And here’s the Wellington in 24 hours film. Not easy to find! I drove past the very factory yesterday. It now builds Airbus wings. The claim that the Wellington went to an operational bomber squadron is understandable propaganda. It actually ended up at an OTU.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVk1OP_LQH4

I have a small book which I bought at the reconstructed monastery some years ago. It is The Bombing of Monte Cassino by Bradford A Evans, publ 1988.

The devastating attack on 15 Feb 44 was carried out by 36 B-17s each from 15th AF’s 2nd, 99th 301st and 97th BGs. By an unfortunate coincidence the last three of the lead B-17’s serial was 666, the number of the beast. All these details are on the Mission Ops Order which is published in the book. They were supported by 88 B-25s and B-26s of the 12th AF, units not listed. There is no mention of any Commonwealth involvement and the AAF in WW2 says that the mission was unescorted.

The 15 March 44 missions are listed in the AAF in WW2 as being mounted by 12th and 15th AFs. P-38s provided fighter cover over the Cassino area but there is no fighter opposition. Thereafter in March, only 12th AF was involved, the 15th having reverted to its normal strategic role.

There is a sticky on WIX that tells you how to do it but it’s a bit complicated, to me anyway!

Sorry, Nick, I tried! If modern, maybe a Pitts Special?

Absolutely right, David, as is pagen and the comparison to the Mary Rose. The site is very accessible. I first heard about the P-38’s existence nearly 40 years ago and how its prop tips emerged at low tide. But I could never get a group interested enough to attempt a recovery. What we don’t want is for it to be recovered piecemeal by various groups and spread around the country.

This is what happened to another P-38 wreck in the Welsh Mountains which, in the 1960s, was almost all there in very large sections. Judging by its remarkable state of preservation and relative lack of damage, the P-38 was built like the proverbial brick outhouse so the Harlech one may just be in a better state than we think. Only one way to find out! It needs to be at Duxford if it can possibly be achieved …

Viscount Whiskey Foxtrot. Oh dear, I flew in that!

I agree with Moggie that the account has been embroidered over the years but the Cub story is basically true. What he doesn’t mention is that he had already had some unofficial basic flying instruction from one of the American pilots. Brief details of the court appearance after the incident appeared in contemporary newspapers.