# Bomber Boys



## Stezz (Apr 29, 2011)

Did anyone else watch this?

I won't go into it too much, as you may want to watch this.

But it has made me angry that the ALL the crews that flew and sacrificed their live whilst flying with bomber command, were not recognised for their efforts until this year


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Totally forgot about it..

I'll catch it on Iplayer later tonite.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

I'm from East Anglia.

WWII air bases are part of my childhood and (the abandoned ones) were often my playground (still are).










If you just once, stop and think about how many people that is and that all the land in between the airfields grew vegetables and grain for the rest of the country too.............. You can't really be from here and not be exposed to the history somehow.


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## JB052 (Mar 22, 2008)

Do you have a link to the map? I'm also from East Anglia and curious as to which ones I know. A number have been visited over the years for sprint events.

Missed the programme, so an iplayer visit later


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

I found it really interesting and it was well put together. Colin and Ewan McGregor did another documentary a couple of years ago on the Battle of Britain which I completely missed so I'm going to try and find that one.


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## Coops (Apr 26, 2008)

Got this recorded, Chris Evans was waxing lyrical about it this morning, hopefully it is as good as people suggest it is!


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

JB052 said:


> Do you have a link to the map? I'm also from East Anglia and curious as to which ones I know. A number have been visited over the years for sprint events.
> 
> Missed the programme, so an iplayer visit later


I just googled it.

http://www.naylandandwiston.net/History/CharlesGumm/PictureIndex.php?do=4a

There is a plugin for Google earth that has all of them listed. I can spend hours looking at satellite images looking for airfields.


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## DampDog (Apr 16, 2011)

Stezz said:


> Did anyone else watch this?


Just awe inspiring. 22 years old, couldn't drive a car, yet flew a Lancaster for 8-10 hours in the pitch black into the heart of Germany. Not once or twice, but dozens of sorties. Navigating with a compass, watch and map.. Breath taking stuff.

And how sad that there are only two air-worthy Lancasters left..


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## trv8 (Dec 30, 2007)

Stezz said:


> Did anyone else watch this?
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## UBRWGN (Nov 25, 2007)

Recently inherited Grandad's RAF dog tags and release papers. Very. very special items to me. :thumb:


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Watched it, a very basic show but a good show.
Have made it a point for years to visit and talk to a lot of the vets.
Coastal command have even less recognition.
They have tried for a memorial for decades.
The Battle of Britain one was only recent also paid for by the society.

The imperial war museum Duxford have a long glass wall for Bomber command.

The Blenheim and Wimpy crews were most badly hit from the start as that was all we had and mostly flew in daylight.

The Battle for france with just fairey Battles certainly were decimated.

The Defence of Malta is iconic with the bi planes the Gloster Gladiator...3 airworthy and another in crates needing fast assembly..






And later 12 fairey Swordfish...






A few Hurricane's also.....






But back to Bomber command...

The BBMF Lancaster...City of Lincoln...






The East Kirkby Just Jane... the only Lancaster actually on the station it flew from during WWII.


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## johnnyguitar (Mar 24, 2010)

I watched this and found parts of it very poignant and quite moving.
My granddad was in (I think - I need to check his log book properly) No 4 Group Bomber Command flying Whitleys (which were not a patch on a Lancaster), before becoming an instructor and moving onto flying with Transport Command, and like most of the chaps interviewed, always talked about "beautiful aeroplanes". Loved flying, hated driving for some reason (he did had a lot of sh*tey cars too :lol and had the time of his life, staying in the reserves until the 60s (well into his 50s). Amazing what a contribution they, and everybody else involved in that conflict, did and gave and how unfair it was that they never got the recognition they deserved when they were only doing their jobs after all.


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## ferted (May 7, 2011)

james_death said:


> The Defence of Gibralter is iconic with the bi planes the Gloster Gladiator...3 airworthy and another in crates needing fast assembly..


Errrm should that be Malta? Faith,Hope and Charity flying from Hal Far



> The BBMF Lancaster...Pride of Lincoln...


City of Lincoln:thumb: Now she also wears Phantom of the Ruhr on the opposite side of the nose



> The East Kirkby Just Jane... the only Lancaster actually on the station it flew from during WWII.


She was the final gate guardian at RAF Scampton



dampdog said:


> And how sad that there are only two air-worthy Lancasters left..


There's actually 3 air worthy Lancasters left,but only 2 do fly one is the RAF BBMF one and the other is in Canada
The third one is Just Jane owned by the Panton bros who also own Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby
Jane is fully airworthy but she doesn't because
A.) They have no wish to get her flying
B.) They can't afford the +£2 million that it would cost


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Did you know that glass wall at Duxford is a very poignant and stark reminder of how many PLANES were lost many carrying multiple PEOPLE. As you walk along it in awe of the sheer number of planes that never returned, you get to the end and read that each silhouette represents TEN (yes 10) Planes.


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

It was such a good programme.


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## Stezz (Apr 29, 2011)

My wife's uncle was part of 4 Group flying the Vickers Wellington, which then became 3 Group flying Short Stirlings. 
He and his crew were hit by AA fire on their way to re-supply the parachute regiment in Arhnem, so they crash landed in France.

Three members of a six man crew were killed, including my wife's uncle

His brother was killed in Belgium the day after.


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

ferted said:


> Errrm should that be Malta? Faith,Hope and Charity flying from Hal Far
> 
> City of Lincoln:thumb: Now she also wears Phantom of the Ruhr on the opposite side of the nose
> 
> ...


Yes Did Mean Malta....:wall:

Yes again Meant City of Lincoln.....Doh....

Too true about the insurance costs for Just jane to fly....

Still looks great when they get the tail up on a fast taxi run, but they are rare.

Just Jane when they fire her up for the night shoots is something to behold.

You get so close to just jane also when she fires up....:thumb:

You can see the BBMF close up if you visit coningsby visitor center ...

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/visitorscentre/

However when she does her displays its rare she lands it simply a flypast.

Have the signature of the very first bomber pilot to be shot down in WWII on the very first mission.

I always feel honoured and always indebted to them all, its always a pleasure to spend time talking to with them.


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## johnnyguitar (Mar 24, 2010)

Stezz said:


> Three members of a six man crew were killed, including my wife's uncle
> 
> His brother was killed in Belgium the day after.


That's ever so sad. 
My granddad's brother was a Pathfinder and both he and my granddad were very lucky to both come home alive. I know my granddad brought a plane down in Holland and quite possibly one in France too.


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

I am currently sitting in married quarters from pathfinders base at RAF Upwood. Every day I'm reminded.


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## scooby73 (Mar 20, 2007)

An excellent programme and well worth watching.


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## rockape (Feb 18, 2007)

just finished watching this i player. worth watching.


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## Agustin8100 (Feb 14, 2012)

I never watched this man....
If it looks as good as it sounds I will have to get it....Thanks for sharing this.....


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## ferted (May 7, 2011)

james_death said:


> Yes Did Mean Malta....:wall:
> 
> Yes again Meant City of Lincoln.....Doh....
> 
> ...


I used to work for a company calles HiGear we were based in the old Dalgety seed warehouses on RAF Kirkby airfield,every Tuesday at 11am they'd fire up the Lancaster,we all used to drive over on the forklifts to watch,also quote often the Spitfire would buzz about,still an awesome sound from those Merlins


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