80th Birthday Present??
Discussion
Trying to think of a present for my Dad's 80th. Tried to hire him a classic car (MG TD) for a weekend but the company's insurers won't touch him due to his age.
I know Pistonheads is a fountain of all knowledge so has anyone done either of these?
http://www.warbirdexperiences.co.uk/warbird_flight...
http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/popup.cfm?p_n=48322...
Or can anyone suggest anything else?
Classic car/motorbike/Spitfire/Lancaster or anything WW2 related?
I know Pistonheads is a fountain of all knowledge so has anyone done either of these?
http://www.warbirdexperiences.co.uk/warbird_flight...
http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/popup.cfm?p_n=48322...
Or can anyone suggest anything else?
Classic car/motorbike/Spitfire/Lancaster or anything WW2 related?
For my uncles 80th I gave him his best friend.
They had been friends for much of their childhood, but lost touch when they were called up for National Service.
While doing their NS, both sets of parents moved and they lost touch.
The friend took some finding after 60 years apart.
So, we hired a hotel for his party.
Someone got up to give a welcome speech, what a great guy the birthday boy is.
This old boy gets up and grabs the mike. He says my uncle is nothing like that and proceeds to tell naughty stories that put my uncle in a different light.
My uncle is sat there wondering who the hell this old boy is (his eyesight isn't so good).
Slowly it dawns on my uncle that there's only one person in the world that knew all the naughty secrets of his youth.
The old boy never finished the stories. The two of them were stood there with tears streaming, hugging and back slapping.
When you are 80, material things don't matter so much. My uncle had been successful in business, so had all he wanted anyway.
Friendship, the chance to recapture lost youth, forgotten memories restored.
These are the things that matter at 80.
Figure how to give those.
They had been friends for much of their childhood, but lost touch when they were called up for National Service.
While doing their NS, both sets of parents moved and they lost touch.
The friend took some finding after 60 years apart.
So, we hired a hotel for his party.
Someone got up to give a welcome speech, what a great guy the birthday boy is.
This old boy gets up and grabs the mike. He says my uncle is nothing like that and proceeds to tell naughty stories that put my uncle in a different light.
My uncle is sat there wondering who the hell this old boy is (his eyesight isn't so good).
Slowly it dawns on my uncle that there's only one person in the world that knew all the naughty secrets of his youth.
The old boy never finished the stories. The two of them were stood there with tears streaming, hugging and back slapping.
When you are 80, material things don't matter so much. My uncle had been successful in business, so had all he wanted anyway.
Friendship, the chance to recapture lost youth, forgotten memories restored.
These are the things that matter at 80.
Figure how to give those.
Lancaster related - one of the airfields in Lincolnshire (I think) does VIP Lancaster tours, including taxi-ing up and down the runway in various seats. Not too expensive either, compared to hiring sportscars anyway.
Google should be able to help you find it.
EDIT - worst case of not reading the OP ever!
Google should be able to help you find it.
EDIT - worst case of not reading the OP ever!
Edited by Maxf on Monday 9th March 22:11
Freddie328 said:
Trying to think of a present for my Dad's 80th. Tried to hire him a classic car (MG TD) for a weekend but the company's insurers won't touch him due to his age.
I know Pistonheads is a fountain of all knowledge so has anyone done either of these?
http://www.warbirdexperiences.co.uk/warbird_flight...
http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/popup.cfm?p_n=48322...
Or can anyone suggest anything else?
Classic car/motorbike/Spitfire/Lancaster or anything WW2 related?
Don't expect any high speed taxiing with the Lanc in Lincs. You clamber on , it pootles out on to the grass, turns round and pootles back again. They then take each of the engines up to full chat whilst it is stationary.I know Pistonheads is a fountain of all knowledge so has anyone done either of these?
http://www.warbirdexperiences.co.uk/warbird_flight...
http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/popup.cfm?p_n=48322...
Or can anyone suggest anything else?
Classic car/motorbike/Spitfire/Lancaster or anything WW2 related?
