Attack of the Zeppelins 26/08/13 8pm Ch.4

As for the pub it brings back memories a gang of us used to drink there in the late 60’s it must have been new then. Its still there apparently!

A very interesting programme. I served on 39 Sqdn which Leefe Robinson was serving on when he destroyed the Zeppelin, it was still prominent in the squadron history. They didn’t really stress his achievement enough, flying an underpowered aircraft at the limits of its height without oxygen or homing aids at night. Incidentally there was a pub at Harrow called the Leefe Robinson in his honour.
Also showed that the Germans instigated “terror” bombing, so they had no reason to squeal later.

Interesting programme.
They have one of those incendiary devices in Southend museum.
Along with a book written by the curator, about the Zeppelin raids on Southend and surrounding districts.

Buckingham, that takes me back to my days of reading about Biggles.

As the titles came up, my wife sighed and said ‘not another boring flying programme ! ‘ and then proceeded to sit through the entire thing, which is some kind of endorsement.

The graphics went a bit ‘Pearl Harbor’ with vertically climbing BE2’s, but still, never mind eh !

I too have flown with the fearless Capt Bod, scouting for Zepps over Farnborough.

I rather enjoyed that programme,I learned a lot. I would not fancy being the spotter lowered on a couple of thousand feet of rope with a telephone though!

Nice flying shots of the BE2 replica with Mr Bodington demonstrating ‘hands off’ flying. 😎
mmitch.

They didn’t mention the Zep that bombed Cleopatra’s Needle on the embankment (damage still visible) or the one that bombed Vauxhall. Both these sites have plaques commemorating the events.
Presumably shrapnel is still inside the bronze statues at the base of the needle?

Little note the Buckingham round was also used by the SAS when they attacked air fields in Africa during World War Two.

Really enjoyed the programme shame it could have been a little longer but was good as is.

Curlyboy

Agree with Creaking door on this….35 year old query answered!

I had a bit of a ‘eureka’ moment while watching this…

…I had always wondered why some of the gun-camera film and photographs of tracer ammunition from the Battle-of-Britain showed spiral smoke trails and I suddenly made a connection with the ‘Buckingham’ 303 incendiary ammunition shown on the programme as being introduced to combat the Zeppelins.

Could this ‘Buckingham’ incendiary ammunition still have been in use during the Battle-of-Britain?

Apparently it was…..mystery solved!

I rather enjoyed it.

Well I watched it! Learned some things I didn’t know about Zeps, but a bit more engineering for me needed…

FB