Download or read book I Flew the Lancaster Bomber written by Leo Richer and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2013-09-18 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The memoirs of Leo Richer, featuring his time as a pilot during World War II flying the Lancaster Bomber.
Download or read book Lancaster written by John Nichol and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2020-05-28 with total page 543 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'The epic story of an iconic aircraft and the breathtaking courage of those who flew her' Andy McNab, bestselling author of Bravo Two Zero 'Compelling, thrilling and rooted in quite extraordinary human drama' James Holland, author of Normandy 44 From John Nichol, the Sunday Times bestselling author of Spitfire, comes a passionate and profoundly moving tribute to the Lancaster bomber, its heroic crews and the men and women who kept her airborne during the country's greatest hour of need. 'The Avro Lancaster is an aviation icon; revered, romanticised, loved. Without her, and the bravery of those who flew her, the freedom we enjoy today would not exist.' Sir Arthur Harris, the controversial chief of Royal Air Force Bomber Command, described the Lancaster as his 'shining sword' and the 'greatest single factor in winning the war'. RAF bomber squadrons carried out offensive operations from the first day of the Second World War until the very last, more than five and a half years later. They flew nearly 300,000 sorties and dropped around a million tons of explosives, as well as life-saving supplies. Over 10,000 of their aircraft never returned. Of the 7,377 Lancasters built during the conflict, more than half were lost to enemy action or training accidents. The human cost was staggering. Of the 125,000 men who served in Bomber Command, over 55,000 were killed and another 8,400 were wounded. Some 10,000 survived being shot down, only to become prisoners of war. In simple, brutal terms, Harris's aircrew had only a 40 per cent chance of surviving the war unscathed. Former RAF Tornado Navigator, Gulf War veteran and bestselling author John Nichol now tells the inspiring and moving story of this legendary aircraft that took the fight deep into the heart of Nazi Germany.
Download or read book Bomber Offensive written by Arthur Harris and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2005-03-01 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sir Arthur Harris - Bomber Harris - remains the target of criticism and vilification by many, while others believe the contribution he and his men made to victory is grossly undervalued. He led the men of Bomber Command in the face of appalling casualties, had fierce disagreements with higher authority and enjoyed a complicated relationship with Winston Churchill. Written soon after the close of World War 2, this collection of Sir Arthur Harris's memoirs reveals the man behind the Allied bombing offensive that culminated in the destruction of the Nazi war machine but also many beautiful cities, including Dresden.
Download or read book Last of the Lancasters written by Martin W. Bowman and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2014-11-30 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'The Lancasters looked like enormous deadly black birds going off into the night; somehow they looked different when they came back. The planes carried from this field 117,000 pounds of high explosives and the crews flew all night to drop the load as ordered. Now the trains would not run between France and Italy for a while, not on those bombed tracks anyhow. Here are the men who did it, with mussed hair and weary faces, dirty sweaters under their flying suits, sleep-bright eyes, making humble comradely little jokes and eating their saved-up chocolate bars' Martha GellhornThis riveting and highly intriguing collection of pilot and civilian reminiscences works to commemorate the spirit of the almighty Lancaster bomber. Each chapter is dedicated to a unique individual or group of individuals who took part in its history in some capacity. Be they pilot, civilian, or journalist, each played their own part and their accounts offer a host of fascinating insights. Episodes featured include the battle for Munich and the Nuremburg and Berlin Raids. Stories of PoWs downed in their Lancasters and captured in enemy territory also feature, communicating a real sense of peril experienced behind enemy lines. Two sections of fascinating black and white photographs supplement and complete this trawl through the history of the Lancaster bomber and the men and women who witnessed its glory days.
Download or read book Lancaster Bomber Walk Around written by Ron MacKay and published by MMD-Squadron. This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Avro Lancaster was unquestionably the finest all-around performer within RAF Bomber Command during the air war against Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1945. The Lancaster flew no fewer than 156,000 individual sorties and dropped more than 600,000 tons of explosives and incendiaries, playing a leading role in bringing Hitler's Reich to its knees. Known for its greenhouse cockpit, turret nose, twin tail, and 33-foot long bomb bay the Lancaster took part in Air Marshall Harris's 'Operation Gomorrah' in July 1943, in which Germany's industrial center of Hamburg was devastated by round-the-clock bombing raids. In the thick of the air war, the Lancasters also paid a high price - 3,249 were lost in action. This volume is enhanced by the fact that the author's uncle survived 36 operations as a bomb aimer aboard a Lancaster of No 49 Squadron. Illustrated with 200 photographs, plus color profiles and detailed line drawings.
