Bomber Command Memorial Calender

[oxenos]

The choice of photos seems a little odd. So far I have seen only an advert for it, and the pictures are not very clear, but as far as I can see it contains:-
1 photo of the memorial
1 photo of a USAAC B-17
7 photos of R.A.F. fighters
1 photo of a Luftwaffe fighter
and just 2 photos of Bomber command aircraft.

[Tankertrashnav]

Got a link for the ad? Google hasn't come up with anything.

If you're right seems like a bizarre choice of pictures.

[oxenos]

Ad in the Torygraph a couple of days ago. Like you I looked on Giggle to try and find clearer pictures, but found nothing.

[Tankertrashnav]

Saw the ad in one of the Sunday rags. Apparently the pics are of WW2 aircraft still flying in preservation, hence the imbalance in favour of fighter types. Still, it seems an odd criterion to use when selecting pics for a Bomber Command calendar

[Q-RTF-X]

Saw the ad in one of the Sunday rags. Apparently the pics are of WW2 aircraft still flying in preservation, hence the imbalance in favour of fighter types. Still, it seems an odd criterion to use when selecting pics for a Bomber Command calendar

In which case one would hope the BBMF Lanc has made it !

[Flying Lawyer]

Got a link for the ad? Google hasn't come up with anything.

There will be an advertising campaign in the Telegraph and other newspapers and also information on the Bomber Command Memorial Appeal website by the 1st December.


FL

[deltapapa]

I got an Armed Forces Art brochure through the post the other day [their site is still under construction] featuring the Bomber Command calendar and Oxenos is spot on with his breakdown of photos.

[Halton Brat]

I'm amazed at this apparent choice of pictures for this calendar - surely there is probably a volume of relevant archive photographs to equal the 55,000 Bomber Command dead?

What the hell are the Luftwaffe doing in there?

HB

[Chugalug2]

What the hell are the Luftwaffe doing in there?

Indeed, HB. The irony is that it was exactly that post war "chumminess" that led to the ostracising of Bomber Command and its AOC in C in regard to a proper recognition of their contribution to victory. Old enemies became allies, old allies enemies. Now at last we face the prospect of a fitting national memorial being completed after so many years. That is thanks in no small measure, not to the British Establishment, but to an ex pop musician. Robin Gibb is now very seriously ill, and our thoughts and thanks should be with him and of his righting of this stain on our national character.

[millerscourt]

I was thinking of buying it but when I saw very few British WW11 Bombers in it I decided against it. A crass choice of aircraft.

[1.3VStall]

Halton Brat,

Don't sell them short, it was actually 55,573 who perished and I cannot wait to see their sacrifice finally, and disgracefully late, commemorated when the memorial is unveiled next year.

[Halton Brat]

1.3 V

No disrespect intended, my friend. I was trawling the figure from memory whilst short of time for research. Each & every life lost is of huge significance.

Who is responsible for designing this calendar? Do we have an address? I can feel one of my Meat-Seeking Missile emails coming on.........

HB

[oxenos]

Assuming that there are colour photos available ( colour was more widely used during 39-45 than we tend to think), what would we have chosen?
My first thoughts are ( roughly chronologically) :-
Battle
Blenheim
Hampden
Whitley
Wellington
Stirling
Halifax
Manchester
Lancaster
Mosquito

Room for one more, leaving space for a picture of the memorial. Fortress Mk I?

[Halton Brat]

Glad to see the Fairey Battle in your list - the chaps who went to war (briefly) in this already obsolete aircraft were largely massacred in spring 1940.

I recently noticed that an Airfix boxed set of x3 VC winner's aircraft, entitled 'VC Icons', included a Garland & Gray Battle. As with the other VC's who were the subject of this set, a (supposed) photograph of Gray was printed on the box. However, my keen ex-Apprentice's eye noticed that instead of Sgt Thomas Gray (a fellow ex-Halton Boy), some random Matelot's photograph had been mistakenly used!

Cue sense of humour caption; flurry of emails to Airfix, who consult Imperial War Museum for advice; Airfix issue stick-on photo of Sgt Gray to fix stock on shelves; future box art amended accordingly. Hats off to Airfix for rapid response - I expected nothing less. Rest easy, Sgt Gray........

HB