Researching Bomber Command/Lancaster logs

[NightRunner]

Evening all,

A year or so after getting a look at them, I'm starting some research surrounding my grandfathers flight logs from when he was a Lancaster flight engineer.

Spurred on by a speech someone gave about him, telling many many things I hadn't heard before.

Would anyone here be interested if I detailed my findings here?

[CharlieCrocodile]

Absolutely!

[Eric Mc]

Yes indeedy.

[db]

yes please

[Simpo Two]

Me three.

This was my ancestor's Lancaster: http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/UK0463

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 26th June 19:26

[Waynester]

I would be interested too.


I have my great uncles log book. He was a pilot in 100 squadron, killed landing a damaged Lanc in '43. He was only 23.
Only the tail gunner survived, who wrote a lovely letter to my uncles wife & parents explaining what happened.

[slinky]

Absolutely, my paternal grandfather was a navigator. I really need to I an spend some time talking to him about his experiences..

[Simpo Two]

slinky said:

Absolutely, my paternal grandfather was a navigator. I really need to I an spend some time talking to him about his experiences..

Do it now while you still can.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

^^^^^^

This.

I was fortunate in getting my late Father to write down his war memoirs before he died and I'm glad I did else they would have been lost forever.

[perdu]

another (loud) vote for YES PLEASE

and anyone with a dad, granddad or uncle with tales to recount, do, really get listening. Better still taping, I had lots of tales from my dad but I didnt get tapes

far too late for regrets now



b

[Skodaku]

My FIL was a Flt Engr on Halifaxes and Lancasters out of RAF Leeming, with RCAF 429 "Bison" Sqn. Not a Canadian, but drafted in as they were short of Engrs. There is a pic of him and pals at YAM.

He's still kicking around at 86. For an ex-Flt Engr he's is b****y useless and I wouldn't trust him to wire a 3-pin plug. However, Flt Engr was more systems and analysis than spannering, apparently.

[Simpo Two]

Spannering would have been ground crew. Options once airborne rather limited!

[paulrussell]

My paternal grandfather worked at an airbase during the second world war, though I'm not sure what he did. I would like to hear what you find out.

[Eric Mc]

Because RAF heavies were single pilot only, many Flight Engineers werre given some basic aircraft handling instruction so they could hold the aircraft steady for instance, if the pilot was killed or injured. In any case, the Flight Engineer's duties also included jobs normally done by a co-pilot - such as working the throttles or flaps and raising and lowering the undercarriage.

[Pot Bellied Fool]

Waynester said:

I have my great uncles log book. He was a pilot in 100 squadron, killed landing a damaged Lanc in '43. He was only 23.
Only the tail gunner survived, who wrote a lovely letter to my uncles wife & parents explaining what happened.

If you'd like to see that info published anywhere then I'm sure the guy that researched the fate of 100 Squadron's LM658 would be glad to find a home for it on that site. (I'm the webmaster for my sins).

I can find you some names of the official 100 Squadron researcher/archivist etc if you need them for anything too.

[slinky]

Just found this online..



Gramps is the tallest one there...

Taken from here : http://www.fiskertonairfield.org.uk/photo_13.html

[Simpo Two]

And Sgt Simpo (later F/O Simpo DFC), air bomber, is on the right of this group, in front of Lancaster M-Mother, motto 'We take anything':

[951TSE]

This epic thread on Pprune may be of interest as well. Loads of stories not just from pilots (both bomber and fighter) but engineers and navs as well.

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/329990-gain...

[Waynester]

Pot Bellied Fool said:

Waynester said:

I have my great uncles log book. He was a pilot in 100 squadron, killed landing a damaged Lanc in '43. He was only 23.
Only the tail gunner survived, who wrote a lovely letter to my uncles wife & parents explaining what happened.

If you'd like to see that info published anywhere then I'm sure the guy that researched the fate of 100 Squadron's LM658 would be glad to find a home for it on that site. (I'm the webmaster for my sins).

I can find you some names of the official 100 Squadron researcher/archivist etc if you need them for anything too.

That sounds great. More information the better.

[Gretchen]

slinky said:

Just found this online..



Gramps is the tallest one there...

Taken from here : http://www.fiskertonairfield.org.uk/photo_13.html

What fantastic photos. Yours and Simpo Two's.