Bomber Command Recruitment Poster
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Bomber Command Recruitment Poster
I reckon this is a Halifax bomber, probably a Mark 2 Series 1, which would mean this poster was produced late in 1942?
The tour for an airman was 30 operations. He might have to fly say 3 nights a week over the course of 10 weeks. The average losses every night throughout the war were about 5%, so each night he had a 1 in 20 chance of being killed. That changed throughout the war though, and at times 12% of aircrews that left England each night did not return.
So the chances of a young man looking up at this poster in 1942 and joining a crew and actually surviving all 30 operations and returning home…. were about one in seven. What is really remarkable is that he would know that and still join up nonetheless. A unique generation.
Now which is the worst position to be sat in ?
It has the early shaped tail fins and a Hudson type Bolton Paul mid upper turret so could be correct Ian .
Marvellous item that captures the mood of the time .
Worst position has got to be the rear air gunner, if you’ve got someone on your tail, the only view your going to have is incoming fire!
That is SO cool. I’d love to hang that up in my house.
I’m getting a bit bored of the Starry Night by Van Gogh. J/K