Geriaviator (#9858),
Thanks for the detailed instruction: only got a pale blue "IWM", clicked on that, got a black square which did nothing, wandered about a bit and found 'Oral Records', got no joy and retired hurt in full 'Christopher Columbus' mood. He (as you'll recall): "
Didn't know where he was going when he set off; didn't know where he was when he got there; and didn't know where he'd been when he got back".
That describes me exactly with any IT problem ! Give up ! I am beyond human aid ! - but thanks for trying, all the same.
Now I must apologise for my #9854, in which I airily refer to the 'Vlad' video without attributing it to you as the first,
AFAIK, to bring it to our notice. "I'll look your Post up, and give the reference", I thought. Could I find it again ? - I could
not. Tried "Search This Thread" (predictably as much use as a sick headache, although must admit it can find "Amapola" all right). Useless ! (Even Google professed total ignorance).
Now this Thread is "just like old times", isn't it ? - with hares running all over the place and people chipping in with helpful scraps of information. So, one at a time, here is my two cent's worth.
jeffb (#9859) and
FED (#9860),
Now the "lanyard" has popped up in the discussion (first time I've heard of them being used for this purpose, but had no experience in Bomber Command). Clearly a good idea (why waste soft iron wire when glorified string will do the job ?). In which case, why not not just get longer bits of string to reach the "cookie" fuses ? (plus added peace of mind to the poor devils sitting on 'em).
Yes, some blast ! I understand that the idea was that the "cookie" would blow all the tiles/slates off for ¼ mile around, then the Stirlings would come along with a load of incendiaries for the now roofless buildings and get a good fire going in no time (most incendiaries bounced off our slates). Didn't the Germans use a parachute "Land Mine" on us for the same purpose ? (it was reputed to be the size of a pillar-box; it was a bit of a facer if you took down the blackout in the morning and saw an unexploded one of these sitting in your front garden).
...to operate the jettison bar...... after the bomb aimer had called bombs gone...... This to ensure that there were no hang ups...
Could you be
sure? Only if the whole rack plus hung-up bomb was dumped (but that would be terribly expensive ?) Otherwise the thing would still stick to the rack because of the defect which had caused it to hang-up in the first place. Don't know, are there any armourer or bomber heroes (and they were
all heroes IMHO) on frequency ?
Chugalug (#9858),
...What comes across most is the incredible modesty of this man...
Kipling said it for all of us:
"
Greater the deed, greater the need
Lightly to laugh it away.
Shall be the mark of the English breed
Until the Judgment Day".
In the (unlikely) case I pop my clogs in the meantime, a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year to PPRuNe and all who sail in her !
Danny.