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In August I'm going to Thailand and then Europe. My flight from Split to Frankfurt am Main is JU352. It's probably not this one

Neilster wrote: Fri Jul 11, 2025 7:31 am In August I'm going to Thailand and then Europe. My flight from Split to Frankfurt am Main is JU352. It's probably not this one

warspite1

Where are you visiting (apart from Germany and Croatia) in Europe?

warspite1 wrote: Fri Jul 11, 2025 1:39 pm

Neilster wrote: Fri Jul 11, 2025 7:31 am In August I'm going to Thailand and then Europe. My flight from Split to Frankfurt am Main is JU352. It's probably not this one

warspite1

Where are you visiting (apart from Germany and Croatia) in Europe?

I fly into Frankfurt and will do a bit of a road trip with a German friend. We're going to the Sinsheim Technical Museum which is apparently amazing, the Mercedes and Porsche ones, the Alps and Munich. From there I'm going by train to Berlin and then on to England for more museums, then Oslo, Riga, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest. It's fair to say there will be a big military history component but I'm also going to watch a home game of my favourite soccer team, SV Tasmania Berlin.

Their story is quite funny. The original team was formed in 1900 by some Berliners who planned to emigrate to Tasmania (where I grew up and currently live). It's not clear if they did but the team continued until, in somewhat bizarre circumstances involving the Cold War, they were promoted to the Bundesliga in the mid 60s. They were basically an amateur club in top-flight German football and it went about as well as you can imagine. Although they won their first game at the Olympic Stadium in front of 81,500, they are the worst team in Bundesliga history, holding several "worst" records. This was also financially disastrous and the club folded in 1973.

The current club emerged from the ashes and plays in 5th Division (I think). They have a small but loyal group of supporters who celebrate their tragic Bundesliga history. At their games they have Tasmanian flags and Tasmanian Devil banners and they love the (tenuous) Tasmanian connection. I found out about them about a year ago and as Tasmania is often the underdog in sport against the other Australian states, and it being an interesting story, I decided to support them. I've bought merch to wear to the game and they know about me. I'm about to email them to tell them I'm coming.

This is the story of that disastrous season and their supporters now...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODhOACpSNpo

Update: I emailed SV Tasmania Berlin and they're very pleased that I'm coming and asked me to make myself known when I get there. I suppose they don't get too many actual Taswegians at their games. Hopefully I score a few free beers.

Whilst they are now a small club, being Germany, everything seems very well organised. They have just installed new lighting at their ground, have excellent facilities in general and have quite a fancy looking tour bus. Anything else would probably cause Germans an aneurism

U.S.S. Marblehead. Omaha class light cruiser. Had quite the odyssey in WW2.

Spitfire and Hurricane

Updated update. I've returned from my Thai and European holiday. The Sinsheim Technical Museum is amazing.

https://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/en/

The Mercedes Benz museum looks like a Bond Villain's lair and probably cost as much to build. If you're even remotely interested in cars and their history, it's brilliant.

https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/art-an ... re/museum/

The RAF Museum was very good and has all my favourite British aircraft.

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/

I went to see Tasmania Berlin play in beautiful, sunny weather and was warmly welcomed. Word got around that I was an actual Taswegian and I had quite a few free beers. They played top-of-the-table Lichtenberg and won 2-1 with a brilliant last second winner in extra time. They told me I had to come back as I was a lucky charm. A thoroughly enjoyable day all round

Thank you, Neilster, for sharing. Sounds like you had a splendid time.

Thank you for posting those links.

Just announced:

Lobster Class:

Arnt Battleships supposed to be named after states? Even though this might be a Trump class, the naming should be USS Washington or USS New Mexico, right?

Also, did not WW2 teach us that the Aircraft Carrier and not the Battleship was the way to project force?