D-Day Beer Runs

I wondered if the drop tank might not have been the cardboard temporary one? It did look rather metallic though. Anyway, what a great way to support the crews in France!!

Hi,
I am researching the “beer runs” performed post D-day where barrels of beer were loaded onto aircraft (e.g fitted to the wings of Spitfires) and sent across the channel.
I am looking for help sourcing images and also first hand accounts. I have an account from Pierre Closterman’s – Big Show, but am looking for any other or any more information.
Hoping you can help.
Best Regards
Mark

Westerham Brewery Spirit of Kent ale:

http://www.westerhambrewery.co.uk/RegularBeers.htm

Also this earlier thread has more links and info: My two fave things – Spitfire and beer – all combined!

Many thanks to all of you who have replied on this thread – I’m most grateful. You have all been most helpful – many thanks again!

However, is there any evidence of beer being ferried over in kilderkins, or any other kind of casks? Or was it simply all a PR exercise?

Yes, Polish Wings 15, Supermarine Spitfire IX 1944 -1946, Wojtek Matusiak, page 26 photographs 54 and 55.

The forth photograph is a well known publicity photograph of ground crew of 332 (Norwegian) Squadron filling converted fuel tanks with joy juice (beer) at Tangmere, July 1944. IWM CH13488. The tanks were never used to carry fuel.

There’s certainly a lot of evidence of beer being ferried over in fuel tanks, but there’s no reason for them to have been smelly, steam cleaning having been invented some time before.

However, is there any evidence of beer being ferried over in kilderkins, or any other kind of casks? Or was it simply all a PR exercise?

NOT A KEG!!

Thanks AVI but in the fourth picture they appear to be pouring beer from a keg into a drop tank. Surely it was ready to use direct from the keg without being decanted into a smelly drop tank!

Richard

Sorry to be pedantic but they are casks not kegs, real ale not fizzy foreign stuff. They appear to be Kilderkins (18 gal casks) For interests sake a barrel is 36 gal. going down to a Kil at 18gal. A firkin at 9gal. A pin at 4.5gal. Going the other way we have the Hogshead at 54gal then the Tun at 108gal.

Cheers, Beer festival at the Cherry Tree, Catthorpe even as we contemplate days of old!!

Happy landings.

Thanks AVI but in the fourth picture they appear to be pouring beer from a keg into a drop tank. Surely it was ready to use direct from the keg without being decanted into a smelly drop tank!

Richard

Here’s a photo of P-51B-Lt-Ray-Crowell-The-Hump-July44-GIN-RUN-118th-TRS-India-China

The Brits were not the only ones to transport “booze” in fighters, the Americans also put Gin into P-51’s drop tanks & flew them over the Hump.

“Modification XXX” or something, wasn’t it?

Beer Run

here you go …

Mark,
Big project – if not Degree dissertation material!!!!. Not just D-Day beer. Long-range tanks filled with brandy at Orange!! Hercs arriving at Ascension with depth-charges for the Fleet – some of which were beer kegs. These kegs, however, were not the same ‘tops’ as the fittings in the Exiles Club bar at Georgetown would cope with. Panic! Not to panic! Chf Eng on a STUFT offshore said “Send me what you want copied.” Was done. Engs on said ship turned up exact replicas of UK beer barrel tops. I knew then that “We” would win the S Atlantic Unpleasantness. “They” would lose, if only ‘cos they couldn’t sort beer barrel tops out!!!
HTH
Resmoroh