Britains main bomber force to increase by 50%
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Very nice, such a shame that the reality was it was pissing down.. Also the BBMF Lanc isn't in it either.
10 Merlins in formation
Have just been overflown by the pair together with a pair of fighter escorts. Not often that one gets to hear 10 Merlins together. What a fantastic sound!
Will I ever experience it again I wonder.
Will I ever experience it again I wonder.
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A few from me, I hope you do not mind.
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It was a surprisingly emotional occasion at Waddington - especially watching the two Lancasters slowly climb into the air after each other. I am reminded of one of my favourite photographs in Waddington's photograph archive which was another occasion for waving off a Lancaster - this time on a sunset take off for a raid on Munich in April '44.
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Nice Shots Graham, and NutLooseI went on Waddo and then as the Vulcan started up made a rapid exit and cycled from the A15 exit to Canwick Hill.
Now that its over I certainly think the public came out in force, As when I got there about 8.50 there were only a few cars on Bloxham Lane, the WAVE was full and they had gone into the spill over car park opposite the old Bomb Dump Assume the PAVE filled fairly quickly.
At the point I left there were still people turning up so old bill had decided right every available farmers field entrance and most (it seems) of the BBH end of Bloxham had filled up
The same had happened as you left BBH and went towards Lincoln most of the fields down to Canwick Hill had people in them
It was a very good day, and beers all round for it
so now we just need Just Jane, PA474 and The Coventry Shack next
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This whole exercise looks like it has been very successful which is
great to see. Also good to see the veterans got such a good billing
on the first day.
I hope some monetary donations are forthcoming to the various
charities and / or requests for bomber memorials.
great to see. Also good to see the veterans got such a good billing
on the first day.
I hope some monetary donations are forthcoming to the various
charities and / or requests for bomber memorials.
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I was impressed by the bald headed Police inspector and service personnel who were taking cameras from members of the public and taking close up or clear shots for them then returning their cameras.
I was also surprised by the lack of litter about the place, some young Sprog Was berating his mother for putting a cup down and made her pick it up.
The only thing it could have done with was less service personnel and general hangar ons cluttering up the area around the aircraft when people were trying to photograph.
I was also surprised by the lack of litter about the place, some young Sprog Was berating his mother for putting a cup down and made her pick it up.
The only thing it could have done with was less service personnel and general hangar ons cluttering up the area around the aircraft when people were trying to photograph.
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Nutloose
Re your last point, agree, I was wondering about those in Yellow jackets standing by the aircraft.
One thing I haven't seen yet was a good photo of the two aircraft rear turrets. In all the photos I have seen where they are side by side or one on an angle to the other,
the rear turret of the rear aircraft is obscured by the tail. I'll have to do a bit of photo shopping so I can get a close up of the differences.
Re your last point, agree, I was wondering about those in Yellow jackets standing by the aircraft.
One thing I haven't seen yet was a good photo of the two aircraft rear turrets. In all the photos I have seen where they are side by side or one on an angle to the other,
the rear turret of the rear aircraft is obscured by the tail. I'll have to do a bit of photo shopping so I can get a close up of the differences.
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I know they were having or appeared to be recharging one of the Oleos, so that accounted for a few people.....
However in all of this one story really needs telling, this is posted over in its completeness from the Flypast forum.
Canadian Warplane Heritage - Lancaster- 2014 UK tour - Page 32
However in all of this one story really needs telling, this is posted over in its completeness from the Flypast forum.
Posted on the Flypast forum and re posted here in its entirety
Not sure if the true story behind the CWH Lancaster is being told, having met Pat Brophy and knowing his remarkable story I hope more learn of it.The Lancaster is dedicated to the memory of P/O Andrew Mynarski and is referred to as the “Mynarski Memorial Lancaster”. It is painted in the colours of his aircraft KB726 – VR-A, which flew with RCAF No. 419 (Moose) Squadron. Andrew Mynarski won the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth’s highest award for gallantry, on June 13, 1944, when his Lancaster was shot down in flames, by a German night fighter. As the bomber fell, he attempted to free the tail gunner trapped in the rear turret of the blazing and out of control aircraft. The tail gunner miraculously survived the crash and lived to tell the story, but sadly Andrew Mynarski died from his severe burns.
In Pat's own words:
"Then I saw him (Mynarski). Andy had slid down from the mid-upper turret and made his way back to the rear escape hatch, about fifteen feet from me. . . He opened the door and was about to jump when he glanced around and spotted me through the plexiglass part of my turret. One look told him I was trapped.
"Instantly, he turned away from the hatch -his doorway to safety -and started towards me. All this time the aircraft was lurching drunkenly as Art tried to keep it on an even keel without instruments. Andy had to climb over the Elsan chemical toilet and crawl over the tailplane spar, as there is no room in that part of the fuselage. These cramped conditions forced him to crawl on his hands and knees -straight through the blazing hydraulic oil. By the time he reached my position in the tail, his uniform and parachute were on fire. I shook my head; it was hopeless. 'Don't try, I shouted, and waved him away.'
