Historic colour film about WW2 night bombing
Many thanks Ricardian- an excellent find.
One of my grandfathers was a rigger - specialist sheet metal worker - who used to patch up Lancasters. It sometimes involved clearing out the bits of the poor unfortunate on the inside of the hit, so he didn't like to talk about it.
One of my grandfathers was a rigger - specialist sheet metal worker - who used to patch up Lancasters. It sometimes involved clearing out the bits of the poor unfortunate on the inside of the hit, so he didn't like to talk about it.
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Night Bombers
Dear All,
I'd like to get a DVD copy of this for my father-in-law (65 ops - 56 over Germany Primary Blind Marker - Nav.Bomb Aimer) 156 Squadron Pathfinders 'We Light the Way'
How can I go about it? I don't think I can download it from here can I?
Ian
I'd like to get a DVD copy of this for my father-in-law (65 ops - 56 over Germany Primary Blind Marker - Nav.Bomb Aimer) 156 Squadron Pathfinders 'We Light the Way'
How can I go about it? I don't think I can download it from here can I?
Ian
IL-Have you read/got the book "They Led the Way" by the former vicar in Cambridgeshire whose father was lost as a rear gunner when the son was 10 months old. I will be home next week and can let you have ISBN etc if necessary
In late72/early73 I was at a RAeS branch meeting in the Whittle Hall at RAFC when Air Cdre Cousins showed this film. He provided a limited commentary as the film speaks for itself.
In the Q&A session afterwards he was asked how he was able to use colour film. He replied with a smile that colour film was available for training purposes!
My recollection, from the meeting, could be wrong but records somewhere will provide the truth, was that he had been Stn Cdr at Hemswell but was SASO at 1Gp, Bawtry, when the film was made.
Also the film had been kept in a bank vault or deposit box since the war and this viewing at Cranwell was if not the first, a very early viewing for some time.
Thank goodness it was preserved. Parts are recognisable in various documentaries produced since.
Hemswell I think, had the same layout as Lindholme. 2 runways at right angles, not the more common 3 runway triangular pattern. Again like Lindholme the taxiway wiggled round in front of the 3 front hangars, total of 5, arranged in a curve. There is not much margin to weave when taxying a 4 eng tail dragger and certainly not when in front of the hangars. This is based on taxying a Hastings, which had the same or similar landing gear geometry and wing span as the Halifax. I'm guessing it was similar for the Lanc. Looks like they were departing on 05 or whatever it was then.
In the Q&A session afterwards he was asked how he was able to use colour film. He replied with a smile that colour film was available for training purposes!
My recollection, from the meeting, could be wrong but records somewhere will provide the truth, was that he had been Stn Cdr at Hemswell but was SASO at 1Gp, Bawtry, when the film was made.
Also the film had been kept in a bank vault or deposit box since the war and this viewing at Cranwell was if not the first, a very early viewing for some time.
Thank goodness it was preserved. Parts are recognisable in various documentaries produced since.
Hemswell I think, had the same layout as Lindholme. 2 runways at right angles, not the more common 3 runway triangular pattern. Again like Lindholme the taxiway wiggled round in front of the 3 front hangars, total of 5, arranged in a curve. There is not much margin to weave when taxying a 4 eng tail dragger and certainly not when in front of the hangars. This is based on taxying a Hastings, which had the same or similar landing gear geometry and wing span as the Halifax. I'm guessing it was similar for the Lanc. Looks like they were departing on 05 or whatever it was then.
Further to my previous posting, and checking my 2001 photographic atlas of England it looks as if Hemswell had 4 permanent hangars adjacent to a bending taxiway. Departure rw looks more like 33. My recollections of Hemswell, early 70s, are limited to driving past and visiting the MQs, used then as an overflow for Scampton. Standing by for further corrections!
1066
1066
A bit more re Hemswell
http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/av.../Hemswell.html
This shows that again I was wrong re number of runways.
Looks like a standard 3 runway triangle but shows the taxiway snaking past the 4 hangars as seen in the film.
Must do more research before I post next time!
1066
http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/av.../Hemswell.html
This shows that again I was wrong re number of runways.
Looks like a standard 3 runway triangle but shows the taxiway snaking past the 4 hangars as seen in the film.
Must do more research before I post next time!
1066
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My Father was in this movie
Hello,
I came across this forum. Parts of this movie were made at the end of the war.The taxiing if the Lancasters was staged.This is what my father told me.He was Flying Officer Derek Clarke 150 squadron and remembers staging this taxi footage for this movie.His Lancaster was S for Sugarbaby
I came across this forum. Parts of this movie were made at the end of the war.The taxiing if the Lancasters was staged.This is what my father told me.He was Flying Officer Derek Clarke 150 squadron and remembers staging this taxi footage for this movie.His Lancaster was S for Sugarbaby
