Podcasts about lancaster bomber

Send us a textDuring the Second World War, Ruth Brook escaped Nazi persecution in Germany and followed her wartime sweetheart, a Lancaster Bomber into the RAF. As a WAAF, she quickly found a sense of her own purpose. Ruth was offered a job as a cook, a typist or a flight mechanic. She picked up a spanner and her life began. From welding to hydraulics, WW2 was a intense training ground for a young woman starting out in life. In her 101 years Ruth has packed a lot in. From working as a flight mechanic to a post-war publisher, and then a psychotherapist, Ruth has  lived a life rich with adventure. I was lucky enough to meet this extraordinary woman in her London home.Thank you to our media partner: Family History Zone – a website covering archives, history and genealogy. Please check then out at www.familyhistory.zone and consider signing up for their free weekly newsletter.

Send us a message or question! This week we answer (or at least attempt to answer) some of your questions - and there are some absolute corkers! Including...How do you go to the loo in the middle of a bombing operation?Which operations counted towards your tour total?   Where did spent ammo cartridges go? What about Bomber Command ops outside the European theatre?How were aircrew assessed and assigned to their individual roles? Why did Bomber Command have a higher loss rate than USAAF?All this and more! Plus Jane's book is out this week....you can order a copy here. You can also order from Amazon, Waterstones, or your local independent bookshop. Support the showPlease subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

In this first episode of the Avro Story, host Chris Beswick from the Talking Newspaper takes us on a captivating journey through the early days of aviation in the Northwest. Joined by aviation expert Frank Plezak, we explore the significant milestones in the development of aircraft manufacturing, particularly focusing on the establishment of the Avro Company and the Woodford airfield. From the pioneering works of fluid dynamics at Manchester University to the rise of iconic aircraft like the Lancaster Bomber, this episode is packed with historical insights and fascinating anecdotes. Don't miss this enlightening exploration of aviation history!

This week we welcome Graham Waterton, author of 'The RAF's Youngest Bomber Pilot of World War II'. The conversation delves into the life of Flight Lieutenant Brian Slade DFC, Graham's uncle, who served as a Wellington and Lancaster pilot (and Pathfinder) . Brian Slade lied about his age to enlist (abetted by his father) and joined Bomber Command at 16, completing a full tour of 34 operations before his 18th birthday. He then went on to do a second tour, serving with the elite Pathfinder group. He was killed on operations over Berlin in August 1943, aged just 19.Graham shares his journey of discovering Brian's story, and the discussion  touches on the emotional impact of war on families, and the legacy of those who served.Link to Graham's book (available on Kindle and in print). Send us a textSupport the showPlease subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Subscriber-only episode**Subscriber only episode - on general release Wednesday 9th October 2024.This week we welcome Graham Waterton, author of 'The RAF's Youngest Bomber Pilot of World War II'. The conversation delves into the life of Flight Lieutenant Brian Slade DFC, Graham's uncle, who served as a Wellington and Lancaster pilot (and Pathfinder) . Brian Slade lied about his age to enlist (abetted by his father) and joined Bomber Command at 16, completing a full tour of 34 operations before his 18th birthday. He then went on to do a second tour, serving with the elite Pathfinder group. He was killed on operations over Berlin in August 1943, aged just 19.Graham shares his journey of discovering Brian's story, and the discussion  touches on the emotional impact of war on families, and the legacy of those who served.Link to Graham's book (available on Kindle and in print). Send us a textPlease subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Am 15. März 1944 wird ein Lancaster-Bomber der Royal Air Force kurz vor der Schweizer Grenze abgeschossen. Die Besatzung rettet sich mit Fallschirmen und springt über dem Seeland ab. Der Bomber stürzt in Golaten auf einen Acker. Die Erinnerung an den Vorfall hallt nach – bis heute. Weiter in der Sendung: * Vermisstes Kind bei den Giessbachfällen tot geborgen. * Ein Teil von den Evakuierten kehrt in Siders in ihre Wohnungen zurück. * Nebst Zalando und Amazon ist der Lehner-Versand ein kleiner Fisch. Wie sich das Familienunternehmen trotzdem behaupten kann - in unserer Serie der Regionaljournale zum Thema «Warentransporte».

