Dave, The Whiffenpoof Song AKA The Air Gunners’ Anthem comes to mind. I learned this from my late Dad who was a M/UG. An excellent book is Bawdy Ballads & Dirty Ditties
Cheers, Bruce

Flippin Doodlebugs

My good friend was a Spitfire pilot who performed this very action. I have had the technique explained to me first-hand. Ben also was one of the two Spitfires that escorted the defecting JU88, with the then secret Lichtenstein radar , into Dyce. This incident is written up in the book “The Great Coup”. Very honoured to know this brave gentleman.

Coincidentally, just read about Kate Middleton’s grandfather doing the same with a Mosquito (on the DM website). He was a pilot instructor in Calgary with the BCATP.

Bruce McTrowe

Lancaster Positions

I have copies of the ORB for my Dad’s tour. The list of positions in running order is: Pilot, F/Eng, Nav., A/B(Air Bomber), W/OP, M/UG, R/G. My Dad was a M/UG. Hope this helps.

Cheers, Bruce

WW11 Training Accidents in Canada

There is an excellent source re the above. The book is “They Shall Not Grow Old”. It lists the names of all 10 Thousand plus RCAF members lost during the war. There are appendixes listing the RAF,RAAF, & RNZAF Casualties in and near Canada. The format is : rank, surname, initials, year, month,day, cause of death,unit# and location if known. The book is published by the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Inc. PO Box 1481, Brandon , Manitoba, Canada R7A 6N3. They do have a website

http://www.airmuseum.ca

Hope this helps.

search for crew photos

Ivan, sadly Geoff Copeman passed away last year. I am privileged to have had him as a friend and a source of info. I met Geoff at EK in 1999 and he was instrumental in my joining 57/630 Squadrons Reunion Association. From this conncection was able to locate most of my Dad’s crew. Dad was a MUG on 57 nand he and the Nav were the only 2 Canadians.
Cheers, Bruce McT

RE: S/L Ken Brown 617 Sqn.

>>>Bit of a brain fart re the message board!! My apologizes.

I met Ken Brown at a Mess Dinner at the Calgary Aero Space Museum last April. A True gentleman and hero in every respect. His account of the Dam’s Raid from one who was there will stay with me for a long time. I believe there are only a very few of the original Dambuster’s left. Ken, I salute you as one of our true Canadian heroes
Bruce McTrowe

RE: S/L Ken Brown 617 Sqn.

>It would have been terrific to salute this fine gent with a
>flypast of our Lancaster FM213…. sadly she is us due to
>her winter overhaul.. :0(