Discussion
Zaxxon said:
Christ those rear gunners had the most horrible job ever.
They did indeed, its worth a read of this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tail-End-Charlies-Battles-...Simpo Two said:
A pity they're now banging on about Dresden and how bad we were.
You couldn't really not mention it though. And I think the way they presented it was fair. It certainly was a very good telling of the history of Bomber Command in WW2, not dumbed down as would have been so easy to do. Simpo Two said:
A pity they're now banging on about Dresden and how bad we were.
Total war is total war... in the dark days it was right and it stands the test of time in my mind.Been to both Hamburg and Dresden and the devastation was beyond comprehension but the Russians were taking huge casualties around the City and that stopped that week. 3 divisions, crack divisions, were immobilised.
Bomber Command hit home, no shame in that.
Skywalker said:
I think that it is fair, rather than wearing a hair shirt whilst birching thenational pride.
I love the veterans' view - "Well, they started it"
Well they did. I always liked the view held by Bob Doe:I love the veterans' view - "Well, they started it"
'I wasn't fighting for the King, I was fighting for me mum. I didn't want them over here.'
I think they covered Dresden very well, particularly Churchill's change of heart and his subsequent treatment of Harris & Bomber Command.
Nice to see the crews get their opinions across too. The fact that it's taken so long to get the Bomber Command memorial built is an utter disgrace.
Nice to see the crews get their opinions across too. The fact that it's taken so long to get the Bomber Command memorial built is an utter disgrace.
Cracking telly, they did well to get such range and scope out of a 20 minute flight.
For once one of Ewans 'boys own' adventures gained some real weight.
Makes my hair stand on end whenever I see or hear that Lancaster. Long may it fly as a memorial to the horrors of World Wars.
Really enjoyed the whole programme.
For once one of Ewans 'boys own' adventures gained some real weight.
Makes my hair stand on end whenever I see or hear that Lancaster. Long may it fly as a memorial to the horrors of World Wars.
Really enjoyed the whole programme.
I really enjoyed it on the whole. The only point that made my eyebrow raise was the way the Lancaster was made out to be the only heavy bomber that bomber command had do the beeb research department not know what a Halifax is? The comment about 10,000 rivets flying in loose formation made me chuckle as its was the Shack not the Lanc that phrase was intended to describe!
WeirdNeville said:
Cracking telly, they did well to get such range and scope out of a 20 minute flight.
For once one of Ewans 'boys own' adventures gained some real weight.
Makes my hair stand on end whenever I see or hear that Lancaster. Long may it fly as a memorial to the horrors of World Wars.
Really enjoyed the whole programme.
I was once privileged to watch it take off from RAF Odiham. Chilled me to the bone.For once one of Ewans 'boys own' adventures gained some real weight.
Makes my hair stand on end whenever I see or hear that Lancaster. Long may it fly as a memorial to the horrors of World Wars.
Really enjoyed the whole programme.
That was quality tv. Nothing you did not know if you read history or watch the History/Military channel, but hats off to the BBC for showing it primetime and the BBC production values show.
As to Dresden thought that was fair, it does not detract from the crews bravery at all they were following orders, duty and sacrificing their lives for the peace & freedoms we enjoy. And war is a dirty hellish business, and we should also be careful about judging 'then' through the sensibilities of today. It's important that we remember bomber command partly so we never forget that things like Dresden, as they say those who forget history are destined to repeat it.
As to Dresden thought that was fair, it does not detract from the crews bravery at all they were following orders, duty and sacrificing their lives for the peace & freedoms we enjoy. And war is a dirty hellish business, and we should also be careful about judging 'then' through the sensibilities of today. It's important that we remember bomber command partly so we never forget that things like Dresden, as they say those who forget history are destined to repeat it.
Jam Spavlin said:
I really enjoyed it on the whole. The only point that made my eyebrow raise was the way the Lancaster was made out to be the only heavy bomber that bomber command had do the beeb research department not know what a Halifax is? The comment about 10,000 rivets flying in loose formation made me chuckle as its was the Shack not the Lanc that phrase was intended to describe!
Surely it's been used to describe any riveted plane at one time or another? 
davepoth said:
Surely it's been used to describe any riveted plane at one time or another?
The propper phrase is actually "100,000 rivets flying in loose formation" but a zero has been lost somewhere. Google it not that that proves anything other than there is one person who has heard the phrase as well as me!Jam Spavlin said:
I really enjoyed it on the whole. The only point that made my eyebrow raise was the way the Lancaster was made out to be the only heavy bomber that bomber command had do the beeb research department not know what a Halifax is? The comment about 10,000 rivets flying in loose formation made me chuckle as its was the Shack not the Lanc that phrase was intended to describe!
Not to mention the - Stirling
Whitley
Hampden
Wellington
Blenheim
Battle
Mosquito
B-17
All used by Bomber Command to a lesser or greater degree
If we had flying examples of these other aiorcraft(excluding the B-17 which played a fairly minor role with Bomber Command) you would probably see more reference to them in contemporary documentaries.
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