Browse Items (233 total)

  • Tags: Blenheim

MBeltonSLS190305-151120-030001.jpg
Outlines the history of RAF Hemswell starting from its origin as RAF Harpswell in 1918 until peacetime operations in the the 50s. The station was equipped with Ansons, then Blenheims. Part of No 3 Group, 61 and 144 Squadrons. Changed to No 5 Group,…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

NBeltonSLS151120-09.jpg
Details of operations on oil tanks at Rotterdam and on Wilhelmshaven.

Tags: ; ;

ABattyPH161014.mp3
Philip Batty grew up in Walsall. He discusses the death of his older brother Dennis, a wireless operator with 226 Squadron, early in the Second World War. Philip volunteered for aircrew. After training, he was posted to 50 Squadron at RAF Sturgate as…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PEllisMW1701.jpg
Mary Wilkins Ellis was born in Oxfordshire and became interested in aviation at a very early age. She experienced her first flight with Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus. Mary learned to fly while still at school and obtained her licence in 1938. When…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PWakefieldJ1601.jpg
Jack Wakefield grew up in New Zealand and volunteered for the Air Force and the Army. He trained as an air gunner on Defiants before being posted to 75 Squadron at RAF Feltwell where he completed a tour on Wellingtons, flying operations to locations…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LSayerT591744v1.pdf
Royal Canadian Air Force pilot's flying log book for Sergeant Tom Sayer from 28 July 1941 to 17 December 1944. Detailing training and operations flown with Coastal Command and Bomber Command. After training in the United States and Canada he served…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

ASayerT151202.mp3
Tom Sayer was accepted in to the Royal Air Force as an apprentice and began training as a pilot as soon as he was old enough. He trained in the United States and, on his return, he was detached to Coastal Command. He completed eight operations…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

ABaronC160321.mp3
Charles Baron grew up in London and volunteered for aircrew in 1940, where he trained as a navigator and on radar. He later volunteered for overseas duties and was posted to India, where he flew intruder operations over Burma. After the war, he…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PClydeSmithD16020001.jpg
Top, a crashed Blenheim from port side wheels up in a hedge, with two men sitting on top. Registration [..]U-N. Bottom, a distant shot of Blenheim, registration 'H-UX, wheels up in open field with trees behind. In the foreground an engine.

Tags: ;

PClydeSmithD16020002.jpg
Top, a view of the front of a Blenheim wheels up in a field. A man is standing on the port wing between the engine and the fuselage. The front of the aircraft is surrounded by four fire extinguishers. Bottom, a head on view of a Blenheim wheels up in…

Tags: ;

PClydeSmithD16020003.jpg
Top, the front end of a Mk 1 Blenheim wheels up in a field with bent propellers. There are four fire extinguishers in front of the aircraft and a man is standing on the right looking at the aircraft. Bottom, and air to air view of a Hawker Henley…

Tags: ; ; ; ;

PClydeSmithD16020005.jpg
Top centre, a Blenheim with squadron letters 'EP' lying wheels up and flaps down in a field. There is a bicycle leaning against the rear of the starboard wing and three men working on top of the fuselage near the cockpit.
Bottom left, a number of…

Tags: ; ;

AWarrenH160325.mp3
Harold joined the Royal Air Force just before war started. After basic training, he went to a technical school to learn about engines and airframes. He spent some time at RAF Boscombe Down. When war started, he was in France as part of 218 Squadron…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

AGoodfellowN151106.mp3
Norman Goodfellow was born in Wakefield, in 1923. Before the war he worked as an apprentice engineer. Joining the RAF aged 17 he was offered the choice of pilot or navigator. Although Norman chose to be a navigator he, initially, trained as a pilot…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

AHughesWR150713.mp3
Bob Hughes joined the RAF as war became likely, to avoid repeating his father's First World War experience in the trenches, transferring to the RAF Volunteer Reserve when war was declared. He trained on Ansons and then flew in twin-engine Blenheims…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PLashamB1501.jpg
Bob Lasham began an electrical engineering apprenticeship with British Thomson-Houston before volunteering for the RAF in 1941, aged 20. He trained at RAF Babbacombe and RAF Wilmslow before completing his pilot training in Clewiston, Florid. On…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PAlgarH1701.jpg
Harry Algar worked as an office boy at Hay’s Wharf in London before the war. He entered the Air Training Corps before joining the RAF aged 17. He started his training on Tiger Moths but was then sent to Canada to re-muster as a bomb aimer. Harry…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PSmithDS1801.jpg
Douglas Smith grew up in New Zealand and, on leaving school, he joined the Post Office. He joined the Air Force and he flew Tiger Moth, and Gypsy Moth aircraft at New Plymouth. On one of his flights there was a warning note in the cockpit not to do…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LWrigleyJ1029740v1.pdf
Flying log book for Warrant Officer James Wrigley, wireless operator, covering the period from 17 November 1942 to 30 June 1954. Detailing training, operations and instructor duties. He was stationed at RAF Yatesbury, RAF Pembrey, RAF Whitchurch…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

MMolloyS[Ser#-DoB]-160212-01.pdf
Contains photographs, silhouettes and drawings of British, American and Russian aircraft, showing dimensions, armament, armour plate or glass, and position of fuel tanks. Tables set out aircraft capabilities, including range and bomb loads.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LHobbsFJ1262633v1.pdf
Observers and air gunners flying log book for Frank Hobbs, wireless operator, covering the period from 15 March 1941 to 16 March 1943 when he was killed in action. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Pembrey,…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BPayneRPayneRv2.pdf
An account by Reg Payne of his wartime experiences. Too young to sign up at the start of the war he spent two years in the Home Guard. Training started at age 18 and lasted for two years. He served at RAF Skellingthorpe and his brother served at RAF…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LEdwardsED1236492v1.pdf
South African Air Force observers or air gunners log book for Ellis Edwards, bomb aimer, covering the period from 9 February 1942 to 29 March 1943 when he was missing in action on an operation to Berlin. Detailing his flying training and operations…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PDoneK1701.jpg
Upon leaving Battersea Grammar School aged 14, he was employed at Chelsea Town Hall as a junior clerk. When the war started, he discovered he was in a reserved occupation and unable to enlist. However, suffering The Blitz was too much and after being…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PGoldbyJL1701.jpg
John Goldby was born in Kent but the family moved to London the year after. He was inspired to join the RAF when a schoolfriend joined and became a Spitfire pilot. John believes that it was a mid-air collision with a night fighter that led to his…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

Output Formats

atom, dc-rdf, dcmes-xml, json, omeka-xml, rss2