Description
Object description
British aircraftsman served as aircraft electrician at RAF Gatow, Berlin during Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1948-1949
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Sheffield, GB, 1929-1947: family; father's role with Home Guard during Second World War; German Air Force raids on Sheffield; education; employment. Aspects of enlistment and training with RAF in GB, 1947: background to enlistment; training at RAF Padgate; electrical training at RAF Electrical School, RAF Melksham; accommodation; inspections; facilities; presence of naval personnel at RAF Melksham; role of hut NCO; daily training routine. Aspects of period as aircraft electrician at RAF Binbrook in GB, 1947-1948: posting to station; duties including aircraft checks; bombing up of Avro Lancastrian; incident of being caught in bomb bay of aircraft; working routine; posting to Germany, 1948.
REEL 2 Continues: in transit at RAF Burtonwood and journey to Germany. Recollections of period as aircraft electrician at RAF Gatow in Berlin during Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1948-1949: sight of devastation in Germany; journey from Hanover to Berlin; initial impressions of Soviet forces; taking taxi to RAF Gatow; ground crew on station; attitude towards posting; visits made into city; question of fraternisation with German civilians and visit to family; relations with Germans; tensions with Soviets prior to airlift; start of airlift, 6/1948; initial duties at start of airlift including aircraft checks; use of German civilians to unload aircraft; increase in tempo of airlift.
REEL 3 Continues: increase in number of RAF personnel; turning aircraft around at RAF Gatow; facilities for aircrew; work of RAF tradesmen; passengers carried on flights; shift pattern worked; non-aircraft electrical work; unusual loads and effect on aircraft of carrying coal; relations with Germans; effect of day of heavy fog on airlift; role of radio beacon van personnel at end of runway; fatality who stepped back into propeller; fatigue; attending training course; French contribution to airlift; continuation of airlift after end of blockade; aircraft types worked on; demobilisation, 1949; attitude towards participation in Berlin Airlift.