Getting Ready To Fly by junge1
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Description
This Avro 'Lancaster' No.BX FM213 was restored by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and is flown in the paint scheme of KB726 VR-A and is known as the 'Mynarski Memorial Lancaster'.
On a previous upload of another picture of this aircraft I had erroneously mentioned that it is the 'only flyable Lancaster in the World'. I was wrong, it is the only flyable Lancester in North America, there is another flyable 'Lanc' in the UK.
A little personal history to this plane. I was born in Berlin on December 1939 and lived there until August 1943. I remember two night air raids prior to our leaving the city. Each one started the same way. First the up and down wailing of the sirens. That was the key to hussle to the basement from our 3rd floor sublet apartment.
Once in the basement the waiting for the drone of the approaching aircraft, first faint and slowly increasing in volume, then the sound of the anti-aircraft guns, and finally the waiting for the wistling sound the falling bombs were making.[By the way, incoming rockets at DaNang sounded just like the falling bombs in Berlin, same whistling sound]. While waiting, and throughout the bombing raid, everyone was sitting with their eyes peeled to the ceiling.
A good indicator as to how far away the bombs would explode was the interval between the end of the wistling sound and the sound of the actual explosion, the longer the interval, the further away the explosion and the less mortar fell off the ceiling.
Once the air raid was over, we went back up to our apartment, and looking out the window one could see the eerie glow of the fires against the smoke or clouds.
When we returned to Berlin in November 1945, our entire block of apartments was wiped out and the word was that it had been hit by an English air mine, hence the Lancaster. The British 'Lancaster' was the only aircraft capable of carrying the big bombs.
The second experience was during the Berlin Airlift. For me, as an eight, nine year old boy it was like being in heaven. Planes, planes, planes. I lived in Berlin-Tegel and the airfield was built on an old parade ground. It was literally built over night, actually in a few months. Us kids didn't know the political situation except it had something to do with the Russians. I got so used to the sound of aircraft engines that I could tell lying in bed whether it was a C-47 'Dakota' or a C-54 "skymaster', the two most prevalent types that landed at Tegel. I could also tell whether all engines were running properly. Lancasters usually landed at Tempelhof along with Yorks (very loud) and Hastings, and of course C-54s and C-47s, or at Gatow, but on one day I watched a Lancaster land at Tegel after it had passed over us, and at touch down the right main gear collapsed. There was a strong cross wind, and the aircraft rotated slightly to the right before it stopped. No major damage (as far as we could see from our vantage point at the fence) and no casualties. A short time later the aircraft was cleared from the runway and all waiting aircraft, stacked up in the pattern, resumed landing.
This picture was taken at the Redding Air Show, PA on 3 June 2005.
Thank you for viewing and commenting on my uploads and a 'Special Thank You' to those that may have added some of them to their favorites,
Sig...
Comments (38)
bmac62
Great profile shot of a famous aircraft type. Your notes make a grand story. I've read a lot about life in wartime Berlin...sure glad you got to move out in the summer of 1943. I recall reading about a milk man who delivered milk with a horse and wagon every day throughout the war. He never knew what or who he'd find on his morning rounds. Always thought that to be a neat thing...even in the midst of such terrible living conditions, daily life goes on. The cows give milk seven days a week...people need it...somebody might as well deliver it. Bill
beachzz
Life does go on, even in the most horrendous times. As a child, you were able to go on about your day, and learn from it. It's wonderful to read of such times, that there were some good moments in those very bad days.
kgb224
Excellent capture my friend.
kenwas
Appreciate the history. Thanks!
jeroni
Splendid composition and colors my friend.
PIERRE25
Imposant appareil! jolie capture
blinkings
Fantastic. I hope everyone views this at full size to appreciate the detail you have captured. There sure are a huge amount of rivets! Sitting there waiting to be bombed must have been terrifying. I guess today many from Iraq understand all too well this feeling. In life, some things seem to change, whilst others stay the same. Your personal account of the bombings was the most interesting read I have had in quite a while. Thanks so much for posting.
KarmaSong
Superb close-up on this impressive aircraft, a photo that stirs and tickles my passion for WW II combat flight simulation games, a secrete hobby , don't let on :-)I also read your narrative with much interest. Excellent , Sig !
fredster66
Outstanding Sig!
casmindo
Sig another great shot and great commentary! Thanks for getting me going on this site! Cas
timtripp
he's gonna be a little late for the battle of britain! LOL cool shot.
flora-crassella
ein toller "Brummer" !!!
Meisiekind
Amazing image and narrative Sig! :)
allnaydi
Great capture and background story!
virginiese
nice POV Sig !
debbielove
Great Picture of the 'Other' Flyable Lanc! A terrible shame there are only two left now flying. They are trying to get another one up to airworty condition in the UK somewhere, but I'm not holding my breath! Interesting nose art! I've got a picture of the nose of the UK Lanc. I'll see if I can dig it out.... Then we'll have the set! Great job my friend, Rob.
flaviok
Fantástica captura e narrativa, excelente, aplausos (5)
MagikUnicorn
Awesome shot and lovely INFO Thanks!
Ravenlady
yeah! A nice shot
thevolunteer
It always amazes me at how they can get these huge planes off the ground. Sometimes, I watch the military planes practice taking off and landing at Hilo Airport. They are so huge and make loud roaring sounds trying to get off the ground. These are the kind that transport tanks and heavy equipment etc. Simply amazing. Aloha and have a great weekend Sig.
emmecielle
Thanks for the information on your life... Excellent image! :)
marcopolinski
very cool!!
Miska7
Great shot!
Minda
magnificent shot sig and great info..thanks for sharing this to us..
jocko500
super cool and cool history too
densa
wonderful shot in oshscosh wi they hold the eaa convention there every year the last time i went it was wonderful seeing all the diffrent planes and air shows glad you made it out of the war zone wonderful shot
weesel
Great shot and great history.
moonrancher
Wow! Every rivet. Very nice work!
danapommet
Thanks for sharing your story to go along with this great profile of a grand old lady. Dana P
Dianthus
Great capture and image Sig:)