Nice shot Gainsey , Like the view - and the Castle too.
DavidG
The
PR sqns in Germany were mostly tactical so, although flights near/on the corridor were undoubtably undertaken, the majority of recce flying would have been exercises against Brit and US/NATO troop movements and emplacements. Don't forget that the Germany
PR blokes also did many overseas tasks as well, being detached all over the world. There is the possibility though that your dad might well have carried out one or two covert type recce missions, NATO tasks that won't, as yet, be "in the public domain". Reason I say this is that the Canberras in Germany, during your dad's first tour, were tasked with gathering intel on the "enemy". During his second tour (at the same time I was there) the Cold one was just that little bit warmer requiring constant inovative recce gathering. Further, your dad's second tour would have started during or just before the Cuba Missile crisis - RAFG was in a "high" state for that. If you can uncover your dad's Log Book that would give all sorts of background that blokes on this forum could interpret for you - and probably fill in detail!
Meanwhile, keep your dad's memory alive. The RAFG Canberra pilots and navs were amongst the bravest in the RAF. If the balloon
had gone up, they all knew they wouldn't be coming back from a mission. You're right, not enough is written about those blokes or the RAFG operations.
Following Gainsey's lead, here's a pic of a 17 Sqn
PR.7, WT534, showing it flying over a typical "target". (This is also scanned from a book.)