In this week's podcast we travel to Lincolnshire for a very emotional ceremony at the site of a crashed Lancaster Bomber on the 80th anniversary of this awful incident. What happened on that day and who were those victims on board the Lancaster? We discover the answers by talking to the witnesses of the accident, including my own Mum who was 6 years old. We also talk to Megan Maltby from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission about “War Graves Week” that is taking place next month.

Willy Canuck is Canadian-born and has called Scotland home since 2004.  Growing up with the familiar sight of Canada's only flying Lancaster Bomber, Willy was inspired by aviation from an early age and has gained many friendships with private and professional pilots over the years. While not a pilot himself, Willy has been heavily involved with the Flight Simulation community since 1999 and has been flying the virtual skies since first enjoying Microsoft Flight Simulator version 1. Willy believes that the love for Aviation, along with Flight Simulation provides an engaging experience that brings people together from all over the World into a peaceful, passionate and learning-focused community dedicated to respect and friendship. It is through Flight Simulation and Aviation that Willy aspires to share his passion and learn from others by talking about their experiences in flight. Willy now hosts ‘The Haggis and Poutine Show' every Sunday at 2 pm London, 9 am Eastern, and regularly welcomes Flight Simulation and Aviation guests to discuss their contributions to our fantastic community.

1. Genesis  2. The People  3. The Plan - Operation Chastise  4.  AftermathOn the night of 16th May 1943, 133 men of the Royal Air Force, in 19 Lancaster Bombers, flew a daring mission to destroy the Dams in Germany's Ruhr valley.  Flying at night, at low level, these intrepid men destroyed 2 out of 3 of the dams.  1,300 where killed on the ground. 8 out of the 19 bombers didn't return.  3 airmen were taken prisoner.  Of the 133 men who took part in the Dam Buster's Raid, 53 were killed.This is perhaps the most famous story of a bombing mission in WW2.I first heard today's guest give a terrific description Op Chastise at the Turf Club a couple of years ago, and I'm very pleased he is with us today in person.  Welcome back to the podcast, Hugh Macdonald-Buchanan.and so it goes,Tom Assheton & James Jackson Reference & Readings:Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy GibsonBomber Harris by Henry ProbartHugh Macdonald-Buchanan  http://www.hmbtourguide.co.uk See also:YouTube: BloodyViolentHistoryhttps://www.instagram.com/bloodyviolenthistory/https://www.jamesjacksonbooks.comhttps://www.tomtom.co.uk If you enjoy the podcast, would you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify or Google Podcast App? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really helps to spread the wordSee https://simplecast.com/privacy/ for privacy information

Original Recording Date Feb 2020 Guests: Co-host Doug Reed, Guest Frank, Village by the Arboretum For this episode I'm joined by Village By The Arboretum resident Doug Reed, to interview his fellow resident Frank! Frank was a Lancaster Bomber technician in WWII, among a life of other amazing things. Plus he has what may just be the BEST radio voice I've ever heard! Music on today's epsiode is by Transstar (Aimee Copping) and Zinnia! I hope you like it!

Willy was one of the founding Presenters of SkyBlue Radio back in 2007 and returned in 2020 after a 12-year absence to raise his young family. Willy Canuck is Canadian-born and has called Scotland home for the last 16 years. Growing up with the familiar sight of Canada's only flying Lancaster Bomber, Willy was inspired by aviation from an early age and has gained many friendships with private and professional pilots over the years. While not a pilot himself, Willy has been heavily involved with the Flight Simulation community since 1999 and has been flying the virtual skies since first enjoying Microsoft Flight Simulator version 1. Willy believes that the love for Aviation, along with Flight Simulation provide an engaging experience that brings people together from all over the World into a peaceful, passionate and learning-focused community dedicated to respect and friendship. It is through Flight Simulation and Aviation that Willy aspires to share his passion and learn from others by talking about their experiences in flight. Willy now hosts ‘The Haggis and Poutine Show' every Sunday at 1300z and regularly welcomes Flight Simulation and Aviation guests to discuss their own contributions to our fantastic community.

