Air Crew Personnel
The Lancaster Aircrew
Flying Log: every Crew Member was required to keep a Flying Logbook of every Flight he took including Air Tests, Transport, Training & Operational Flying. This book was signed by the Flight Leader each month and by the Commanding Officer of the Squadron or the various Trade Leaders at the end of the Tour (eg: a Bomb Aimer’s Log would be signed by the Bombing Leader, the Gunner’s by the Gunnery Leader etc.).
A Lancaster Crew numbered 7 – the Pilot, Flight Engineer, Navigator, Wireless (Radio) Operator, Bomb Aimer/Front Gunner, Mid-upper Gunner & Rear Gunner. Invariably all were very young, a man of 25 would likely be referred to as the “Old Man” or “Grandpa.” They were of different Ranks, came from all walks of life, and often from more that one Country. However, they quickly bonded together to form a very special, tightly-knit group. This camaraderie was crucial to maintaining morale and efficiency in the Air. Most felt that their crew was one of the best in Bomber Command. They generally spent many of their off-duty hours together as well as the 1st day or 2 of Leave.
Pilot
Regardless of Rank, the Pilot was Captain and always in Command of the Aircraft. Up front, his seat on a Raised Floor section to the Left of the Main Cabin, he had a good all-round view through the framed Canopy, albeit slightly restricted to the Rear & to Starboard.
There was a direct-vision Panel on either side of the Windshield, and in the Canopy Roof was an Escape Hatch, for use in a Crash-landing or Ditching. Behind his Head was the only piece of Armour Plating that a Lancaster carried, a 4mm thick sheet of Armour, the top part of which could be folded down.
Straight in front of the Pilot was the Control Column, topped with a Wheel type Yoke. The Column moved backwards & forwards to control the elevators in the tail, causing the Aircraft to Climb or Dive, while the Yoke moved like a car Steering Wheel, controlling the Ailerons in the Wings to make the Aircraft Bank to left or right. At his feet were the Rudder Pedals, which were used for Flat Turns to either side. Low to the Pilot’s left was the Compass, but to allow him to Steer without constantly having to glance inside the Cockpit, a Compass Repeater was mounted on the Centre Strut of the divided Windshield.
On the Dash in front of him were many Dials & Switches, which included the essential Flying Instruments; Air Speed Indicator, Artificial Horizon, Turn & Bank Indicator and Rate of Climb/Descent Indicator among them, while the Throttle Levers & Propeller Speed Controls were mounted on a Central Console where they could be reached by both the Pilot & the Flight Engineer.
Ten little Pilot Boys, one shot a fancy Line:
Fifth Columnists were listening and then there were Nine.
Nine little Pilot Boys, one had a heavy Date:
The girl was paid by Germany and then there were Eight.
Eight little Pilot Boys, one used a ‘phone to Devon:
The Line was an open one and then there were Seven.
Seven little Pilot Boys, one thought his drinks he’d mix:
He talked too much when he was tight, then there were Six
Six little Pilot Boys, in a West- End “Dive”:
One showed off to a new-found friend, then there were Five.
Five little Pilot Boys, discussing Fighter lore:
One discussed it much too loud, then there were Four.
Four little Pilot Boys, one posted Oversea.
Sent a postcard to his home, then there were Three.
Three little Pilot Boys, one talked about a ‘Do’:
The news was passed across to France, then there were Two.
Two little Pilot Boys, eager for some Fun:
One spoke about his next day Job. then there was One.
One little Pilot Boy, his mother’s favourite Son:
She showed his letters to her Friends, then there were None.
Ten little Pilot Boys have gone into Obscurity,
For paying no attention to that vital word, ‘Security‘.
All the little Pilot Boys are wiped clean off the Map.
Because some people will not learn to shut their Bloody Trap.
Flight Engineer
The Flight Engineer was responsible for everything Mechanical; as well as constantly Monitoring the Instruments in front of the Pilot, he had a 2nd Panel with Fuel Gauges & Data on the Status of each of the 4-Engines.
