Author Topic: Questions for a vet  (Read 341 times)

Offline Curval

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Questions for a vet
« on: January 24, 2003, 04:24:58 PM »
I found out the other day that there is a WW2 veteran pilot here named Sir Geoffrey Bird.  He flew a number of bombers from carriers for the RAF.  He mentioned a number of them on the phone that I couldn't immediately recognise, but one of the was the TBM Avenger.

Going to meet him tomorrow.

Any questions you want me to ask?

I"ll post pics etc. when we are done.  He has all kinds of memorabilia that he wants to show me.:)
Some will fall in love with life and drink it from a fountain that is pouring like an avalanche coming down the mountain

Offline Angus

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Questions for a vet
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2003, 07:09:33 PM »
Hmm.
Did he fly British carrier based bombers/attackers like the swordfish/albacore, Barracuda, or the Fulmar?
Where did he serve? What was the best part and what was the toughest part?
Quite interesting :)
It was very interesting to carry out the flight trials at Rechlin with the Spitfire and the Hurricane. Both types are very simple to fly compared to our aircraft, and childishly easy to take-off and land. (Werner Mölders)

Offline Curval

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Questions for a vet
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2003, 09:09:54 AM »
No-one replied here so I posted in the O'Club...check it out.

Yes, he flew ALL of the planes you mentioned.

Toughest part was landing on the carriers...he never said what the best part was...he decribed his involvement in bombing the Tirpitz which was pretty cool.

The other tough part was combatting boredom and staying alert while on anti-submarine patrol.
Some will fall in love with life and drink it from a fountain that is pouring like an avalanche coming down the mountain