One thing of interest cropped up last week. I bought a book on RAF Squadrons at the local charity shop. A great source for research on it's own, but theres more. Inside the front cover was a letter written by a former WWll RCAF pilot. I am researching some of the claims made and hope to have the full story and hopefully a short documentary (using IL2 of course) once the facts have been verified. There was a contact number and I have been able to speak to the man , who is now 90 years young and lives local to me.
He claims to have flown Hurricanes and later Mosquitos and apparently crashed in Surrey with one engine aflame sometime in '45 (obviously before 22 April).He was awarded the DFC in '45. He spent some time in hospital after the crash but went on to fly DC3s, 6Bs and DC8s as a civil pilot after the war.
There is also an account of some RCAF(?) transports crashing in '39/'40 whilst ferrying pilots across the Atlantic; an incident I have not yet been able to find reference to online.
One other , and more controversial claim is that the Germans started using a gas in flak shells during '45. It is known that they had a stockpile of shells packed with Tabun nerve gas (GA) a precursor of Sarin. These were in production from 1942 by Anorgana GmbH. He did describe a yellow smoke from flak explosions which would fit with Tabun, and would rule out mustard gas as I doubt it would have minimal if any any effect on crew wearing oxygen masks.
Letter from a veteran
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:FI:Sneaky_Russian
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Letter from a veteran
"The marksman hitteth the target partly by pulling, partly by letting go. The boatsman reacheth the landing partly by pulling, partly by letting go." (Egyptian proverb)
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:FI:Airway
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:FI:Sneaky_Russian
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Re: Letter from a veteran
Any leads that turn up appreciated. I will be meeting him possibly next weekend to get more info on squadrons , bases etc.:FI:Airway wrote:Do you need this info checked or further information about ?
I've been wading through archives of London Gazette for notice of the DFC. That would provide useful leads to official records of missions.
"The marksman hitteth the target partly by pulling, partly by letting go. The boatsman reacheth the landing partly by pulling, partly by letting go." (Egyptian proverb)
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:FI:Airway
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Re: Letter from a veteran
Especially the gas flakshell thing sounds interesting to me.
I asked but came up with no further information except, that there supposed to be a special filling plant somewhere near Leipzig for filling SC 250 bombs with gas.
I asked but came up with no further information except, that there supposed to be a special filling plant somewhere near Leipzig for filling SC 250 bombs with gas.
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:FI:Heloego
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Re: Letter from a veteran
Cool, Guys!
Keep us updated.
Sneak, if you could get video and/or recording of your converstaion(s) with this hero, please do!
Keep us updated.
Sneak, if you could get video and/or recording of your converstaion(s) with this hero, please do!
...and wear your feckin' mask!!!!! 