Mark Barnes
@markbarnesn16.bsky.social
Retired Fleet Street foot soldier (1975-2024). Ink in my veins. Arsenal fan. Indifferent runner. Life on the Essex Riviera, photography, cars, military history, model making, armour, aviation, other nonsense.
Dave Taylor's sculpture of a Tommy pictured with some added colour. Southend-on-Sea war memorial.
November 15, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Dave Taylor's sculpture of a Tommy pictured with some added colour. Southend-on-Sea war memorial.
I've looked at this a couple of times and the notions it is creepy and effing nuts don't go away. My 3 Yr old grandson already knows I'm an easy touch for cake and biscuits and I'll get on the carpet to play with his Hot Wheels cars. Memories like these are what I want him to keep.
your dead AI mother loves you so much ❤️
November 15, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I've looked at this a couple of times and the notions it is creepy and effing nuts don't go away. My 3 Yr old grandson already knows I'm an easy touch for cake and biscuits and I'll get on the carpet to play with his Hot Wheels cars. Memories like these are what I want him to keep.
Ford gives you more. A nice bit of colour on the Essex Riviera. Pleased to get a snap of this beauty on the move along the seafront, albeit only one frame. I got a thumbs up from the owner. Happy days.
November 13, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Ford gives you more. A nice bit of colour on the Essex Riviera. Pleased to get a snap of this beauty on the move along the seafront, albeit only one frame. I got a thumbs up from the owner. Happy days.
Ongoing fun and games with the Embar Bedford breakdown lorry. Snap 1 is a dry fit thingy to see how it will look. I've got some decals from the Hannants cave of wonders in the mail. The wheels and hubs needed fettling but its all good. The results, so far, are really pleasing. #histscalemodels
November 13, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Ongoing fun and games with the Embar Bedford breakdown lorry. Snap 1 is a dry fit thingy to see how it will look. I've got some decals from the Hannants cave of wonders in the mail. The wheels and hubs needed fettling but its all good. The results, so far, are really pleasing. #histscalemodels
Reposted by Mark Barnes
The Arado 196 (1937) was a maritime patrol floatplane developed for the Kriegsmarine. Serving both on board larger warships and from coastal bases, the aircraft was well armed, popular with crews and gave good service on all fronts for much of the war. Only around 500 were built.
📷 Revell
🧵1/8
📷 Revell
🧵1/8
November 13, 2025 at 7:52 AM
The Arado 196 (1937) was a maritime patrol floatplane developed for the Kriegsmarine. Serving both on board larger warships and from coastal bases, the aircraft was well armed, popular with crews and gave good service on all fronts for much of the war. Only around 500 were built.
📷 Revell
🧵1/8
📷 Revell
🧵1/8
This is amazing. The scenes of men gathering artillery shells starting at 6.21 is mind blowing.
On the cusp of WWII, in 1938, my grandfather Charles W. Bridgen shot a colour film of his journey to revisit the Northern Front. It documents a Europe on the brink of war, still scattered with the fragments of the last. The full film is on Youtube here: youtube.com/watch?v=esA9...
And in the Sky the Larks: 1930s Colour Footage of the Western Front & Northern France. WWI.
YouTube video by Flash of Splendour
youtube.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:19 PM
This is amazing. The scenes of men gathering artillery shells starting at 6.21 is mind blowing.
Fun times pushing the Emhar 1/24 scale Bedford OSB breakdown lorry to the finish line. The main components all have paint and things are looking ok. Lots of details to complete, but so far, so good. #histscalemodels
November 12, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Fun times pushing the Emhar 1/24 scale Bedford OSB breakdown lorry to the finish line. The main components all have paint and things are looking ok. Lots of details to complete, but so far, so good. #histscalemodels
What an absolute cnut.
President Trump criticises France and others for celebrating remembrance day, saying, "We're the one that won the wars"
Surreal, and so very disrespectful to every person who fought in the wars for the freedoms we all enjoy today
Surreal, and so very disrespectful to every person who fought in the wars for the freedoms we all enjoy today
November 12, 2025 at 11:18 AM
What an absolute cnut.
Reposted by Mark Barnes
Sgt Harry Joseph Battley of Special Branch was killed when his aircraft had to ditch off Lampedusa on 1 February 1945 whilst on his way to the Yalta Conference with members of Churchill's staff. #SWW #WWII #remembrance #remembranceday #poppy
November 11, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Sgt Harry Joseph Battley of Special Branch was killed when his aircraft had to ditch off Lampedusa on 1 February 1945 whilst on his way to the Yalta Conference with members of Churchill's staff. #SWW #WWII #remembrance #remembranceday #poppy
Reposted by Mark Barnes
Always amazed at the amount of research that can be done entirely online these days. A thread: 🧵
I was looking at a piece of digitised archive film (IWM AYY / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...) which includes these shots showing a ship transporting British soldiers to France in 1939:
I was looking at a piece of digitised archive film (IWM AYY / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...) which includes these shots showing a ship transporting British soldiers to France in 1939:
November 11, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Always amazed at the amount of research that can be done entirely online these days. A thread: 🧵
I was looking at a piece of digitised archive film (IWM AYY / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...) which includes these shots showing a ship transporting British soldiers to France in 1939:
I was looking at a piece of digitised archive film (IWM AYY / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...) which includes these shots showing a ship transporting British soldiers to France in 1939:
A friendly reminder to follow this stunning thread of pix by Sammy...
Gendarmes interrogate a downed Luftwaffe airman in the 2nd Army sector, November 1939. The German aviator does not look particularly eager to be photographed.
#WWII #WW2 #history #France #Germany #Aviation #PhoneyWar #Gendermerie
#WWII #WW2 #history #France #Germany #Aviation #PhoneyWar #Gendermerie
November 10, 2025 at 9:20 PM
A friendly reminder to follow this stunning thread of pix by Sammy...
Reposted by Mark Barnes
meanwhile in Canada
This is the Canadian Premier League soccer finals and we have a bicycle kick goal in the middle of a blizzard … and that’s the most Canadian thing I’ve ever seen 😂
November 10, 2025 at 6:14 PM
meanwhile in Canada
Reposted by Mark Barnes
The Vickers Warwick, which first flew in Aug 1939, was intended to be a twin-engined ‘heavy’ bomber. However, following performance issues and protracted development the type wasn’t required by Bomber Command. Instead, Warwicks served with Transport and Coastal Commands.
📷 Destination’s Journey
🧵1/9
📷 Destination’s Journey
🧵1/9
November 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
The Vickers Warwick, which first flew in Aug 1939, was intended to be a twin-engined ‘heavy’ bomber. However, following performance issues and protracted development the type wasn’t required by Bomber Command. Instead, Warwicks served with Transport and Coastal Commands.
📷 Destination’s Journey
🧵1/9
📷 Destination’s Journey
🧵1/9
Reposted by Mark Barnes
contactlight.de
#Remembering astronaut Ron Evans on his birthday (10. November 1933). He was the CMP on Apollo 17 and supported Apollo-Soyuz as well as Shuttle program development until his retirement in 1977.
forallmankind.de
#Remembering astronaut Ron Evans on his birthday (10. November 1933). He was the CMP on Apollo 17 and supported Apollo-Soyuz as well as Shuttle program development until his retirement in 1977.
forallmankind.de
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 PM
contactlight.de
#Remembering astronaut Ron Evans on his birthday (10. November 1933). He was the CMP on Apollo 17 and supported Apollo-Soyuz as well as Shuttle program development until his retirement in 1977.
forallmankind.de
#Remembering astronaut Ron Evans on his birthday (10. November 1933). He was the CMP on Apollo 17 and supported Apollo-Soyuz as well as Shuttle program development until his retirement in 1977.
forallmankind.de
Having a tidy up. Found this 1979 U2 EP "Three" in its original plain review issue cover I kept from my Melody Maker days. I was way down the queue for the singles box but I found a few gems in my time. Stuff I liked was kept. Mates would divvy out others. Stuff we hated went on our rifle range.
November 10, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Having a tidy up. Found this 1979 U2 EP "Three" in its original plain review issue cover I kept from my Melody Maker days. I was way down the queue for the singles box but I found a few gems in my time. Stuff I liked was kept. Mates would divvy out others. Stuff we hated went on our rifle range.
Ford Mustang Mach 1. The Essex Riviera.
November 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Ford Mustang Mach 1. The Essex Riviera.
Remembrance Sunday on the Essex Riviera.
November 9, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Remembrance Sunday on the Essex Riviera.
Sunset on the Essex Riviera.
November 8, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Sunset on the Essex Riviera.
Reposted by Mark Barnes
8th November 1942: Victoria Cross action of Frederick Peters, on board the sloop HMS Walney. In Operation RESERVIST, Walney and her sister ship HMS Hartland were to secure the Vichy French port of Oran as part of Operation TORCH, the Allied invasion of North Africa.
📷 IWM A 5322
🧵1/11
📷 IWM A 5322
🧵1/11
November 8, 2025 at 7:45 AM
8th November 1942: Victoria Cross action of Frederick Peters, on board the sloop HMS Walney. In Operation RESERVIST, Walney and her sister ship HMS Hartland were to secure the Vichy French port of Oran as part of Operation TORCH, the Allied invasion of North Africa.
📷 IWM A 5322
🧵1/11
📷 IWM A 5322
🧵1/11
Morning all. Can anyone advise on best UK source of letter/number decals to make up a set for either side of a 1/24 scale lorry??? #histscalemodels
November 8, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Morning all. Can anyone advise on best UK source of letter/number decals to make up a set for either side of a 1/24 scale lorry??? #histscalemodels
RIP
Rest in Peace, NASA Astronaut Frederick Hamilton "Rick" Hauck (April 11th, 1941 - November 6th, 2025).
November 7, 2025 at 5:32 PM
RIP
Reposted by Mark Barnes
6th Nov 1935. First flight of the prototype Hawker Hurricane at Brooklands. The fighter became a key part of the RAF and Dominion/Empire air forces, serving on all fronts, in some cases until the end of the war. 14,500 aircraft were built.
📷 Airfix / Roy Cross
🧵1/10
📷 Airfix / Roy Cross
🧵1/10
November 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
6th Nov 1935. First flight of the prototype Hawker Hurricane at Brooklands. The fighter became a key part of the RAF and Dominion/Empire air forces, serving on all fronts, in some cases until the end of the war. 14,500 aircraft were built.
📷 Airfix / Roy Cross
🧵1/10
📷 Airfix / Roy Cross
🧵1/10
Castle Combe 2016. Looks a bit like an @navalairhistory.com artwork.
November 5, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Castle Combe 2016. Looks a bit like an @navalairhistory.com artwork.
Ghosts, the Ring of Remembrance, Notre Dame de Lorette, Armistice Day 2017.
November 5, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Ghosts, the Ring of Remembrance, Notre Dame de Lorette, Armistice Day 2017.
Hoar frost, 37th Division memorial at Monchy-le-Preux, December 2016.
November 5, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Hoar frost, 37th Division memorial at Monchy-le-Preux, December 2016.