Up and Down Time

Tholthorpe Aerial

Tholthorpe Aerial (North Direction is UP)

CFJIC - 6484

Croft Aerial

Croft Airfield (North Direction is UP)

CFJIC - 6487

Croft Description Map

Croft Description Map

This map has a layout of airfield and description for each area, note there was some cutting and pasting.

431 & 434 Briefing for a raid on Essen

Raid Briefing

Note: Original scan is 5 MB, many faces are identifiable. Now posted in the "Personnel Download" section.

Squadron leader W.A. Bentley points out some amusing items during a joint briefing for 431 and 434 crews prior to a raid on Essen. Seated in the aisle are the "Station Master" G/C R.S. Turnbull and W/C A.L. Blackburn, 434's CO from August 1944 to April, 1945.

Identified Airmen so far...

1st row right side: Individual sitting higher than individual in very right corner is in an email I have to locate.

4th row back left side: Crew 135 - F/O Paul Burden, Pilot (moustache-aisle); 4th man on his left is F/O William "Bill" Grismer.

Courtesy CFJIC, PL - 33941

A Gathering for D-Day Take-off, 434

A Gathering for D-Day Take-Off, 434

Canadian heavy bomber takes off. A "Bluenose" squadron Halifax of RCAF Bomber Group 6 thunders into the air on its way to help crush German defenses in France . Ground officers and men gather to watch it.

6 June 44 – Courtesy CFJIC - PL 30126

D-Day, Bomber departs for the Atlantic Wall

D-Day Twilight

A bomber on business; a four-engine aircraft of the "Bluenose" squadron in RCAF Bomber Group 6 rushed into the air, off to batter German defenses in France. Its wheels have just left the ground and the undercarriage hangs down fully extended. The time is twilight; it will be dark when the bomber reaches its objective

6 June 44 Courtesy CFJIC - PL 30128

D-Day, Awaiting Take-off

D – Day

One of the air fleets of RCAF Bomber Command; Above are several four-engine Halifax’s of the Bluenose and Iroquois Squadron in Bomber Group 6. They are waiting in the long evening of dusk for darkness. When night falls the a/c will thunder down the runways one after another, on their way to bomb targets in Nazi occupied Europe.

6 June 1944 - Courtesy CFJIC - PL 30123

D-Day 6 June 1944

D-Day Preparations

The Air Gianta of Canadian Squadrons Wait; In the dusk. Halifaxes of the Bluenose and Iroquois squadrons line up for take-off Greatures of the night, they await darkness before going into action. The size of the airmen indicates the vastness of this airfield of RCAF Bomber Group overseas.

6 June 1944

Courtesy CFJIC, PL - 30124

D-Day, The Bluenose and Iroquois

Marshalled for D-Day

The dusk is long, but the night bombers are patient, Halifax's of the "Bluenose" and "Iroquois" squadrons in RCAF Bomber Group 6 are marshalled for take-off in the twilight. These four-motored securges of Nazidom are about to attack German defenses in France

6 June 44 – Courtesy CFJIC - PL 30125

Halifaxes

Halifaxes with RCAF Bomber Group Overseas.

Touching Down at Croft

Mission Complete

A Halifax touches down on its home aerodrome in Northern England after another bombing sortie over Europe. This time the target was flying bomb launching emplacements in France.

22 June 1944, Courtesy CFJIC, PL 40971

431 Squadron and SE-N

Three Halifax’s

Aircraft on the ground do not win wars. Three Halifax’s are readied for another mission at their airfield somewhere in Northern England. Soon they will be in the skies again, ranging far over Europe to batter down Hitler’s defenses.

22 June 1944, Courtesy CFJIC, PL 40972

A Bluenose Bomber, WL-K

Another Successful Sortie

Dusk over dispersal. The scene is a heavy bomber base in the north of England used by Halifax's of the RCAF Bomber Group's "Iroquois" and "Bluenose" squadrons. The aircraft have just been taxied back to their dispersal points after another successful mission over Europe.

22 June 44 – Courtesy CFJIC - PL 40973

Dusk at Croft

Dispersal points

Sunset over a Northern airfield sees Halifax’s being taxied back to their dispersal points, their latest mission completed. The giant bombers have just returned from heavily attacking flying bomb launching emplacements in France.

22 June 1944, Courtesy CFJIC, PL 40974

Another Safe Return

Touches Down

Holding ‘er off. A Halifax touches down on its home airfield in the North of England after completing another successful mission. The plane is leveling out over the runway prior to letting the 3 ton monster down.

???? Date, Courtesy CFJIC, PL 40975

KB-834 prior to fatal flight with the Fern Crew - 151

Lancaster KB-834 is the 3rd a/c from right.

Courtesy Linda Ibrom

434 halifax Port View

Halifax Port Side View

Courtesy Debi Smith

434 Halifax Port Quarter

434 Halifax Port Quarter

Courtesy Debi Smith

Photo of returning Halifax's - Crew 161

Halifax's in flight

This photo was taken by the Dundas crew 161, wing tip in foreground, Hali in middle along with one in top left corner.

Courtesy F/O Ken McMillan

KB-789, WL-V "Victor"

KB-789, WL-V "Victor"

Lancaster X, On station 5 Jan. 45 - 22 Apr. 45

Courtesy Clarence Simonsen