The Sunderland…

hi,
i watched a 2009 documentary on the Sunderland, quiet a few of the flying sequences were from the other documentary Coastal Command, but still very enjoyable. They interviewed 4-5 ex aircrew, one being Wg.Cdr.Derek Martin and he was very listenable one of the facts given was the last U-Boat patrol was in the 1st week of June 1945! by 201 Sq.
Also he cleared up why the 2 pigeons were carried, early in the war radio,s were carried but only used to receive messages,radar was in the future. So to fool the Germans the RAF let it be known that if lost/or ditched aircrew sent a message with the pigeon and a boat could then be dispatched.When in fact the true use of the pigeons, was if lost the navigator put a line from his estimated position to base, then he placed a pigeon on the map and if it nodded his head,that confirmed the a/c,s position… all very clever… 🙂

regards
jack…