Interview with Ken Duddell, he was a Flight Engineer on the Avro Lancaster Bombers flying out of RAF Elsham Wold during WW2. In this interview, Ken talks about what life was like as a Flight Engineer.
Lionel Hopton Dimery, ATA Flight Engineer, No.14 FPP Ringway (Oral History)
Reel 1: – Aspects of period as Aero-Engine Fitter with Air Ministry, 1939-42: death of father in WW1; Employment with Air Ministry; reaction to Declaration of WW2, 3rd September 1939; posting to RAF Cosford, Duties as Aero-Engine Fitter at Cosford. Recollections of Training as Flight Engineer with ATA in GB, 1942: background to volunteering for ATA; selection process for Flight Engineers; reporting to ATA White Waltham, 1942; Training on HP Halifax at RAF Thuxton; degree of knowledge of 4-Engined Aircraft; Training as Flight Engineer; provision of handling Manual. Recollections of period as Flight Engineer with No.14 Ferry Pool ATA Ringway, 1942-1945: Posting to ATA Ringway; Delivery Flights of HP Halifax Aircraft to RAF Airfields; Communications in Aircraft; role of Flight Engineer during Delivery Flights.
Reel 2: Feathering Propellers; checking for problems with Engines in Flight; method of Lowering Undercarriage after failure of Hydraulics; Undercarriage Locking Device on Consolidated Liberator; reasons for most Undercarriage failures; pre-Flight Checks; confidence in Ground Crew; threat of Oil Leaks; Crash Landing in Bristol Beaufighter after Tyre Burst; degree of confidence in Pilots; story of loss of overconfident Pilot in poor weather; attitude to loss of Personnel; problems posed by Poor Weather & Barrage Balloons.
Reel 3: Frequency of overnight Stops; use of Taxi Aircraft; daily working hours; skill of ATA Pilots in Flying 4-Engined Aircraft; Status whilst staying over on RAF Stations; occasions when he unofficially Flew Aircraft; question of Training as Pilot; presence of Foreign Pilots in ATA; temperament of Polish Pilot; opinion of American Pilots; story of Pilot who flew his wife on Joy Ride in Aircraft, 1945; Incident of Pilot who landed Consolidated Liberator on Airfield close to his Home; question of necessity for some Flights carried out by ATA.
Reel 4: Continues: work prior to D-Day Landings; bet with colleague over date of D-Day; delivering Avro Lancasters to RAF Scampton for Dambusters Raid, May 1943; Leave & Pay; Medical Examinations; Postings; VE-Day in Torquay, 8th May 1945; Disbandment of ATA; joining BOAC, 1945; Attitude to Serving with ATA during WW2.
Bomb Aimer
The Bomb-Aimer’s Compartment was situated in the Front of the Aircraft at a level below that of the Main Cockpit. Lying on his stomach and looking through the Bombsight out the large Perspex Blister, the Bomb-Aimer would guide the Aircraft to the Target and release the Bomb Load.
