I’ve been lucky enough to attend several times over the years, can’t recommend it highly enough. I even rate it over Wanaka these days!
Type683

My Dad flew on both the Berlin and Nuremberg raids and was also on the same Squadron as Cyril Barton VC for both raids. Dad was proud that “his” squadron was the only 4 Group Halifax squadron to earn a VC albeit at a terrible cost. On the Nuremburg raid Dad witnessed several aircraft going down but he and the crew had a quiet night as such Dad crediting the strong winds blowing them further south on the return leg. Having said that they were lucky not to add to the loss tally. They were advised that they could not land at Burn, their home airfield, as an aircraft had crash landed closing the airfield and were diverted to Elvington. Due to being blown further south fuel was becoming critical. Having called up Elvington they didn’t get any response and with the F/Eng saying they were nearly out of fuel the Pilot went straight in and landed despite light ground fog. It was just as well as having just turned off the end of the runway the engines quit, out of fuel. A lucky end to the trip for them.
In regards to the route taken for the Nuremberg raid Dad said that when the curtain was pulled back and the crews saw the route gasps of disbelief were heard all-round the briefing hut.
Type683

My Dad trained as an Air Gunner although he still had to learn morse code as did the earlier W/AG’s. He initially started as a rear gunner but he and the then mid upper swapped to see what the other position was like. Both preferred the other turret so with the agreement of the skipper made the swap permanent. Dad did all his Ops as a Mid Upper. The skipper taught all the crew to fly the aircraft straight and level and basic turns on compass so that should he be wounded any of the crew could take over and hopefully get them back to base.
Type683