Thumper - Lancaster of 50 SQN

[Crispin Williams]

I am trying to track down the registration of an Lancaster of 50 Sqn (probably 19420) that had a 'Thumper' logo on its side. I have a photo of it but am not permitted to post a photo as I have not made 10 posts yet.

[Fargo Boyle]

Hi. Have you tried the Squadron association? Found a website No.50 & No.61 Squadrons Association (http://www.no-50-and-no-61-squadrons-association.co.uk) which looks possibly useful to you?

[Crispin Williams]

Thanks, I have tried the 50/61 squadron site but without luck.

[India Four Two]

Here’s Crispin’s photo:

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/543x768/thumper_lancaster_copy_3b5c6a7777db187ece551dfdd001077086483 3fa.png


Ignore the black dog. ;)


Forty missions - was that better than average?

[Crispin Williams]

Thanks for posting the photo. My father, Bill Williams, is the one without the brevet, one from the left. The unknown Wing Commander, one on my father's left is OC either 50 or 61 squadron and the photo is probably taken at Skellingthorpe. 40 missions is a lot. 50 and 61 Squadrons together had around 40 aircraft that made 50 or missions. That's a lot of numbers!

[50sqnwopag]

The pilot is wing commander Russell OC 50 sqn, I recognise the lad on our far left aswell, these are 50sqn people. Also in Chaz Bowyer's book 'Bomber group at war' p.123 there is a wider angle photo of her with no op tally 'belonging' to Len Durham's crew

[50sqnwopag]

the lad on the left is James Armour DFC DFM, Wop/ag, after serving on 50sqn, first as a Sgt then commissioned, he went with W/C Russell (and another AG from 50 George Cable DFM) to 138 sqn, all were KIA 7/8th May '44 when the Halifax ( LL289 NF-O) they were flying was shot down by a nightfighter near Le Mans.