Topic: Little things that make you happy

[rrocket]

I think there is an operational Lanc in Hamilton.

My dad was an Air Bomber (the official title) in a Halifax just doing regular bomb runs over Germany.  After his 13th mission he was transferred to a Lancaster Pathfinder.  Apparently he had a good aim.  These Pathfinders would head out from England to Germany in different directions to confused the enemy.  Only one route was the real route.  So along the way the Pathfinder would drop high altitude flares so the Bombers would know where to go. (I have many of the mission maps.  Size of a big table depicting the different routes.)

The Bomber pack was about 10 minutes behind.  They would then find the target.  During this time the flak had not started yet.  As soon as they dropped the target flare (called a Blind Sky Marker) the Germans would let loose with the flak.  But the Pathfinder was clear of the target by then.  However, the bad part as my father lamented was they then flew around in the dark until the Squadron had finished their runs and then the Pathfinder had to go back over the target and take pictures.  Then they'd fly back alone.  He did this 23 times over the course of 11 months.

First pic; his is last combat mission #36 to Nordahusen which is in the center of Germany.

Second pic; is his DFC.  Pretty cool looking medal.

Incredible!! Thanks for sharing!!  He's a hero.

PM Sent!

[Seafoam]

Not everyone survived.

80 000 pilots died,
over 500 000 civilians died
60 cities razed to the ground

Still a very controversial strategy. Targeting civilians is always controversial.

A very good Canadian book:

Fire and Fury: The Allied Bombing of Germany 1942-1945 by Randall Hansen

I think there was a general lack of sympathy towards Germans after what the British, especially Londoners, endured during The Blitz.

You are absolutely correct, similar to what is going on today in Palestine. Crazy what normal people can do and justify in times of stress, looking back with the advantage of time it makes no sense. The German civilians paid for the Blitz 10 times over.   My grandfather was in the RCAF bomber command. He didn't talk about it much but mostly indicated they would hang on as long as their nerves allowed, most missions they dumped their bombs early and got the heck out of dodge. He figures they were off by as much as 25 miles on some missions. Bombing at night with iron ordinance was far from accurate. Of course the RAF had to bomb at night due to the lack of proper fighter escorts that the Americans had.

I've mentioned it a few times on this forum. My dad was in the RCAF too. He was  a flight engineer on a Lancaster bomber. That's about all I know. He kept most of the war to himself. When i was young I didn't realize what he might have been going through. Wish he had  said more
when I was growing up.

[rrocket]

Not everyone survived.

80 000 pilots died,
over 500 000 civilians died
60 cities razed to the ground

Still a very controversial strategy. Targeting civilians is always controversial.

A very good Canadian book:

Fire and Fury: The Allied Bombing of Germany 1942-1945 by Randall Hansen

I think there was a general lack of sympathy towards Germans after what the British, especially Londoners, endured during The Blitz.

You are absolutely correct, similar to what is going on today in Palestine. Crazy what normal people can do and justify in times of stress, looking back with the advantage of time it makes no sense. The German civilians paid for the Blitz 10 times over.   My grandfather was in the RCAF bomber command. He didn't talk about it much but mostly indicated they would hang on as long as their nerves allowed, most missions they dumped their bombs early and got the heck out of dodge. He figures they were off by as much as 25 miles on some missions. Bombing at night with iron ordinance was far from accurate. Of course the RAF had to bomb at night due to the lack of proper fighter escorts that the Americans had.

I've mentioned it a few times on this forum. My dad was in the RCAF too. He was  a flight engineer on a Lancaster bomber. That's about all I know. He kept most of the war to himself. When i was young I didn't realize what he might have been going through. Wish he had  said more
when I was growing up.

Another hero!

PM Sent

[Firm]

Heros for sure! Also helps to put many of the challenges we face today into perspective.

[ktm525]

Heros for sure! Also helps to put many of the challenges we face today into perspective.

No sh1t, heroes indeed. Imagine being ordered to fly into balls of flak waiting to be hit or picked off by a fighter. The worst is you knew it was coming and had hours to think about it. I would put Arthur Harris (Marshal of Bomber Command) right up there with Marshall Haig from WWI in their drive to throw great young men into the meat grinder. Tragic.

