Amy Johnson CBE was a pioneering English pilot predominantly operating during the 1930s but was sadly killed in the early years of WW2 and so in light of her extraordinary career which included many “world firsts” (Amy was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia for example – more on this later) …
Amy Johnson – the short life and tragic end of an incredible aviator Read More »
Few people can have crammed more into a life time of service than Ulric Cross and whilst this site is dedicated to all matters 1940s, this gentleman’s story spans a far greater timeline than that and as a result of his overall achievements, we have included a potted life history. Philip Louis Ulric Cross was …
British RAF personnel are not generally well known for their prowess as Dive Bomber pilots during WW2, being more well known as fighter pilots or heavy bomber crew on famous aircraft such as the Halifax or Lancaster. However, Arthur Gill broke that mould and became probably Britain’s best ever Dive Bomber pilot although his name …
The Lancaster bombers of 61 Squadron thundered down the runway into the gathering gloom on yet another one of their relentless crusades and the early Autumn air was alive with the mix of mown fields and aviation exhaust fumes. That year had been quite a warm one in England and drier than average conditions in …
When your luck runs out…the sad tale of Sgt Harry Broadhead Read More »
On a warm spring morning in April 1943, a sardine fisherman spotted the corpse of a British soldier floating in the sea off the coast of Spain and set in train a course of events that would change the course of the Second World War. Operation Mincemeat was the most successful wartime deception ever attempted, …
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a design team headed by James Kindelberger of North American Aviation (NAA) in response to a requirement of the British Purchasing Commission. The Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation to build Curtiss P-40 fighters under license …
The B-17, also called the “Flying Fortress” was a U.S. heavy bomber used during World War II. The B-17 was designed by the Boeing Aircraft Company in response to a 1934 Army Air Corps specification that called for a four-engined bomber at a time when two engines were the norm. The bomber was intended from the outset to attack strategic targets by precision …
“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” So said US President, Franklin D Roosevelt in an address to a joint session of the US Congress the day following the …
After Germany invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, demanded help and Britain and its allies provided supplies. The most direct route was by sea, around northern Norway to the Soviet ports of Murmansk and Archangel. The first convoy sailed in September 1941. The convoys were coded depending on their route – …
Alton “Glenn” Miller (March 1, 1904 – disappeared December 15, 1944) was an American big-band trombonist, arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1942, leading one of the best-known big bands. Miller’s recordings include “In the Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade”, “Pennsylvania 6-5000”, “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, “A …
The Big Band Sound and The Mystery of Glenn Miller Read More »