As well, the Bomb-Aimer was responsible for Operating the Front Gun Turret positioned directly above him, although this was not necessary on most Operations. Squeezing past the Flight Engineer’s Station, down into the Nose was the Territory of the Bomb Aimer, who usually manned the Nose Turret when not actually on the Bombing Run, although he could also be called upon to assist the Navigator by Map-reading, always assuming that the Ground was in sight. The Bomb Aimer lay prone, his chest propped on an adjustable support. Beneath him was the forward Escape Hatch, which would also be used by the Flight Engineer and the Pilot, in the latter case if he could reach it in time before the Aircraft went completely out of Control. To the right of the Bomb Aimer was the Bomb Fusing & Selection Panel. It was essential that the Bombs were released in a predetermined order from the Long Bay if unwanted changes of Trim were to be avoided. For this, a Selector Box was used. The Bombs themselves were released by a hand-held ‘Tit’, which had a small Guard above the button to prevent accidents. Also featured were Camera Controls & Photo-flares which enabled a Picture to be taken of the Aim Point. The Bombsight itself was of the Vector Type, into which the Aircraft Speed & Altitude were set, together with the Ballistic Data for the Type of Bombs carried, and the estimated Wind Speed & Direction. The Sight was Gyro-stabilised, which allowed Banked Turns to be made during the Run-up to the Target. Two lines of Light on a Reflecting Screen form a Cross which indicated where the Bomb will drop at any given moment. Over the Intercom, the Bomb Aimer Guided the Pilot to a position where the extension of the Vertical Line passed through the Aim Point. When the Bomber was lined up correctly, the Aim Point appeared to slide gradually down the Vertical Line. Then when the Cross touched the Target, the Bomb Aimer pressed the Button and down went the Bombs, bringing destruction to the Target below. When not engaged in dropping the Bombs, the Bomb Aimer occupied the Nose Turret, with its 2-Machine Guns. At Night he probably had little to do; rarely was visibility clear enough to allow the Night Fighters to Attack from Head-on. In Daylight or at low level the situation may well have been different, and it may have even been that the Turret must have to be occupied even on the Bombing Run. This gave rise to a problem; the Gunner had no footrest, and in moments of excitement could have trod on the Bomb Aimer’s head, to say nothing of showering him with hot ’empties’ when he Fired.
The Mk. XIV Bomb Sight was 1st Tested in June 1941. It was the 1st modern Bombsight that allowed for Accurate Bombing immediately after Radical Manoeuvring, with a settling time as little as 10secs. The fast settling time was invaluable during Night Bombing Missions, as it allowed the Bomber to Fly a Helical Path, both Climbing & Turning and then level out immediately before the Drop. Even slow turns made it difficult for Night Fighters to Track the Bombers within the limited view of their Radar Systems, and continually changing Altitude is an effective way to avoid Anti-Aircraft Fire. The Sight Head was much smaller & lighter than the older versions. This greatly reduced size meant that the sight head was easy to mount on a stabiliser system, adapted from the same Sperry gyroscope as earlier experiments. With the sight head stabilised, the Bomb Aimer could continue to measure Drift even as he indicated Turns to the Pilot, eliminating the need to correct, re-measure, correct again, etc. Moreover, the Remote Console & 2nd Operator eliminated the need for the Bomb Aimer to look away from the Sights to make adjustments while on the Bomb Run. As a result of these changes, short aiming periods of a few seconds would be enough for an Accurate Drop.
The Bomb Aimer also had a set of Controls which told the Pilot whether to Steer Port or Starboard (right). When the Aircraft was above the Target, he pressed a Button to release the Bomb Load. The Bomb Aimer also doubled as the Front Gunner.
A Turret Trainer was sometimes combined with an AML Bomb Aimer Teacher
The only known Target Screen to survive into the 1990s was at Sleap in Shropshire, in a combined AML Bombing Teacher & Turret Trainer. The building was completely devoid of roof, doors & window glazing and so the Screen was completely exposed to the elements. When 1st seen in 1984, it was still in excellent condition but unfortunately, when last seen in 1995, a large section of the Screen had been removed. When surveyed in 1984, evidence was found on the concrete floor of the fixed Tubular Steel Main Tower Frame. Supporting the Screen was a large Steel Frame which was fixed to the floor & walls. The 20ft dia Screen was found to be made from Fibrous Plaster or hair-bound Lime & Sand which had been Plastered on to a hemispherical-shaped Hy-Rib Expanded-Metal Sheeting.
Bomb-aiming Simulators
With a well-trained & experienced Pilot, a good Navigator, Gunners and some luck a Bomber might reach the Target and then the outcome of the Mission depended on the accuracy of the Bombardier. The Bombardier needed to allow for the Altitude, Velocity of the Plane & Speed and Simulators were developed for Training. In Britain the Air Ministry Laboratories developed the Bomb Aimer Teacher which was installed in purpose-built facilities at RAF Airbases across the Country. The 2-Storey Buildings that housed the AML Bomb Aimer Teachers are quite distinctive and can be spotted at several old RAF Bases. Most of these Buildings have been allowed to decay although it has recently been reported that RAF Brize Norton is trying to save one at the ‘Cornwall at War’ Museum which was RAF Davidstow Moor (nr Camelford) in WW2. It is not in good condition but a Video about it provides some insight into the way the AML Bomb Aimer Teacher was used.