In this episode we present a talk Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris gave to the Bomber Command Association in 1977.  In it he gives a full and detailed account of how the Bombing campaign of WW2 led, in great part, to the defeat of Nazi Germany on land, in the air and at sea.So it GoesTom Assheton & James Jackson Ref.Audio clip - Sir Arthur Harris broadcast 1942Audio clip - Sir Arthur Harris at the Bomber Command Association 1977 See also:YouTube: BloodyViolentHistoryhttps://www.instagram.com/bloodyviolenthistory/https://www.jamesjacksonbooks.comhttps://www.tomtom.co.uk If you enjoy the podcast, would you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify or Google Podcast App? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really helps to spread the word See https://simplecast.com/privacy/ for privacy information

The Great War - Birth of Aerial BombingNever again - Between the WarsWorld War 2 - Strategic BombingPost War/cold WarThe modern era - Shock and AweShock and Awe has entered the modern lexicon as a description of the effectiveness and efficiency of modern air power.  Yet the employment of air assets took a century to evolve.  In the earliest days over the Western Front during the Great War, rickety biplanes often struggled to find a role both in reconnaissance and as fighters.  As ground attack aircraft, the technology available was in its infancy and bombs where little more than light weight flechette darts. As the conflict progressed, it was the Germans who developed and pushed ahead with the concept of the strategic bomber and conducted raids over London and other cities. First the Zeppelin airship and then with their Gotha and Staaken bombers.  It was during the post war period that air strategists including Trenchard, Mitchell and Douchet evolved the concept of aerial bombing and air supremacy.  The myth that the bomber will always get through was born.  There was the belief in ‘never again', that the bomber would allow nations to avoid the slaughter of trench warfare and break the morale of the enemy at home.  It was only later, with the use of the atomic bomb over Japan and precision weapons in later conflicts that some of the hopes of those earlier thinkers and pioneers have been shown to be partially true.  As counterinsurgency from Vietnam to Afghanistan have shown, air power alone is still not enough.So it GoesTom Assheton & James Jackson Ref.Baldwin reading by David HartleyAudio clip - Sir Arthur Harris at the Bomber Command Association 1977 See also:YouTube: BloodyViolentHistoryhttps://www.instagram.com/bloodyviolenthistory/https://www.jamesjacksonbooks.comhttps://www.tomtom.co.uk If you enjoy the podcast, would you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify or Google Podcast App? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really helps to spread the word See https://simplecast.com/privacy/ for privacy information

The ‘Shining Sword' of Bomber Command. They flew nearly 300 thousand sorties and dropped over 1 million tonnes of explosives. But of the 7,377 Avro Lancasters built, more than half were lost. To find out more about this legendary aircraft, Dan Snow was joined by veteran of the first Gulf War, John Nichol. John has since become one of our most successful aviation historians, and has written a book exploring the Avro Lancaster. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Trouble in the SEC creates an opportunity and some Squeezing the Juice before CEO of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Dave Rohrer joins the show to talk flying the Lancaster Bomber for Remembrance Day ceremonies.

