John Payne

James Hardie

Describing Asia, Africa, Europe and America, with Their Subdivisions of Republics, States, Empires, and Kingdoms, the Extent, Boundaries, and Remarkable Appearances of Each Country, Cities, Towns, and Curiosities of Nature and Art : Also Giving a General Account of the Fossil and Vegetable Productions of the Earth : the History of Man, in All Climates, Regions, and Conditions : Customs, Manners, Laws, Governments, and Religions : the State of Arts, Sciences, Commerce, Manufactures, and Knowledge : Sketches of the Ancient and Modern History of Each Nation and People, to the Present Time : to which is Added, a View of Astronomy, as Connected with Geography, of the Planetary System to which the Earth Belongs, and of the Universe in General : with a Copious Index Annexed to Each Volume : Being a Large and Comprehensive Abridgement of Universal Geography : in Four Volumes

A New and Complete System of Universal Geography

Or, Masonic Guide. For the Direction of Members of that Ancient and Honourable Fraternity, as Well as for the Information of Those, who May be Desirous of Becoming Acquainted with Its Principles

The New Free-mason's Monitor

Have you ever wanted to take off, climb, and cruise on a sixty-two-year-old, rebuilt Messerschmitt 208 (Nord 1101)? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the only Scotsman to crash a Messerschmitt on the famous Battle of Britain airfield in North Weald? Read about my home-made, cardboard simulator and my experience learning to fly an old aeroplane on the sofa. And also read about making films such as First Aerial Voyage in Scotland, Vincenzo Lunardi – 1786 by strapping a camera to the floor of the cockpit. Find out about the shed in Skelmorlie, which is like the shed in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where the naked pilots Wilbur and Orville Wright worked. There, the wind was steady and strong. It was a bit like deciding to go out on the machair in Islay and putting up a frail, wooden shed that had been transported to the island by a Clyde puffer. Come on a journey with Amy Johnson, Saint-Exupéry, and Bill Burns. And then come back to earth. You have to ride a Velocette LE motorcycle with the same power in its engine as the Pope Toledo in the Wright brothers’ first powered aeroplane! “On the ferry back to Sandpoint the LE Velo won’t start on the handstart but once the ferry is empty – I can run and jump and push the bike into life and burble through the gloaming in the best Brigadoon style. I push the Velocette straight into the shed among the aeroplane parts – is there any Bowmore left?”

James Hardie

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