The Footscray Airforce. Bristol Type 105 Bulldog. Melbourne 23rd June 1969.

[zenrat]

The Footscray Airforce.  Bristol Type 105 Bulldog.  Melbourne 23rd June 1969.


Bristol Western Bulldog. - 16 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Football War (Australian: Footy War), also known as the VFL War or the 24 Hour War, was a brief military conflict fought between the Melbourne suburbs of Footscray and North Melbourne in 1969.  Existing tensions between the two suburbs coincided with rioting during the round 11 Victorian Football League (VFL) game between the Footscray Bulldogs and the North Melbourne Kangaroos.  The war began on 23rd June 1969 when Footscray launched an attack against North Melbourne.  The  Victorian Police negotiated a cease-fire on the night of 24th June, hence its nickname.
The war, while brief, had major consequences for both suburbs and was a major factor in the declaration of the Footscray Peoples Republic a decade later.

Bristol Western Bulldog. - 11 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Background.
Although the nickname "Football War" implies that the conflict was due to a football match, the causes of the war went much deeper. The roots were issues over coaching in North Melbourne and facilities at the Western Oval in Footscray.

Bristol Western Bulldog. - 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Buildup.
In June 1969, both footy teams met in Round 11 of the 1969 VFL championship.  The first game was held at The Western Oval in Footscray on 21st June 1969.  The North Melbourne team was harassed by Footscray fans on their bus before the match.  Footscray won 20:23 (143) to North's 15:7 (97), causing North Melbourne fans to reportedly set fire to a litter bin at the oval.  The Bulldogs cheer squad fans, seeking vengeance, threw empty beer bottles at the Kangaroo's bus, leading to several broken windows.
The following day Footscray council dissolved all ties with North Melbourne, stating that around 12 Scrayans had been forced to flee North Melbourne.  It further claimed that "the Chamber of Commerce of North Melbourne has not taken any effective measures to punish these crimes which constitute bigotry and class hatred, nor has it given assurances of indemnification or reparations for the damages caused to Footscray.  This means war!".

Bristol Western Bulldog. - 13 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

War.
The war proper began on the morning of 23rd June when an elderly Bristol Type 105 Bulldog took off from Point Cook and Headed North East towards North Melbourne.  Known locally as "The Footscray Airforce" this privately owned aircraft, which bore markings in Footscray's Blue, White and Red colours, was a common sight over the suburb performing aerobatics prior to Bulldogs home games.
Flying at rooftop height and navigating from a Melways road atlas balanced on his lap Norman Josiffe successfully found North Melbourne's Arden Street home ground whereupon he dropped three smoke bombs, one Blue, one White, and one Red, on the centre of the ground.
When news of this attack broke on local radio three car loads of Footscray supporters crossed the Maribyrnong River into North Melbourne and occupied the bar of the Albion Hotel locking themselves in barricading the doors and windows.
Members of the North Melbourne cheer squad surrounded the pub and a standoff ensued.

Bristol Western Bulldog. - 4 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Peace.
Soon after lunch, Melbourne City Council held a special session, organising a seven member committee to oversee negotiations and calling for a cease-fire.  While North Melbourne officials were reportedly willing, Footscray resisted , with one of the biggest sticking points being a demand for more bar snacks.
A cease-fire was finally arranged on the morning of 24th June (by which time North Melbourne supporters had long given up and gone home to bed), which required Bulldogs supporters to withdraw, an end to "inflammatory press, radio, and T.V. campaigns", and provision of coffee, aspirin, and cooked breakfasts all round.  It took effect at midday at which time the three car loads of Footscray Bulldogs supporters were allowed to return back across the Maribyrnong to their home turf.

Bristol Western Bulldog. - 15 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Consequences.
The Albion Hotel was drunk dry (something Kangaroos supporters had never managed to do), the Arden Street oval had three small burn marks on its turf, and The Western Oval was short a litter bin.
No one was killed or badly injured but North Melbourne, both as a suburb and as a footy team, lost face.  Because of this Kangaroos supporter numbers dwindled remaining relatively low to this day.
Indeed, loosing the Footy War is the prime reason that even now you rarely meet someone who admits to being a North Melbourne supporter.

Bristol Western Bulldog. - 7 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Model.
Airfix Bristol Bulldog (an older, bagged release.  Not Vintage Classic).
Rigged with Ezyline.
This was built as a test of using AK Superchrome as polished metal panels on a NMF/silver dope finished aircraft.
The silver doped parts are Tamiya Chrome Silver enamel cleared with AK Glass Coat Gauzy Agent.
The test was successful but the finish would have been improved with less handling or if I had worn horror gloves*.

Bristol Western Bulldog. - 17 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

*Horror Gloves.  Mrs z and my name for white cotton gloves similar to those worn by mimes.  This is based on my intense dislike of mimes.  Clowns i'm fine with.  Mimes though...

[PR19_Kit]

That's a mind boggling build (specially the RIGGING!) Fred, and the backstory is HILARIOUS! I LOVE it!   

[Rheged]

The whole thing is  SUPERB

[Old Wombat]

I'd not be surprised if that was real history, but things had calmed enough by the mid-70s (when I was at school in Victoria - May the Gods forgive me!  ) for a certain Italian businessman (I can't remember who, or what his shops were) to advertise that he had premises in "Northa Melbourne and'a Foota'scray".

[chrisonord]

Bob on that Fred 

[NARSES2]

Wonderful mate, absolutely wonderful   

*Horror Gloves.  Mrs z and my name for white cotton gloves similar to those worn by mimes.  This is based on my intense dislike of mimes.  Clowns i'm fine with.  Mimes though...

You and me both as far as mimes are concerned

[DogfighterZen]

 Excellent work, Fred!   

[buzzbomb]

Fred super awesome. Love to see it at Expo.. what a talking point 

I'd not be surprised if that was real history, but things had calmed enough by the mid-70s (when I was at school in Victoria - May the Gods forgive me!  ) for a certain Italian businessman (I can't remember who, or what his shops were) to advertise that he had premises in "Northa Melbourne and'a Foota'scray".

Franco Cozzo

[Old Wombat]

Fred super awesome. Love to see it at Expo.. what a talking point 

I'd not be surprised if that was real history, but things had calmed enough by the mid-70s (when I was at school in Victoria - May the Gods forgive me!  ) for a certain Italian businessman (I can't remember who, or what his shops were) to advertise that he had premises in "Northa Melbourne and'a Foota'scray".

Franco Cozzo

That's the chap! 

[zenrat]

I based the words on an article from Wikipedia.  So it must be true.

Thanks folks.
I have two more Bulldogs.  One is now missing its undercarriage (old plastic gets brittle).  It may get floats (Salty Seadog?).
They are a simple build with annoying flash and ejector pin marks (even on this, older example) but there are some nice touches.  The way the engine and the cylinder fairings go together for example.

Womby.  Educated in Victoria.  I knew there had to be a reason I like you.