Sir David Jason meets the BBMF
I rather missed the point of the Dowding formation, centred as it was around the Lancaster. I wonder why the BBMF doesn't call it the Harris formation, now why wouldn't they do that? 
In reality I suppose it was to put the Hurricane front and centre, being as there is only one of them and to put it at the rear would cause much muttering amongst the natives. It creates a real problem for the Lanc pilot of course, formating on a much smaller aircraft in front of him. I suspect the Lanc is rather more responsive than the Hastings was but even so, well done indeed!
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In reality I suppose it was to put the Hurricane front and centre, being as there is only one of them and to put it at the rear would cause much muttering amongst the natives. It creates a real problem for the Lanc pilot of course, formating on a much smaller aircraft in front of him. I suspect the Lanc is rather more responsive than the Hastings was but even so, well done indeed!
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Good point about formation flying the Lancaster. Looked stunning but is this wise? Suddenly flying the old gal In formation isn’t going to help her last longer. All that jostling for position must be more punishing than the last few decades have been for her. After all wasn’t the Lancaster designed and built before long before the lessons of metal fatigue we’re learnt with the comet? Or does that just apply to windows?
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As the BBMF also operates Chipmunks and a Dakota, neither of which participated in the "BoB ", a minor detail you understand, then possibly the RAF Vintage Piston Flight would meet with your approval ?. Or maybe, the RAF Venerable Flying Flight ?.....please, do have a think about this as I'm sure the BBMF would be quite intrigued as to what you feel they should be re-branded as.......and why. Out of interest, you don't have an MBA in Management do you ?
As for the Lanc, well I actually have a connection to the aircraft as it were. In 1977, the first major was carried out and 71 MU were invited to join in. I can say, as it's probably been refurbished since, at one time, the aircraft was flying around with a significant part of my handiwork attached, notably the port flap which I de-skinned, and re-skinned, albeit with a bit of help when it came to nailing the rivets in and generally cleaned up any structure that wasn't being replaced. . Now that really was a labour of love I can assure you. It was actually quite "interesting " at times when we started on the wing upper surface skin....and some of the original pretty green rivets came off by hand sans drill !
Nearly forgot, the programme was well worth watching as other have said.
Further Thread Drift to allow anecdote
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I believe BBMF would have been gifted the Mosquito by BAe after the 1996 airshow season, had it not met with its sad accident at Barton.
I bet there was going to be a hell of a fight at Coningsby with the fighter pilot ‘girls’ thinking they were more qualified to fly the Mossie than the Bomber ‘boys’! 😄
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"The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain."
And you seem to forget the coincidental Battle of the Barges being waged at great cost by Bomber Command in an effort to deny to the enemy the wherewithal to undertake a successful invasion.
Your comment does your stock little favour. Extract from Churchill's 'The Few' speech :
"The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain."
And you seem to forget the coincidental Battle of the Barges being waged at great cost by Bomber Command in an effort to deny to the enemy the wherewithal to undertake a successful invasion.
"The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers, who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain."
And you seem to forget the coincidental Battle of the Barges being waged at great cost by Bomber Command in an effort to deny to the enemy the wherewithal to undertake a successful invasion.
I am genetically opposed to name changes and rebranding as a general rule, but I have found myself often wondering about whether BBMF is the right name. It strikes me that a name change could open the way for other significant aircraft to be included, with the mosquito being the most obvious. In the post Shoreham world in which we live, the RAF would seem to fit most people’s idea of an appropriate operator of vintage aircraft, and with some imagination, could be funded/“crowdfunded” to do so.
I for one would happily contribute/ subscribe towards keeping a representative fleet of historic aircraft serviceable and ideally airworthy in the right hands.
I for one would happily contribute/ subscribe towards keeping a representative fleet of historic aircraft serviceable and ideally airworthy in the right hands.
I am genetically opposed to name changes and rebranding as a general rule, but I have found myself often wondering about whether BBMF is the right name. It strikes me that a name change could open the way for other significant aircraft to be included, with the mosquito being the most obvious. In the post Shoreham world in which we live, the RAF would seem to fit most people’s idea of an appropriate operator of vintage aircraft, and with some imagination, could be funded/“crowdfunded” to do so.
I for one would happily contribute/ subscribe towards keeping a representative fleet of historic aircraft serviceable and ideally airworthy in the right hands.
I for one would happily contribute/ subscribe towards keeping a representative fleet of historic aircraft serviceable and ideally airworthy in the right hands.
Get them a mossie, couple of Hunters, XH558 even?, maybe a Lightning or two...
Little bit of corporate sponsorship, almost pays for itself.
The problem isn't the Flight's name. The RAF sees the BoB as its major historical asset, its USP if you like. By presenting itself in this way it automatically triggers a positive response in the public's mind. Anything that reminds people of the Bombing Offensive for instance would have the opposite effect (or that at least is how I assume the thinking goes).
This conundrum is purely of the RAF's making. It has never stood by Bomber Command, nor in particular its Memorial in London. It took a Bee Gee to push for that, the RAF establishment only associating itself with it when it became a done deal. That is why you are stuck with the RAF BBMF.
Embrace it, you know it makes sense!
This conundrum is purely of the RAF's making. It has never stood by Bomber Command, nor in particular its Memorial in London. It took a Bee Gee to push for that, the RAF establishment only associating itself with it when it became a done deal. That is why you are stuck with the RAF BBMF.
Embrace it, you know it makes sense!
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The programme annoyed me ever so slightly by focussing only on the pilots on board the Lancaster, like the other two blokes had just snook on for a jolly. The Lancaster had 7 crew on each Lancaster, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. It was not two pilots and five fellas who fancied a look at Germany from the air, it was a crew of seven.
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I did a compass swing on one of the BoB spitfires circa 1975 at Coltishall. My treat was to get a ground tour of the Lanc. In hindsight, I should have held out for a flight in her...ho hum...
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Both old time film stars Reach for the Sky Kenley 1956 and Angels one five before that.Often wonder what happened to the Portuguese Hurricanes that flew over for RFTS, they all went back. The Lanc should remind people that our Bomber force were very combat active before the BoB, with many looses in machines no quite up to the Lanc standard.
Perhaps the Lancaster's four Merlins add backgound music to the choir.
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Maxr
Only one Pilot on Lancs unless a second used for experience as second dickie.
My father had a second the day they all got shot down over Belgium. Only 21 so never got his command.
Only one Pilot on Lancs unless a second used for experience as second dickie.
My father had a second the day they all got shot down over Belgium. Only 21 so never got his command.
Thread drift but...
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/...itfire-factory
Starts on Monday I believe
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/...itfire-factory
Starts on Monday I believe