An Avro Lancaster Bomber was one of the most dangerous places to be during the Second World War. The planes had a 46% combat attrition rate, and yet all of those who flew them were volunteers. Among them was John Henry Meller, who left a reserve occupation to sign up aged 18. In this episode, John tells James what it was like to fly in a Lancaster Bomber and remembers his experiences in training. He is accompanied by his wife Barbara and daughter Caroline. John has released his book 'The Boy With Only One Shoe' in support of the RAF Benevolent Fund. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I was thrilled to be joined again by one of our most popular guests, John Nichol. John shot to international prominence when he served in the first Gulf War. When his Tornado was shot down in 1991 he was captured, tortured and paraded on television provoking worldwide condemnation and leaving one of the enduring images of that war. Since then, John has become one of our most successful aviation historians, writing bestsellers such as 'Spitfire – A Very British Love Story'. His latest book explores the Avro Lancaster - described by Bomber Harris as his 'shining sword' and the 'greatest single factor in winning the war'. Carrying out offensive operations from the first day of the Second World War until the very last - more than five and a half years later - they flew nearly 300,000 sorties and dropped around a million tons of explosives. Of the 7,377 Lancasters built during the conflict, more than half were lost to enemy action or training accidents, and of the 125,000 men who served in Bomber Command, over 55,000 were killed. The figures are remarkable. But John also took me behind the statistics to uncover the human stories - truly unbelievable accounts of survival.Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I was thrilled to be joined again by one of our most popular guests, John Nichol. John shot to international prominence when he served in the first Gulf War. When his Tornado was shot down in 1991 he was captured, tortured and paraded on television provoking worldwide condemnation and leaving one of the enduring images of that war. Since then, John has become one of our most successful aviation historians, writing bestsellers such as 'Spitfire – A Very British Love Story'. His latest book explores the Avro Lancaster - described by Bomber Harris as his 'shining sword' and the 'greatest single factor in winning the war'. Carrying out offensive operations from the first day of the Second World War until the very last - more than five and a half years later - they flew nearly 300,000 sorties and dropped around a million tons of explosives. Of the 7,377 Lancasters built during the conflict, more than half were lost to enemy action or training accidents, and of the 125,000 men who served in Bomber Command, over 55,000 were killed. The figures are remarkable. But John also took me behind the statistics to uncover the human stories - truly unbelievable accounts of survival.Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Scott talks with the pilot who lost his daughter's stuffed rabbit, when it fell out the side of the WWII Lancaster bomber. Guest: Jim Maginnis

Today the tables are turned as Andrew swaps seats to be interviewed by Ben Eagle, presenter of Meet the Farmers podcast. Andrew tells Ben how he set up Dewing Grain and his thoughts on recruiting a top workforce and they discuss the need for diversity within the grain trade by bringing in skills from other sectors, as well as the need to promote the story of British food as we face the prospect of American imports. The market report for week commencing 18th March 2019 gives you Andrew's latest insights into what's happening and in Farmchat Webby and Ben discuss drinking stereotypes over a drop of Lancaster Bomber, 4.4%. Meet the Farmers Podcast is available here and on all the usual podcast outlets such as Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.   Thanks to our sponsors this week:  Crush Foods - oils, dressing and granola. Local, healthy, delicious. www.crush-foods.com The Dewing Grain Podcast is co-produced by www.eastcoastdesignstudio.co.uk and www.tinshedproductions.co.uk Dewing Grain - Independent grain trader for Norfolk & Suffolk 01263 731550 - www.dewinggrain.co.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is no joke, we recorded another podcast! Evan is out this week, so Matt, Ben, and Tim hold the fort down by talking about more Sekrio, DMC V, Baba Is You, Divinity 2, Mansions of Madness, and more! The HUGE Crew and Roofhound Brewing Co. are working on a new IPA beer called “Button Masher” which should be available in stores now! A HUGE thank you to the entire Roofhound team for making this collaboration a fun and exciting experience! You can find Roofhound at www.roofhound.ca As always keep sending questions to hoppedupeast@gmail.com, we love them! Beer featured this week: Darkside Dry by Lake City Cider and Lancaster Bomber by Marston's Brewery.

This is no joke, we recorded another podcast! Evan is out this week, so Matt, Ben, and Tim hold the fort down by talking about more Sekrio, DMC V, Baba Is You, Divinity 2, Mansions of Madness, and more! The HUGE Crew and Roofhound Brewing Co. are working on a new IPA beer called “Button Masher” which should be available in stores now! A HUGE thank you to the entire Roofhound team for making this collaboration a fun and exciting experience! You can find Roofhound at www.roofhound.ca As always keep sending questions to hoppedupeast@gmail.com, we love them! Beer featured this week: Darkside Dry by Lake City Cider and Lancaster Bomber by Marston's Brewery.

Laying in marshland not far from Porjus is the remains of an Avro Lancaster. It crashed in October 1944 after attacking the German battleship Tirpitz. In this podcast we look at her story and speak to Richard Woods who is trying to recover and preserve what remains of the aircraft.