Behind the Pilot & Flight Engineer, the Navigator worked in a curtained-off Compartment so that the Lights he required would not give away the position of the Lancaster to Enemy Fighters. Few Navigators had the time, or the inclination, to leave their Station during a Raid. They were constantly Plotting the Aircraft’s Course and making adjustments for Wind & other Factors. As Electronic Navigational Aids developed during the War the Navigator’s workload became even greater.
Navigator: Navigator’s Table. Sitting immediately behind the Pilot, the Navigator relied on primitive means at the start of the War, often having to Navigate by the Stars or use Dead Reckoning to estimate the Aircraft’s position. In front of the Wireless Operator sat the Navigator, sideways on. He had a Table, but larger than that of the Wireless Operator, on which he spread out his charts, pencils, protractors, computer, and all the other paraphernalia needed to find a specific location in a blacked-out & hostile Europe. Almost overhead was an Astrodome, through which the Navigator could ‘shoot’ the stars to arrive at a very approximate position, but in this machine, he had something better & very different. This was an H2S, a Blind Bombing Aid which showed a Radar Picture of the Ground below on a Television-Type Screen. It needed a fair bit of interpretation to get good results, and like all Electronic aids of this era, it was Temperamental; but it helped. Like the Wireless operator, the Navigator had a Window, out of which he rarely looked, and he was Partitioned off from the Pilot by another Curtain which kept light out of the Main Cabin.
The Experienced Navigator: As a Navigator & Bomb Aimer, perhaps a Raid to feel most proud of was one against a Target in Mannheim. It was a relatively long Flight in those days. Having Navigated to within some 25 miles of the Target, he took up my position behind the Bombsight for the ‘run-in’. On the ‘run in’ our 2 Gunners started shouting: “You’re wrong, – the Target is 5 miles to Starboard; the whole area is on Fire!” To which the Navigator yelled back: “They’re wrong!” By then they could see the outskirts of Mannheim coming into the Bombsight. The Navigator could then see the River Rhine by the light of the Moon, winding its way through the Suburbs. Strangely, they noticed that all of the Searchlights were in the doused position, not shining upwards. They were making a dim circle around the Outskirts of this large City. Above all, there was no attacking Gunfire. They were giving us a Free-run so as not to expose their position. The Enemy did not want to ‘disturb’ the Mass of Bomber Command Bombing their Fire ‘decoy’ in a Forest some 5 to 6 miles outside Mannheim! The Target came up, and still not a Shot fired. They were able to fly straight & level and took a perfect Photograph. When printed, this showed our Bombs straddling the Target area, which became the only Accurate Photograph in the Squadron. The next day came and a new Target Briefing and the Squadron Commander snarled, “What happened to you lot over Mannheim last night? Fancy Bombing a Forest!” He then told the rest of the Squadron that there was only one photo from the whole of the Squadron and out of some 200 Aircraft of Bomber Command there were only 9 Photos of the Target.
He turned to the Pilot and said, “Well done!” There was a voice at the back of the Briefing Room, in a complaining tone that said, “What about the Navigator?” I hope the Squadron Commander heard it. I believe it was a Rear Gunner. The Commander still said nothing to the Navigator. You see, it was still a Pilot’s Air Force, dating back to WWI and to between the Wars. From this, you can understand why the Navigators were accused of having a ‘Union!’ Any Pilot would tell you, that, – when we were some 30 miles from a Target, they saw nothing below, only the Horizon well ahead. Over Mannheim, the Navigator learned a life’s lesson. There were other times when the Gunners reported actions by other Aircraft which did not fall in with your own calculations. The real lesson was – and made use of several times – if you are sure, having checked your calculations, stick to your Result and never follow anybody else.
