"The greatest feat of flying of the second world war"
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"The greatest feat of flying of the second world war"
Picked this up over on Arrse.
Jim Wallwork of the GPR(Glider Pilot Regiment) died yesterday aged 93. Jim landed his glider yards from the Pegasus Bridge, in Normandy, on the morning of D-Day. Being catapulted through the windscreen, he became the first allied soldier on the ground on D-Day.
Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory, commanding the Allied air forces on D-Day, called it ‘the greatest flying feat of the Second World War.’.
RIP Jim. Outstanding work.
White Rock glider pilot the first to land in Normandy on D-Day
Jim Wallwork of the GPR(Glider Pilot Regiment) died yesterday aged 93. Jim landed his glider yards from the Pegasus Bridge, in Normandy, on the morning of D-Day. Being catapulted through the windscreen, he became the first allied soldier on the ground on D-Day.
Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory, commanding the Allied air forces on D-Day, called it ‘the greatest flying feat of the Second World War.’.
RIP Jim. Outstanding work.
White Rock glider pilot the first to land in Normandy on D-Day
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Indeed the GPR was not part of the RAF.
BUT it was trained (and aerotowed) by the RAF
AND for Operation VARSITY (The Rhine Crossing) 2/3 of the Glider Pilots involved were RAF, including my late Father.
BUT it was trained (and aerotowed) by the RAF
AND for Operation VARSITY (The Rhine Crossing) 2/3 of the Glider Pilots involved were RAF, including my late Father.
Last edited by ExAscoteer; 25th Jan 2013 at 23:26.
Indeed, The GPR was Army, though some credit should go to the five Halifax crews from 298 and 644 Sqn's who got most of the force to the correct release point. The number of RAF Aircrew were attached to it after Market Garden was around 1500 if memory serves. The late Adult WO on my ATC Sqn back in the early 1980's was also one of them, flying a Horsa on Varsity.
Come on now Lads...don't be hard headed about this....the RAF won WWII...with some very minor assistance by other forces and Nations. It is not like they are claiming to have won it absolutely completely by themselves.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
SASLess you're too modest. You of course won the Pacific War.
But only after we lent you a kamikaze proof aircraft carrier.
But only after we lent you a kamikaze proof aircraft carrier.
With no disrespect intended to Jim Wallwork or his achievement......
Of course the greatest flying feat of the second world war had to be carried out by the Allies!?
In terms of glider assaults, did the German assault on the Belgian fortress of Eben-Emael start at night, or were the landings in daylight?
Of course the greatest flying feat of the second world war had to be carried out by the Allies!?
In terms of glider assaults, did the German assault on the Belgian fortress of Eben-Emael start at night, or were the landings in daylight?
Last edited by Biggus; 26th Jan 2013 at 13:15.
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The landings at Eben Emael occurred at approx 0525 on 10 May, so would have been after dawn, though not necessarily in 'full' daylight.
Last edited by skippedonce; 26th Jan 2013 at 13:32.
The Gran Sasso Raid by the German Paratroopers using nine DFS 230 Gliders under the command of Lieutenant Count Otto Von Berlepsch should not be ignored either.
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If the danger of the location of the feat was a factor, then I may have one for you:
A Hungarian pilot I had the priviledge of knowing was said to have done the following:
one of his men had been shot down and was stranded in no man's land not to far from the Russians - George landed his Stuka in no man's land to pick him up.
Impressed me.
A Hungarian pilot I had the priviledge of knowing was said to have done the following:
one of his men had been shot down and was stranded in no man's land not to far from the Russians - George landed his Stuka in no man's land to pick him up.
Impressed me.
If the danger of the location of the feat was a factor, then I may have one for you:
A Hungarian pilot I had the priviledge of knowing was said to have done the following:
one of his men had been shot down and was stranded in no man's land not to far from the Russians - George landed his Stuka in no man's land to pick him up.
Impressed me.
A Hungarian pilot I had the priviledge of knowing was said to have done the following:
one of his men had been shot down and was stranded in no man's land not to far from the Russians - George landed his Stuka in no man's land to pick him up.
Impressed me.
Vietnam.....A Shau Valley....A Shau Special Forces Camp....Major Bernie Fisher flying an A1-E landed to recover another A1 Pilot that had been shot down.
The NVA troops, thought to have numbered about 2,000 in number, that were assaulting the Camp had crossed the runway and gotten between the Camp and the Runway.
Fisher wound up with the Medal of Honor for that action.
The NVA troops, thought to have numbered about 2,000 in number, that were assaulting the Camp had crossed the runway and gotten between the Camp and the Runway.
Fisher wound up with the Medal of Honor for that action.
Last edited by SASless; 26th Jan 2013 at 16:50.
Unfortunately, no matter how impressive, brave, skillful, etc that may have been, it's out of the running for:
The greatest feat of flying of the second world war
Now, if you want to start a thread entitled The greatest feat of flying in the history of military aviation, or something to that effect...... that might actually be an interesting thread for once.
The greatest feat of flying of the second world war
Now, if you want to start a thread entitled The greatest feat of flying in the history of military aviation, or something to that effect...... that might actually be an interesting thread for once.
Last edited by Biggus; 26th Jan 2013 at 17:06.