Eighty years ago tonight…..

[ATAG_Snapper]

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[ATAG_Noofy]

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Hats off to the audacity of this raid

…and heads down to commemorate the 1600 civilians killed by the flood

[ATAG_Snapper]

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[ATAG_Marlow]

I'm sure that many of us are aware of The Dambuster's Inn.......


(https://www.dambustersinn.co.uk/)


........which stands on the western side of the famous Scampton airfield......... and is crammed full of photo's, bits of aircraft (including a huge tyre from the undercarriage unit of a Lanc) newspaper cuttings, documents and aviation photos of all sorts all around the pub. The ale there is superb and a really pleasant hour can be spent wandering around, pint in hand, reading all the info on the walls. The list of missing from Operation Chastise makes for especially poignant reading. I was lucky enough to visit with my dear old Dad a few years before he left us! Cherished memories!

'Pop over' to visit the pub if you get the chance. You won't regret it!

In the village of Scampton, five minutes from the pub, lies Scampton Church.......

https://scamptonchurch.org/war-graves/

........which is the final resting place of a great many brave airmen, many of whom were based at Scampton. As we all know, aircraft would struggle home, battling against flak and fighters with wounded on board. The injured would be first out of the aircraft but many were unable to survive their wounds and were subsequently buried in the church yard at Scampton. Notable names include John Hanna V.C. and eight Luftwaffe personel who died when their Ju 88 crashed near the airfield, during an intruder raid in 1941. Of course, they were buried with full military honours.

Best to visit the churchyard first and then 'cheer yourself up' with a fantastic pint at the Dambuster's afterwards! Salute!

[ATAG_Snapper]

Last Saturday I stopped in at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (about an hour’s drive) to attend a presentation of the Dambuster Raid. It was conducted literally in the shadow of “Vera”, one of only two flying Lancasters (the other is in England). Lots of interesting details of the raid itself and some fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about the 1951 movie.

Afterwards I went upstairs to visit the staff in The Radio Room. One of the fellows, John, had an operating radio which he had restored - it was common to both the Lanc and the Welly. He was fascinated about CLOD’s Wellingtons. He demonstrated a functioning FLRC gauge which is IDENTICAL to the one in our Wellington. He grinned when I described The Wimpey Squad. John is senior in years (not like us youngsters!), but I promised him I would sent him a short clip of our Wellies in action along with our FLRC. I will surprise him with the Lorenz Beacon, too.

I was inspired by ATAG_Lenny to buy a Sustaining Membership to the Museum (I got a senior’s discount, Lenny! ) which I plan to use on a regular basis.

The fellows in the Radio Room were very welcoming…then I found out why. “So…how would you like to join up with us as a volunteer?” LOL I begged off, but these affable gents are not done with me yet, I’m sure!

[ATAG_Noofy]

… a really pleasant hour can be spent wandering around, pint in hand …

You can make a pint last one hour? Oh the humanity!

[ATAG_Marlow]

You can make a pint last one hour? Oh the humanity!

Ha haaaaagggghhhhhh!

Well, I did....cos I was driving but the Dear Old Dad sank at least three!

It was a good day! Scampton was fully operational at the time (not long before covid!) so we saw a lot of training taking place with the Red Arrows. Riveting stuff! Salute!

[Oersted]

Too bad Peter Jackson's movie never panned out... - I wonder if it all came down to the name of the dog...

[ATAG_Marlow]

Too bad Peter Jackson's movie never panned out... - I wonder if it all came down to the name of the dog...

Yes, that was a bit of a disappointment to all of us, Oersted. I'm just hoping that when things improve his enthusiasm will drive him to reconsider. Fingers crossed!