Nashio.

As I said in December:

I have received assurance from Pima that:
“Nothing has happened to WL790. The plan is on track to paint the Shack next summer when the new restoration hangar is finished. The only thing taken out of 790 other than draining the gas is the batteries.”

Mo Botwood

I sat in a Shack in July 1955 and found that I had earned a permanent booking until 1966.
Mo

LNSF

The Light Night Striking Force of Mosquitoes during one phase of the war made bombing raids to Berlin on 43 consecutive occasions without a break. Sometimes the same aircraft would make a second raid on the same night.
The Light Night Striking Force flew 553 sorties during April 1943 for the loss of only one aircraft.
The LNSF used to operate in the most appalling weather and one night Air Vice Marshal Donald Bennett was visited by Mrs. Ogden Reid of the New York Herald Tribune. She had asked to witness the start of a raid. This distinguished lady of the American press arrived with a member of the British Government and was immediately driven to the end of the runway by Bennett. Fog caused heavy bomber raids to be cancelled but as the mist swirled around the signal caravan at the end of the runway Mosquitoes could be seen taxying on from both directions to save time, lining up and taking off for Berlin in quick succession. She turned to Bennett and said, “I see they have got a bulge – they’re carrying a “Blockbuster” aren’t they?” She asked what it weighed and Bennett told her 4000 lbs which was 500 lbs more than a B-17 Flying Fortress could carry to Berlin. In any case, he pointed out; a Fortress would not accommodate a 4000 lb “cookie” because it was too large for its bomb bay. The famous Press lady pondered for a few moments before replying “I only hope the American public never realises these facts.”
One young Mosquito pilot of those days was Wing Commander I. G. Broom (later Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom DSO, DFC and two bars, AFC). “We did 25 nights to Berlin. You could fly there and be back in the mess before the bar closed. We could carry more to Berlin with a crew of two in a Mosquito than could a Flying Fortress with a crew of ten. They had to fight their way there and back in daytime. We went fast at night, at 28,000 ft.”

JohnB

WL790

[ATTACH=CONFIG]216843[/ATTACH]

Courtesy John Bezosky – Pima Museum

Here’s the end result 20th May 2013.

Mo

Tempest II

Going back 60 years to when I was at school just before entering the RAF. I was on summer holidays and worked part time at a scrap dealer’s on the railway sidings at Cambridge.
I turned up one day and the owner said ‘you’ll like this one today!” and [pointed to 10 railway wagons. Each wagon had two Tempest II on board. Each brand new fuselage had the appropriate wings detached next to it. There was no paint or primer on the pristine metal. When I got up and looked in the cockpit everything was installed and the electronics were wrapped in sealed plastic with piles of silica gel packs. I was lucky to have accumulated 150 hours on an opportunity basis at 22 RFS and knew what I was looking at.
I returned to the Boss and he handed me an emergency escape axe and said “OK – get started”. I said politely – “No Thanks” – and he understood and said that I could drop in anytime to check on work.
Two months later I was ensconced in the rear of a Prentice at Swanton Moreley. How times have changed.

Mo

What a loss.
We shared many forays in the fight for By-Ways and the Shacks. He always made us welcome on our rare trips to UK. He was a great fighter, never retreating but losing the fight with health just as the negotiations started to have effect with local council.
I am glad I had the chance to know him. Distance will not diminish the sorrow.
I am sure that there will be some rearranging going on – wherever he has gone.
MO

The worst:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8542066/search-for-missing-plane-set-to-resume

Mo

SW376

My first flight at SMR: 1015 16-Jan-56.

Mo