My great friend Bill Whiter died yesterday after a short illness. Bill was a Master Navigator; he joined the RAF in 1943, trained initially as a pilot, was then re-mustered as a navigator on Baltimores, later Bostons, right at the end of the war.
Electing to stay in the RAF post-war, he had a very long career which included tours on Lancasters, Lincolns, Sunderlands, Beverleys, Argosies, Andovers and Hercules. Of all these, he loved the Sunderland the best, and was in one of the aircraft that flew the final flypast at Seletar in 1959.
He was a gentleman, and I shall miss him greatly.
By: Moggy C - 4th August 2009 at 15:07
Respect for the passing of another of the diminishing band.
Moggy
By: Pondskater - 4th August 2009 at 13:38
He was a great source of selfless assistance when I was tracing the history of the Sunderlands for my book. That is very sad news. RIP
Allan
By: Arabella-Cox - 4th August 2009 at 13:31
Steve
I am very saddened to hear that, several of us old ‘webfooters’ that were on 205/209 Squadron at the same time as Bill met him at Duxford about 6 years ago, a gentlemen. Blue Skies Bill and thank you for sharing those wonderful photos in colour that you kindly gave us all
The picture here is from Bill’s collection that he so generously past on to a lot of us, the odd thing is that this picture is the last Sunderland leaving the water in May 1959 at RAF Seletar, this was ‘paying off the pennant’ and it coincides with the 50th anniversary of that event
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1384557395035970728TUkrHS?vhost=rides
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August 4, 2009 at 12:59 pm