Page 11 – Key Publishing

Paul

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June 29, 2011 at 11:29 am in reply to: Surviving Gun Turrets #1053203

Paul
Participant

There is of course the “air gunners memorial room” at YAM (Elvington).

Currently they have six turrets on display:

http://www.tmquinn.net/airgunners/memorialroom/index.htm

June 17, 2011 at 11:10 am in reply to: B17 Liberty Belle Down – All Okay #1071550

Paul
Participant

Tragic though it is the airframe is gone. The crew are safe which is the main thing. hurrah!

In my view they could use the wreckage to make a pretty darn good wartime diorama. Get some wartime fire crew kit and vehicles, blood vaggons and tired air/groundcrew and you’d have a pretty good exhibit illustrating the groundcrew sections that never get the credit they deserve and also illustrating the dangers the crews faced.

Just my 2p’s worth

April 30, 2011 at 9:40 pm in reply to: A USAAF pilot with 578 Squadron RAF 1944: 1st Lt JL/Christenson #1063311

Paul
Participant

Thanks for your replies, there are more stories of his time with 578 squadron and yes you are right that there is some urgency as the number of veterans left in the association is dwindling rapidly. We do have the chaps initials and we will have his service number so research will continue, and we would like to tie up this loose end. I was slightly supprised that the department of veteran affirs couldn’t help us but I guess that America has rather a lot of veterans to look after!

We will follow up the leads that you have suggested.

Thanks again,

Paul

April 28, 2011 at 4:31 pm in reply to: Burnt aircrew from WW2? – whatever happened to them #1066678

Paul
Participant

Far from being shunned those of all services formed the starting point of the pioneering work of Sir Archibald McIndoe in “reconstructive plastic surgery” at East Grinstead.

A simple google for the Guinea pig club should answer many questions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea_Pig_Club
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/guinea-pig.shtml
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/guinea_pig_club.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/archibald_mcindoe_and_the_guinea.htm

Richard Hillary is perhaps one of the most well known guinea-pigs

Paul.

April 20, 2011 at 3:18 pm in reply to: ex RAF Burn – gliding club to go ? #1077882

Paul
Participant

Hi all,

Yorkshire Forward! More like “Yorkshire Backward”…. Selby Council are not without blame on this mess either. Burn gliding club offered to buy the land some years ago but the Council insisted on selling the airfield to Yorkshire forward.

I do hope that the gliding club gets to stay. They have looked after the airfield for the last 28 years. The rest being returned to farm land and public footpaths. It is a wonderful atmospheric place. Though most buildings are gone all three runways are still intact. A really peaceful place. A gliding club is a suitable fitting tribute to the memories of the airmen who flew from there not to return. All the locals want it to remain as it is…. But will Selby Council or Yorkshire Forward listen?

I really don’t want it to turn into yet another anonymous industrial estate!

Where is that lottery win when you need one!

“Life at Burn”

Paul.

February 8, 2011 at 1:52 pm in reply to: 347 squadron elvington #1127476

Paul
Participant

an interesting item but using Chorley’s 1945 Losses i can only trace a possible Halifax loss as MZ984 (347 Sq) which lists ‘Sgt E Usai FFAF’ as an injured air gunner during operations to Ludwigshafen 2-3 Jan 1945 . is this the ‘F Uzay’ of the article ?

anyone out there know any different ?

I can’t help directly but I believe the book “Halifax pour Victory” lists (and has photos) of the french crews/losses for both squadrons in its appendix at the back. I will take a look when I get home tonight.

BTW: It is a splendid book if you can get hold of it. The story of a tour of operations of a Pilot called Pilot officer Joules. It gives a real insight into the differences in the way the French crews operated within bomber command…

February 7, 2011 at 3:56 pm in reply to: Well worth a pint or two #1128397

Paul
Participant

A couple of Battle of Britain themed beers:

By the Wolfbrewery. 10% of proceeds go to the RAFA wings apeal.

And

From Chiltern Brewery. A donation is made from the sale of each bottle to the RAF Halton charities.

A tasty way to do a good deed for charity hic!

