pzu,
This is a most interesting link you've given us. (Your #5857 "Spitfire Glider Tugs < Vintage Wings of Canada") First shot out of the locker, it was a hare-brained scheme of which I've never heard - although at that stage of the war, there were such schemes aplenty (for who knows, they
might work). And of course, I was round the other side of the globe from '42 to '46.
The next comment is on the first pic. Could be wrong, but the aircraft shown towing doesn't look quite like a Spitfire to me. The wingspan looks a bit too large, there isn't the dihedral you have in a Spit, the rad bulge under the stbd wing root isn't prominent enough. Could it be a Hurricane ? And the tow looks as if it's from the left side of fuselage ? How was it done ? (I see that a later pic shows the Spitfire tail wheel bolt-on assembly.
Second pic (Flt/Lt McRae and Spit V [?]).
What on earth is in the cockpit ?)
Third pic really takes you back. All the spirit of the wartime RAF is there to see (but no Sgt-Pilots ?)
Rest of pics: What a beautiful glider ! (I've never seen one before). Put an engine on that and you'd
really have something. All this will be old hat to
harrym, but it's all fresh to me. The notion of doing it off an aircraft carrier makes me turn pale !
*********
Pursuant to our PMs (and one on the subject from another PPRuNer), I have been digging a bit deeper into our subject, and turned up quite a bit of stuff on the internet (detailed below, double underline shows source, bold type mine for emphasis). Seems our Wing Commander is something of a celebrity.
I had in mind writing to BBC Tees, but now I don't know what to think. If we accept that 88 is correct, nothing fits. But surely their reporter would have got
that right ?
I've watched the video several times, surprised that he keeps his hands firmly in his lap throughout - and when the affable young pilot offers him control (01.16) of the Cessna 152 (?), answers "
Better not".
Why not, for pity's sake ? What harm can he possibly do ? Wouldn't
any old pilot happily "have a go" ? Wouldn't you ? Seems odd to me.
What do you make of it ? What do our readers think ?
Cheers, Danny.
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BBC News Tees 22.6.14. (on link from pzu Post #5848)
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"For once, Mike Warren was happy to be a passenger Teesside war veteran gets back in the cockpit"
"Teesside war veteran has returned to the cockpit 70 years after flying Lancaster Bombers over Germany".
"Mike Warren, 88, was involved in more than 100 World War Two 2 operations".
"Now he has been flown to Gloucester to be reunited with fellow pilots".
(I think by "Project Propeller"..D).
Canadian Air Forces - RAF Benson - News and Weather
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(pix)
National Canadian Air Forces Memorial Unveiled By The Duke Of Gloucester
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"A NATIONAL Memorial to Canadian Air Forces was dedicated, Friday the 8th July 2011 by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, at a ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, England and was marked by a fly-past of an RAF Spitfire and four Tucano trainer aircraft".
"Also present at the ceremony today was former Wing Commander Mike Warren, who trained with Dambuster Guy Gibson but also flew missions with the elite American 101st Airborne during Operation Market Garden".
Sunderland Echo 21.6.14.
===============
"Mr Hall will be joined by former Wing Commander Mike Warren, from Saltburn, who was involved in the D-Day landings as well as flying raids in Lancasters as both a pilot and later a rear gunner".
The FLYER forums ‹ GA Discussion
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by
GrimReaper » Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:38 pm (Excerpt from)
"Hi Colin
I don't have any details of Mike Warren, so please feel free to pass these on to me by whatever means you wish. Many thanks for your help".
, Danny.