|
most Lancaster missions
Good evening,
who has logged the most Avro Lancaster combat missions ? Gibson, Cheshire or another guy ? Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
An interesting question.
Not necessarily either of those. While they both clocked up a large number of ops, Gibson flew some of them in Beaufighters and Mosquitos, Cheshire used Mossies and even a Mustang, I think. Other 'high-totallers' (ops flown) like Cranswick had been operational for so long that his a/c went back to Wellingtons. So maybe the answer won't be as straightforward as we expect, and the actual answer might be a surprise. Ian |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Gibson started in Hampdens and flew at least 175 missions.
Cheshire started in Whitleys and flew at least 103 missions. But how many in of these in Lancasters...? Cheers, Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
...from David Fell I learned about an intresting candidate:
Florent Van Rolleghem flew his 70 operations from April 43 to Oct 44 and those were all on Lancasters. Has anybody flown more Lancaster missions ? Cheers Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
...David Fell also told me that Van Rolleghem was an excellent pilot and determined man. He got a DSO and DFC but should have got more but he was not a man who wanted rewards for doing his job. He was a very modest man and was very well liked and much respected by his crews.
Can anybody confirm he holds the record for the most Lancaster missions ? Cheers, Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Another possible for the record: Charles Peter Craufurd de Wesselow. He was the Master Bomber for the Dresden Raid on 13/14 February 1945, and was at the time flying his 3rd tour, it was his 72nd operation according to the book "Bomber Command Reflections of War: Armageddon: September 27th 1944 - May 1945", by Martin Bowman.
I have it in the ORB of 97 Sqn, flying first as a Flg Off on 3-4 September 1943. He was awarded the DFC in December 1943 and flew 32 nights with the squadron (according to a quick search in a Word version of the ORB I have, but I don't know how much of these were early turn-backs not counting). In April 1944 he went to HQ 8 (Pathfinder) Group. During the summer he was flying with 635 Sqn. In September 1943 he had a rank of Flg Off and apparently no medal, so it probably was his first turn, but I have no proof of it. Especially he flew no op as a 2nd pilot but started directly as a first. EXCEPT that just before September 1943, the ORB as a Plt Off, then Flg Off G de Wesselow arriving from 1661 CU on 23 June 1943 flying 13 times between 28-29 June 1943 and 31 August-1 September 1943. Except the initials all details are the same for "both" men, so my guess is that it is the same guy, who then took off for 45 operations (a check of the ORB will allow to know how much reached Europe). During this periode, 97 Sqn flew Lancaster, so this guy probably flew all ops in Lancaster, and if he was flying his 72nd in February 1945 he probably flew more before the end of the war. So no proof, but if someone can provide more details on this guy, he may be ahead of Florent Van Rolleghem. Best regards |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Hello Laurent,
thanks for your intresting post. Van Rolleghem and de Wesselow do not sound very British. Are they Dutch/Belgian ? Have a nice Sunday evening, Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Good evening,
were more Victoria Crosses awarded to Lancaster airmen than to airmen of any other aircraft type ? Cheers, Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
The answer seems to be yes. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...oyal_Air_Force
|
Re: most Lancaster missions
Good afternoon Laurent,
is it known in which aircraft type Leonard Cheshire flew the most missions ? Whitley ? Lancaster ? Mosquito ? Mustang ? Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Good evening Gentlemen,
the Lancaster definitely produced more VC airmen than any other aircraft type: 7 VC's
Cheers, Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
There are two Short Stirling VC's.
|
Re: most Lancaster missions
Hello,
Douglas A-20 Boston - William Ellis Newton RAAF Short Stirling - Rawdon Hume Middleton RAAF Col. |
Re: most Lancaster missions
A few more:
Consolidated Catalina: David Ernest Hornell RCAF Avro Lancaster: Andrew Charles Mynarski RCAF; Edwin Essery Swales SAAF Dave |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Hello,
More: Vickers Wellington - James Allen Ward RNZAF Fairey Swordfish - Eugene Esmonde FAA Lockheed Ventura - Leonard Henry Trent RAF Consolidated Liberator - Lloyd Allan Trigg RNZAF Col. |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Major Edwin Swales of 582 Squadron was also in a Lancaster on Feb.23/45 which he was awarded a VC as Master Bomber at Pforzheim. This was the second VC awarded for actions in a 582 Squadron Lancaster but Swales was the only 582 Squadron member to be awarded a VC. Robert Palmer, a Mosquito pilot of 109 Squadron was piloting an Oboe equipped 582 Squadron Lancaster on Dec.23rd/44 and was awarded a VC for leading an attack on Cologne’s Gremberg rail yards.
