User talk:KDBROCK777

Brtish subject pages

Please do not change spelling and language conventions in British subject pages to non-British English variations, as you did with Things to Come, as this is contrary to Wikipedia practice. Nick Cooper 07:47, 27 June 2007 (UTC)

Nick, sorry about that. I didn't know there was such a rule. Question: Do people in the UK still use the term "aeroplane"? I'm pleading ignorance here. I thought "airplane" was standard usage in all English speaking countries. — Preceding unsigned comment added by KDBROCK777 (talk • contribs) 04:03, 28 June 2007

No, while obviously "plane" is more prevalent colloquially, "aeroplane" is seen as the "proper" full name in the UK, Ireland, and most of the Commonwealth. "Airplane" is known primarily because of the film of that name and the fact that print media quoting a US source will retain that spelling, in the same way that "Department of Defense" will not be "corrected" to "Department of Defence." If you Google either spelling on .uk domains, you'll see "aeroplane" in the majority, while "airplane" is usually either the film or a direct quote of a US source (e.g. book titles, news reports, etc.). If yu have a look at Talk:Fixed-wing_aircraft#spelling, you'll see that it's a bit of a battleground! Nick Cooper 06:55, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Thank you, Nick. I am enlightened now. I've been an airplane, er, that is, aeroplane buff since I was three years old. I'm always interested in learning more and will certainly check out the link you included. Are you a fan of Things To Come? The scene that stands out in my memory from childhood (watching it on TV ... I'm only 49 years old!) is the scene in which the huge bombers are flying over Everytown dropping "the gas of peace." Can't remember whether or not that bit was included in the Wiki article. I'll read it again after I'm finished here. Once again, thanks again for taking the time to enlighten a Yank. (Do you still call us colonists that in the UK? I always thought that was kind of cool!) Keith Ellerbrock 08:42, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

I seem to have been elevated (by others) to the status of Things to Come's unofficial historian, having just done the commentary track and written the accompanying booklet for the first UK DVD release of the film. It may actually be "official historian," as unlike in the US the film is not in the public domain in the UK, and the copyrighht is still held by the successor company to the one that made it back in 1935. I have a website - inevitably at www.thingstocome.org.uk - although it's not been substantially updated for the last 18 months pending work on the DVD. The aircraft in the film are wonderfully art deco, but obviously one of the least prophetic details. I have this image of Frank Whittle sat in a cinema in 1936 muttering, "No, no, no! Not propellers!" Oh, and yes, we do still call you that! Nick Cooper 07:32, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Wow! That's quite a status that's been conferred on you! The USA DVD release is a little disappointing in that the visual quality isn't quite up to snuff. It's a bit grainy. I've actually seen better copies on broadcast TV. Don't mean to offend you if you were in any way involved in that one! Hopefully the UK version will have a better transfer. I'll definitely have to check out the website. Was anybody thinking "jets" in the film world in the mid-1930's? Obviously some governments were. I wonder about the rest. Keith Ellerbrock 10:12, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

Well, as I said, the film is in the public domain in the US, so basically anyone can put it on DVD if they have a copy, despite the quality. The one put out by Image Entertainment a few years back was pretty good, but the recent "colorized" version is pretty bad. As to jets in the 1930s, if you check out the Frank Whittle page you'll see that he patented his first jet design in 1930, but come 1935 he couldn't afford to renew the patent, and he hadn't been able to interest the RAF in the idea! Nick Cooper 11:15, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

Yes, I should have checked out the Whittle article first. Interestingly, I popped in a recording of an old Frontiers Of Flight episode from around 1996 on "Jet Engines" this evening and there he was! They actually had footage of the old boy being interviewed! I thought that was great. We often see these icons in old photos, but to actually see him alive and talking was pretty cool. This particular episode went into his 1930 patent, the delay in interest, the whole bit. Definitely a man ahead of his time. "Frontiers" was actually a good little series. I think the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum had something to do with the production. It's been a delight "talking" with you, Nick. The best of luck on the Things To Come DVD. If it's not too much trouble, could you keep me apprised of your progress (not regularly, just when its near completion)? And would the UK version play on our Yank DVD players? God bless! Keith Ellerbrock 12:15 a.m., 7 July 2007 (UTC)