's back!

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 718

Before the change over to the new platform I would have a look at the forum every few days. One thing I did notice in the year or so before the change over was that the  number of active/new posts was slowly dwindling. When I first became a member back in 2003 the first page of posts on the forum would all be from the previous 24 hours. A few years ago it became apparent that on that first page posts from the previous day were starting to appear on the bottom of the first page, then a bit later from two days previously. The platform change over seems to have been a tipping point. 

I can't moan as I don't really have the expertise to contribute that much. I have a few small aviation projects that I will get around to restoring one day. I'm a bit occupied in other areas at the moment as I currently have three teenagers in the house. One of these I'm am trying to keep motivated for his GCSEs that he may or may not have to take in the summer. 

Anyway, I have two MK8 Gyro Stabilised Sights that I would like to make into one good one that possibly works and also intend the same course of action with two R1155s I have. I was hoping to encourage some interest in electronics with the youngsters with the R1155s but haven't had much luck so far. When I get the chance to start on these I hope to run a thread on it.

However, today I shall be recovering from the excesses of yesterday and Friday. Merry Xmas.

 

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 1,327

This is my first posting since the times just after the update when the forum became completely unusable. After things settled down a bit I had problems every time I tried to sign in and became so disenchanted with the mess that I just gave up and for a long time I didn't even bother visiting as a guest. Having visited again a few times in recent weeks I decided to give sign in one last go today and was able to reset my password easily this time.

I haven't bothered visiting other aviation forums either as the problems here just killed my interest but I have still visited Duxford and Old Warden a couple of times a year and would have visited Brooklands again if 2020 had been a normal year.

To be honest most of the things that kept my interest in the forum such as Duxford Diary have moved elsewhere and I don't have the knowledge to contribute about specific items such as altimeters, engine parts etc although I was involved in aircraft preservation during my teens and early twenties (which was about 50 year ago now - time flies). 

I have spent my time building slot cars which is one of my other interests and have contributed to slot car forums.

I will look in here from time to time but unfortunately I don't think the forum will ever return to it's heyday simply because the problems during the platform change seem to have alienated so many regular contributors.

While I am here I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. There have been some very unhappy events in the preservation world during 2020 (some of which will continue in 2021) so let's hope that overall 2021 is better for everyone.  

 

Member for

3 years 3 months

Posts: 3

Hi,

Its been a while but I've just re registered on here again,I couldn't recover my old account so I'm starting a fresh, yes things look very different from the old forum but I do plan on checking in here and maybe there is a hope that the forum could regain some of its lost ground?

Ever the optimist.....

Happy New Year

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 5,927

One post on the historic aviation board in the last 24 hours - and that by a first timer. Unless things change, this doesn't suggest a bright future for this forum in 2021.

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 1,951

Well I would be on here posting my regular Stirling update but in these strange times I can't do very much. Hopefully things will pick up once we've all come out of hibernation🙏

John

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 5,088

I've just popped in to check if the Norwegian Blue parrot still has a pulse, and to my surprise it appears that indeed it does, albeit faint.

The way this forum went saddened me, it was an absolute goldmine of information and some of the banter being flung about was priceless. I used to (mis)spend hours on here, but not now. 

UKAR has provided a new home for my Meteor and Chipmunk project threads, and if the visitor footfall counts to the threads are to be believed it's a very worthwhile place to host such things indeed... but it just doesn't have the 'feel' or the knowledge base of the old Key forum, which I miss. 

Anyway, all the best to you all for 2021...

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 1,951

Nice to hear from you Blue; your posts are the only reason I view the other forum

I still firmly believe that having a hit counter would give confidence to posters so that they can at least see that their posts are getting viewed.

I'm still plugging away with our Stirling thread, but apart from the people who normally respond, I have no idea if anyone is actually looking at it from a wider audience

John

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 2,123

Blue and  12jaguar: I echo your comments. As Blue knows I follow the Meteor and now the Chipmunk on his new threads, but I still keep an eye on here, mainly for old times' sake.

As to the Stirling, I am one of the "wider audience" who watch it but can't contribute actively.

Hope 2021 is better for all than what got served up last year!

Laurence

Member for

11 years 4 months

Posts: 936

12jaguar, I am also one of the wider audience keeping an eye on your Stirling thread. You and I have both been plugging away at the need for a thread hit counter. I have exactly the same issue on my Lancaster ED908 thread.