Download or read book Undaunted They Flew written by John Musselman and published by . This book was released on 2019-12-07 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Compelling factual account about the WWII exploits of a 166 Squadron Lancaster bomber crew in RAF Bomber Command 1944-1945. A son discovers the kind of man his father had been through the pages of a Pilot Logbook bequeathed to him by a father he barely knew. What might be considered an ordinary stint at an operational wartime squadron takes a remarkable turn when the crew gets allocated the squadron's oldest aircraft, AS-R2, Ser. No. ME746, as their regular kite. As man and machine become inextricably intertwined, their plight to conquer the overwhelming odds of survival, tests their resolve and the very limits of their mental and physical endurance. Chronicling their day-to-day trials and tribulations in the wintry Lincolnshire Wolds to the harrowing missions over the heavily contested skies over Nazi Germany, duty bound they strive to repeatedly deliver their lethal bomb loads as the job demands. Their initial youthful exuberance, bravado, and naivete quickly reveals their dire predicament and forces the crew to face their fears and the stark reality of being an aircrew in RAF Bomber Command. Their constant prayer to--JUST NOT FAIL THEIR MATES.
Download or read book The Crew written by David Price and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-09 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A moving tribute to the sacrifice and bravery of the fliers of RAF Bomber Command. ****************************** The Crew, based on interviews with Ken Cook, the crew's sole surviving member, recounts the wartime exploits of the members of an Avro Lancaster crew between 1942 and the war's end. Gloucestershire-born bomb aimer Ken Cook, hard-bitten Australian pilot Jim Comans, Navigator Don Bowes, Upper Gunner George Widdis, Tail Gunner 'Jock' Bolland, Flight Engineer Ken Randle and Radio Operator Roy Woollford were seven ordinary young men living in extraordinary times, risking their lives in freedom's cause in the dark skies above Hitler's Reich. From their earliest beginnings – in places as far apart as a Cotswold village and the suburbs of Sydney – through the adventure of training in North America and the dread and danger of the forty-five bombing raids they flew with 97 Squadron, David Price describes the crew's wartime experiences with human sympathy allied to a secure technical understanding of one of the RAF's most iconic aircraft. The drama and anxiety of individual missions – to Kassel, Munich and Augsburg as well as Berlin – is evoked with thrilling immediacy; while the military events and strategic decisions that drove the RAF's area bombing campaign against Nazi Germany are interwoven deftly with the narrative of the crew's operational careers. ****************************** Reviews: 'A sensitive account of the bomber's life... Price has given the bomber offensive a human face. This book [...] has a heart and soul' The Times. 'A fascinating and fast-paced account of the exploits of an Avro Lancaster bomber crew from 97 Squadron RAF' The Herald. 'A remarkable insight into the bravery, determination and skill of British Bomber Command crews during WWII' Waterstones.
Download or read book Beaufighters Over Sea Sand and Steaming Jungles written by Jack Colman and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2019-12-08 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In October 1943, Jack Colman changed from Liberators to Beaufighters and was selected for Torbeau training in Scotland. He joined a strike wing at North Coates attacking North Sea convoys off the coast of Holland. Later, Jack and his Beaufighter were sent to the Far East where he was deployed to fly out of Assam over Burma supporting the Forgotten Army. Midway through the tour, they converted to Mosquitoes - a change he was not particularly happy about. After a short rest converting pilots to Mosquitoes, he felt lucky to be put in charge of a small unit flying service personnel to various venues in southern India. Jack's enthusiasm for flying is maintained and his lucky escapes documented. His fascination with the cultural and social experiences gained in India leaves its mark as he comments on the privileges he experiences, now as a commissioned officer, and of the wealth chasm between the princes and the poor of India. This is a book not just about flying but how one man and his comrades lived through those unique and special times.
Download or read book Let George Do It written by Ralph Carney and published by FriesenPress. This book was released on 2021-07-08 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imagine flying over Germany with flak lighting up the dark skies. So it was one night when the crew of the “Let George Do It” Lancaster bomber first experienced the Nazi “scarecrows”, rocket-like devices that burst into flame ahead of their aircraft then plummeting to the ground spreading flame all around making it appear that the bombers were being shot down. This is a short bio of my father during his war years. There are details of his missions, what went well and what didn’t. In it you will find out how he took to Air Force life, how he spent his down time, and how his love of country kept him going mission after mission. Over 3000 Lancaster bombers were lost during the war. My father lost many friends, but was very thankful on that day, August 6, 1945 when he landed back on Canadian soil and was reunited with his beloved “Billie”.
Download or read book The Eighth Passenger written by Miles Tripp and published by Wordsworth Editions. This book was released on 2002 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seven men, brought together by chance from the four corners of the earth, wake up day after day aware that the odds on them seeing another sunrise are dramatically shortening. This is the story of a bomber crew in World War II, always accompanied by an eighth passenger - fear.
Download or read book Crew written by Mike Colman and published by Allen & Unwin. This book was released on 2018-02-21 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On the evening of 24 February 1944, RAAF Lancaster bomber J for Jig took off from an airfield in Lincolnshire. On board was a crew of seven young men-five Australians, two Scots-whose mission was to bomb factories in Schweinfurt, Germany. But J for Jig never reached its target. It was shot down in the night skies over France. This book is about the seven lives on that aircraft-who they were, what they did, whom they loved, and whom they left behind. Some were to die that night, and others were to survive, withstanding incredible hardships and adventures as prisoners and evaders in a war that was far from over. Crew brilliantly recreates J for Jig's final mission but, more than that, in telling seven individuals' stories Mike Colman has captured the achievements, loss and the enduring legacy of the generation that fought in the Second World War.
