BOMBER CREW CH4 UK 21-00 TONIGHT

🙁 I read somewhere in a paper yesterday that the majority of under 35’s had NOT heard of AUSWITCH 🙁
It proves that out of sight is out of mind and anything such as these programmes must be used to commemorate those that gave everything for the right to live in peace.
Oh by the way i think the BBC are producing a dramatisation telling the stories from the concentration camps in the near future.
It makes you realise that without bringing these aircrew and aircraft to the forefront a whole history is forgotton for the younger generationharking back to the old days of black and white film. 😮

Dave Homewood,

You are spot on.
Ironically, the very point that Dave makes is exactly how my ‘active’ interest started.
Watching the take off sequence of a new series featuring a then relatively little known aeroplane…..A Wartime B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber called Sally B in We’ll Meet Again.

At this time I did not even realise these legends…call them whatever you like, existed let alone were actually gracing the skies.
My limit at that time really only related to a quiet building that just happened to be full of aeroplanes, Hendon.
As excellent a museum it is with a collection second to none, it is not ‘alive’ with living aeroplanes.
Once I had been shown the light, Hendon just didn’t seem the same anymore.

Bomberboy

Caught the last ten minutes of the programme – forgot it was on! What I saw was excellent, and clearly a good way of introducing a history programme to a prime-time audience. I shall definitely make a point of watching the next instalment in its entirity!

Programmes like ‘Spitfire Ace’, ‘Bomber Crew’ and ‘Reach For The Sky’ (the Canadian one like Bomber Crew) must surely do wonders for not just the aircraft used themsleves in monetary terms, but much more for the whole concept of remembrance and preservation of history.

Television is the greatest mass media we have, millions upon millions of people from all walks of life will watch these shows (even if they were not that interested and it seemed the best thing on that evening) as opposed to a much smaller audience had it merely been released on home video or in book form.

Many, many thousands of those viewers will undoubtedly be profoundly effected by the shows. This has to happen because the veteran’s stories evoke such emotions is is difficult not to be affected.

Many young boys and girls may be getting their first inkling of what the aerial war was about from these TV shows, and hopefully they will then go to their library and seek more info, or ask their grandads, parents, etc.

I would wager a huge number of teenaged boys will aspire to being like the young pilots and crews selected for these shows, and may choose to take up flying lessons, etc. Many others will go out and buy aviation related books, magazines and videos due to the interest found in the shows.

It all leads to the spreading of information that inspires people to read, think, ask, research, write, do more. I think we can all relate to our interest in aviation history having started somewhere, an inspiration. I believe such shows will be a huge inspiration to novices.

And I dear say many members of Joe Public will now attend more airshows on the basis that ‘Sally B from the telly is going to be there’ etc.

Such shows, if done well, can do no harm at all. The slight errors that may be made such as denegrating the Halifax and Stirling may be perpetrated, but they are by no means new errors anyway. Many books and previous documentaries have made the same mistakes. These errors will not even be noticed by the majority of viewers, only those in the know see glearing mistakes after all. And those who do further their research afterwards will soon find the real facts, hopefully.

If the majority of the content however is spot on correct, then these types of shows are without doubt some of the best educational tools available to historic aviation today, and their effect will carry on for years after the last episode is aired, as they will change many people.

Lancman,

I’m not pedantic.
Sometimes even the same words but in a different order will mean totally different things.
I’m sure in your lifetime if you havent come across this already, you will do and when you do and it works for you, wont be using the words pedantic.

Flanker Man,
Tne thing I did pick up – and someone else has alluded to – did I hear right when the narrator said something like “Sally B is the only FULLY WORKING WWII heavy bomber” ?? Did he then add “in the world” or Europe – or UK ??
I assume by that he means that PA474 is not ‘fully working’ – turrets, guns, other bits etc and Sally B is fully working ??

See previous comment to Lancman.

The programme, whether you think it’s dead accurate or not, or irritates you in any way, does one thing for all of us,
As Flanker man intimates it get’s our hobby in the public domain, generates funds and interests so that all of us can pursue our ‘live’ hobby and for a change puts something else new on the box instead of the nightly S***e that we are constantly lambasted with.

If you think otherwise, your in the wrong hobby!

Bomberboy

I don’t care how bad the programme is (and it isn’t!).

What it does do (I assume?) is to get some much-needed funds from the TV company into keeping these historic warbirds flying/working.

And that can only be a good thing.

If they can’t get lottery money – then selling their souls to TV is the next best thing.

One thing I did pick up – and someone else has alluded to – did I hear right when the narrator said something like “Sally B is the only FULLY WORKING WWII heavy bomber” ?? Did he then add “in the world” or Europe – or UK ??

I assume by that he means that PA474 is not ‘fully working’ – turrets, guns, other bits etc ??

And Sally B is fully working ??

Anyone ??

Ken

Truly wonderful piece of television. I can forgive the makers the repetetive commentary. As others have said, it was worth watching purely for the reaction of the guy in the Harvard over Gransden Lodge and the Airbus pilot on the W/Op’s seat. that and the stunning air to air of the Harvard. Anything that will make people pause and reflect on our history is most welcome.

