last Dambuster dies....
Discussion
DJRC said:
Why is it sad? What a daft thing to say!
Celebrate the ballsy bd ffs, dont mope and whine about how sad it is a bloke dying at 96 after a long, active and fulfilling life! He was still flying last yr!
Good on the bugger, cracking innings and a damn fine death. Well played Sqn Ldr.
Thats my perspective on things. I lost my Dad last month. He would have been 99 later this month. Whilst the last 18 months were challenging, he had a great life , travelled the world, did all that the mood took him to do. Celebrate the ballsy bd ffs, dont mope and whine about how sad it is a bloke dying at 96 after a long, active and fulfilling life! He was still flying last yr!
Good on the bugger, cracking innings and a damn fine death. Well played Sqn Ldr.
Nothing to be sad about at all, all good things come to an end.
AJS- said:
DJRC said:
Why is it sad? What a daft thing to say!
Celebrate the ballsy bd ffs, dont mope and whine about how sad it is a bloke dying at 96 after a long, active and fulfilling life! He was still flying last yr!
Good on the bugger, cracking innings and a damn fine death. Well played Sqn Ldr.
Inclined to agree with this. It's sad when someone dies in their 20s or 30s. It's sad when someone dies lonely and forgotten. A decorated war hero who had a great life and lived until he was 96. That's expected.Celebrate the ballsy bd ffs, dont mope and whine about how sad it is a bloke dying at 96 after a long, active and fulfilling life! He was still flying last yr!
Good on the bugger, cracking innings and a damn fine death. Well played Sqn Ldr.
RIP a hero who did things I hope we never have to do again & lived a very full life.
Eric Mc said:
I can never agree with that sentiment. Are you saying modern RAF pilots wouldn't do what he did if asked?
Do you actually know the detail of what they did?If you do then you know that it would not even be asked as they have smart stand off weapons now you know!
If not look it up - amazing!
DJRC said:
Actually the MO was used by the RAF upto and inc GW1. JP233 Airfield Denial System. And other stuff.
Now please, for the love of God, don't ask/challenge Eric about aircraft stuff before he bores the living tits off the rest of us with the amateur plane geek crap.
Don't worry - I know when I'm beat - I just used to fly some "old crates" back in the day Now please, for the love of God, don't ask/challenge Eric about aircraft stuff before he bores the living tits off the rest of us with the amateur plane geek crap.
If you haven't already read it, I can recommend "No Moon Tonight" by Don Charlwood.
It tells the tale of a single, ordinary tour of operations on Halifaxes and Lancs from the point of view of an Australian navigator.
It is a beautifully written book, which brings into focus just a few of the human sacrifices made for us.
It is well worth seeking out.
Don Charlwood also lived into his nineties, and died just a year or two ago.
The passing of Les Munro is nothing to be sad about, but it is a poignant reminder that many of his comrades weren't even fortunate enough to survive the raid, let alone the war.
And a timely reminder of the huge number of men from the Dominions and the Colonies who fought to defend Britain during both wars.
It tells the tale of a single, ordinary tour of operations on Halifaxes and Lancs from the point of view of an Australian navigator.
It is a beautifully written book, which brings into focus just a few of the human sacrifices made for us.
It is well worth seeking out.
Don Charlwood also lived into his nineties, and died just a year or two ago.
The passing of Les Munro is nothing to be sad about, but it is a poignant reminder that many of his comrades weren't even fortunate enough to survive the raid, let alone the war.
And a timely reminder of the huge number of men from the Dominions and the Colonies who fought to defend Britain during both wars.
DJRC said:
Actually the MO was used by the RAF upto and inc GW1. JP233 Airfield Denial System. And other stuff.
Now please, for the love of God, don't ask/challenge Eric about aircraft stuff before he bores the living tits off the rest of us with the amateur plane geek crap.
There was no call for that. I wasn't intending on replying to the comment apart from a simple "yes". Now please, for the love of God, don't ask/challenge Eric about aircraft stuff before he bores the living tits off the rest of us with the amateur plane geek crap.
Eric Mc said:
Something I'd like to do.
You can arrange a trip to the RAF Scampton museum here:-http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafscampton/aboutus/location...
Eric Mc said:
SPS said:
Do you actually know the detail of what they did?
Yes.So you are an expert of aircraft types then, cool.
I'm not but did fly back in the 70's.
SPS said:
Well then you also know the answer - as I have stated no pilot today would be asked or need to do that kind of operational flying.
So you are an expert of aircraft types then, cool.
I'm not but did fly back in the 70's.
Obviously, the technology has moved on but, depending on the enemy being operated against, the dangers could be just as high. So I believe that the men (and women) who sign up to fly aircraft to defend their country today are every bit as brave as those who did so in the past.So you are an expert of aircraft types then, cool.
I'm not but did fly back in the 70's.
Munro's aircraft was hit by flak, the radio was damaged and he had to return to base. Possibly a lucky break for him, given the fate of many of the others, although I'm not sure landing a damaged aircraft at night with five tons of bomb still on board was safer or preferable to dropping the bd over a dam in the Ruhr Valley.
SPS said:
Eric Mc said:
SPS said:
Do you actually know the detail of what they did?
Yes.So you are an expert of aircraft types then, cool.
I'm not but did fly back in the 70's.
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