Things We Forgot To Remember

[Dave Homewood]

Michael Portillo hosts a very good history-based documentary series on BBC Radio 4, called "Things We Forgot To Remember".

The most recent episode which is available on the Radio 4 website to download is called The Junkers of Woodbridge Airfield.

This is fascinating and tells the story of a mistaken landing by a Luftwaffe Ju88 crew in pitch black at Woodbridge, an RAF emergency landing field. The German nightfighter was captured of course, and the electronics found within astounded the RAF and Air Ministry boffins. This show is great, and we hear from a Bomber Command veteran who was one of many that this accidental landing probably saved.

Well worth a listen.

www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/twftr

[sparrow]

Nice find dave.

Was reading recently of a couple of German aircraft that did the same thing, just shows how hard it must have been navigating at night in those early days of night ops.

[oggie2620]

I have seen a couple of pics of German aircraft rebadged as RAF on the ground here... There is also a pic of one flying round the camp which was interesting! Especially as there were 10 killed here (on the parade ground as it was then) in a bombing raid...

[baz62]

Is this the JU88 Night fighter thats now on display at the RAF Museum at Hendon?

[Dave Homewood]

I was wondering the same thing about that Baz, it wasn't mentioned as being so. They did capture several Ju88's intact in WWII but the one in Hendon was a nightfighter with all the aerials, etc.

[flyjoe180]

The Ju88 R-1 on display in the Battle of Britain Hall is a night-fighter variant that was flown from Norway to Scotland in May 1943 after two members of its crew were persuaded to defect by British Secret Service agents. This aircraft’s nose-mounted Lichtenstein radar provided valuable information about German electronic defences that was especially helpful to RAF Bomber Command.

www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/archive-exhibitions/worth-a-thousand-words-air-diagrams/ju-88.aspx

[Dave Homewood]

OK, not the same one then. Thanks.