Meeting a legend in his own rights, Helmuth Sinn

[Geronimo]

Meeting a legend in his own rights, Helmuth Sinn

Last week we (Flying Time Forum) and one or two from WUS had an informal meeting and dinner in Frankfurt am Main, Germany with a living legend, Helmuth Sinn.
Helmuth being the founder of Sinn Uhren and later the firm Guinand
http://www.guinand-watch.com/
http://www.sinn.de/de/
http://helmut-sinn.com/

What a man, what a story, over Dinner he told us of his life and the time as a pilot during the war, flying out the wounded from Russia, being shot down on his last flight and crash landing in a forest. He suffered spinal injuries from the crash, which ended his aviation career, but not his passion for flying and anything to do with aviation, including watches and clocks.

Taking into consideration the man is 96, in words ninety six! his mind and memories are crystal clear.

The meeting started somewhat slow and there was no plan or conception to the meeting, but once at the table, after dinner, it was questions and answer time, in fact it only needed one word and Helmut’s two, or was it three hour monolog started. Everyone was just mesmerised,taking in all he had to say.
What I remember most was him saying; I´m going into early retirement at 103, you just have to want to live!

[Geronimo]

I took a few cases of British watches including the dirty dozen, as I wanted to see his reaction to enemy watches (Feind-Uhren) ...well he was fascinated, probably never having seen all these British military watches on one table, and certainly looking for WW2 navigational watches (which he soon found).

[Geronimo]

There are more photos and a lot more written on the Flying Time Forum, if you´d like a look in, you may have to register first, don´t be afraid to write in English either, nearly everyone can understand and can converse in English.
For those of you who can understand German;

http://www.flying-time.de/wbb2/thread.php?threadid=5776
http://www.flying-time.de/wbb2/thread.php?threadid=5777

Here are the rough google translations;

http://translate.google.com/translat...hreadid%3D5776

http://translate.google.com/translat...hreadid%3D5777


All in all it was a wonderful day and I´m glad I drove the 350 KM to meet the man. I hope we´ll meet again.

Best Regards

Jimmy

[lencoth]

Thanks for this very interesting thread. Must have been great to meet Helmut Sinn .

[AIDM]

Looks and sounds like a great evening was had... I truely hope I make it to 96, let alone look that good when I get there!

I'm a big Sinn fan, especially of the older models when he was actively involved. I bet he has some stories...

Amazing collection of watches on display as well

Thanks for postin up.

Cheers,

Rob

[drmarkf]

Thanks so much for the detailed post!
I'd be very interested to hear if he passed any comments on the opposition???
It's great to see he's firing on all cylinders.

[Chinnock]

A true legend indeed. It was this man and his Sinn 156 that started all this madness for me in the first place.

[Normunds]

is it his collection of watches?

[Geronimo]

is it his collection of watches?

drmarkf

Thanks so much for the detailed post!
I'd be very interested to hear if he passed any comments on the opposition???
It's great to see he's firing on all cylinders.

No, its part of my collection...

...if he passed any comments on the opposition???

No, none at all.

[Marios]

You're a lucky man Jimmy. Thanks for sharing!

[Geronimo]

Not half as lucky as you, Marios, spending time in Nicosia...It reminds me of the three years I lived there myself, in Larnaca and Famagusta, a long, long time ago!

[Daddelvirks]

Mighty interesting, thanks for posting!

Daddel.

[Geronimo]

As one of the Mods (John F. Opie) from Watchuseek was also at the meeting, I was wondering if he posted any of his pictures on WUS, as he also took dozenens of photo´s ?
Is anyone a member there?

Regards

Jimmy

[cad monkey]

Dare one ask what was gracing the great man's wrist?

[Geronimo]

Helmuth was wearing a vintage Hanhart Cal 41 (two button) from the war years...a tribute to the German pilots, as he always does ;)

[markosgr28]

A living legend! Thanks for sharing this great story and pics!

[964RS]

The guy is a living legend....and you didn't even mention he was a very competent rally driver winning some important events!

I'm proud to own one of his own personal watches too - An early 103 ST with prototype case

[chriskibbledj]

Very interesting thread, thanks :D

[Geronimo]

The guy is a living legend....and you didn't even mention he was a very competent rally driver winning some important events!

I'm proud to own one of his own personal watches too - An early 103 ST with prototype case

Jason, sorry I didn´t mention that, but I didn´t want to report on the meeting minutely, otherwise I could have written another 3 pages, full of interesting anecdotes from him.
I´d rather like to think that the pictures say all that needs to be said, but I am glad that the post is recieving so much response and appraise...

Best Regards

Jimmy

[JohnF]

As one of the Mods (John F. Opie) from Watchuseek was also at the meeting, I was wondering if he posted any of his pictures on WUS, as he also took dozenens of photo´s ?
Is anyone a member there?

Regards

Jimmy

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f24/eve...ml#post5617482

:-)

[lencoth]

Helmuth was wearing a vintage Hanhart Cal 41 (two button) from the war years...

Psss... His first name is Helmut (no H)