Now that doesn't sound a lot for £200 but it depends on whether you think he would be totally up for it (just don't tell him how much it costs perhaps?). However from the outside it is pretty darn awesome to be honest.
Especially as there is just a bit of blue rope between you and the Lanc, none of this Health and Safety b
ks there my lad! 
Waaay cool when it taxis out and you get blown back from the force of those 4 Merlins. 
There is a nice little museum and you can clamber in and about the cockpit of a Canberra (IIRC) Totally claustrophobic and awesome and humbling all at once.
Our family went there as a day out for Mum on her 60th. Couldn't get on the taxi trips as we did not find out about it in time but she loved the day and my nephews thought it was pretty cool (3 boys 7-9). The NAAFI style canteen is pretty good too, very WI, good cakes!
Do it as a day out for the family and perhaps a couple of his mates and I am sure he will love it.
Trace
For his 80th, we took father-in-law, his daughters, sons in law, grandchildren and great grandchildren in a minibus to the house he was born in, three other houses he lived in up to the age of 21, his schools, his old ATC HQ, his grandfather's workplace and the first places he worked in.
It took about a month to research the locations, take photos to put in a book with explanations and dates.
Finished up at the football club he supported for 50 years, just as the team coach returned from an away game, explained to the security guard what we were doing, he let us in and we got autographs of some of the team in his book.
Six years later and now in failing health, he still reads the book and relives his old memories.
It took about a month to research the locations, take photos to put in a book with explanations and dates.
Finished up at the football club he supported for 50 years, just as the team coach returned from an away game, explained to the security guard what we were doing, he let us in and we got autographs of some of the team in his book.
Six years later and now in failing health, he still reads the book and relives his old memories.
ChristianZS said:
Sounds really different but what about a relaxing Spa weekend?
My idea of heaven but not Dad's unfortunately!Uncle Fester said:
For my uncles 80th I gave him his best friend.
They had been friends for much of their childhood, but lost touch when they were called up for National Service.
While doing their NS, both sets of parents moved and they lost touch.
The friend took some finding after 60 years apart.
So, we hired a hotel for his party.
Someone got up to give a welcome speech, what a great guy the birthday boy is.
This old boy gets up and grabs the mike. He says my uncle is nothing like that and proceeds to tell naughty stories that put my uncle in a different light.
My uncle is sat there wondering who the hell this old boy is (his eyesight isn't so good).
Slowly it dawns on my uncle that there's only one person in the world that knew all the naughty secrets of his youth.
The old boy never finished the stories. The two of them were stood there with tears streaming, hugging and back slapping.
When you are 80, material things don't matter so much. My uncle had been successful in business, so had all he wanted anyway.
Friendship, the chance to recapture lost youth, forgotten memories restored.
These are the things that matter at 80.
Figure how to give those.
That is so lovely! We have arranged a surprise party for him, nothing on that scale but have managed to invite a few people that he hasn't seen for a good few years.They had been friends for much of their childhood, but lost touch when they were called up for National Service.
While doing their NS, both sets of parents moved and they lost touch.
The friend took some finding after 60 years apart.
So, we hired a hotel for his party.
Someone got up to give a welcome speech, what a great guy the birthday boy is.
This old boy gets up and grabs the mike. He says my uncle is nothing like that and proceeds to tell naughty stories that put my uncle in a different light.
My uncle is sat there wondering who the hell this old boy is (his eyesight isn't so good).
Slowly it dawns on my uncle that there's only one person in the world that knew all the naughty secrets of his youth.
The old boy never finished the stories. The two of them were stood there with tears streaming, hugging and back slapping.
When you are 80, material things don't matter so much. My uncle had been successful in business, so had all he wanted anyway.
Friendship, the chance to recapture lost youth, forgotten memories restored.
These are the things that matter at 80.
Figure how to give those.
Lucky for my Dad, he is still great friends with a chap he did National Service with, in fact it is him who is taking him out for the day whilst we get the house ready for his party!
Thank you everyone - some lovely ideas - keep em coming!
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