Great airmen/airwomen
How about ACM Sir Gus Walker:
An extraordinary house, an extraordinary hero.
ON December 8 1942 Lancaster bombers under the command of Group Captain Augustus Walker were preparing to take off on a night raid over Turin. All were fully armed, many with l,000lb bombs, and fuelled for the punishing raid over Italy.
While taxiing to take off, Gp Capt Walker saw something fall from the bomb bay of one of the heavy
bombers and, thinking it might have been a bomb, instinctively rushed across the airfield to warn the crew to abandon the sortie.
Suddenly there was an explosion. He was within a few metres of the aircraft and was thrown nearly 80 metres by the blast, severing his right arm. Incredibly, as he was being taken to hospital he asked one of his staff to telephone the RAF top brass to ask if they would take back a one-armed station commander in two month's time. Two months later, he was back on duty.
Only a month after that he became an Air Commodore at the age of 30 and continued to lly. having an artificial arm with leather loops which he wrapped around the control column. During his 36-year RAF career he rose be Air Chief Marshall and ultimately became a deputy Commander-in-chief of Nato.
http://www.pocklingtonhistory.com/ar...lker/index.php
http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Walker_G.htm
An extraordinary house, an extraordinary hero.
ON December 8 1942 Lancaster bombers under the command of Group Captain Augustus Walker were preparing to take off on a night raid over Turin. All were fully armed, many with l,000lb bombs, and fuelled for the punishing raid over Italy.
While taxiing to take off, Gp Capt Walker saw something fall from the bomb bay of one of the heavy
bombers and, thinking it might have been a bomb, instinctively rushed across the airfield to warn the crew to abandon the sortie.Suddenly there was an explosion. He was within a few metres of the aircraft and was thrown nearly 80 metres by the blast, severing his right arm. Incredibly, as he was being taken to hospital he asked one of his staff to telephone the RAF top brass to ask if they would take back a one-armed station commander in two month's time. Two months later, he was back on duty.
Only a month after that he became an Air Commodore at the age of 30 and continued to lly. having an artificial arm with leather loops which he wrapped around the control column. During his 36-year RAF career he rose be Air Chief Marshall and ultimately became a deputy Commander-in-chief of Nato.
http://www.pocklingtonhistory.com/ar...lker/index.php
http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Walker_G.htm
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Bluntend
What is meant by airmen/airwomen?
Does it mean the non-commissioned members of the RAF or does it mean people whose profession involves flying (ie the airmen bit in NOTAM)?
If it is the latter then AVM Don Bennett is a good case study. The RAF's youngest ever AVM (at 33) and commaner of the Pathfinder Force. He ran the group with a rod of iron but he got results and his aircrew liked and respected him.
What is meant by airmen/airwomen?
Does it mean the non-commissioned members of the RAF or does it mean people whose profession involves flying (ie the airmen bit in NOTAM)?
If it is the latter then AVM Don Bennett is a good case study. The RAF's youngest ever AVM (at 33) and commaner of the Pathfinder Force. He ran the group with a rod of iron but he got results and his aircrew liked and respected him.
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Climebear.
The brief, such as it is at this stage as the essay won't formally be set until early next month specifies a noteable airman or airwoman who has during their time displayed exceptional leadership. It also hints at the individual having a relatively large sphere of influence so I guess the implied requirement would be for someone WO or above. But there are plenty of NCO's over the years who have been highly decorated so if any fit the bill, please let me know.
Personally, I just want to avoid having to submit an essay on Trenchard or the Red Barron...
The brief, such as it is at this stage as the essay won't formally be set until early next month specifies a noteable airman or airwoman who has during their time displayed exceptional leadership. It also hints at the individual having a relatively large sphere of influence so I guess the implied requirement would be for someone WO or above. But there are plenty of NCO's over the years who have been highly decorated so if any fit the bill, please let me know.
Personally, I just want to avoid having to submit an essay on Trenchard or the Red Barron...
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Sources of Inspiration?
I have been impressed by the accounts of many of the subjects in The Daily Telegraph Book of Airmen's Obituaries, which now runs to two volumes.
Many are positively inspiring and would be worthy of further research.
Polecat
Many are positively inspiring and would be worthy of further research.
Polecat
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A suggestion.
Group Captain J R Jeudwine DSO OBE DFC.
Pre-war regular who served pre-war. Went out to the far east and was caught up in the Japanese invasion. The bit that could demonstrate leadership well was when he escaped from Java in a boat with 11 men and they reached safety 47 days later. Ths was what he got the OBE for.
After that he returned to UK, commanded 619 Sqn and eventually became a master bomber with 5 Group. Died right after the end of the war in a Typhoon crash.
There is a biography available, Global Warrior.
HtH
Group Captain J R Jeudwine DSO OBE DFC.
Pre-war regular who served pre-war. Went out to the far east and was caught up in the Japanese invasion. The bit that could demonstrate leadership well was when he escaped from Java in a boat with 11 men and they reached safety 47 days later. Ths was what he got the OBE for.
After that he returned to UK, commanded 619 Sqn and eventually became a master bomber with 5 Group. Died right after the end of the war in a Typhoon crash.
There is a biography available, Global Warrior.
HtH
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Bob Stanford Tuck
I'm guessing that Bader has been done to death, but you could look at Bob Stanford Tuck, my personal WW2 hero. His biography Fly For your Life by Larry Forrester (a real Boy's Own story, and my Desert island Disc book) has plenty of examples of his leadership, not least when he took over a demoralised Canadian squadron (257 sqn IIRC) and turned them into a highly effective outfit in double quick time. And another when he deals with a couple of NCO aircrew who keep turning back from their scrambles.