February 7, 2011 at 3:08 pm in reply to: Well worth a pint or two #1128455

Paul
Participant

If we start talking about Lancasters then we must not forget the mighty Halibag…

It is quite a nice brew too.

http://www.ellandbrewery.co.uk/halifax-bomber/

January 19, 2011 at 11:58 am in reply to: ''Don't You Yell At Me, Mr Warwick!'' Susannah York 1939-2011 #1151224

Paul
Participant

Yes Susannah York’s hair was wrong. The bedroom scene wooden…. And I’m sure that her nickers were not standard WAAF issue.

But then the Hurricanes and Spitfires were not all Mk1’s and the German planes had funny engines!

As a nine year old taken to the cinema with his dad the BoB aircraft kindled an interest in aviation, and Susannah York kindled and interest in the fairer sex. I owe a lot to that film.

R.I.P

January 11, 2011 at 4:14 pm in reply to: Aircraft in a Yorkshire lake? #1089821

Paul
Participant

There was a group of enthusiasts. (Not sure if they called themeselves YAM) that were based in the control tower at Acaster Malbis near York during the early seventies. I used to go and play in their Vampire as a wee lad. They had an ejector seat lots of small artifacts and and mossie wing. I don’t remember anything yellow like a Miles Magister though.

Paul.

October 27, 2010 at 10:43 am in reply to: Most Interesting Wreck Sites In The World #1095004

Paul
Participant

In a similar vein to Radpole Meteor’s suggestion for Halifax NA581. I would like to suggest Halifax LK-Q LW794 of 578 squadron.

Victor Starkoff and crew had completed their tour and volunteered to do one more op on 18th July 1944. The starboard inner engine mysteriously exploded and the aircraft crashed with a full bombload at carpenter’s wood near Maidenhead. Only the rear gunner got out. This being a short daylight operation to Caen the crash was witnessed by the rest of the squadron who were flying in loose formation. A suspicion of sabotage has always hung over the crash as there were other less tragic happenings around that time. (Cut oxygen hoses and iron filings in hydrolytic fluids etc). At one point I believe a guard was placed on all aircraft when un attended. It causes debate amongst the veterans. Some believe the sabotage tale others not.

http://www.578squadron.org.uk/squadron/queenie.html

http://www.578squadron.org.uk/memorials/carpenter.html

June 11, 2010 at 10:34 am in reply to: John De-Little #1120005

Paul
Participant

Yes it did seem a bit odd..

It was the “test pilot” followed by the “killed in a flying accident” that made me take note.

He must have been very close to his parents as they were buried in the same grave in 59 & 60.

I guess that it must have been a personal flying accident or as a passenger as there are no obvious service losses at that time (A Sunderland was lost on 16th Feb).

He could have been abroad I guess…

Anyway thank-you for all your replies….. I was just curious. The Service graves are scattered throughout York cemetery not in one place so I tend to wander around and spot unusual ones like that.

Cheers,

Paul.

June 10, 2010 at 3:36 pm in reply to: John De-Little #1120684

Paul
Participant

Thanks for that…. I was just curious. It was the sort of headstone that makes you take note.

I guess that he could have been killed in a personal flying accident not related to test flying or as Pagen says a Service check flight…

You would think after being injured in 1945 he would have realised that he’d had his share of luck!

Paul.

May 20, 2010 at 10:23 am in reply to: How many airman escaped the continent? #1147507

Paul
Participant

Hi,

I have read several articles about shotdown airman that managed to get back to England after long and dangerous journeys. But is there any information about how many managed to escape the continent? I read about an airgunner who was back in England after only 8 days, must be a record!

Best regards,

Mathieu.

Hi all,

I read about a Free French Bomb aimer who when their Halifax was in a particualrly nasty spot of Flak decided to jump rather than wait for the plane to be hit.

Being French and landing in France he blended in and was bundled back across the lines and was back at Elvington before the rest of the crew.

They had landed at Woodbridge with engine trouble.

Paul.

May 7, 2010 at 10:45 am in reply to: Hastings Wash And Brush Up #1091226

Paul
Participant

How about the Bristol Freighter ZK-CPT in NZ with a nice pair of running Hercs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXDw_670JJk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFXn5JzGljc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vGPJDbvUEM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClWyrpK_qQE&feature=related

Paul..

p.s Not enough hercs though…. Would love to see four running in a Hali or Stirling!
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