Gibsons wings

Guy Gibson was almost certainly wearing his battledress uniform, with his wings sew on at the time he was killed, they would have been the ones most used by him, therefore would have been burned in the resulting crash in Holland (?), any other wings he would have had would have been on his ‘best blues’ uniform for formal dress occasions, & seldom used on operations

Dustyone

Can anyone tell us what trips the aircraft made and what is the colour scheme that it is painted in?

***** All the Lancasters with 7 – 49 – 214 FMS & 148 Sqns based at Upwood, & which I worked on, were Matt Black underside — Matt White all top surfaces, — (know as ‘Far East’ scheme) code letters, A/C serial Nos were Matt Black, prop.spinners were Matt White. All the A/C were B1s. — Sqn. codes were:— MG – EA – QN – & AU. — sadly non of these A/C were preserved.
The A/C. ‘call sign’ letter, (about 12 inches high) ie;-‘in this case’ G’ , was painted in Matt Black just below, & to the rear of the front gun turret either side ot the fuselage.

MG-G was on static diplay at the ‘Daily Express’ Air Pageant held at Gatwick airport on Sat July 10th 1948 where she attracted long queues who entered her through an under-nose hatch by way of a special ladder, & departed through the ‘usual’ entry/departure (starboard) rear door.
Climbing over the huge wing spar, which barred the way just to the rear of the cockpit, greatly limited movement when transiting fore & aft in the fuselage, this would have proved very hard for the unfit,or elderly, –women in long skirts & coats, or even some men (The weather that day was unseasonably cold & overcast that day so heavy clothing was being worn).
This spar even proved to be a challenge to us ‘youngsters. especially when wearing parachute harness etc etc.
This was possibly G- George’s last public appearance, & maybe she was removed by ‘Queen-mary’ to her final fate soon after.

70 to 80.000 of the public attended the pageant on that cold, overcast day.

Memories of a grand ‘Old Lady’!!!!

Dustyone

Thanks David – I will follow it up. I know it was with a squadron called the Metropolitan Communications Squadron – Can someone tell me what role they performed in WW2.

thanks
Ross

*******The Met.Comm. Sqdn operated out of Hortholt (London) during WW11 carrying high ranking officers etc etc between stations.

Dustyone

Can anyone give me the wartime history for my aeroplane

PERCIVAL PROCTOR MK.I H.9 R7493,G-AIEB,VH-AHY

I am rebuilding it and often wondered about its service history.

regards
Ross Stenhouse

***** Hi Ross — I have had great success in obtaining detailed history from RAF form 78, copies of which can be obtained from THE RAF Museum Hendon London. tell them what you are doing with her, & I’m sure that they will help you. Please let me know how you get on.

Dusty

Proctor Mk 1V

Clearly the heading picture is fitted with a light carrier of some type. Where did the suggestion 500lb bombs and France come from? I would think the heaviest load would be anti-personel bombs or perhaps Sea Markers or Smoke bombs for training purposes rather than an attempt to sink the Bismark 🙂

John

******* The ‘bomb’ (or whatever you think it is), is clearly visable on one side of the underslung rack, the ‘500lb bomb to France’ was just a figure of speach to prove how futile such plans were.
The plans to arm light A/C with bombs were made prior to the fall of France in 1940, & the threat of invasion in Southern England increased, if you need an exact example, A/C such as Tiger Moth (EM 836) were adapted carry 8 + 20 lb bombs under the rear cockpit — they would’nt knock the paint off of the Bismark, but if they arrived at their target, would have given a few Germans some headaches !!! The Proctor in the heading pic. is clearly a Mk 1V which at that time was nowhere near ready to come into service, let alone be fitted with racks of any kind. for whaterever ‘hostile’ purpose, —-by the time the Mk1V came ‘on the scene’ there were far better types to carry out such duties.