"S for Sugar"

[Pathfinder]

Hey all,

Ok I starting writing a World War Two story about a fictional Pathfinder Force squadron, 685, and I have started these character lists, and I got an idea about them being pinpoint accurate with incendiary bombs (going down to tree-top level to get them smack bang on the flares).

Now, is this too over the top or not?

Cheers.

[Kyt]

Afraid so pathfinder. There are two reasons - firstly the Oboe navigation system required required the aircraft to fly at height, and secondly the flares were dropped at height so that they could be seen from a distance by the following aircraft.

The aircraft carried a mixture of flares, incendaries and a cookie. The latter also requird height or the blast wave would have destroyed the aircraft.

What aircraft is your squadron flying? If it's a Mossie then have a read of:

Amazon.co.uk: Squadron Leader Tommy Broom DFC: The Legendary Pathfinder Mosquito Navigator: Tom Parry Evans: Books

Amazon.co.uk: Mosquito Pathfinder: Navigating Ninety World War II Operations: Albert Smith, Ian Smith: Books

Amazon.co.uk: Mosquito to Berlin: Story of 'Bertie' Boulter DFC, One of Bennett's Pathfinders: Peter Bodle, Bertie Boulter: Books

Amazon.co.uk: Target for Tonight: A Pilot's Memoirs of Flying Long-range Reconnaissance and Pathfinder Missions in World War II: D.A. Braithwaite: Books


For Lancs:

Amazon.co.uk: Master Bombers: The Experiences of a Pathfinder Squadron at War, 1942-1945: Sean Feast: Books

Amazon.co.uk: They Led the Way: The Story of Pathfinder Squadron 156: Michael Philip Wadsworth: Books

Amazon.co.uk: Pathfinder Cranswick: Michael Cumming: Books

[Pathfinder]

Well, first off, 685 flies Lancs, then they swap over to the Mossies in mid 1943.

[morse1001]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder

Hey all,

Ok I starting writing a World War Two story about a fictional Pathfinder Force squadron, 685, and I have started these character lists, and I got an idea about them being pinpoint accurate with incendiary bombs (going down to tree-top level to get them smack bang on the flares).

Now, is this too over the top or not?

Cheers.

leonard Cheshire carried out rooftops drops in order to ensure his flares landed on the correct targets.

[Kyt]

Originally Posted by morse1001

leonard Cheshire carried out rooftops drops in order to ensure his flares landed on the correct targets.

Indeed he did but he was never a Pathfinder He was marking for 5 Group, and some of his methods were frowned upon by Bennett and 8 Group

[morse1001]

Originally Posted by Kyt

Indeed he did but he was never a Pathfinder He was marking for 5 Group, and some of his methods were frowned upon by Bennett and 8 Group

His biographer uses those episodes to suggest that Cheshire was "insane" and had either a death wish or wanted a adrenilin rush.

[Kyt]

I think Adrian knows a lot more about him. He may be able to expand upon that

[morse1001]

Originally Posted by Kyt

I think Adrian knows a lot more about him. He may be able to expand upon that

I have "No Passing Glory" which is his biography up untill 1952. I also searched the Internet but there is very fwew sites with actual information on the man himself.

[Pathfinder]

So, before my main character converts to Mossies, he flies 45 operations on his first tour, 45 on his second and 60 on his third. Is this too many operations flown in 1942 and '43?

[Kyt]

Highly unlikely. In 1942/43 most aircrew may have got through a large part of their second tour but not a third. A few did make it through three tours by the end of the war but they can probaly be counted on one hand.

In 1942/43, most men who were on their second tour would have started on Battles, Hampdens, Wellingtons, or Halifaxs - all aircraft with a much lower survival rate than the Lancaster. So there wouldn't have been many of the "old school" left in 1942/43.