Bomber crew
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Bomber crew
Not sure whether this belongs here or on the Nostalgia forum but "Bomber Crew" starts next Monday on Channel 4 at 2100. It was part filmed at Duxford this Summer and follows the format of "Fighter Aces" which was also on C4. As the guys were PPLs it will be interesting to see what they made of the RCAF Lancaster.
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Sounds remarkably like the series two years ago where they put a contempory crew together to fly a Lancaster simulator on a "dambusters" raid...
... are they going to use the same simulator... with the software bugs fixed!??
... are they going to use the same simulator... with the software bugs fixed!??
Coppula eam se non posit acceptera jocularum
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Rather enjoyable, and will most certainly watch the remaining programmes in the series. One big gripe is why do we have to tolerate same stock film, along with a reminder of the objectives, every few minutes? Pointless padding.
Interesting that the airline pilot had a few difficulties at first with the Harvard. Credit to him that he used an overnight to analyse his flying.
Pluses:
- Interviews with the former aircrew.
- Aerial shots of the Lancaster.
- Obvious pride candidates had in their grandfather's and the way their heart is in what they are doing.
Minus:
- Every few minutes being told one of the three will go on to fly the Lancaster.
- Some dumbing down of history.
Interesting that the airline pilot had a few difficulties at first with the Harvard. Credit to him that he used an overnight to analyse his flying.
Pluses:
- Interviews with the former aircrew.
- Aerial shots of the Lancaster.
- Obvious pride candidates had in their grandfather's and the way their heart is in what they are doing.
Minus:
- Every few minutes being told one of the three will go on to fly the Lancaster.
- Some dumbing down of history.
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Why is the longish grey haired type so very pleased with himself?
He seems to get off when there's youngsters around him, giving them the "I'm a flying god" routine.
Who is he?
He seems to get off when there's youngsters around him, giving them the "I'm a flying god" routine.
Who is he?
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That is THE sky God, Brendan O Brien of much aerobatic type stuff fame. Toatally agree- always comes across (ooh er missus) as a complete know all, as do all the other self important know alls who present aircraft related programmes- Alain de smarmy Cadenet, John I'm a war hero Nicholl, Julian I should stick to sport Tutt and his amazing choppers, Paul dreary but "nice" Beaver, and any other dim witt they use who just because they fly/have flown or work with aeroplanes in some shape or form makes them think they know a lot!
Come back Raymond Baxter, all is forgiven.
Remember them bringing him in for the Concorde last landing at LHR - and the BBC presenter who showed the enormous sense to belt up and just let him talk uninterrupted.
G
Remember them bringing him in for the Concorde last landing at LHR - and the BBC presenter who showed the enormous sense to belt up and just let him talk uninterrupted.
G
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Is The Sky God an oxygen thief or what? I remembered my checklist perfectly and hit mute on the remote every time he kicked off 
Raymond Baxter is the tops. He came to a GatBash several years ago and appeared very frail - but when he stepped up to talk you could have heard a pin drop. Wonderful raconteur - and I've even forgiven him for his motor racing commentry on a Formula Ford race many years ago when he insisted on calling a Crossle (kros-lay) a crossul
Raymond Baxter is the tops. He came to a GatBash several years ago and appeared very frail - but when he stepped up to talk you could have heard a pin drop. Wonderful raconteur - and I've even forgiven him for his motor racing commentry on a Formula Ford race many years ago when he insisted on calling a Crossle (kros-lay) a crossul
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Yeah, if you hang around any flying clubs in the UK you always find the smug, i got loads o money types. I flown this n that.
Dont worry there are some of us working class scrubbers who scrimped n scraped to fly and we aren't always dismissed by evryone. The average flying instructor aint no millionaire so you can mostly have a coversation with em.
For real ordinary Joe flying , go to the states. there you will find proper friendly chaps with no smugness. And they don't wear cheesy flying jackets cos that would use up the money for the flying !!
Land at an airfield there and the first thing they do is point you to a refreshment area or help park up your aircraft and offer to refuel it.
Here , it's directions to pay the landing fee.
Bomber crew is great, lots of aviation emotion, and it shows that some flyers love flying more than themselves.
Anything that helps to educate people on the sacrifices made by many, whatever their nationality, gets my vote evrytime.
Dont worry there are some of us working class scrubbers who scrimped n scraped to fly and we aren't always dismissed by evryone. The average flying instructor aint no millionaire so you can mostly have a coversation with em.
For real ordinary Joe flying , go to the states. there you will find proper friendly chaps with no smugness. And they don't wear cheesy flying jackets cos that would use up the money for the flying !!
Land at an airfield there and the first thing they do is point you to a refreshment area or help park up your aircraft and offer to refuel it.
Here , it's directions to pay the landing fee.
Bomber crew is great, lots of aviation emotion, and it shows that some flyers love flying more than themselves.
Anything that helps to educate people on the sacrifices made by many, whatever their nationality, gets my vote evrytime.
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Always strikes me as funny how people knock Brendan O'Brien and his TV appearances. Yes he wore a bizarre jacket and yes he does ooze, but after watching the show again I think it's fair to say that he didn't utter one innacuracy or do anything wrong and considering he can actually fly pretty much everything from a teacup to a 747, seems a shame really to slag him off so much. Equally taking a pop at John Nicholl seems a bit unfair. He did serve on the front line and was a guest in the Baghdad Hilton, so I think he has a right to appear in aviation related programming. Used to be that eccentricity and enthusiasm were applauded in this country, now it seems that all they do is annoy the Monday morning experts!
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Another vote here for Brendan O' Brien.
OK, he looks a bit like Peter Stringfellow's long lost brother but he does know his flying. He's entertained me a number of times at airshows - remember the Fournier Unipart Duo or the Piper Cub landing atop a moving artic?
He also used to co-present a flying show on Discovery (sadly no longer shown on the "normal" Discovery Channel) which was very good.
OK, he looks a bit like Peter Stringfellow's long lost brother but he does know his flying. He's entertained me a number of times at airshows - remember the Fournier Unipart Duo or the Piper Cub landing atop a moving artic?
He also used to co-present a flying show on Discovery (sadly no longer shown on the "normal" Discovery Channel) which was very good.
Coppula eam se non posit acceptera jocularum
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It is getting better. It is almost as though they edited the episode for last night after reading the comments here!
As for Raymond Baxter, he made 'Tomorrows World' the classiest science programme ever!
As for Raymond Baxter, he made 'Tomorrows World' the classiest science programme ever!
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Never been very impressed with Mr O'Brien when I read an article in which he killed a glider pilot in a mid air collision between his light aircraft and glider. Think if I'd done that I would want to keep a low profile rather than pretend to be an expert bomber pilot/bomb aimer etc. John Romain seems to be a nice guy. Presumably the Lancaster the "winner" gets to fly is the Canadian one.
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One of the best thing about the program has to be the interviews with the old flyers. It amazes me the reserve and understated ness of these men. What summed it up for me was one them described his time over Berlin simply as being “a bit hairy” !
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The Lancaster and Halifax were single pilot aircraft (although the pilot did sit on the left).
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster has been modified to allow a co-pilot. I'm not sure of the situation with the Canadian Lanc.
And yes, it is the Canadian Lanc which will be used (it's the one they keep showing in the flying Lanacaster footage).
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster has been modified to allow a co-pilot. I'm not sure of the situation with the Canadian Lanc.
And yes, it is the Canadian Lanc which will be used (it's the one they keep showing in the flying Lanacaster footage).