Charlie Farley
Supporter
Takes me back...
YouTube - Battle of Britain - "A squadron of spitfires"
YouTube - Battle of Britain - "A squadron of spitfires"
Something to amuse .....
- Thread starter Charlie Farley
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Charlie Farley
Supporter
When they finally assembled the various planes for this movie, largely using Hispano ME 109's and restored Supermarine Spitfire's, it constituated the 30th largest airforce in the world. The German raids on the British airfields were filmed at a redundant Duxford aerodrome. Now home to the Imperial War Museum.
I remember accompanying my Dad to a snow covered Duxford in the winter of 1976, to meet the Director of the Imperial War Musuem. My Father was the Project Manager to rebuild and renovate the airfield, its infrastructure and buildings for its use as Europe's largest working Air Museum.
In the film ' The Battle of Britain', when the Germans bombed Duxford, the film crew blew the doors off one of the original Belfast hangars dating from Royal Flying Corps days.
Unfortunately, they demolished the hangar, totally. Needless to say, between the time of the film and its renovation,the 8 foot wide heavy lead flashings, were stolen from the roofs of the hangars!
It was a fitting last job for my Father.
During World War 2, if you were reckless, you joined the Parachute Regiment, Marines or other Special Forces. If you were crazy, you joined Bomber Command. If you were truly insane, you became a rear gunner in a heavy bomber. Thats why Bomber Command has the greatest loss ratio of any active British unit across all three services.Guess what my Dad did. Two tours of duty. You Americans were lucky. You could go home after one tour. The German night fighters pilots were trained to go after the rear gunner first.
Anyway, hope the hypothetical film makes you laugh.
A country that forgets those that have helped to make your life matter, is truly lost.
I remember accompanying my Dad to a snow covered Duxford in the winter of 1976, to meet the Director of the Imperial War Musuem. My Father was the Project Manager to rebuild and renovate the airfield, its infrastructure and buildings for its use as Europe's largest working Air Museum.
In the film ' The Battle of Britain', when the Germans bombed Duxford, the film crew blew the doors off one of the original Belfast hangars dating from Royal Flying Corps days.
Unfortunately, they demolished the hangar, totally. Needless to say, between the time of the film and its renovation,the 8 foot wide heavy lead flashings, were stolen from the roofs of the hangars!
It was a fitting last job for my Father.
During World War 2, if you were reckless, you joined the Parachute Regiment, Marines or other Special Forces. If you were crazy, you joined Bomber Command. If you were truly insane, you became a rear gunner in a heavy bomber. Thats why Bomber Command has the greatest loss ratio of any active British unit across all three services.Guess what my Dad did. Two tours of duty. You Americans were lucky. You could go home after one tour. The German night fighters pilots were trained to go after the rear gunner first.
Anyway, hope the hypothetical film makes you laugh.
A country that forgets those that have helped to make your life matter, is truly lost.
A truly classic film, and even though I have the limited edition DVD, I still sat and watched it on tv the other weekend:drunk:.
A work friend of mine's late father was a tail gunner on Lanc's with 75 Sqdrn. He did 3 tours and survived the war. Had some great photo's from the rear turret taken with a box brownie looking out between those 4 .303's.
Also, as a side note to your last post, the U.S tour was 25 missions, RAF was 30to start with but went up to 33. But you had to film the bombing runas proof, so if the target was obscured by cloud and could not be verified, it didn't count. Those guys were true hero's and have been so unfairly persecuted for too long. It's good to see bomber comand finally getting the recognition they ( and Harris) deserve.
Anyway, no more waffling.
ttfn
Darren
A work friend of mine's late father was a tail gunner on Lanc's with 75 Sqdrn. He did 3 tours and survived the war. Had some great photo's from the rear turret taken with a box brownie looking out between those 4 .303's.
Also, as a side note to your last post, the U.S tour was 25 missions, RAF was 30to start with but went up to 33. But you had to film the bombing runas proof, so if the target was obscured by cloud and could not be verified, it didn't count. Those guys were true hero's and have been so unfairly persecuted for too long. It's good to see bomber comand finally getting the recognition they ( and Harris) deserve.
Anyway, no more waffling.
ttfn
Darren
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