RAF Reenactors

Just to be padantic and anorakish (Great-coatish?), 2 of the chaps in the first picture which Moggy sepiaed are wearing the orange 1950’s/60’s era Mae Wests which are the ones (incorrectly) worn in the Battle of Britain film, and thus just as incorrect for WW2 Bomber crews.

Don’t even start me on inacurracies of kit in movies – I’m not allowed to watch with the rest of the family due to the constant tuts and head-shaking and cries of “Dear oh dear” etc.!

that should be ‘smoking cigarettes’ Ahem. If you don’t know the entaundre, I’m not explaining it!

There’s quite a few pics of real wartime aircrew and fags next to aircraft; something about there being a war on?!

Well, it seems at least one guy reenacts the RNZAF here in New Zeland. There’s proof here. However, he shouldn’t be smoking his pipe next the that aircraft!

http://www.jeepownersclub.co.nz/ww2airgal.htm

Well, an aim in life for me is when I finish my studies I want to move back down south to Christchurch. If i do, I might well do that, I’ll start an RNZAF group based at Wigram. I would naturaly become a volunteer there, I miss working on those old planes, and that would allow me access to their large clothing collection…hmmm…he he he, I think the first aim of my group is to form a bomber crew, and get the Hudson bac into the air.

Getting into the realms of fantasy now, Jones….

Hi there!
well- I know of a few Aussie guys that do it. But RNZAF…hmm, dunno.
I do know that there’s at least four of them buried in my local churchyard here in Yorkshire, so they really do deserve some recognition…
Start your own Dave!
best wishes
Kate

This is a truly very interesting subject and I’m very glad I began this thread. Thanks to all who’ve posted. I would absolutely love to get into this sort of thing myself.

Here in Cambridge we celebrate Armistace Day (unlike most places in NZ as our national day of remembrance is ANZAC Day). But in Cambridge we have the sobre day on ANZAC Day, and a more upbeat celebration of peace and remembrance over the weekend of Armistace Sunday. Last year we held the first of what will now be an annual Victory Dance. About 300 people almost all in World War Two uniforms and costumes. Most were reenactors from all over NZ who display with a big battle on the Town Square on the Sunday, but others too. I was going to wear my RNZAF SD’s but found they somehow no longer fit, so I went as a NZ Home Guard!

There were only a couple of airmen sadly, all the ‘organised groups’ were in army uniforms, NZ, British, US, and even a few Gerries etc. I’d like to go this year as RNZAF if I can, after all, that was my real service.

Does anyone know if there are any RAF/RNZAF related reenactor groups in my part of the world?

Typhoon image

Saw your thread on RAF reenactors. There are thriving reenactment communities in most of the former Commonwealth countries along with the US.

The 553 Sqdn site belongs to me and, obviously, we don’t actually have a Typhoon — although one can dream! 🙂

553 Sqdn never existed during WW2 (or before or after) — the name being created solely to allow various impressions to be portrayed without being “locked into” the actual theatres/campaigns/aircraft that the wartime squadrons participated in. The squadron is based at the equally ficticious RAF Station Effingham — again existing purely to serve the needs of our ficticious squadron.

Most groups are affiliated with aircraft owners or event organizers and efforts are made to stay within the limits of access afforded by the aircraft owners. Aside from providing a suitable backdrop for the reenactors, the aircraft owners get a bit of added security in that reenactors provide an additional level of security to prevent the odd person from trying to climb on/in the aircraft. Also makes for some great photo ops for what would otherwise be a bunch of folks wandering around in 60-year-old wool uniforms!

For those interested, there;s a site with a small gallery of images:
http://www.decsi.com/~sroberts/Living_History/

and also a thriving forum exclsuively for RAF reenactors and collectors:
http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/180748

Cheers,
Chris

http://www.decsi.com/~sroberts/Living_History/Chris/Reading20039.jpg

Hello all!
there are alot of reenactment groups in the UK portraying everything!! From Ack-Ack Batteries to WVS and of course RAF.
I would say, that yes I agree that the majority are alittle too old to portray fighter types (and indeed bomber crew) but it’s a bloomin expensive ‘hobby’ if you can call it that! and kids just can’t afford the kit, which as I’m sure you all know is extortionately priced!
But please don’t make the mistake of thinking that kids in general aren’t interested. In our merry band, we have kids as young as 7 and lads of 17, 23 and 24. I’m 31 but portray a WAAF section officer.
And I would say that 100% do it out of genuine respect, thanks and admiration for the men and women who did it for real.
you may like to visit these sites:

www.cc41.net
www.yanksevent.com
http://ops1940.homestead.com/ops1.html

and many thanks!
Kate O’Mara
Events organiser ‘Airborne39-45&The Home Front’

