In Taylor and Davison’s book ‘Bomber Boys’ there was a passage from a survivor recounting how he saw an officer in RAF uniform hanging from a street lamp, as they were taken through a bombed out town.

I can see how this might have been relatively common.

The book, BTW, is excellent, if rather depressing reading. One interesting passage quotes Churchill saying that a country would never be defeated by ‘terrorism’ – said during WWI about Zeppelin bombings….

DS

I enjoyed the airshow immensely. It was only spoilt by the fact that I was apparently some kind of magnet to 8 year old boys, who constantly pushed infront of me, shouting ‘Spitfire Spitfire….ack ack ack ack ack ack ack’ every time they saw something with a propellor.

I think I’ll risk the tank bank next time – at least they know what they are photographing 😮

DS

Thanks, I’ll be the one with the Kodak disposables.

DS

I’ll be there. Last years was wonderfull, but even so I was unable to convince any non-forum friends to come along this time.

Last year I was stationed infront of the AAM and had an *almost* great view fo the planes taxying past, but was obstructed by several rows of heads. Any ideas on what time you think I should arrive to get a front row view?

Failing that, I assume the ‘tank bank’ is a bank outside the tank museum? :p Do you allow in people with Box Brownies?

DS

2005 – the BBMF proudly takes delivery of new photographic display model

After careful positioning by crane, the new arrival is ready to be viewed:

😀

DS

My father’s cousin married an American airforce office after the war, and he eventually got *very* high up in the NATO chain of command. His family used to play host to us when we went to the Mildenhall airshows in the 70’s. My defining moment was being taken into his office, surrounded by pictues on the walls, models on the desks, and then being allowed to sit in his bosses chair.

The Boss.

Big red button on the desk!

Well, maybe not that….but I was told he was somebody very important, and it was a BIG desk, US flags behind it, the works! . 😮 Then we went for a walk down a C5 Galaxy.

DS

‘Flying Coffiin’ was used for several a/c, but specifically for the Starfighter, due to its ability to drop out of the sky…..

DS

From my reading, I have not found any reference to the Stirling ever being considered for CC duties. Range and ordinance carriage would not have been an issue. The main problems the Stirling encountered in its Bomber Command role was its ceiling limitation (along with bomb load to some extent), due to its impaired wing size. At low level, the Stirling was actually a highly manoeuverable plane, given its size. Hence its role in SOE ops. It was highly versatile – glider towing being a forte as, (unlike other aircraft) it did not ‘stretch’ after having towed a glider!

I suspect that the reason it was overlooked for CC duties was more that it was simply unavailable. Having not exactly ‘excelled’ in BC service, it was being produced for paratroop drops/glider towing (Mk IV) and transport (Mark V) in relatively small numbers compared to the number of Lancs and Halifax’s rolling off the lines. Moreover, there was no Canadian production line – the Mark II was planned, with Wright Cyclone R-2600-ASB engines – but perfomance was no better than the Mk I, so the order was cancelled.

Now, had they gone ahead with the Super Stirling……

🙁

DS