Aircrew and Lancaster cockpit
Title
Aircrew and Lancaster cockpit
Description
Album page, incorporating two connected photographs, crew detail and a transcript of an official report of a flying incident. The top photograph shows a group of seven aircrew, six wearing battledress and the pilot wearing RAF service dress. An annotation on the album page reads "S/Ldr 'Ginger' Crowe and crew". The lower photograph shows the port side of a Lancaster cockpit with a pilot in a peaked cap looking out and rearwards to the cameraman. This image is annotated " 'Ginger' Crowe at the controls of D-Donald Duck"
The first part of the script on the album page is headed "Syerston 27-28 July 1943, Lancaster ED819" and reads: "F/Lt AH Crowe - Captain, F/O TJ Flower - F/Eng, F/O G Crowe - Nav, F/Lt WJ Beeston - 2nd Nav, F/Sgt G Feltham - Air Bomber, F/O RWG Moore - [WOP], Sgt J Dunn - MUG, F/Sgt G Christie - Rear Air Gunner."
Below is the transcript of the official report that appears in the 106 Squadron Operations Record book for the operation, reading" Starboard inner engine cut out on take off - aircraft was only at 100 feet. The engine caught fire - was extinguished with difficulty. F/Lt Crowe made two complete circuits of the aerodrome and made a successful landing in the dark with complete fuel and bomb load - a total of 62000 lbs - 9000 lbs above the safety weight."
This is followed by a more personal comment, that reads "This was a magnificent piece of flying by any standard. There was a humorous sequel as I remember it - when 'Ginger' was told by the control to go round on his second circuit he used some choice language - for which he had to apologize to the 'WAAF'. We never found out who blushed the most."
The first part of the script on the album page is headed "Syerston 27-28 July 1943, Lancaster ED819" and reads: "F/Lt AH Crowe - Captain, F/O TJ Flower - F/Eng, F/O G Crowe - Nav, F/Lt WJ Beeston - 2nd Nav, F/Sgt G Feltham - Air Bomber, F/O RWG Moore - [WOP], Sgt J Dunn - MUG, F/Sgt G Christie - Rear Air Gunner."
Below is the transcript of the official report that appears in the 106 Squadron Operations Record book for the operation, reading" Starboard inner engine cut out on take off - aircraft was only at 100 feet. The engine caught fire - was extinguished with difficulty. F/Lt Crowe made two complete circuits of the aerodrome and made a successful landing in the dark with complete fuel and bomb load - a total of 62000 lbs - 9000 lbs above the safety weight."
This is followed by a more personal comment, that reads "This was a magnificent piece of flying by any standard. There was a humorous sequel as I remember it - when 'Ginger' was told by the control to go round on his second circuit he used some choice language - for which he had to apologize to the 'WAAF'. We never found out who blushed the most."
Date
1943-07-27
1943-07-28
Language
Format
Two photographs mounted on an album page
Publisher
Rights
This content is property of the Royal Air Force Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre which has kindly granted the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive a royalty-free permission to publish it. Please note that it was digitised by a third-party which used technical specifications that may differ from those used by International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive. It has been published here ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre.
Identifier
PFOMetheringhamAF26010016
Collection
Citation
“Aircrew and Lancaster cockpit,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed October 8, 2026, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/61801.