Questions to veterans

[Grendel]

Greetings, gentlemen.

I'd like you to visit the following discussion:
 http://agw.dogfighter.com/agw//Forum3/HTML/017234.html

Shortly put, our virtual squadron and soon the organization of finnish virtual pilots (Virtuaalilentäjät r.y. - Virtual Pilots Finland) are trying to interact with the finnish air force war veterans. We have had some good meetings with them, and intend to invite them into our gatherings, interview them and so on.

We'll be able to meet bomber, fighter, recon etc pilots, who flew about almost anything the Finnish Air Force flew. So far we've had contact with Blenheim and Ju-88 bomber pilots, Brewster, Morane-Saulnier 406 and Me 109 pilots.

I'd like to invite you to participate in these meetings or interview by looking at yourself and asking "what I don't know? What would I like to learn" and throwing me a broadside of questions - all kind of questions, that we can ask from these men. About bombing, defendign your bomber from enemy attacks, fighter combat, recon work and everything.

E-mail them to me, answer in AGW forum or here.

Thank you.

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VLeLv Icebreakers
Überfinns Perkele
http://www.compart.fi/icebreakers

[Jimdandy]

I hope your more successful than I was with the vets I've talked to. Most of them wouldn't talk much about the war. Almost all of them had to be drunk to talk about it at all or in the presence of other veterans. Get them drunk and in the company of other vets and they will talk to each other all day. All you really end up doing is setting and taking it in. You just listen for the answers to your questions as they talk. Just let them start talking to each other and if they talk to you nod your head so they know your interested and start taking notes. Don't say much. Let them get on a roll. Good luck. It sounds like fun.

[Grendel]

The people we've met are very talkative  

We've gotten through to them using either aviation channels, so they know we're also interested in aviation, and then crawled upwards creating small connections. The meetings have been nice and filled war stories and great material told by those men.

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VLeLv Icebreakers
Überfinns Perkele
http://www.compart.fi/icebreakers

[MarkVZ]

Similarly, I'd like to know of any former Luftwaffe veterans I could corrospond with.  I think it would be very interesting to hear of some of their experiences/opinions in a non-interview type thing if they're willing to talk about them.

-Mark VanZwoll-

[Jimdandy]

 

Originally posted by Grendel:
The people we've met are very talkative  

We've gotten through to them using either aviation channels, so they know we're also interested in aviation, and then crawled upwards creating small connections. The meetings have been nice and filled war stories and great material told by those men.

I glad to hear your having good luck. Please tell us what you learn.

[Ozark]

Enjoy the moment.  

Sadly, encounters like yours will become fewer and fewer as time marches on.  

On the other hand, I have met many WWII vets from all over the world on HAM radio. Many of the folks learned code during the war and kept ham radio as a hobby. My favorite contacts (on radio) was with a B-24 gunner and a glider pilot. The glider pilot stated the he couldn't want to get trained in a P-51, he got tired of landing troops and walking back to a safe pickup point.  

<S> Grendel

Ozark



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332nd Flying Mongrels