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Great to see The Commemorations every where, to honour and remember all the brave men, who have given their lives serving with The RAF. Watching the Beeb ATM, moving tributes, together with interviews with some of the men who served during the war, truly remarkable human beings. Hope all involved with today's celebrations have a wonderful day Respect.
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100 years of the R.A.F. on 10:19 - Jul 10 with 2375 views
100 years of the R.A.F. on 09:52 - Jul 10 by Pegojack
If you haven't read it, try and get hold of a book by Worcester author Dilip Sarkar entitled ' The Few'.
It's a complete chronological account of the Battle of Britain. Truly inspirational, one of the key turning points of history.
Not to disrespect those who took part etc, It's becoming clear that there was a lot of myth about the battle of Britain. It wasn't a few and this country wasn't on it's last legs,Britain was producing more aircraft and pilots than Germany
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100 years of the R.A.F. on 11:58 - Jul 10 with 2322 views
After having a huge interest in aircraft and being in Gorseinon ATC as a kid, my biggest regret in life is not joining the RAF after Uni. Apart from having a much more fulfilling career, I'm certain I'd have had a lot more fanny wearing that awesome blue uniform.
Nothing but respect to all those brave Welsh Scottish English and Irish soldiers who fought in the British army and the other allied forces in ww I & II, I know we all take everything for granted these days but without their many sacrifices this planet would be a far different place.
100 years of the R.A.F. on 15:38 - Jul 10 by waynekerr55
Saw them fly past Barons Court today. Fantastic to see the red arrows fly over the A4! 🇬🇧
Do what we always do with a fly-by. Watched on tv until they fly over the palace, then step outside the front door to see them fly over the house 20 seconds later. Some of them came straight over the top of us.
Wonderful to see.
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100 years of the R.A.F. on 15:44 - Jul 10 with 2221 views
I remember my old man telling me all about the great times he had in the RAF ... throughout WW2!!! Liked the Poles & Czech airmen. Never trusted the Americans. Armed Spitfires and Hurricanes during what was to become known as the Battle of Britain. Incredibly proud and earned the right to 'button down'. When is was obvious the the war was coming to an end he planned to stay on for 18 - 27 years. Then Dresden happened and he along with many others put in for demob the first day he could. He and it seemed most of the fight crews aways considered Dresden a punishment bombing and a war crime. The RAF with a few leadership exceptions has been the best airforce ever bar none.
100 years of the R.A.F. on 16:08 - Jul 10 by Badlands
I remember my old man telling me all about the great times he had in the RAF ... throughout WW2!!! Liked the Poles & Czech airmen. Never trusted the Americans. Armed Spitfires and Hurricanes during what was to become known as the Battle of Britain. Incredibly proud and earned the right to 'button down'. When is was obvious the the war was coming to an end he planned to stay on for 18 - 27 years. Then Dresden happened and he along with many others put in for demob the first day he could. He and it seemed most of the fight crews aways considered Dresden a punishment bombing and a war crime. The RAF with a few leadership exceptions has been the best airforce ever bar none.
My old man was also in the raf for a few years.
The bombing of Dresden was a dreadful affair,as was many other raids afterwards regarding civilian casualties,but in my opinion it was justified as was Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order to bring the war to a quicker end.
Many did not agree with it afterwards and Bomber Harris had a lot of criticism for these decisions,but most thought it was the right thing to do at the time.
Those aircrews of all nationalities were brave men indeed.
This post has been edited by an administrator
PROUD RECIPIENT OF THE THIRD PLANET SWANS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
"Per ardua ad astra"
Not to disrespect those who took part etc, It's becoming clear that there was a lot of myth about the battle of Britain. It wasn't a few and this country wasn't on it's last legs,Britain was producing more aircraft and pilots than Germany
The book I mentioned doesn't get bogged down by statistics, it gives a day by day account of what actually happened and focuses on individual stories, many of them incredible. When I said it was inspirational, I'm talking about the raw courage of very young men of many nationalities jumping into fighter planes day after day to the point of exhaustion and getting airbourne in the full knowledge that many of them were going to their deaths. We owe them so much.
[Post edited 11 Jul 2018 12:49]
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100 years of the R.A.F. on 14:35 - Jul 11 with 1989 views
Have had significant aerial activity since yesterday afternoon round my way, in the form of several Apache gunships on patrol and just saw an Osprey earlier.
However, think this is more to do with preparations for Trump's arrival than any RAF pageant.
100 years of the R.A.F. on 15:59 - Jul 11 by Shaky
Have had significant aerial activity since yesterday afternoon round my way, in the form of several Apache gunships on patrol and just saw an Osprey earlier.
However, think this is more to do with preparations for Trump's arrival than any RAF pageant.
Sending Apache gunships on sorties, guns blazing, swooping down on red protestors is a cockle-warming thought but, alas, I can’t see it...
An idea isn't responsible for those who believe in it.
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100 years of the R.A.F. on 12:34 - Jul 12 with 1801 views
100 years of the R.A.F. on 12:48 - Jul 11 by Pegojack
The book I mentioned doesn't get bogged down by statistics, it gives a day by day account of what actually happened and focuses on individual stories, many of them incredible. When I said it was inspirational, I'm talking about the raw courage of very young men of many nationalities jumping into fighter planes day after day to the point of exhaustion and getting airbourne in the full knowledge that many of them were going to their deaths. We owe them so much.
[Post edited 11 Jul 2018 12:49]
It doesn't even stop at the battle of Britain either. The RAF in N Africa, Malta and the med, the middle east etc all had the better of the Luftwaffe and victory wouldn't have been assured without these great men of many nations
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100 years of the R.A.F. on 16:02 - Jul 12 with 1748 views
100 years of the R.A.F. on 16:08 - Jul 10 by Badlands
I remember my old man telling me all about the great times he had in the RAF ... throughout WW2!!! Liked the Poles & Czech airmen. Never trusted the Americans. Armed Spitfires and Hurricanes during what was to become known as the Battle of Britain. Incredibly proud and earned the right to 'button down'. When is was obvious the the war was coming to an end he planned to stay on for 18 - 27 years. Then Dresden happened and he along with many others put in for demob the first day he could. He and it seemed most of the fight crews aways considered Dresden a punishment bombing and a war crime. The RAF with a few leadership exceptions has been the best airforce ever bar none.
Why didn’t he trust the Americans- without their help we’d have been fooked.
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100 years of the R.A.F. on 23:40 - Jul 12 with 1689 views
It doesn't even stop at the battle of Britain either. The RAF in N Africa, Malta and the med, the middle east etc all had the better of the Luftwaffe and victory wouldn't have been assured without these great men of many nations
Helped us out in some very sticky situations on Op Herric , be it dropping a 500lb , Apache , or helfire , their accuracy is absolutely amazing . I’m sure there would have been a lot more repatriations without their support , god bless them