May Day Excursion to Sobienie Krolewski 2014

Click on Photographs to enlarge - far better rendition

Pzemek's immaculate Ferrari 328 GTS in Polish rural touring mode  (Michael Wrobel - MW)

A rather spontaneous and welcome suggestion from Przemek to go for a drive in perfect weather through the early spring blossom-lined roads to a remarkable property (Palace, Golf Course,  Country Club, Aircraft Museum) known as Sobienie Królewski. as usual I will let the pictures do most of the talking. 

I will say that in the 1949 MG TC I was in company with  Paul Blackman's 1992 Series 1 Dodge Viper, the beautiful 328 GTS Ferrari owned by Pzemek mine host for the day, for a short time a yellow Porshe 911 Carrera owne by Mirek Staniszewski (I think - I am not brilliant on Porsches), a lovely red Mazda MX 5 driven by Przemek's wife and a hot Renault Megane RS driven by Marta Adamczyk and Michael Wrobel of Motore www.motore.pl  which was the mixed bag of classics of the CCC that day. 

I had dreadful problems keeping up and my arms were sore after driving a pre-war design which is a very physical business with the original Bishops Cam steering box.

As Paul Blackman wrote to me in an entertaining email later that evening:

Indeed it was a very fun morning and the incongruity of a Ferrari, the TC, the Megane, a Mazda and the Beast blasting through the Polish countryside had me smiling well into the evening. It brought to mind the maxim of Alan Clark which was "buy what you like not what you think you should have". We should do it much more often. It was funny to hit high speed chasing Przemek in the Ferrari and then a matter of minutes later to see the TC's headlights bouncing doggedly in the rear view mirror.

The engine of the 1949 MG TC - 1250 cc 4 cylinder which develops 54.4 b.h.p at 5,200 r.p.m.  (MM)

The monstrous engine of the Viper -  8,400 c.c. V 10 which develops 640 b.h.p at 6150 r.p.m.  (MM)

Just before the 'off' at the McDonald's Car Park opposite the Palace of Wilanow.
This beautiful Rzepecki restored 1962 Fiat 1200 Spider owned  by Edward  Mier-Jędrzejowicz  unfortunately did not accompany us but was there for the send off which was a generous gesture and appreciated.  (MW)

           Someone not so impressed with this collection of exotica (MM)

Mr. Toad sets off...Poop-poop!  (MW)

We encountered quite a bit of holiday traffic at Gora Kalwaria so the knowledgeable Przemek who is familiar with all the minor roads around here did a U turn and took us on a fantastic cross country route through the electric green Polish landscape of spring. Quite wonderful. 

The TC brakes got me into awful trouble in modern traffic. No bumpers on the TC remember.  Poles all drive as if attempting to win the Targa Florio. I am happily following a modern car at say 75 kph and then he brakes as Polish drivers tend to do (suddenly or very late in the day) and with me behind I have a hell of job stopping the TC in time. The drums designed possibly 70 years ago are small and by modern standards inefficient even when properly set up. I had many heart-stopping moments ploughing into corners after the Ferrari and Viper! Great fun though - no listening to Mozart in a TC. Once I had to sidestep suddenly or would have crashed into the back of the Megane driven by Marta Adamczyk through no fault of hers. Then there was the pedestrian crossing moment when light went from green to red with no intermediate yellow and I almost collected a delightfully pretty young lady for my empty passenger seat!

Paul Blackman's Menacing Beast, the Series 1 Dodge Viper on another occasion  (PB)

We eventually arrived at the airfield which seemed deserted so we took full photographic advantage.

       The line-up at the Sobienie Krolewski airfield 

From the Lt.  Renault Megane RS, Mazda MX5, Ferrari 328 GTS, Series 1 Dodge Viper, 1949 MG TC - 

What a group to pit against each other and remain friends!   (PB)

Owing to its age (and possibly the identical age of its owner) the MG became the photographic star of this part of our trip.

I thought you might like this picture of LXA 32 beside a Russian Antonov An-2 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-2  

                  

 The Russian Antonov An-2 which first flew 31st August 1947 and the perfectly in period 1949 MG TC  (PB)

                      

and a Polish PZL TS-8 Bies 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PZL_TS-8_Bies

The delightful Marta Adamczyk who most male members of the club have not had the pleasure of meeting yet. She used to ride motorbikes until she saw the light with cars and is now a rally driver. She promises to lift the generally heavy male tone of the Bristol Dinners quite soon. 

1955 PZL TS-8 Bies in the background  (MM)

       The cockpit of the dreaded Viper with Nardi steering wheel  (MM)

        The Antonov An-2 which first flew 31st August 1947 and the perfectly in period 1949 MG TC  (MM)

                                

                             The 1955 PZL TS-8 Bies Polish Air Force Trainer and the MG prepare to race (MW)

And so we then had a very pleasant lunch outside in the warm sun at the Sobienie Golf Club and made our happy way home after an excellent day at the wheel.