Download or read book Lancaster Target written by Jack Currie and published by Crecy. This book was released on 2020-02-17 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a welcome reissue of a book which has been described as one of the best accounts about life in Bomber Command during World War II. Lancaster Target is the classic story of one crew’s fight to survive a full tour of operations in the night skies of wartime Europe. Flying Lancaster bombers from RAF Wickenby in Lincolnshire between 1943 and 1944, Jack Currie chronicles the life and death struggles against flak, night fighters and perilous weather with clarity and feeling, whilst capturing the ‘live for the moment’ spirit of off-duty escapades. Jack Currie DFC served as a stretcher bearer and later ambulance driver during the London Blitz before gaining his wings in the USA. Having completed his first perilous operational tour of 30 missions in Lancaster’s, he went on to serve as a Pathfinder Mosquito pilot. He remained in the RAF after the war eventually reaching the rank of Squadron Leader. After he left the service, he became a renowned aviation writer and broadcaster and appeared in a number of TV and video productions.
Download or read book Luftwaffe Test Pilot written by Hans-Werner Lerche and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Afprøvning af erobrede flytyper (Beuteflugzeugen) i det tidligere Luftwaffen-Testzentrum, Rechlin, under 2. verdenskrig. Forfatteren virkede endvidere som testpilot på mange af Tysklands egne nyudviklede fly. Fløj ialt 125 forskellige flytyper.
Download or read book The Lancaster Manual written by Michael A. Fopp and published by Greenhill Books. This book was released on 2003 with total page 548 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The most famous British bomber of World War II, the Avro Lancaster flew on many famous raids--the "Dambusters" Raid, the daylight raid on Augsburg, and the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz. The Lancaster Manual is reprinted from the official manuals originally produced by the Air Ministry for the personnel who actually flew and maintained the aircraft. Includes technical details, instructions for ground crews, handling and flying notes, electrical and radio equipment, airframe design, and armament. A uniquely authoritative reference source on the Lancaster Marks I and III.
Download or read book How Lucky I Was written by Rex Kimlin and published by . This book was released on 2012-09-04 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Legacy of the Lancasters written by Martin Bowman and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2013-05-30 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Young or old, everyone has heard of the Lancaster bomber. Such is the legacy handed down by this aviation icon that although it is not the most numerous aircraft ever built - two are still flying today, one in Britain and another in Canada with many proudly displayed in museums throughout the world - it is up there with the Spitfire and the Flying Fortress in terms of affection, nostalgia and lasting fame. The legendary Lancaster has bequeathed to the world an invaluable heritage beloved of generations of movie-goers, air show enthusiasts, readers of fine literature and historians alike. Exploits such as the famous low-level raid by 617 Squadron on Germanys hydro electric dams on the night of 16/17 May 1943, the nightly raids on Germany and the sinking of the Tirpitz in 1945 are all without equal. At the 50th anniversary of the raid in 1993 more than 70,000 people thronged Derwent Water to watch the BBMF Lancaster roar over the same dam that 617 practiced on shortly before the raid on 16/17 May 1943. As we approach the 70th Anniversary of the raid, such scenes will no doubt play out once again. It seems timely therefore that such a history should be recorded, charting the course of the Lancasters career in the skies and the legacy it continues to provide for new generations of aviation enthusiasts and pilots. The text is supplemented throughout by an exciting selection of black and white images that work to evoke a real sense of the scale and majesty of this iconic aircraft. An additional colour plate section boasts a captivating range of shots, showing the aircraft in full glory.
Download or read book We Flew Old Fred the Fox Lancaster PO F DV372 2nd Edition written by Arnold Ralph Easton and published by . This book was released on 2021-05-07 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A record of the experiences of the aircrew members who flew Lancaster PO-F (DV372) on 49 bombing raids on targets in German-occupied Europe during the seven month period of World War II from mid-November 1943 to mid-June 1944.Part One introduces the Lancaster bomber, outlining its origins, its technical specifications and the role it played in Bomber Command.Part Two gives details of the career of just one aircraft, PO-F (DV372), 'Old Fred.' It includes details of all the raids flown by this remarkable bomber, illustrated by contemporary maps and photographs.Part Three gives more information on the crew who manned 'Old Fred' on nearly half of these raids, and their reactions to the experience. Stories are presented to give you, the reader, an accurate description of the fears and doubts of crews who faced the horrors of enemy fighter opposition, the flak and the searchlights; the unbelievably terrifying experience of flying into, over, and then back from the heavily defended targets. Available from 'Tales from the Treehouse' go to: www.talesfromthetreehouse.com.au