|
Re: most Lancaster missions
Dear Gentlemen,
thanks for so many further VC airmen. I'll merge them with the list above: 9 VC's
Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Quote:
Interesting topic. |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Hello Smithy,
you're right: BE 2b, No 687. Thanks for the hint. Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Good morning Gentlemen,
this is my updated list of aircraft types that won VC's. Enjoy! Michael 9 VC's • Avro Lancaster: Ian Bazalgette, Guy Gibson, Norman Jackson (flight engineer), Andrew Mynarski (gunner), John Nettleton, Robert Palmer, William Reid, Edwin Essery Swales, George Thompson (wireless operator) 3 VC's • Bristol Blenheim: Hughie Edwards, Hugh Malcolm, Arthur Scarf • R.A.F. S.E.5a: Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, Edward Mannock, James McCudden 2 VC's • Armstrong Whitworth FK 8: Alan McLeod, Ferdinand West • Consolidated Catalina: John Cruickshank, David Ernest Hornell • Fairey Battle: Donald Garland, Thomas Gray (navigator) • Handley Page Hampden: John Hannah (wireless operator/gunner), Roderick Learoyd • R.A.F. B.E.2c: William Leefe Robinson, Frank McNamara (also flew a Martinsyde G.100) • Short Stirling: Arthur Aaron, Rawdon Hume Middleton 1 VC • Airco D.H.2: Lionel Rees • Avro Manchester: Leslie Manser • Bristol Beaufort: Kenneth Campbell • Bristol Scout: Lanoe Hawker • Consolidated Liberator: Lloyd Trigg • Douglas Boston: William Ellis Newton • Douglas Dakota: David Lord • Fairey Swordfish: Eugene Esmonde • Handley Page Halifax: Cyril Barton • Hawker Hurricane: James Nicolson • Lockheed Ventura: Leonard Henry Trent • Morane-Saulnier Type L: Reginald Warneford • Nieuport 10: Richard Bell Davies • Nieuport 23: William Bishop • North American Mustang: Leonard Cheshire (also flew Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, Handley Page Halifax, Avro Lancaster, & de Havilland Mosquito) • R.A.F. B.E.2b: William Rhodes-Moorhouse • R.A.F. F.E.2d: Thomas Mottershead • R.A.F. R.E.5: John Liddell • R.A.F. S.E.5: Albert Ball (also flew Nieuport 23) • Sopwith Camel: Alan Jerrard • Sopwith Snipe: William Barker • Vickers F.B.5: Gilbert Insall • Vickers Wellington: James Allen Ward • Vought Corsair: Robert Gray |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Full names for some of the recipients
Lanoe George Hawker Hugh Gordon Malcolm James Brindley Nicolson James Thomas Byford McCudden Reginald Alexander John Warneford Andrew Charles Mynarski John Dering Nettleton Leslie Thomas Manser David Samuel Anthony Lord Donald Edward Garland William George Barker The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Site (www.cwgc.org) is a good source for the full names of those KIA |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Good evening Gentlemen,
I'm aware that WW2 VC's were not awarded for scores but is it justified to say that Gibson was the top-scoring WW2 VC winner with 4 kills ? Michael |
Re: most Lancaster missions
It's likely that the Avro Lancaster with the most missions has more missions than the Avro Lancaster pilot with the most missions in that type, isn't it?
|
Re: most Lancaster missions
The aircrew with the most operational missions (Lancaster or otherwise) is an interesting question: W/C James Blackburn flew what is believed to a unique 202 operational bombing sorties over 5 tours; with among others, 57 Sq Blenheims and 75 sqn Wellingtons over Europe, sorties with 70 and 104 Sqn in the Middle East, and 159 sqn over Burma in B24s?
Leaving aside several dozen Bomber Command crews who flew over 100 on Mosquitoes, A quick internet search indicates F/L Ted Stocker flew 104 operations as a Engineer on Lancs and Halifaxes, W/O S Nuttal flew 91 ops as a gunner on Halifaxes, S/L GA Patrick some 118 ops as a Halifax navigator, while W/C 'Tubby' Baker piloted 100 ops on Stirlings and Lancs. |
Re: most Lancaster missions
Yes, thanks for the intesting airmen.
I've acquired both Lancaster volumes from OSPREY. But maybe the pilot with the most Lancaster missions doesn't even know about his own distinction after all(?) |
| All times are GMT +2. The time now is 20:07. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net