97 Squadron David has probably already seen these Pic 1 Coningsby UK. Group portrait of an aircrew from 97 (Straits Settlement) Squadron RAF, taken after VE Day. 83 Squadron and 97 Squadron RAF were Pathfinder squadrons stationed in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom as part of 5 Group Bomber Command, which specialised in precision night bombing of targets including oil refineries, rail junctions, canals and shipping. The aircraft, Lancaster bomber ND 746 OF-N, was used during the crew's last raid of the Second World War on the night of 17/18 April 1945. On the left side of the bomber, near the nose, are painted a bell and the words 'Ell's Bells' (Hell's Bells); the bombs painted to the right indicate that the aircraft had flown approximately 45 missions. Identified left to right: 432896 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) John Stein, wireless operator; 413727 Flight Lieutenant Colin Bruce Blackwell, air gunner; 433421 Flt Sgt Alexander Donald Davidson, air gunner; 439361 Flying Officer (FO) Clifford Albert Hagin; 34839 FO George Anzac Mason, navigator; 6255 FO William F Williams, pilot; Sgt A Young (RAF), of Liverpool, United Kingdom. Pic 2 Group portrait of 97 (Straits Settlement) Squadron RAF posed in front of a Lancaster bomber, taken after VE Day 1945. The Commanding Officer was Group Captain Johnson, RAF. 83 Squadron and 97 Squadron RAF were Pathfinder squadrons stationed in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom as part of 5 Group Bomber Command, which specialised in precision night bombing of targets including oil refineries, rail junctions, canals and shipping. Pic 3 Group portrait of Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt ) 423408 Kenneth Gordon Robertson (back row, fifth from left) and his crew grouped in front of the RAF Lancaster III aircraft, number PB706 D, codenamed G for George they flew as one of the crews of the RAF's elite No 97 (Pathfinder) Squadron, known as the 'Path Finder Force'. The airmen in the back row are probably Robertson's aircrew and the airmen in the front row could be his ground crew. Identified, but exact places unknown are: NZ 4421984 Warrant Officer R Morgan, of Auckland, New Zealand; Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) Norman Charles Scullard, of Surrey, England; Flt Sgt Dennis Soar, navigator, of Nottinghamshire, England; Sgt Reg C Saxby, flight engineer, of Fulham, London, England; Sgt J L Heron, rear gunner, of Essex, England; Sgt I M Wintle, mid gunner, of Pontypridd, Wales.
I know this is a Manchaster but going on from the above post... Flight Lieutenant R A Fletcher in the cockpit of Avro Manchester Mark IA, 'OF-P' "Sri Gajah" "Jill", of No. 97 Squadron, at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Pic 2 Insigne on the nose of Avro Manchester Mark I, "Hoo-flung" of No. 97 Squadron RAF at Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Pic 3 (I rather like this one) Film still showing Avro Lancaster B Mark Is of No. 5 Group, flying at low-level over the French countryside on the evening of 17 October 1942, while en route to attack the Schneider engineering factory at Le Creusot, France. The nearest aircraft, R5497 'OF-Z', of No. 97 Squadron RAF, is being flown by Flying Officer J R Brunt and crew, who were shot down and killed on an operation in the same aircraft exactly two months later. The film was shot by the navigator of the Lancaster flown by the Commanding Officer of No. 106 Squadron RAF, Wing Commander G P Gibson, who was to command No, 617 Squadron RAF the following year.
Thanks Kyt. Some I had seen some I had not. Bob Fletcher in the Manchester was my father's pilot when on Lancs.
Re Tiger Force. The aircraft designated for Tiger Force were Lincolns not Lancasters. The Lincoln had finished its testing by May 1945 and was in squadron service by August 1945. I worked on Lincolns as an electrician on 617 Squadron at RAF Binbrook in 1951, then we took delivery of our first Canberra. Ken
I was of the understanding it was Lancs, Libs and Lincolns? I have to keep remembering every time I see a white Lanc or Lincoln that many post-war aircraft wore that scheme and they're not Tiger Force! LOL.
Correct! Looks really strange with no turret. I found the picture at the site listed below. They have the aircraft listed as "LZ V" but I can find no such squadron with the LZ identifier. I think it should read YZ for 617 Squadron. Avro Lancaster Crew Photos
I thought I had posted this previously........no? The Australian War Memorial where G for George is on show. 360 degree panorama! Virtual Tour: ANZAC Hall [Australian War Memorial]
There will be a new one soon, still in parts, at the Candian Air and Space Museum in Toronto. It is mentioned in today's papers regarding the Avro Arrow: TheStar.com | Canada | Aerospace museum unveils new name, expansion plan
To show that even the great ones (Churchill) are wrong at times, while Chancellor of the exchequar from 1924-29 he cut defense spending and when ask about possible war with Japan said "I do not believe there is the silghtest chance of it in our lifetime".
Yes they are, DL. Ah, I've never had a close look at the guiding arms and only yesterday I was thinking about the "fairing" around the MU turret - a very ingenious "interrupter".
In Apri I posted in another thread, a picture of all the personnel required to keep a Lanc in the air. Searching around “British Movie Tone” I found a newsreel clipping about the same. It can be accessed by going MovieTone : Index (you have to register) and entering “Lancaster Maintenance” in the "Search Archive Now" box. I’m afraid I do not have the knowledge to “lift” it and post it on a website.
Unfortunately, I haven't read much about the raids from Russia on the Tirpitz other than what's mentioned in the few 617 books I've read. However, it makes sense that the Russians would use whatever was left behind if they could. It does make you wonder what happened to the Lanc that managed to survive. A few B-29s ended up landing in Russia when they couldn't make it home. We all know how Allied crews were treated with a sort of indifference (for want of a better word) but the aircraft were interned. I remember reading about a victory airshow shortly after the war, IIRC, which was attended by an American/s and who were astounded to see B-29s in the display. Of course, the Russians went on to reverse engineer the Tu-4 Bull. Might have read it in Saga of the Superfortress. Fascinating stuff, DL. As the author rightly says, what other secrets does Russia hold?