Flame Float: small Incendiary Device that would float after being thrown out down the Flare Chute. The Rear Gunner would centre the “Pip” on his Reflector Sight on the point of Light and then read off the Degree of Deviation from a Scale on his Turret Ring – this would provide the Navigator with the Degree of Wind Drift blowing the Aircraft off track
Wireless Operator: A few feet along on the left via a 7mm-thick Armoured Door was situated the Wireless Operator’s Post. He sat at a small Table with his Radio and his pencils & pads. He had a small window which was level with the leading edge of the Wing, but at night kept a Curtain drawn across it. This was mainly because he needed Artificial Light by which to work, and this must not have been allowed to betray the presence of the Bomber to any roving Fighters which might have been in the Area. In any case, over blacked-out Enemy Territory, there was little to see, while above a heavily defended area the view could sometimes be a little too exciting for someone who had no immediate task to occupy him. The Wireless Operator had the warmest place in the Aircraft; often he was overheated while other Crew members were Freezing.
Wireless Operator’s Desk. In the cramped Fuselage space above the Bomb Bay, the Wireless Operator listened for Transmissions from Base which might include vital Instructions on changes of Targets or updated Weather conditions
The Wireless Operator’s Station was just in front of the Main Spar, in the rear part of the Cockpit Section. In addition to his Official Duties related to the Radio Equipment, the W/Op was also expected to have a working knowledge of the Navigator’s Equipment, understand the Aircraft’s Electrical & Intercom Systems, & Administer First Aid as necessary. As well, he was generally on Duty in the Astrodome in the event of Contact with Enemy Fighters & over the Target. The Astrodome was a dome-shaped piece of Perspex which protruded above the Aircraft’s Fuselage in order that the Navigator could take Star Shots. As well it provided an excellent Viewpoint.
Wireless Operator Training: In WW2 Wireless Radio communication Equipment became small enough to install on Aircraft and larger Long-Range Bombers had a Wireless Communication Operator. Early in WW2 a Radio Communication Simulator known as the Harwell Box was developed to Train a Crew Member for this role.
The other specialist in the Crew was the Wireless Operator & at his disposal were a variety of Synthetic Aids. Unavoidably, the somewhat obtuse Theory of Radio had to be explained with the help of a Blackboard and, frequently, an overdose of higher Mathematics. However good the Lecturer might be, the chances were that the Trainee would find it difficult to associate the descriptions with the actual working, or failure to work, of Airborne Equipment, especially when he was encased in an Oxygen Mask, dressed like a Polar Explorer and, not improbably, having various forms of unpleasantness thrown at him. The answer to this was the Harwell Box, designed early in 1940 at the RAF Station of that Name. It is best described as a sort of torture chamber in which a Wireless Operator did his final Ground Training. It consisted of a small box comparable with the accommodation which he would find in an Aircraft, fitted with all the appropriate Radio Equipment. Signals were fed down a Line, simulating the actual Reception conditions & a system of Radio Beacons was provided so that he could obtain Bearings. Whilst he was going through whatever Drill was being laid down by the Instructor, a Loudspeaker very close to his left ear produced a continuous roar of desynchronised Engine noise. To unnerve him even more the Speaker periodically emitted bursts of Machine Gun Fire. One model of the Box included a method of swinging the whole Cabinet about so as to add the risk of Airsickness to the troubles of the unfortunate Student! Course failures were considerably reduced & it was soon in widespread use at the Radio Schools, as many as 40-Boxes being connected on one circuit for simultaneous exercises. These Harwell Boxes were erected in such places as the corner of a Hangar, looking rather like a row of ‘Privies’. Being sited inside a Metal Hangar helped to ensure there was no accidental Radiation of the Practice Messages which if picked up by Ground Radio Stations might have been mistaken for real ones. The primary precaution against such a happening was to substitute a dummy Load for the Aerial for each Transmitter. That Device, fitted to the top of each Box, incorporated household light Bulbs which glowed brightly as the Transmitter was tuned to the maximum RF Output (not unlike the Police Box in the “Dr Who” TV series). The meagre amount of Energy radiated from this arrangement was picked up by the Instructor’s Equipment only a few yards away, and 2-way Air/Ground communications were simulated. Those Training cubicles were rather oppressive, being poorly lit & badly ventilated, and were not liked by many Trainees, hence the nickname, ‘Horrible Boxes’.