[Gurgie]

Heros for sure! Also helps to put many of the challenges we face today into perspective.

 

[Hannibalsmith]

Took the GTS out to run some errands and groceries...I'm seriously considering slapping on some winter wheels / tires and just driving the thing.

[ktm525]

Took the GTS out to run some errands and groceries...I'm seriously considering slapping on some winter wheels / tires and just driving the thing.

That is the way. We saw many 911s with ski racks between Munich and Innsbruck

[Hannibalsmith]

Took the GTS out to run some errands and groceries...I'm seriously considering slapping on some winter wheels / tires and just driving the thing.

That is the way. We saw many 911s with ski racks between Munich and Innsbruck

The only thing that gives me pause is the stupid salt, but maybe who cares.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Took the GTS out to run some errands and groceries...I'm seriously considering slapping on some winter wheels / tires and just driving the thing.

That is the way. We saw many 911s with ski racks between Munich and Innsbruck

The only thing that gives me pause is the stupid salt, but maybe who cares.

Get it rustchecked every year, then it shouldn't be a problem!

[Hannibalsmith]

Took the GTS out to run some errands and groceries...I'm seriously considering slapping on some winter wheels / tires and just driving the thing.

That is the way. We saw many 911s with ski racks between Munich and Innsbruck

The only thing that gives me pause is the stupid salt, but maybe who cares.

Get it rustchecked every year, then it shouldn't be a problem!

Haha...

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I wasn't kidding though.

Any reason against it?

[Hannibalsmith]

I wasn't kidding though.

Any reason against it?

Like drill holes in my expensive sports car? That’s reason enough for me.

[Firm]

When I had the SLK and used it for a winter or two I had just the underside sprayed, no holes, but at least you get the most vulnerable parts protected.

[Seafoam]

I wasn't kidding though.

Any reason against it?

Like drill holes in my expensive sports car? That’s reason enough for me.

It's better than rust.

[rrocket]

I wasn't kidding though.

Any reason against it?

Like drill holes in my expensive sports car? That’s reason enough for me.

You don't have to drill holes....

[Gurgie]

Took the GTS out to run some errands and groceries...I'm seriously considering slapping on some winter wheels / tires and just driving the thing.

+9 here today, was out ripping it up in the SLK, was interesting to see how little traction was available even at 100km/hr.

I do agree with the other posts, get a set of winters (for nice days like this), get it sprayed with no holes drilled, as there are a lot of spots where they can get a wand in to get the oil in there. Drive it on dry days, when there is little salt residue on the roads & enjoy it. Realistically, the steel that car is built with is probably better than most daily drivers out there that aren't getting sprayed ever.


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[ArticSteve]

The only part of any vehicle that needs an actual drilled hole is the rocker (door sill).  So that part can be left out. 

I would say that 99% of garage floors which are poured not by the owner, so really 99.9999 % of all garages, didn't have a vapour barrier layed out below the concrete slab..  Consequently, a boat load of moisture comes up thru the concrete and attacks the underside of any vehicle.  Krown type applications fix that.

[Hannibalsmith]

Ok well you guys convinced me to at least look into it, but I’m still skeptical for my case use. I look at my 335, daily driven for the past 9 years (holy crap 9 years already) and no issues with rust other than some underbody surface rust. I don’t know.

I’ll ask the tight a$$ed Porsche community to see what they do for their winter driven sports cars.

[ArticSteve]

Another hero!

I think the only heroes are those that lost their lives so early.  My dad joined the Air Force because he dreaded the Army and Navy.  In fact he was an excellent horn player in high school so when he joined the Air Force in early 1940 they put him in an Air Force band and he traveled across certain parts of the country doing that flogging war bonds.

Then he applied to be a pilot and washed out and became a Navigator.  The rest is really luck or bad luck.  The majority of men that made up the armed forces in WW2 where from the hinterland with not great opportunities in their future.  The war propelled my dad out of obscurity and into the business establishment of Toronto where it was controlled by wealthy people and university types.  His rank and war service opened doors.  He also stayed in the Reserves for 20 years to collect interest free loans.  Kind of a pay off for war service.