As large multi-piston-engine transports are becoming rarer would it not be appropriate to make a film about the Berlin Airlift whilst some original aircraft are around. DC3s are relatively easy to come by, but aircraft such as DC6s and Curtiss C46 Commandos are in short supply and others such as Yorks etc are non-existent. As for the contribution of the Sunderlands that operated into the Tegel(?) lake they would have to be satisfied by computer generated animations (more’s the pity).
There must be a story there somewhere on the time it took to set up the airlift and the necessary timing and precise flying required to get the necessities into the besieged city with the maximum safety. As a multi-national operation funding might be available from the participating countries, or would it be a case of not upsetting the apple cart and offending the besiegers
By: avion ancien - 13th July 2023 at 13:58
I wonder, has the original poster not bothered to return to the forum, to read my posts, or has he/she done so but not troubled to make a second post using those two little words, namely thank you?
By: avion ancien - 5th July 2023 at 16:09
According to the Armed Forces Memorial Roll of Honour (q.v. https://www.search-armed-forces-memorial-roll-of-honour.service.gov.uk/serviceperson/e501edff-3121-46a8-82f5-566edd28aab2), F/O Reeves was buried in Ohlsdorf Military Cemetery, Hamburg. His grave is in Section 1, Row B, Number 8.
By: avion ancien - 4th July 2023 at 18:06
It seems likely that he was buried in Ohlsdorfer Friedhof Cemetery (see https://aircrewremembered.com/quinn-mel-joseph.html).
By: pagen01 - 12th May 2009 at 20:37
Some nice footage of the not oft seen Tudor aswel.
Although we hear alot about the Gatow end of ops, you rarely hear about the airfields inthe UK that had to despatch all this cargo, any info?
By: Tommy - 12th May 2009 at 18:04
Berlin Airlift Video
No shortage of Sunderlands & Yorks on this link,more stable download using the Windows media option in lefthand panel.
By: Kenneth - 31st March 2009 at 21:10
…would it not be appropriate to make a film about the Berlin Airlift whilst some original aircraft are around
If the project which resulted in two C-54’s being marooned at North Weald never took off, why should another one succeed?
And what would a film about the Berlin airlift be without Tempelhof? As a present to his red/green friends, and to ensure that his megalomaniac Berlin International project will not be devoid of aircraft, Berlin’s twit of a mayor closed this historic airport in October last year. And when an airport is closed in Germany it remains like this. The interesting thing was that not enough interest could be aroused for a petition to keep it open to be succesful. Obviously, the majority doesn’t care anymore.
So forget about it; waste of time and money and it won’t interest anyone anyway. Sad, but that’s reality.
By: oshawaflyboy - 31st March 2009 at 16:28
Airlift
Hi folks; My deepest thanks to Col Halvorsen,USAF,RAF for
the airlift,my father lived at the north end of Tempelohf
43-48.THANK YOU! We have never forgot what you all
have done for us,without it i may not be here today.
Please anyone going by Dayton stop and look at the
display there,very moving.We definitley need a new
movie to remember these fine folks.
By: Gsa - 31st March 2009 at 10:33
Sunderlands that operated into the Tegel(?) lake
The Sundelands operated on the Havel, the big lake next to Raf Gatow.
By: keithnewsome - 30th March 2009 at 22:52
Berlin Airlift 50th Aniversary.
Ten years ago I was lucky enough to see the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation C-54, and the MATS connie at Duxford ! I was even luckier to meet, shake hands with, and speak to Col. Gail Halvorsen (the candy bomber) inside the C-54 ! which is a supurb flying museum with some very good murials on the walls inside !
On my film of that day I have this picture which I would love to think is Gail Halvorsen ? but I am not sure ? Maybe one of you could confirm / deny for me ?
By: TwinOtter23 - 28th March 2009 at 15:09
Earlier today a ‘lurker about these parts’ from Newark Air Museum emailed me to say that last summer the British Berlin Airlift Association filmed some interviews at the museum in front of the Hastings. I’m told that these were for use on a DVD to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Operation Plainfare.
Has anyone seen or heard about this DVD? :confused:
By: BlueNoser352 - 27th March 2009 at 22:04
More on The candy bomber !
By: BlueNoser352 - 27th March 2009 at 22:02
A film on The Berlin Airlift !
While there are several excellent documentaries on the history of the airlift itself..one great possible story line for a movie might be the great story of “The Candy Bomber”…Hal Halvorsen…he was a USAAF C-47 pilot that started the whole deal of dropping candy to the children on the ground in small parachutes. The brass wanted him to stop ..but he keep on doing it and then other crews did as well. Many today in Berlin remember him and the wonderful gifts he dropped from this C-47 as he flew into Berlin. I see there is a book out about this history of the Berlin Airlift. Which I feel today remains a great victory for the Ailles over the worthless Soviets & that loser Joe Stalin!
BlueNoser!
http://www.thecandybombers.com/
By: TwinOtter23 - 27th March 2009 at 20:21
AFAIK, it hasn’t been flown for a while. It is also a civil conversion – clever painting could hide the larger windows and door but the re-modelled nose and tail might be more of a challenge.
Thanks for those thoughts. When I visited there last year one of the guides explained in great detail about how the runways and taxiways had been carefully prepared to accommodate ‘all’ of the large aircraft in the collection. So I guess that it still might be possible – the lake could also perhaps double as a location for Tegel (?) lake!
By: Pondskater - 27th March 2009 at 19:50
What’s the status of the Sunderland at Fantasy of Flight in Florida – might Mr Weeks be interested? :confused:
AFAIK, it hasn’t been flown for a while. It is also a civil conversion – clever painting could hide the larger windows and door but the re-modelled nose and tail might be more of a challenge.
By: bazv - 27th March 2009 at 18:22
‘The Big Lift'(Montgomery Clift) 1950 B/W has a couple of really good aerial sequences,filmed in berlin,except for the 2 main stars all other players were serving members of US forces.
My dvd is not a particularly high quality transfer but even so one of the landing sequences with a C54 at Templehof took my breath away…fantastic and worth the price alone for that one sequence.
regards baz
By: Cees Broere - 27th March 2009 at 12:00
And how are the Haltons/Halifaxes going to be represented?
Cheers
By: pogno - 27th March 2009 at 10:14
As an enthusiast of anything piston powered the thought of a film bases around the Berlin Airlift is fantastic, but how many others out there even know of it happening, or care for that matter.
Didnt the two DC4’s at North Weald come to the UK for a film to be made based on the toffee bomber events.
It would be possible to make a good showing of suitable aircraft using what we have ie, DC3, DC4, Lancaster(painted to look like a lancastrian), and the C97 run by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation. http://www.spiritoffreedom.org/
Richard
By: TwinOtter23 - 27th March 2009 at 09:08
What’s the status of the Sunderland at Fantasy of Flight in Florida – might Mr Weeks be interested? :confused:
In more affluent times I understand that Hastings TG517 [an Airlift veteran, as covered elsewhere] at Newark was the subject of an enquiry from a UK operator with a view to a possible ‘return to flight’ attempt, but nothing ever came of it.
Sign In
March 27, 2009 at 8:56 am