Aviation Videos.

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I like this picture because it portrays the fairly unsung ground crews. The caption reads: 'Lancaster being prepared for a night raid 1944.' Location unknown.

View attachment 9577
It looks like it may have been a 619 Squadron plane.

If this is so, then it's probably at Woodhall Spa or Conningsby. It has more the 'look' of Conningsby, I think, perhaps.

It could also be Strubby, if it was the winter of 44/45.

They were also at Dunholme Lodge from April to September 1944, but the state of the trees makes that the least likely of the four.

Post VE Day, they were at Skellingthorpe, where I lived before I came to Stafford. I well remember finding the peri-track under the corner of the garden, when trying to place a fence post...
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
When I visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum a couple of years ago I particularly wanted to examine this aircraft, the Fairy Swordfish, but they had it roped off while doing some work on it, so I missed my chance.
Technically obsolete by the start of World War Two, the 'Stringbag' (as it was known) went on to remain in service throughout the war. It had large success attacking the Italian fleet at Taranto, and crippling the Bismarck thus enabling the Home Fleet to catch up with her. It also sank more Axis shipping than any other aircraft so it definitely earned its stripes.

Swordfish.jpg
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
When I was a kid visiting my grandparents on a hill farm in the Silvermine Mountains, Co Limerick (you could see Keeper Hill, 2276 ft from the window) I got told about the Banshee and I used to listen for it each night. Apparently it would wail and scream outside to herald a death in the household.

What a way to spend a summer holiday .... :P
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
The caption for this pix says it's a Carrier offloading P51 fighters in Liverpool in Feb 1944. I wasn't sure if that was right looking at those planes (@Gramaisc will know) because the cockpits don't look right to me. But they may be in some sort of transport mode as they were built in the US for the RAF then shipped over (using the carrier as a cargo ship !!!) If they are P51s (Mustangs,) after a Merlin engine was put into them they became one of the best fighters of the war.

Regardless it's an impressive pix.

carriermustangs.jpg
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
There were P51s around with Merlins in and the early canopy.

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If it was the Allison engine, the 'bonnet scoop' ought to be more obvious.

The carrier could be a Canadian vessel?
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
That works .... :)

I was wondering about the Carrier, looking at the dress I figured Canadian or US. Could be a conversion from some other kind of vessel (cargo ship etc.)
 

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
Immediately after Pearl Harbour a number of other kinds of vessels were converted into aircraft carriers. They even converted a Great Lakes steamer - then someone thought that a paddle propelled aircraft carrier might have some problems so they relegated it to training purposes.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
I know some suitable cargo vessels were converted to 'escort carriers' which accompanied merchant ship convoys. This enabled the convoy to have air cover in remote parts of the sea as submarines were very wary of air attack. If you could keep them submerged, they didn't have the speed to keep up even with plodding merchant ships.
 
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