Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum

A few which maybe of interest, again from a pile I found.

Thanks again Steve for the great photos.

Keep posting anything to do with 3 Group

Wayne.

The "plan view" photo of the Lanc is an excellent resource for painting models Steve. Of interest is the camouflage pattern, the marked difference in contrast between the dark earth and dark green and the positions of exhaust staining over the wings' upper surfaces, with none (or perhaps very little) on the outboard side of each outboard engine. Keep 'em coming!
Regards
Max

Max, perhaps the outer exhausts being at that time, an early indication of the airflow pattern over the wings changing sufficiently to reduce lift where there was aftsweep of the wings, there being a slight sweep outboard of the inner engines.

I note the panel on the stb'd wing, this I believe being the dinghy stowage, activated by A water activated switch. The dinghy had a lanyard attached that stopped it at about the main entrance door. In the dinghy near to the lanyard being a stowed safety knife fo cutting the lanyard away.

Dennis

Great stuff folks,

Quality posts and quality members making comments ..........it's all good! ( Bruno can take acknowledgement for all the hard work he has put in over the past year )
John

K for Kitty Crew wrote:Great stuff folks,

Quality posts and quality members making comments ..........it's all good! ( Bruno can take acknowledgement for all the hard work he has put in over the past year )
John

Bang on there John,

Another Photo of a dear old No.3 Group Lancaster E- Edith. Note "C" Flight XH- D (G-H Leader) in background. I love this photograph.

Steve, I'm amazed at the clarity of the photo ............ what's the little dark box shed, with the service personal in front of it? ( centre of picture )
John

K for Kitty Crew wrote:Steve, I'm amazed at the clarity of the photo ............ what's the little dark box shed, with the service personal in front of it? ( centre of picture )
John

If it was me it would be a small well stocked bar. !! . Another view of Edith.

Two guesses on the hut John,
shelter with stove & or chemical toilet with vent

Dennis

Another recollection on the wing dinghy panel & the procedures etc.
If there was time to take up ditching positions. The rear gunner vacated the turret, the pilots procedure included putting the tail down first to reduce speed & minimise the nose digging in,

I recall that the ditching positions for the rear gunner, mid-upper & w/op taking up bracing positions with our backs against the rear of the bombay bulkhead, between us, as soon as the a/c. came to rest & depending on it's buoyancy, keeping the main door closed. If it appeared buoyant, evacuating through the top & on to the stsbd. wing. If the a/c began to sink rapidly then opening the main door, leavikng by the door, securing & boarding the dinghy.

The dinghy lanyard was designed to break away from the a/c if it came under a given stress. I am not sure as to how the dinghy was deployed if we were all on the wing but I believe that the dinghy panel was easily removable, exposing some form of emergency deployment.

If forced to bale out over the sea, the rear gunner had the advantage of baling out by opening the turret doors, leaning out with, his own dinghy attached to his chute.I believe that te Stirlings procedures were similar.

The Wimpey's fabric covered fuselage easily ripped away. There were water activated buoyancy bags fitted along the a/c.

The Liberator & all high wing training a/c. etc. had majorproblems as the a/c normally obtained max. buoyancy from their high wings, leaving the fuselage submerged

Dennis


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