Just to add a bit of detail,the pic showing some chaps standing around a Typhoon is a genuine wartime group shot of 257 “Burma” squadron. As such, the squadron had a few Burmese pilots in thier ranks, one of whom can be seen in the back row at the top of the picture. This was Flt.Lt. Htin Yain Lao, who flew with the squadron through most of 1944 and who was tragically killed in a weather related accident in Holland on January 20th 1945. His details from the CWGC website are on the link below.

http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2635435

The ginger-haired chap sitting on top of the wing with his feet dangling between the cannon is none other than E.A. ‘Ted’ Tennant, who became a Folland test pilot in post war years.
Roger A. Freeman’s “The Royal Air Force of World War Two in Colour” identifies the aircraft they’re sitting on as EK172 ‘FM-M’.

Re: Lancaster crew

Originally posted by MikeH
These chaps appeared at the tail of PA474 at RAF Leuchars

Here’s one with an 8th Air Force theme.

Regards,

Paul

Snapper, I assume that you’re familiar then with the 149 Sqdn Stirling that used your little latin phrase there on it’s nose?!

Originally posted by MikeH
These photos all have one major downfall. The actual aircrew were much younger in most cases than todays reenactors.

Quite right Mike, but, unfortunately, very few ‘kids’ of the right age group, today, are interested in Living History Groups, but a bigger factor is that original kit (especially flying kit) and even the very good repro kit, is extreamly expensive and out of reach of those in the right age group.
Which is why us ‘old gits’ who have spent many years collect ‘old stuff’ inhabit the Living History Groups.

Incidently, many of the members of the 1st Airborne Recce Living History Group do RAF as a sideline on occasions, and a long time member is the person responsible for producing the first class repro ‘Mae West’s’ seen in the photos above….;)

Ian Foster who has the 57 Rescue website (http://www.57rescue.org/frames.html) is involved with the crew of re-enactors in the pictures posted.

The text below is copied and pasted from the 57 Rescue website.

As some of you will already be aware, our official designation has always been “A WW2 Aviation Research and Recovery Group.” We can now add to that statement with the following: “With a Living History Section.” What does that all mean? Well, simply put, we still do what we have always done – Halifax research, but now, we have gone ‘High Profile’ by the creation of a WW2 RAF Bomber Crew! We display alongside the BBMF’s Lancaster (PA474) at various shows around the country and take part in WW2 Living History weekends, usually centered around steam railway events. If any of our readers are interested, then you can see images of us at the following address:-
http://www.decsi.com/~sroberts/Living_History/NA337/

We are always keen to hear from anyone either with an interest in the subject of Living History who may be keen to join in, or if you might like to ask questions. We would be especially keen to hear from you if you might have some item of WW2 RAF clothing or equipment which you may wish to donate to our cause… We try quite hard, to depict a late war 7 man crew, each member knows his role in the crew, such as our Flight Engineer… His Grandfather was a Flight Engineer during WW2, and he himself is one of the engineers on Lancaster NX611 “Just Jane” operating out of East Kirkby, Lincolnshire. Our Navigator is an expert on navigational matters, our Gunners know the workings of the Browning .303 machine guns and so on… So, if you are keen, and have the kit, or are willing to get the kit, and willing to travel at your own expense (we usually all try to chip in together) and you can afford to pay for overnight accommodation (tents are a good substitute!) then get in touch! The next dates for diaries are:-

April 2004 – Churnet Valley – WW2 weekend

May 2004 – East Lancs Railway WW2 weekend – Bury

Last weekend in June & 1st Weekend July – WW2 weekend – Kidderminster – This is a BIG ONE!

August 2004 – Crich – Tram museum WW2 weekend

Of course that’s true, but hey, lets just call them VR’s!!

These photos all have one major downfall. The actual aircrew were much younger in most cases than todays reenactors. Kids of their age wouldn’t be let near valuable specimens like the warbirds illustrated here:rolleyes:

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