Way back in episode four of the podcast, I talked to Andrew Panton about the Lancaster Bomber; Andrew is the pilot of Lancaster ‘Just Jane’ here in the UK. Whilst chatting the role of flight engineer came up, I had no clue what they actually did, I wasn’t aware they worked in tandem with the pilot to fly the plane. Ever since I’ve been on the lookout for someone to talk to about the role, if you do a search on Amazon you’ll discover how overlooked the Flight Engineer has been in the historiography. Earlier this year Colin Pateman released his latest book ‘Fuel, Fire and Fear: RAF Flight Engineers at War’, clearly he is the man to speak!

We had the privilege of having a complete 7-man crew who made up the different roles on a Lancaster bomber during the Second World War at Chalke Valley History Festival in 2015. George ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, Jo Lancaster, Frank Tilley, Hal Gardner, John de Hoop, Dave Fellowes, Steve Bethell were in discussion with Paul Beaver.It was the chance to hear what it was like to fly over Nazi-occupied Europe, whether pilot, bomb- aimer, navigator, flight engineer, tail-gunner, radio operator or mid-upper gunner – and from men whose combined experience amounted to over 150 operations.Recorded at Chalke Valley History Festival 2016.www.cvhf.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We had the privilege of having a complete 7-man crew who made up the different roles on a Lancaster bomber during the Second World War at Chalke Valley History Festival in 2015. George ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, Jo Lancaster, Frank Tilley, Hal Gardner, John de Hoop, Dave Fellowes, Steve Bethell were in discussion with Paul Beaver.It was the chance to hear what it was like to fly over Nazi-occupied Europe, whether pilot, bomb- aimer, navigator, flight engineer, tail-gunner, radio operator or mid-upper gunner – and from men whose combined experience amounted to over 150 operations.Recorded at Chalke Valley History Festival 2016.www.cvhf.org.uk See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

During the hiatus between seasons we thought you might be running a bit short of military history? So we thought we'd put out this episode from Angus's new WW2 Podcast (sorry if you already subscribe and have heard it). The WW2 podcast is a regular podcast looking at all aspects of the Second World War. You can subscribe on iTunes, for more information have a look at WW2Podcast.com. In this episode, from August, Angus talked to Andrew Panton. Andrew is the pilot of "Just Jane", a Lancaster based in Lincolnshire. You can find out more at lincsaviation.co.uk  

A quick video of the Lancaster Bomber being cut out.  I don’t want to think how long it took this video to actually get done – so many delays, so few windows of opportunity to work on it!  I decided to cut my losses and just put together what I had, rather than stress too […]

In this episode I talk to Andrew Panton of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage centre. Andrew is lucky enough to be one of the pilots for their Lancaster Bomber “Just Jane”. The Lancaster is arguably, one of the most well known planes designed and built in Britain during the Second World War. When it went into production it quickly became the mainstay of Bomber Command, with 7,377 being made, of which 3,249 would be lost. 125,000 aircrew served with bomber command, and 55,573 would be killed. Thats a 44% kill rate, higher than any other service during the war. A large proportion of which, would have been in Lancaster's. This is perhaps one reason why the Lancaster is close to people’s hearts. For more information on NX611 "Just Jane" and to book a taxi ride in her have a look at the Lincolnshire Aviation website lincsaviation.co.uk.

Join Carlos & Matt for episode 60! of the show where we run through all the great news stories including one about passengers walking along busy motorways to get to a airport & a awesome auction of airport bits & bobs from Edinburgh airport!. We also have another great segment from Pilot Pip who this week talks about all things cold & by cold we mean the illness that has affected Pip this week (poor Pip). We also have some news on our Lancaster Bomber that had a fire this week on a training flight & much much more.   Find us at www.planetalkinguk.com  On facebook & Twitter also you can listen to the show on Stitcher Radio, download the app for your mobile .   Enjoy the show & please please send us your feedback we would love to hear from you.

This popular bandleader disappeared over the English Channel during World War II, and here's what happened.

