Thanks mate . That sounds promising. Weather meant to be crap Wednesday. Then improving but still with possible showers the rest of the week.You made a smart move going today.
Thanks mate . That sounds promising. Weather meant to be crap Wednesday. Then improving but still with possible showers the rest of the week.You made a smart move going today.
Was going to go tomorrow, but saw that weather forecast and decided to push it back to Thursday.
Anyone take any photos today?
B.B.
...apart from a different car park, entrance gate location and entrance gate itself it's as if the Folkestone years never happened......
And how !by Composite
Granatwerfer and me were really hoping that the glory days would be back and were there for 'early doors' - and yes, the new entrance was rather chaotic and disappointing.
But from that point on we had a brilliant day. Being collectors of munitions and 'rust', it was great to see most of our old Continental friends - and some new ones - back in force. Also ( being cheapskates ) some huge price differentials and it seemed that many stalls were open to genuine offers. We had some fun hunting down some good bargains ; I was well pleased with my stuff and was amazed to find at the end of the day I'd only spent half the money I'd taken along.
So - what did I get ? A PaK40 3-round wooden case minus lid but with good label for £15 ( at that price, it'd have been rude not to... ) , two C12 primers for £7.50 each, an 8.8cm Flak 36 steel transit case ( rusty but complete with, intact wooden fitments and spacer ) for £25 ( the asking price was £30 and the seller knocked a fiver off without being asked!), an 8.8cm Flak shellcase to fit inside for £20, a relic PaK40 shellcase for £25 and the correct AP projectile with base fuze for £45. Plus two books which I'd long been seeking for under a tenner each......
Only problem was, we spent so much time around the stalls we couldn't get to all the vehicles. But in contrast to the last Folkestone, a lot less plastic tat, garden furniture, etc.....back to real militaria.
Here's a few pics to give a flavour of the day.Be warned, some of the juicier items which I photographed in the morning ( eg the two German tank demolition charge cans and the very relic Panzerschreck ) were gone before lunch......
Welcome back, Beltring !
Last edited by Martin Bull; 07-27-2017 at 08:48 AM.
.....actually....I was about to post this when yours came through....clearly we had different experiences:-
- queuing was orderly and marked...no huge mob at the gates like there used to be at the Hop Farm
- advance ticket holders were separated before the gates opened AND their tickets were scanned BEFORE THE GATES OPENED....
- advanced ticket holders were fitted with wrist bands before the gates opened
- and (fanfare + drums) the nice man with the spanner to take the fence down was there early
- and the fences came down early
- AND THE GATES OPENED EARLY!!!! (only 3 mins but hey!)...for once...just once...a Brit Fair gets it right!!!!! :-)
...but we were about 4th in the queue so things might've gone wrong later.....
Great pics Mr Bull - I think there was less heavy metal (proper tanks and BIG kit) but they were unloading stuff as I was leaving so perhaps it'll be better later in the week. And yes, 'good to be back at the ol' place with its ankle-turning charm :-) although Lord knows what those quagmire patches will be like after todays rain
Yes - we were a little later and things went quite pear-shaped as people were directed into wrong queues and everything quickly got stressed-out....but no big problem & I'm sure - as the Politicians would say - 'lessons have been learned'. Didn't detract from a great Fair.....
What was the selection of deactivated firearms like? Have heard speculation that no dealers will be selling or displaying machine guns this year due to the new EU spec pretty much butchering them. Slightly worried deacts will be thin on the ground this year as a result.
B.B.
Almost totally zero.
WWA were there with a selection of PPsH41s etc, Chelmsford Militaria also had a few rifles and pistols. But it's incredible to think that when I first used to go to W&P there were piles of Enfields, MP40s, Thompsons, MG34s, Lugers etc.
Those days are long gone and I overheard many worried conversations about the new regulations. General consensus seemed to be things have changed forever.
To whet your appetite, how about these...??
Touch them, and they're film props made of rubber. Price ? £275 !( I thought that was for the whole lot
. Incredible..... )
This was more like it, and at £550 probably won't hang around too long....
..and that's the only MP40 I saw there...................
Last edited by Martin Bull; 07-27-2017 at 08:51 AM.
Thank you for the report. It's sad to see things the way they are now, and all for a regulation that will have zero impact on UK crime statistics. My first show was last year, and even then there were heaps of deacts available. Hopefully things change one day, but knowing this country's history of firearms legislation I doubt it.
I'm after German pistols this year. A Luger, P38 or PPK, maybe all three if I can stretch my savings far enough! Hoping there were at least plenty of those?
B.B.
I see you got a photo of Ben - and wingyAnd how !
Granatwerfer and me were really hoping that the glory days would be back and were there for 'early doors' - and yes, the new entrance was rather chaotic and disappointing.
But from that point on we had a brilliant day. Being collectors of munitions and 'rust', it was great to see most of our old Continental friends - and some new ones - back in force. Also ( being cheapskates ) some huge price differentials and it seemed that many stalls were open to genuine offers. We had some fun hunting down some good bargains ; I was well pleased with my stuff and was amazed to find at the end of the day I'd only spent half the money I'd taken along.
So - what did I get ? A PaK40 3-round wooden case minus lid but with good label for £15 ( at that price, it'd have been rude not to... ) , two C12 primers for £7.50 each, an 8.8cm Flak 36 steel transit case ( rusty but complete with, intact wooden fitments and spacer ) for £25 ( the asking price was £30 and the seller knocked a fiver off without being asked!
Only problem was, we spent so much time around the stalls we couldn't get to all the vehicles. But in contrast to the last Folkestone, a lot less plastic tat, garden furniture, etc.....back to real militaria.
Here's a few pics to give a flavour of the day.Be warned, some of the juicier items which I photographed in the morning ( eg the two German tank demolition charge cans and the very relic Panzerfaust ) were gone before lunch......
Welcome back, Beltring !
Similar Threads
Posting Permissions
.
Bookmarks