New Bader Documentary
 

A new documentary exploring the events surrounding Bader's last combat is showing on Channel 4 in the UK, 7pm 28th August.
A lot of heat has been generated on a certain other forum already.
A quick preview of some of the excavations carried is at:
http://www.redkitebooks.co.uk/aa/
then follow the link.

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Hi Simon

Thanks for the information, I for one look forward to watching.

Say hello to Jack for me when you next contact him!! Thanks

Brian

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Hi Guys.
Would have loved to see it down here in S Africa but no such luck.
In the Red kite site they do not say if it was his and what did they find????
Stefaan

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

You may be able to watch it via Channel 4's website. They make some of their programmes available that way: http://www.channel4.com

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

They found two Spitfires but neither was Bader's. One had a flying helmet with the initials DB - but these were not discovered until after they'd realised the aircraft was a Mk.IX. They also identified another crash site but this is now beneath a lake.

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Hi guys

For those who didn't see it, one has to congratulate Andy Saunders and his team for their perseverance and for bearing the disappointments bravely! The most intriguing part for me was the discover of the flying helmet bearing the initials D.B. What a strange coincidence. That actuualy belonged to Donald Bostock, who had baled out of the machine (a Mark IX) in 1943. Sadly, Donald is no longer with us but his widow was taken to the site to see the remains of his Spitfire and was given the helmet and googles (also found in the remains of the cockpit), which I thought was a nice touch.

Well done Andy and members of your team.

Cheers
Brian

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Hi,

Great programe, worth watching.
They did not as I recall refer to the fact that the pilot Bostock evaded.
Nore that the a/c serial number would have been MA764, indeed a Mk IX.
Lost on the 25th November 1943.
Now I only wish that I had recorded the programe.

Alex

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

They did mention Bostock's evasion. But did not, as far I recall, fully identify the earlier Spitfire they dug up.

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Andy Saunder's account on who shot down Bader along with images of the search for his Spit was published recently in issue No. 125 of After The Battle Magazine.

It's an excellent read...

http://www.afterthebattle.com/ab-con1.html


Stephen

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Better have a look at the Fly Past forum!!! ;)

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Thank you Franek! That's one hour I won't see again for very little purpose other than confirmation of the rank stupidity of some people. Though there was quite a bit of interesting material in the more direct confrontation between Dilip Sarker and Andy Saunders. Shame about the rest.

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Graham,

Yes, it's unfortunate that there's anomosity between the two gentlemen and I read the lengthy thread on the FlyPast forum but I guess when it comes to business, business is business. That being said, there's something about Dilip that bothers me and I can't seemt to put a finger on it. After looking at Dilip's website, his whole "look at me and my MBE" left me with a feeling of why do you have to brag about it?

Anyhow, I was most impressed with the quality of Andy's article in After The Battle and I look forward to his future works.

Stephen

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

[quote=Franek Grabowski]Better have a look at the Fly Past forum!!! ;)[/quoteCan you please give info how to visit this forum.
Thanks
René

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Rene,

A quick search on Google using "FlyPast forum" produced this link:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/

I hope this helps.

Stephen

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

The FlyPast Forum seem an angry lot, don't they?

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Hmm, after extracting most relevant info, I would say, all of them are drawing conclusions from unconfirmed evidence. For some reason they reject possibility of a surface crash, not even knowing what actual damage was. For some reason they claim, DB could not left his leg in the cockpit due to strenght of straps attaching it, but forget that in fear people may do various unbelieveable things (I am awared of a case of TS-11 Iskra's stick bent by a pilot trying to recover it from dive) or that DB could have been trapped on the way outside, and subsequently sucked out without the thing. Too much guesswork, too few proofs.
Personally I would side with Bruce and mbv, and you? ;)

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

There is nothing wrong in being proud of one's achievements - and the MBE to Dilip is an achievement he can be proud of. Its not that he is posting it on every forum - is he? he had limited it to only his website.

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Yeah, man! I got sidetracked by a political discussion & the pointless, venomous vituperation(sp?) really took me aback---lotta blind ignorance too!

NickM

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Gentlemen,

I fully agree.

Despite asking what I thought to be sensible questions. I was delt with offhand condisending replies or so I thought. Though I could be wrong.
Anyway I have left the thread to those who delight in their own importance .

Alex

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

I enjoyed the programme, if only to see the places I'd read about in the original After the Battle article.

Of course you got the usual British TV compilation WW2 gun camera footage and a production team who think "any old plane will do" when it comes to selecting wartime film (or maybe aircraftall look alike to TV people). It was nice to see the Moranes though, even if they were totally irrelevant!

Re: New Bader Documentary
 

Alex, in all fairness, they sussed the fact that I had clearly concocted the gun camera film as it was obvious for two reasons - 1, it was me (with my reputation) who posted it, and 2, the prosthetic leg in the foreground kind of gave it away. They weren't having a laugh at you but at the whole level of animosiy that ensued on that thread - neither Peter or Andy had any agenda other than placing their tongues firmly in their cheeks.

Anyway, to answer 2 of your questions - no, the pic wasn't genuine, and 3, well done for spotting it as a 109 - an F as it happens. I clearly didn't blur it enough.

Anyway, my apologies for suckering you. The thread is now descending into farce instead of savagery so my playing devils advocate worked.

Hand extended.

Mark,

(snapper)