Helen Mark explores the aviation heritage of Lincolnshire, a county criss-crossed with former airfields, and finds out how they are being used today. She visits Woodhall Spa's airfield, once home to the Dambusters squadron and until recently, a sand and gravel quarry. Bordered by nature reserves, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust aim to buy the airfield and return it to the heathland it once was, as described by local Victorian naturalist, Joseph Burdett-Davey. Evidence of its past remains in the form of concrete and tarmac runways, lakes which were formed by sand excavation and more surprisingly, alien plants that arrived on the kit of the Australian and New Zealand air-crews who worked here in the 1940s. Helen meets Dora Garner who lived on the edge of the airfield in 1942. She recalls playing on the planes, writing messages on bombs in chalk, and one morning discovering the nose of a Lancaster bomber three yards from the bedroom window, after it slipped its moorings in the night. Open Country takes a trip to the Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby to meet Harold Panton and his family. Harold and his brother Fred built a chicken farm on the old runway there, which now sits side-by-side with their privately owned museum. It's the only place in the country where you can still take a taxy-ride in a Lancaster Bomber. Producer...Mary Ward-Lowery.

Tony Iveson learnt to fly before the outbreak of the Second World War. Flying the famous Spitfire throughout the Battle of Britain he survived a ditching in the sea after he ran out of fuel chasing a Junkers JU88. After a spell as an instructor at the training school in Rhodesia he converted to bombers, flying that other great plane of the war the Avro Lancaster. Joining 617 Squadron "the Dam Busters, as a flight Lieutenant, he took part in some 27 missions, including the sinking of the German pocket battleship the Tirpitz, and in the process winning the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war Tony became the Chairman of the Bomber Command Association and at the age of 89, the oldest man to fly a Lancaster Bomber. This presentation was recorded at Northallerton Wartime Weekend where Tony Iveson gave two talks covering the Bomber Offensive and the Tirpitz Raid. To find details about the two talks please visit our website www.thehistorynetwork.org