The Mid-Upper Gunner & Rear-Gunner completed the Crew. Both were extremely vulnerable & in the Coldest part of the Aircraft. Their Duties were to continuously Scan the Night Sky for Enemy Fighters from the moment of Take-off until the Aircraft landed, sometimes 10-hrs later. Their most important contribution was to spot the Fighter & instruct the Pilot to take Evasive Action. When this occurred the Fighter generally broke off the Contact & looked for another Bomber with a less alert Air Gunner.
Mid-Upper Gunner: The Mid-Upper Gunner, after stowing his Parachute in its place high on the right of him climbed into his Turret via a Step on the left of the Fuselage. Access was not easy, due to the Seat design which forced him to squeeze past it before he could enter. The Mid-Upper Gunner had only 2-Machine Guns, although his Turret could traverse through 360°, which gave him a grandstand view all around. His field of Fire was obstructed, however, to the Rear by the Tail-plane & Fins, on each side by the Wings, Engines & Propellors & straight ahead by the Navigator’s Astrodome. The Turret was surrounded by a Fairing which contained a Cam-track. By restricting the movement of the Guns, this ensured that he couldn’t Damage his own Aircraft when Firing. When the Guns were elevated at 20° or more, Turret Traverse was Fast & Smooth, but below this, it was much Slower. This was to avoid Damage to the Turret Firing at full Depression, but in Action, it was a serious disadvantage as it made Tracking a fast-moving Enemy Fighter very difficult. In an Emergency, the Mid-Upper Gunner had to squirm out of the Turret, retrieve his Parachute from Stowage & depart through the Door by which he entered.
The Mid-Upper Turret. One of 3-Gun Turrets in the Lancaster, the Mid-Upper Gunner’s position was highly exposed on the Top of the Fuselage. As the War went on, this role was reduced as German Fighters learned to Attack Bombers from below
The Rear Gunner: His job is arguably the most dangerous & certainly the coldest, the most lonely & isolated, of any Lancaster Crewman. His Parachute was stowed outside the Armoured Doors that shut him in a cold cramped position until the end of the Mission, his only human contact was that of the disembodied voices of other Crew members over the Intercom. He was here for how many hours the Mission took. The call to Bale-out was ‘Abracadabra Jump, Jump! Abracadabra Jump, Jump!’. It sounded silly, but it had 1 advantage. It couldn’t have possibly been misunderstood. Nevertheless, it was often not used & the Order was given in plain language. On hearing the Command to Bale Out, the Rear Gunner centred up & opened his Armoured Doors at the rear of his Turret, reached back for his parachute then clipped it onto his Chest Harness. He swivelled his Turret right round until the Open Doors were facing Outwards, then did a backward roll out into the Night Sky above a Hostile Country. This was, of course, presupposing that his Parachute had not been burnt or shot to pieces, that he was still able to turn his Turret to the escape position, and that the centrifugal forces exerted by his out-of-control Bomber would have allowed him to make these necessary moves.
The Rear Gunner’s Turret. As well as trying to shoot down Enemy Aircraft, the Rear Gunner was a vital lookout, alerting the Pilot to Fighters approaching from the Rear. The Turret was highly exposed and many Aircraft returned to base with them sheared off.
Alone in his transparent shell,
A speck in space,
He sits, poised in his airy kingdom;
At his back the unknown,
Before him the unfolding Map
Of his journey.