Regards,

kev35

“I’d be surprised if they let just anyone ‘have a go’ anyway!”, is not quite the same as saying they wouldn’t.

Jeez, pedantic or what!

Anyways, moving on, I think I’m right in saying that Dave Mallon never got to take off or land the Spit, for insurance reasons- I’d be willing to bet that will also be the case for the bomber pilots, with them ‘just'(!) taking the controls once the beasts have been taken into the air by their regular pilots.

Lucky sods…

Thanks Steve and Daz. It sounds like a fantastic series.

I seem to recall at least one of their grandfathers not being with us.

That scene with the chap in the W/O position in the Lanc was very poignant.

It looked to me as though the five will all stay in, but are being allocated roles dependent upon their aptitudes. The three potential pilots have now been whittled down to two, with the third having been allocated the Bomb Aimer’s role. Although having seen his reaction as he flew the Harvard overhead Gransden Lodge, where his grandfather had flown from during the war, I would imagine that he’s already fulfilled a personal ambition. Fair play to the chap. The other two pilots look as though they are due to be ‘auditioned’ on the Beech 18 next week for the right to fly the B17 and Lancaster.

The two original non-pilots were aiming (if you’ll pardon the pun) for the gunner’s position this week, and seem to be quite evenly matched. One was better at static targets with a browning .30, the other was better at clay pigeons with a shotgun.

As for their grandfathers, I really don’t know whether any are still alive. I would hope that some are, and if so, that they were able to share in their grandchildrens achievements on the series.

Having not had the benefit of seeing this wonderful-sounding show, I am a little in the dark on the format. Are they eliminating people as they go like they did in Spitfire Ace? Or are they assigning specific jobs within the aircraft to each of the five participants? ie – does one eventually become navigator, one gunner, one pilot, etc, and they all stay with the series right through??

Also, are their Grandad’s all still alive and in the show? Will they get a flight too if so?

i reckon they will make sure the A330 Pilot gets to fly the 17 and Lanc

I reckon they would not let a relatively inexperienced Pilot fly such valuable warbirds . Maybe I will be proven wrong but I doubt it :rolleyes:

Not on their own, obviously.

Dave Mallon always had Carolyn Grace or Pete Kynsey riding in the front seat of ML407 when he flew.

i reckon they will make sure the A330 Pilot gets to fly the 17 and Lanc

I reckon they would not let a relatively inexperienced Pilot fly such valuable warbirds . Maybe I will be proven wrong but I doubt it :rolleyes:

The BBMF aren’t in a position to lend their Lanc out to anyone- remember, every hour of it’s flying time each year is very strictly managed, and there just wouldn’t be the required spare hours available for the filming. Plus, I’d be surprised if they let just anyone ‘have a go’ anyway!

Quite right too!!!

Lancman’s information is quite correct.

As some of you know,I had the fantastic honour of booking PA474 to attend our motorsport event in September at Blyton,and just as Lancman says,every hour is ‘accounted’ for.

I will quote you from the official bumf which I still have,from the Operations personnel at Coningsby:

One of the principal factors governing BBMF flying operations is the strict seasonal limit on flying hours,intended to ensure the long term preservation of our historic aircraft.We therefore try to wring the maximum possible benefit from every hour in the air and it is sometimes necessary to co-ordinate several displays and/or flypasts into one sortie.

Not only that,but I doubt that when it was filmed,that it would have been possible to use PA474,as it was in the middle of the display season,and while i do like the Canadian Lanc,I do have a soft spot for PA474,in fact,the day it appeared at Blyton,it was amazing to hear the number of people that were thrilled that it was there.(Me included!!!!! 😀 )

Ken.

It’s the ubiquitous channel hopper which causes the “I must repeat the basic scenario after every commercial break” syndrome. I find it truly annoying and one of the biggest nuisances when watching documentaries on channels other than the BBC. Imagine how rubbish “The World at War” would be if that appraoch was used 30 years ago. Sir Lawrence Oliver would have walked out!

I found the program rather like an exercise in sucking eggs – it’s one thing to preach to the converted, but it’s another to treat the audience like dumb animals. How many times were we told about this and that – yes we heard you the first time that only one of the five would end up flying a Lancaster. Good use of archive footage, but we could do with more of that. Good interviews. Buy slightly low brow.

ref: I am sure you have the capability to restore these ‘old turrets’, why not fix them up and fit them it?

Bureaucracy i’m afraid old chap.

Bomberboy

Well i thought it was superb….lots of XXX rated Harvard Shots and even better – a Beech 18 tease…next week looks even better though I’m not sure that taking the door off the side of the Beech and lobbing out a flour bomb is a terribly scientific test of ‘Bomb Aiming’…

Still all in favout of gratuitous Beech 18 air to air stuff….when was the last time you saw that…hopefully we might be able to get together a four ship for next Legends…..

TT

I am sure you have the capability to restore these ‘old turrets’, why not fix them up and fit them it?
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EASY VALVE OR SOLID VALVE