Going… going… gone!
From the climactic set-piece at the 1927 RAF Display at Hendon, the destruction of an ‘Eastern village’ by Fairey Foxes — in GIF form:
1920s, Aerial theatre, Conferences and talks, Tools and methods, Videos
Conferences and talks
1900s, Aerial theatre, Before 1900, Conferences and talks, Maps, Periodicals, Pictures
Faster, higher, stronger
It is sometimes1 claimed that ballooning was an event at the 1900 Paris Olympics. I don’t think it can have been. But it’s genuinely a bit murky, because this was only the second modern Olympics and the planning process evidently was not as formalised as it later became. The Olympics were held that year as
Academia, Australia, Conferences and talks, Music, Other, Videos
And back again
In two weeks from today I’ll be leaving Armidale for good, and heading back to Melbourne, my hometown. It’s mostly for excellent personal reasons, but in part it’s also because of the usual early-career academic story of precarious employment. My colleagues at the University of New England have supported me as much they could, but
1910s, Books, Conferences and talks, Periodicals, Phantom airships, mystery aeroplanes, and other panics, Publications, Videos
Seminar: ‘First World War Studies @ UNE’
On Remembrance Day, 11 November 2016, I was privileged to be part of a joint seminar with Dr Richard Scully and Dr Nathan Wise, highlighting the teaching and research we do around the topic of the First World War (Richard is the author of British Images of Germany: Admiration, Antagonism & Ambivalence, 1860-1914, Nathan of
1910s, Academia, Conferences and talks, Phantom airships, mystery aeroplanes, and other panics, Videos
Seminar: ‘Constructing the enemy within’
On Friday, 1 April 2016, I gave my second Humanities Research Seminar (again introduced by Nathan Wise) at the University of New England, under the title of ‘Constructing the enemy within: rumours of secret German forts and aerodromes in Britain, August-October 1914’. It was based on a (hopefully) forthcoming article, which in turn is based
1920s, 1930s, Aerial theatre, Conferences and talks
Strength in numbers
In July I’ll be at this year’s Australian Historical Association conference, which is being hosted in Ballarat by Federation University Australia. I’m pushing my aerial theatre project along with a talk entitled ‘The RAF versus the Wottnotts: Hendon’s imaginary wars, 1920-1937’: The Royal Air Force (RAF) Pageants held between 1920 and 1937 at Hendon in
1910s, Air defence, Archives, Blogging, tweeting and podcasting, Books, Conferences and talks, Phantom airships, mystery aeroplanes, and other panics
Le Queux’s war
The novelist William Le Queux is famous, or rather infamous, for beating the drum of the German invasion and spy threat before the Great War. But what did he do during the war? Unsurprisingly, he did much the same thing. On 28 February 1915, for example, The People published an article by Le Queux entitled
1940s, Air defence, Conferences and talks, Pictures, Radio, Sounds, Turning points in history
Turning points: the Battle of Britain
For my third Turning Points talk for ABC New England radio, I chose a topic I ought to know something about: the Battle of Britain! In some ways it’s an obvious choice, and not only for the obvious reason; there are few years in history as dramatic as 1940, and Hitler’s conquest of Britain has
1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, Aerial theatre, Australia, Conferences and talks
Aviation cultures and aerial theatre
In December I’ll be giving a talk at the Aviation Cultures Mk. II: Technology, Culture, Heritage conference at the University of Sydney, entitled ‘Comparing Hendon: aerial theatre in context’. Here’s the abstract: The RAF Pageants held between 1920 and 1937 at Hendon in north London were an annual series of air shows, in which military
1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Collective security, Conferences and talks, Disarmament, International air force, Pictures, Radio, Sounds, Turning points in history
Turning points: the League of Nations
I did my second Turning Point for ABC New England radio today, and chose to talk about the founding the League of Nations in 1920. The League is usually considered to be a failure, because it didn’t prevent the Second World War or even play any significant role after the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. But