Guardian of 7 lives,
Taut with the concentration of survival,
He swings his Turret through vigilant arcs,
Eyes straining for the Fighters,
Braced for the Violence of Surprise. – – Philip A Nicholson
The 4-Cannons in the Rear Turret were fed by long Belts of Ammunition running down the side of the Fuselage. The Gun Turret of a Bomber Command Aircraft during a Night Operation was the coldest, loneliest, place in the sky. Whereas other Crew-members enjoyed some comfort from the proximity of others in the forward section of the Aircraft, the Mid-Upper Gunner spent the trip suspended on a Canvas sling-seat, his lower body in the draughty Fuselage & his head & shoulders in the Perspex Dome. The Rear Gunner was even more removed from his fellow Crew members & any Heating System. Suspended in space at the extreme End of the Fuselage, “Tail-end-Charlie” was subject to the most violent movements of the Aircraft. Squeezed into the cramped metal & perspex Cupola, the Rear Gunner had so little leg space that some had to place their Flying Boots into the Turret before climbing in themselves. Many Rear Gunners removed a section of the Perspex to improve their View, so with temperatures at 20,000-ft reaching -40°F, Frostbite was a regular occurrence. And through the entire Operation, the Rear Gunner knew that the Luftwaffe Fighter Pilots preferred to attack from the rear & under the Belly of the Bomber, so he was often 1st in Line for Elimination. During WW2, 20,000 Air Gunners were killed while serving with Bomber Command.
During a Bomber Command Operation, the only sounds the Gunner would hear, aside from the constant deafening roar of the Engines, would be the hiss of the Oxygen and the occasional crackling, distorted voices of other Crew members in his Earphones. From Take-off to Landing, at times for as long as 10hrs, the Air Gunner was constantly rotating the Turret, scanning the surrounding blackness, quarter by quarter, for the grey shadow that could instantly become an attacking Enemy Night Fighter. The Air Gunner’s closest friends were likely his Crew Members in the forward section of the Bomber and the relaxation of his Vigilance for even a moment could mean death for them all.
The Primary Role of the Air Gunner was not to Shoot Down Enemy Aircraft. Rather it was to perform the role of a lookout. After hours of staring into the blackness, his shouting into the Intercom of, “Corkscrew Port Now!” would have the Pilot instantly begin a Series of violent evasive Manoeuvres, throwing the Heavy Bomber around the Sky. Generally, if an Enemy Fighter Pilot knew he had been seen, no attempt would be made to follow the Bomber through its Gyrations. Rather he would seek out another Aircraft, hopeful that it might have a less alert Air Gunner. Many Air Gunners completed their Tour of Operations without firing a single Shot “in anger,” but the Stress they were constantly under was equal to those who, with Guns Ablaze in the Night, became part of brief, terrifying, life & death Battles in the Night with Enemy Aircraft.
Rear Gunner – Robert Henry James Gill, DFM
W/O Bob Gill, of 1663 HCU, 158 & 35 Squadrons – one of the last surviving Heroes from Bomber Command, has died just a few weeks short of the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. Flight Sergeant Robert ‘Bob’ Henry James Gill, from London, was awarded the DFM for his role in the Allied Bombing Campaign against Berlin’s War Machine having flown on 48-Operations when the odds of Survival were in single figures for Rear Gunners. He was just 17 when he Signed up to join the RAF while he was evacuated from London during the Blitz & became a Rear Gunner in Halifax & Lancaster Bombers – Britain’s Main Striking Force on German Industry. Flight Sergeant Bob Gill was a ‘Tail-end Charlie’, the Rear Gunner in a Lancaster Bomber from 35-Squadron on the Nuremberg Raid in March 1944, a Pathfinder Unit whose job was to ‘Light the Way’. With the Distinguished Flying Medal to his name, the retired Surrey Accountant sums it up succinctly: ‘It was just a disaster.’ Surveying the German Countryside from the Tail-end of a Lancaster that Night would describe his Comrades’ Funeral Pyres stretching 60-miles back into the distance. Known as a vivacious raconteur, he was one of the 4-Veterans of Bomber Command who appeared on an ITV Documentary about the Air War against the Nazis. Sadly Bob did not live to see VE-Day, marking 75-yrs since the end of War as he died aged 96 at the beginning of March.
