It's OK chaps, I'm buying Karl a new mirror for his Birthday!
Anyway, on with the tour, and a brief look at part of the Bomber Command exhibition.
PIC 1. The entrance to the Exhibition, in the original Briefing Room building.
PIC 2. The same building in 1943, with crews boarding the transport which will take them to the dispersals.
PICS 3 and 4. The large wall frescos in part of the exhibition, providing some sobering facts and figures.
PIC 5. A general view of some of the interesting artefacts in the '77 Squadron' room. This Squadron, equipped with Halifax bombers, was stationed at Elvington before moving to Full Sutton in 1944. The Squadron suffered heavy losses attacking targets in Germany, particularly 'The Big City' - Berlin - and by the end of the war in Europe, had lost almost 80 aircraft, with over five hundred aircrew either killed, MIA or PoW.
PIC 6. At an Elvington dispersal in late 1943, is Halifax DT807 of 77 Sqn, coded KN-R. Everday life continues, with the farm labourers gathering the hay harvest.
PIC 7. A WW2 search light, typical of those used in batteries to 'cone' an unfortunate bomber.
PIC 8. This huge photo-mural shows the devastation in the centre of Hannover, following night raids by Bomber Command, and day light attacks by 8th USAAF.
PIC 9. A close up of the rear gun turret from a Lancaster.
PIC 10. Karl (the real one, not the ghost!) gives some scale to this huge Halifax main wheel.
PIC 11. Typical RAF bomb trolley. The bombs were wedged on the trolley with wooden blocks, and would have the release shackles fitted before being winched into the bomb bay.
PIC 12. This is a 'Goose neck' flare, used to mark the edge of the runway. It's basically a can filed with lamp oil, with a wick in the 'spout', which was lit to provide a flickering flame. Lines of these were placed on either side of the entire length of the runway, to provide rudimentary runway lighting for those airfields without electric lights, which was the case in the majority of wartime stations. They were also used as a back-up if the power failed on properly equipped stations.
Seeing some of these exhibits really emphasises what operational conditions must have been like 70 years ago, with personnel and equipment having to contend with all sorts of privations, from atrocious weather, to very basic facilities. With so many airfields grouped so close, and in many cases with virtually overlapping circuits, it's little wonder there were so many losses due to causes other than enemy action.
Thanks again for your continued interest, and I'll post further photos of this unique museum soon.