Member for

16 years 11 months

Posts: 1,951

Thanks guys, nice to know it's getting looked at as is the ED908 thread.

Key - please please please answer our calls😒

 

John

Member for

21 years

Posts: 1,746

I am mostly a 'lurker' on here these days. The 'Stirling' thread is checked with wide eyed amazement at the detail and effort being put into such a large project.

I  also follow Blue 2s threads on the other forum. But like the rest of us he as struggled between lockdowns to get anything done. It's the first year in 30 that I didn't get to Duxford or in 25 to Brooklands. or even seen a live Spit or Hurri!

Hopefully a 'new normal' at least during this year and maybe this forum!

mmitch.

Member for

4 years 5 months

Posts: 716

I agree, that a thread count would give confidence that we do get visitors other than us tumbleweed.

I do believe plenty come here and new people finding it but the look really not Forum Friendly i doubt to new visitors, I stay her I am happy to post and do not feel its all blamed on one thing its a big collection of small things.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 718

Keep up the good work on the Stirling thread. I look fairly regularly. It's a very inspiring thread.

One thing that is annoying with the "new" forum, on my Chrome browser anyway, is that when you click "Sign In" in the upper right corner it tries to get you to register. I only seem to be able to log in when I try to post. I can see small things like that putting people off.

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,031

I still pop in from time to time and also follow the remarkable Stirling project and Blue_2's Meteor thread (on UKAR and FB). 
EDIT - realised I forgot to mention BobKat's lancaster work too - incredible dedication.

I too miss the place, although I didn't contribute loads, I was an avid reader, but as many have said, where else could you/can you, find such a place as this?

Have got used to, as much as possible, the "new" style of Forum, but still finding it grating on the eyes, a bit clunky, missing useful tools, and what is it with all the s*dding adverts between every post, let alone the repetition of some multiple times on each page?

Happy new year folks even if it is the end of January!

Member for

4 years 5 months

Posts: 716

The problem is as ARM WAVER has brought up is the amount of visitors that came here to read but not necessarily post and contribute, their contributions being they supported threads, gave others the push, the go to keep on with projects etc along with of course just out of nowhere a relative of a lost airman, a pilot / engineers of an aircraft with that tiny bit of info that made history complete and this is all part of what made this place work.

I have said many time that this is 'KEYS' football and they decided to do with their ball what the may of been  advised to do or wanted to do and we are where we are. A fair few old members are no longer on this mortal coil which if you even just take the past ten years I am guessing we lost 25% of members that way.

Will this ever come back to what it was? never never never, the interest is not there in the vintage aviation interests as we mostly came from the 1950s and 1960s  we are talking over 70 years, we remember the RAF AT HOME days, Biggin Hill Air Fair type airshows that are no longer there to see with a single Spitfire causing much excitement and the smell of WWII just fading in the background, dads who had fought bringing their memories to the fore and us children of the 50s and 60s soaking that up to bring forward to the days of the Internet.

I will stop going on now, but its only as good as the thread posting going on and the replies boosting the post numbers.

Have a nice Sunday

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 718

On a brighter note. Whilst those a bit younger than me (I'm 52) don't seem too bothered by historic aviation, I have noticed that the youngsters around my children's age (mid-late teens) do now have quite a bit of knowledge about military aircraft from the beginning of WW2 to the present day.  

My two sons play various online games and simulators such as War Thunder. Whilst the realism of the games can be questionable it has lead to them discussing what are the best vintage aircraft for particular roles in the games with me. This has revealed that they have tried the usual suspects such as Sptifire, Hurricane, Mustang, BF109 etc and have then moved on to the less well know types just to see how they perform. In the process they are becoming quite knowledgeable. They are also quite good on military vehicles and are always asking for another trip to Bovington. They like Hendon but we have overdone that a bit (I have to say I didn't think the re-organisation was too bad).

Sadly, despite this, they aren't interested in the old forums at the moment and rely on Youtube for information. 

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 360

minion89a seems to be a spammer!

I wonder if Key will spot it and remove the posts?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,893

Don't hold your breath. It took weeks last time.

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 5,927

As I can't see any sign of a post by minion89a, maybe Key has now got its act together vis à vis spammers?