One Legged Rear Gunner: Roberts Christian Dunstan DSO (5th November 1922 – 11th October 1989) was an Australian Soldier & Airman of WW2. He was noted on his return to Australia after the War as a one-legged Air Gunner who had served with RAF Bomber Command. Dunstan was born in Bendigo, Victoria on 5th November 1922. He joined the Australian Imperial Force aged 17 on 3rd June 1940. After Training he was sent to the 2/8th Field Company, a Field Engineer Unit, in North Africa as a reinforcement. In January 1941, near Tobruk, he was wounded in the Knee & had his leg amputated. After resting in Egypt he was returned to Australia & Medically discharged. Not happy with his short Service, Dunstan attempted to join the Royal Australian Air Force as an Air Gunner. In 1942 he Trained at Port Pirie and, promoted to Sergeant at the end of his Course, he embarked for Europe. Dunstan was assigned to No.460 Squadron RAAF at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England as a Lancaster Rear Gunner. He flew his 1st Operation on 11th June 1943 to Düsseldorf. In October he was Commissioned as a Pilot Officer and later was Awarded the DSO for his efforts as a “Cool & Skilful Air Gunner – despite the handicap of 1-Leg“. During one Raid on Kassel on 22/23rd October 1943, the Plane in which he was flying was Hit by 2-Incendiary Bombs dropped by another Lancaster, which was off course. The damage caused by this accident cut off the Oxygen Supply to Dunstan & the Mid-Upper Gunner, Flight Sergeant Hegarty. As a result of the Oxygen Starvation that both men suffered, neither saw the approach of an Enemy Night-Fighter, whose Attack badly damaged the Lancaster, 1-Cannon Shell passing through the Rear-Gunner’s Turret. The Aircraft managed to return home & make a Crash-landing at Bisham, the Crew escaping unhurt. Dunstan soon completed a full Tour of 30-Operations & returned to Australia in August 1944. He was Discharged from the RAAF on 2nd October 1945.
Germany also uses what we call the “Chandelier Flares.” This is either a single large Flare or a group of 3 to 5-Flares. They are Shot from the Ground & Hang in the Air for a long time at your Level. They light up everything for miles around and show your position to the Fighter. One of the most important things to remember is Jerry loves a “Sleeping Target.” If he finds you know he is there he will, 9 times out of 10, go away & find another Bomber. Another important thing to remember as an Air Gunner is primarily to protect your Bomber & not shoot down Fighters. Never Fire unless it is necessary. Always take Evasive Action. Firing gives your position away to every Night Fighter in that vicinity. Evasive Action should be practised until the Co-ordination between Skipper & Gunner is as though one Brain controlled all concerned.
During the 1930s great strides were made in the development of Powered Gun Turrets in the belief that they would be capable of defending Bombers from Fighter Attack. They were Technologically advanced for the time, fully enclosed & providing the Air Gunner with more Firepower than ever before. However, with the advent of War, it became obvious to Bomber Command that Formation Flying during the Day, even with the latest Turrets, would not provide protection for the Bombers from the swift, heavily armed Fighter Aircraft. The British turned to Night Bombing but the Air Gunner’s role remained the same, that of the primary Lookout & Protector of the Aircraft and the lives of those Aboard.
Almost all Lancasters were equipped with 3 Frazer-Nash (FN) hydraulically operated Turrets, each with .303 calibre Machine Guns. The FN-5 Nose Turret had 2-guns, the FN-50 Mid-Upper Turret had 2 & the FN20 Tail Turret had 4. The FN64 Mid-Under Turret saw only limited use in the Aircraft’s early months. The Nose Turret was rarely used & manned by the Bomb Aimer if required. Some of the later Canadian-built Lancaster’s (those from Serial # KB-855 on), were equipped with the American built, electrically powered Martin 250 Mid-Upper Turret with twin .50 calibre Guns. Few, if any, of these, saw Service.
Pathfinder Craig 