In my search for other R.A.F trades I have made contact with a Lancaster air gunner at last, I am hoping he might contribute direct . I have sent him an U.R.L that should connect him directly to this page. If he does contribute, I am sure you will welcome him in the usual style. He is denonline and contributes to Lancaster Archive. If any one has any questions on Air to air, air to ground, or sea and post them on this thread, I am quite happy to chat with Den and publish his replies.
I have also contacted one 'erich' , a Luftwaffe historian who has replied as follows.
Cliff
send me a link to the forum/thread. I know of one pilot that may want to respond, real problem is that many of the German vets do not have computers or any English skills.
Erich ~
My lost cause ?
Den wrote to me as follows, and gave me premission to publish (imprimatur ?)
did my AGS at No 11 AGS Andreas Isle of Man, Our air to air firing was at drogues towed by Masters & Martinets.
We flew in Ansons fitted with a Bristol 175 turret. there were 3 pupils per exercise. 900 rounds were loaded, 300 for each of us.The tips had been dipped in red, yellow or green. The same procedure for air to ground firing.
At OTU with Wellingtons, we towed our own drogue that we deployed, where the drogue was badly damaged & whipping around, we carried a pair of shears to cut the cable as a precaution against the drogue cable jamming the tail controls, there had been previous accidents.
I cannot recall ever doing drogue shooting on the Lanc.squadrons. I am not aware of the official position but we practised our deflection shooting at sea with seagulls as our targets. Dennis