Douglas Bader

king kong · Nearly there... Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

Did any of you watch the program on Chanel4 last night 'Who Shot Down Douglas Bader'.

I knew a little about Douglas Bader and have read quite a few books by fighter pilots who took part in the Battle of Britain etc. For those of you who don't know Bader lost both his legs in a ridiculous show of aerobatics in the early 30's yet hw went on to become a fighter Ace based out of nearby Tangmere, West Sussex.
He was a well known figure in the public eye pretty much in the same way Lawrence of Arabia was twenty years earlier.

In August 1941 he was taken prisoner after crashing his plane in Northern France. He claimed that he involved ina mid air collision with a 109.

Last nights program followed a team of historians, Spitfire experts and archeologists as they tried to piece together what happened. Using log book data and eye witness, they pinpointed four possible crash sights and began to unearth fascinating Spitfire remains, none of them being Baders.

Many people have always doubted Bader's claim about the mid air collision. It was thought that Bader couldn't bear the thought of being shot down by a 'lucky' shot or by someone not of his stature, this mortified him.

Anyway cutting to the chase, piece by piece, evidence was put together and it appears that Bader was a victim of friendly fire, shot down by another Spit mistaking him for a 109. All totally accidental.

But the most impressive thing is, it seems, Bader knew this and used to the collision story to protect the the guy who shot him down.

What a great man he must have been.

daz|n00by · The Internet Joined: 11 May 2004 Karma :

Didnt you watch "reach for the sky" before the programme?
class movie and shows what a great way the British used to be.
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king kong · Nearly there... Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

No did'nt see that, I forgot to mention Reach for the Sky, perhaps that film is worthy of a remake.

daz|n00by · The Internet Joined: 11 May 2004 Karma :

WizardofNos · Crazy Courier Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Karma :

Yep My Missus set a reminder!!!! Taped it and Is bulding 2 Spitfires as I type!!!!!!

Of to Duxford this weekend Very Happy

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headlamp · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Karma :

Yes I saw it. A fascinating and enthralling programme - which was well made.
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Annabella · Like a person, only smaller Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Karma :

It was a really fascinating documentary Thumbs Up

What a wonderful story, I particularly liked the photographs of Bader being entertained by the Germans!
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king kong · Nearly there... Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

I'm glad some of you enjoyed the prog, I think I'll go buy his biog. Also fascinating were the stories behind the other Spitfires they dug up, what stories do they hold?
Also when they presented the wife of former pilot who's initials coincidently were DB, I thought was really moving.

Annabella · Like a person, only smaller Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Karma :

Adam_P · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Karma :

I heard many times that outside of the cockpit of a plane he was a complete arsehole.

Never met him, obviously, but there have been several things I've read that have stated that he was arrogant and quite nasty to people like the flight crew and people he didn't think were wrothy of his stature.

But then, it doesn't stop him being a hero either.
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map · Mr Calendar Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

king kong · Nearly there... Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

Dragonfly · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Karma :

I got to see most of it, was really good. Cried when his wife was given his stuff though Embarassed

Then i turned it to more4 for Anne Frank remebered.
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WildGoose · White Van Man Joined: 20 Mar 2002 Karma :

damn didnt even hear about this Brick Wall

i always enjoyed the film reach for the sky, saw it for the first time when i was little, always been kinda a hero of mine from back then Thumbs Up

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map · Mr Calendar Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

king kong · Nearly there... Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

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greatmoorred · Nearly there... Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Karma :

I read the red baron diaries last year, they were very interesting, although the ending was a bit crap..... Sorry.
I also read a British ww1 fighter pilots memoirs, seems like the flyers had a lot of respect for each other, at one point he comments on how the aeroplane had only been invented 15 or so years ago, and already we were using it to kill each other.
Quite profound stuff. Very brave fellas.

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

Cheers guys, this subject gave me something to while away a dull Thursday afternoon at work Thumbs Up

As usual, Wikipedia has some interesting information. Douglas Bader did seem to upset people, and inspire at the same time...

Walloper · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Karma :

Yes, Bader loved the old Spitfire as they had much more legroom than the Hurricane.
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king kong · Nearly there... Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

I seem to recall reading in one of the books that I read, that on returning from a sortie the pilots were asked if they had any kills.

More often than not there was much mis-information, with pilots claiming kills that were'nt down to them or indeed weather planes they shot at went down at all. It was all on heresay.

So at best information was flaky until the advent of gun sited cameras.

Silver · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :