November 29 - 2003
Meeting with opertunity to fire a Colt 45 1911A1
and guided tour of Egmonts new offices.
With Peter Friman, Björn Ihrstedt, Mats Jönsson and Bo Majgren
Fifteenth Event
Stockholm 29 november 2003
With Honorary Member Björn Ihrstedt
Special guests Peter Friman, Mats Jönsson & Bo Majgren
Stockholm 29 november 2003
With Honorary Member Björn Ihrstedt
Special guests Peter Friman, Mats Jönsson & Bo Majgren
Attending Members: Brian Jensen, Torbjörn Onegård, Jan-Ola Sjöberg, Bosse Engberg, Björn Harnby, Andreas Eriksson, Ulf Bennetter, Magnus Eriksson, John Pettersson, Christer Borg, Don Dahlgren, Martin Dahlström, Patrik Axelsson, Henrik Bengtsson, Mikael Lyck, Ulrik Lundin, Karin Gustafsson, Per-Åke Sjögren, Lars Fagerstedt, Krister Isberg, Michael Lindqvist & Hans-Erik Hansson
A good part of the meeting attendees met up at Central station in Stockholm giving the casual Saturday travellers good view of the nice-looking SC-cap. More people where waiting in Solna, where we also were greeted by Janne and Kenta, from a shooting club, who were going to teach us amateurs how to use the Colts. Furthermore, extinguished guests Björn Ihrstedt and Bo Majgren where waiting for us to turn up. Later on, also, Mats Jönsson showed up.
A short walk lead us to Ballongberget, where went through a small door into the mountain, had a sit down in a “cosy” window-less room, where Kenta and Janne went through some important aspects of shooting at this shooting range. They showed us the two 1911 Colt 45 we were going to use, passed them around for us to have a feel. They told us that one pistol was quite new; it was manufactured some time during the seventies, whereas the other was made all the way back in 1914.
We were divided into three groups, eight shooters in each, and off we went into the true mountain room, where the actual shooting range were located. Now, this was a virtual cave. I failed to see a skull throne, but then, I was very focused on the event. We got to shoot two rounds of five shots each, ten in total. Boy, were we lucky to wear ear protectors!
It was an awesome experience to be inside that cave (I’m sure the blocked-off way to the right lead to one of the treasure rooms) hearing – and feeling (!) – the noise of the guns, smelling the powder and watching the empty shells fly all around.
We all became even more impressed by Our Hero’s shooting skills after these exercises.
Meanwhile, the groups not shooting at the range were in the window-less room discussing usual business for a SC-meeting. That is, show-and-tell, selling, buying and just admiring the Phantom in general. It was nice to meet Björn Ihrstedt, Mats Jönsson and Bo Majgren and to here them casually talk about their job at the production of the Magazine We All Love.
After approximately two hours at Ballongberget, everyone had shot their ten shots. We thanked Janne and Kenta for making all this possible, and by car or train we all went to Söder and Egmont’s office. There, another honorary guest were waiting, namely Peter Friman.
After initial excitement and run-around, scanning walls, tables, and shelves for interesting things to look at (they were everywhere, of course), we all had a sit-down and SC-meeting business commenced. There was a lottery where the winner won a Paul Ryan original. (We all congratulate Magnus Eriksson – lucky bast**d...)
Mats Jönsson gave us an anecdote from 1996, when there had been gala-premiere of the Phantom movie. After the show, they were going to Café Opera for a party, and with the production team, there was a dog – Maja – who had served as Devil for promotion purposes. (Mats said she was atleast 60% wolf.) As the party stood in line to get in, the bouncer said: “That dog can’t come in here!” – whereby Mats replies: “Its’ not a dog, it’s a wolf!” – pause – “and she’s on the guest list.”
Brian was kind enough to give us some details about his new job, which, I assume, we all find very interesting. Peter Friman noted that now our club has gotten a magnificent club journal! Indeed, we have.
After the “formal” sit down, everyone was set loose to roam the office, looking and reading and just enjoying all Phantom stuff. Originals were lying around on desks, framed Lindahl covers were hanging on the walls, and the coming issue (No. 26, 2003) was studied intensively by some members. We also got a good look at the Phantom mask many of us helped buying at last year’s Stockholm meeting.
Everything has an end, though, and by six o’clock, most of us headed for Söders Bönder where we had nice food and drinks and a very good time. It was an ideal ending of a perfect day.
For the Scandinavian Chapter of Lee Falk Memorial Bengali Explorers Club,
Henrik Bengtsson