Another Lancaster snippet

Avro Lancaster B Mark III, ED724 'PM-M', of No. 103 Squadron RAF pauses on the flarepath at Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire, before taking off for a raid on Duisburg, Germany, during the Battle of the Ruhr. Three searchlights (called 'Sandra' lights), two of which are visible on the left, form a cone to indicate the height of the cloud base for the departing aircraft.

And we give thanks that we don't have to be doing that..............

Phil, if she's loaded, that's a lot of pressure in those tyres???

Too few people today realise the courage these WW2 airmen exhibited, on a constant basis - to take off, often well overloaded, into the night, and often into dreadful weather, with minimal guidance, and with the knowledge that often a quarter or a third of their flight wouldn't return. I often wonder if any of todays Instagram/selfie generation would ever be able to produce those levels of courage. I personally doubt it.

Too few people today realise the courage these WW2 airmen exhibited, on a constant basis - to take off, often well overloaded, into the night, and often into dreadful weather, with minimal guidance, and with the knowledge that often a quarter or a third of their flight wouldn't return. I often wonder if any of todays Instagram/selfie generation would ever be able to produce those levels of courage. I personally doubt it.

 

Good point, OT. They sure were a courageous generation.

A few years ago I saw evidence that some of our young people carry on that tradition. 

I was at a friend's place to help move stock out of the way of a large bushfire. Water bombers had made several runs over us as the blaze swept up a nearby hillside.

Two large Rural Fire Service vehicles lumbered down from the fire front. Out climbed a group of local young girls and boys- weary, blackened and sweating from a day battling the fire. I felt immense pride in these young kids; they are little different to the young people climbing out of a Lanc. after a night over Gernany.