HTH
MM
HTH
MM
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If it's leadership you're after rather than exceptional airmanship, many of the main WW2 examples are obvious, but people like Leonard Cheshire, Johnny Johnson, Douglas Bader, Bob Tuck and Adolf Galland will have been done many times. My favourite of this bunch is Alan Deere, but I wouldn't argue against any of them. Gus Walker would be a good choice too. If you want someone higher up the tree, there's Dowding, or if you go back to WW1 you can't go far wrong with McCudden, Boelke or Mannock. Pre WW1 you've got Louis Strange, or Trenchard of course
If the emphasis is on airmanship rather than leadership, the field opens up to include pilots like Cunningham, Beamont and Duke, and maybe some mavericks and eccentrics, like Albert Ball and Don Bennett
Choosing from that lot is quite a nice problem to have!
If the emphasis is on airmanship rather than leadership, the field opens up to include pilots like Cunningham, Beamont and Duke, and maybe some mavericks and eccentrics, like Albert Ball and Don Bennett
Choosing from that lot is quite a nice problem to have!
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Well, given today's sad news that at the age of 88 Sir Edmund Hillary has past away, I think I'll write my essay on him. He did, afterall serve in the RNZAF and he was a leader in both the physical and social sense. He was certainly inspiritaional.
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Try www.TVNZ.co.nz or www.bbc.co.uk/news.
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Ah yes, Sir Ed, there could hardly be a better choice though I have always rather fancied the story of the life of Mary Russell, Duchess of Bedford, DBE FLS 1865-1937
What about Squadron leader Roger Bushell shot down 23rd May 1940 then eventually ended up in Stalag Luft III until his escape with others and eventual murder, or the SIB team who hunted the murders down and brought them to justice in very difficult circumstances.
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An apology for thread drift but with reference to posts 4, 7 & 10, was Eilean Beasley also the SWO at Bruggen in the nineties. Or have I mixed her up with somebody else.
She was also a formidable character.
She was also a formidable character.
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I'm sure that Eilean Beasley was the SWO at Cosford in 1997-1998 also, she was hilarious! When I was on guard she banned a Wing Commander from driving his car onto camp, the staish backed her all the way!
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Bader ?!
A great airman & leader in his own ego, but nowhere else - read up about him !
How he actually got his tin legs, the dubious circumstances of his downing, and the way he treated his 'bat man'- THAT man deserved a medal...
I worked with a chap who was groundcrew on the squadron when Bader got downed - a party was held that night !
Though it doesn't come easily ( re. the Nazi creed, but I reckon it doesn't apply here ) - I have to admire Galland for his utter balls for the " give me a Staffel of Spitfires " line to Goering.
I once met an ex-Spitfire pilot who'd been in the same POW Stalag as the great Douglas -
" we all had a good word to say for Bader - but I can't say it in front of your wife ! "
A great airman & leader in his own ego, but nowhere else - read up about him !
How he actually got his tin legs, the dubious circumstances of his downing, and the way he treated his 'bat man'- THAT man deserved a medal...
I worked with a chap who was groundcrew on the squadron when Bader got downed - a party was held that night !
Though it doesn't come easily ( re. the Nazi creed, but I reckon it doesn't apply here ) - I have to admire Galland for his utter balls for the " give me a Staffel of Spitfires " line to Goering.
I once met an ex-Spitfire pilot who'd been in the same POW Stalag as the great Douglas -
" we all had a good word to say for Bader - but I can't say it in front of your wife ! "
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A great airman & leader in his own ego, but nowhere else
If it were me choosing? I'd do Ray Hanna...check out Flying Lawyer's tribute thread and then you'll get some idea of how highly regarded he was (and still is).
LP
Last edited by Launchpad McQuack; 11th Jan 2008 at 12:55.
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Suggestion-
I agree, certainly Ray Hannah seems up there with the greats though I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but did see some of his displays - there are so many others who will not even get a mention, some still with us, most who aren't.
Test Pilots - well just read the TartanTerror's tribute site...I had the honour of flying with Frank Bullen for instance, who declined from making an entry in Don Middleton's excellent book ' Test Pilots -the history of BritishTest Flying' as he was too modest - though he admitted that when he saw how well the thing had turned out, not just a line-shoot, maybe he should have gone for it.
Another is Robin Milne - 99% of readers will say " Robin who ? "...
It has long seemed to me that a 'knighthood' is nowadays actually an insult - ' Sir Elton John' etc, also 'Services to Floristry'...
Maybe there ought to be a seperate form of approbation, along the lines of the FRAES but voted by the more common man who's seen people do great things and apparently get no credit - suggestions as to how this might be done please ?!
Test Pilots - well just read the TartanTerror's tribute site...I had the honour of flying with Frank Bullen for instance, who declined from making an entry in Don Middleton's excellent book ' Test Pilots -the history of BritishTest Flying' as he was too modest - though he admitted that when he saw how well the thing had turned out, not just a line-shoot, maybe he should have gone for it.
Another is Robin Milne - 99% of readers will say " Robin who ? "...
It has long seemed to me that a 'knighthood' is nowadays actually an insult - ' Sir Elton John' etc, also 'Services to Floristry'...
Maybe there ought to be a seperate form of approbation, along the lines of the FRAES but voted by the more common man who's seen people do great things and apparently get no credit - suggestions as to how this might be done please ?!
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Well, given today's sad news that at the age of 88 Sir Edmund Hillary has past away, I think I'll write my essay on him. He did, afterall serve in the RNZAF and he was a leader in both the physical and social sense. He was certainly inspiritaional.
Purely for leadership, one might suggest that John Hunt is worth considering too ... a band of strong-minded heroes like the '53 Everest expedition is a major challenge for any leader!!!