"Andy didn't seem to notice. Completely ignoring his own condition in the flames, he grabbed a fire axe and tried to smash the turret free. It gave slightly, but not enough. Wild with desperation and pain, he tore at the doors with his bare hands -to no avail. By now he was a mass of flames below his waist. Seeing him like that, I forgot everything else. Over the roar of the wind and the whine of our two remaining engines, I screamed, 'Go back, Andy! Get out!'
"Finally, with time running out, he realized that he could do nothing to help me. When I waved him away again, he hung his head and nodded, as though he was ashamed to leave -ashamed that sheer heart and courage hadn't been enough. As there was no way to turn around in the confined quarters, Andy had to crawl backwards through the flaming hydraulic fluid fire again, never taking his eyes off me. On his face was a look of mute anguish.
"When Andy reached the escape hatch, he stood up. Slowly, as he'd often done before in happier times together, he came to attention. Standing there in his flaming clothes, a grimly magnificent figure, he saluted me! At the same time, just before he jumped, he said something. And even though I couldn't hear, I knew it was 'Good night, Sir.'"
Left alone in the rear turret, somehow Pat Brophy survived when the Lancaster crashed. Mynarski's descent was seen by the French people on the ground. Both his parachute and clothes were on fire. He was located but was so severely burned that he died of his injuries. The remainder of the crew survived, four successfully evading capture and two others becoming Prisoners of War. At war's end the story of Andy Mynarski was told and a posthumous Victoria Cross awarded. Later, Pat Brophy said, "I'll always believe that a divine providence intervened to save me because of what I had seen, so that the world might know of a gallant man who laid down his life for a friend."
Not sure if the true story behind the CWH Lancaster is being told, having met Pat Brophy and knowing his remarkable story I hope more learn of it.The Lancaster is dedicated to the memory of P/O Andrew Mynarski and is referred to as the “Mynarski Memorial Lancaster”. It is painted in the colours of his aircraft KB726 – VR-A, which flew with RCAF No. 419 (Moose) Squadron. Andrew Mynarski won the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth’s highest award for gallantry, on June 13, 1944, when his Lancaster was shot down in flames, by a German night fighter. As the bomber fell, he attempted to free the tail gunner trapped in the rear turret of the blazing and out of control aircraft. The tail gunner miraculously survived the crash and lived to tell the story, but sadly Andrew Mynarski died from his severe burns.
In Pat's own words:
"Then I saw him (Mynarski). Andy had slid down from the mid-upper turret and made his way back to the rear escape hatch, about fifteen feet from me. . . He opened the door and was about to jump when he glanced around and spotted me through the plexiglass part of my turret. One look told him I was trapped.
"Instantly, he turned away from the hatch -his doorway to safety -and started towards me. All this time the aircraft was lurching drunkenly as Art tried to keep it on an even keel without instruments. Andy had to climb over the Elsan chemical toilet and crawl over the tailplane spar, as there is no room in that part of the fuselage. These cramped conditions forced him to crawl on his hands and knees -straight through the blazing hydraulic oil. By the time he reached my position in the tail, his uniform and parachute were on fire. I shook my head; it was hopeless. 'Don't try, I shouted, and waved him away.'
"Andy didn't seem to notice. Completely ignoring his own condition in the flames, he grabbed a fire axe and tried to smash the turret free. It gave slightly, but not enough. Wild with desperation and pain, he tore at the doors with his bare hands -to no avail. By now he was a mass of flames below his waist. Seeing him like that, I forgot everything else. Over the roar of the wind and the whine of our two remaining engines, I screamed, 'Go back, Andy! Get out!'
"Finally, with time running out, he realized that he could do nothing to help me. When I waved him away again, he hung his head and nodded, as though he was ashamed to leave -ashamed that sheer heart and courage hadn't been enough. As there was no way to turn around in the confined quarters, Andy had to crawl backwards through the flaming hydraulic fluid fire again, never taking his eyes off me. On his face was a look of mute anguish.
"When Andy reached the escape hatch, he stood up. Slowly, as he'd often done before in happier times together, he came to attention. Standing there in his flaming clothes, a grimly magnificent figure, he saluted me! At the same time, just before he jumped, he said something. And even though I couldn't hear, I knew it was 'Good night, Sir.'"
Left alone in the rear turret, somehow Pat Brophy survived when the Lancaster crashed. Mynarski's descent was seen by the French people on the ground. Both his parachute and clothes were on fire. He was located but was so severely burned that he died of his injuries. The remainder of the crew survived, four successfully evading capture and two others becoming Prisoners of War. At war's end the story of Andy Mynarski was told and a posthumous Victoria Cross awarded. Later, Pat Brophy said, "I'll always believe that a divine providence intervened to save me because of what I had seen, so that the world might know of a gallant man who laid down his life for a friend."