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia224 – "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe"Doctor Who episodeCastDoctor    Matt Smith (Eleventh Doctor)ProductionWriter     Steven MoffatDirector     Farren Blackburn[1]Executive producer(s)         Steven Moffat    Piers Wenger    Caroline Skinner[2]Series     Specials (2011)Length     60 minOriginally broadcast     25 December 2011[3]Chronology← Preceded by     Followed by →"The Wedding of River Song"     Series 7"The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which the Doctor visits Earth and an alien forest. The episode was shown in the United Kingdom on Christmas Day on BBC One,[4] BBC America in the United States[5] Space in Canada,[6] and on ABC1 in Australia.[7] It is the seventh Christmas special since the show's revival in 2005.The episode features Claire Skinner, Bill Bailey, Arabella Weir and Alexander Armstrong. A sneak preview was aired on 18 November 2011 for Children in Need.[8]Contents [hide]     1 Plot        1.1 Prequel        1.2 Episode        1.3 Continuity    2 Production        2.1 Cast notes    3 References    4 External links[edit] Plot[edit] PrequelOn 6 December, a prequel to the episode was released online.[9] The Doctor is seen on a spaceship holding a red button which, when he lets go, will cause the space ship to explode. While holding the button, he has phoned the TARDIS to speak to Amy Pond asking her to rescue him, although he does not have his co-ordinates. Amy cannot fly the TARDIS, and she is not on the TARDIS. The Doctor wishes Amy a Merry Christmas before letting go of the button, and the spaceship explodes.[10][edit] EpisodeDuring the Christmas season of 1938, the Doctor finds himself on a damaged alien spacecraft in Earth's orbit. He escapes the exploding ship and the fall to Earth by rapidly donning an impact space suit, though in his haste, the helmet is put on backwards. On crashing to Earth, he is found by Madge Arwell, wife of Reg and mother of two children, Lily and Cyril. She helps the Doctor, stuck and unable to see while in the impact suit, to his TARDIS, and the Doctor promises to repay her for her kindness.Three years later, during World War II, Reg is reported killed in action when the Lancaster Bomber he was piloting disappeared over the English Channel. Madge is told this via telegraph just before Christmas, but decides not to tell her children, hoping to keep their spirits up through the holiday. Madge and the children evacuate London to a relative's house in Dorset, where they are greeted by the Doctor, calling himself "the Caretaker"; Madge does not recognise him from their previous encounter.The Doctor has prepared the house specially for the children and the holiday; though the children are pleased, Madge privately explains about Reg's death to the Doctor and insists he not overindulge the children. During the first night, Cyril is lured into opening a large glowing present under the Christmas tree, revealing a time portal to a snow-covered forest. The Doctor shortly discovers Cyril's absence and follows him with Lily; the two eventually track Cyril down to a strange lighthouse-like structure. Madge, finding her children missing, soon follows them into the forest, but is met by three miners in space suits from the planet Androzani Major.At the lighthouse, Cyril is met by a humanoid creature made of wood; it places a simple band of metal around his head like a crown. Lily and the Doctor arrive, followed by another wood creature, but find that they have rejected Cyril as he is "weak", as is the Doctor. The Doctor concludes that the life forces of the trees in the forest are trying to escape through a living creature, the crown acting as an interface. Meanwhile, Madge, holding the miners at gunpoint, is taken back to their excavation walker and told that the forest of the planet they are on is scheduled to be melted by acid rain within minutes, killing anything within it. The miners are teleported away safely before the rain starts after helping Madge to locate where her children are.Madge, using the little knowledge she knows of flying a plane from Reg, directs the walker to the lighthouse and safely reunites with her children as the acid rain starts. The wood creatures identify her as "strong", and the Doctor realises they consider her the "mothership", able to carry the life force safely. Donning the band, Madge absorbs the life force of the forest, allowing her to direct the top of the lighthouse as an escape pod away from the acid rain and into the time vortex. To get them home, the Doctor directs her to think of memories of home, allowing Madge to revisit her fond memories of Reg, shown on screens within the pod. She realises that she will have to recall the moment of Reg's death, but the Doctor forces her to continue to do so; Lily and Cyril come to learn the truth as they witness his last moments aboard the Lancaster bomber.Soon, the escape pod safely leaves the time vortex, landing just outside the house in Dorset, and the life force of the forest have converted themselves to ethereal beings within the time vortex. The Doctor steps outside while Madge starts to explain Reg's death to Lily and Cyril, but he returns to interrupt her and to tell her to come outside. There stands Reg and his Lancaster; he had followed the bright light of the escape pod into the time vortex and came out safely along with the pod at Dorset. The family has a tearful reunion as the Doctor watches.As Madge and her family turns to celebrate Christmas, the Doctor attempts to slip away, but Madge catches him, and as she sees the TARDIS realises that he is the man in the space suit from three years back. She insists on him staying for Christmas dinner, but when the Doctor reveals he has other friends out there that believe he is dead, Madge convinces him to go to see them at Christmas. The Doctor offers Madge his help if she ever needs it again.Later, the Doctor arrives outside Amy and Rory's home, two years since he left them there. Amy pretends to be angry at him for leaving them the way he did, but explains that River Song told them about his faked death, and Rory reveals that they have been setting a place for him at their Christmas dinner table every year. Having remarked earlier in the episode how "humany-wumany" it is to cry because of happiness, the Doctor finds himself shedding a tear of happiness in reaction to Rory's remark, and grins in wonder, and then steps inside to join them for dinner.[edit] Continuity    The three tree harvesters are from Androzani Major in the year 5345, a planet already featured in the serial The Caves of Androzani.    The Doctor also mentions the Forest of Cheem, which appeared in the Ninth Doctor episode The End of the World. He also mentioned that one of them fancied him, which was Jabe Ceth Ceth Jafe, who sacrificed her life for him.    Amy Pond tells the Doctor that two years have passed since Lake Silencio ("The Impossible Astronaut"/"The Wedding of River Song").[edit] ProductionThe Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre's preserved Lancaster bomber Just Jane, used in the programmeThe BBC announced in September 2011 that production had started for the special and filming was due to be complete by mid October 2011.[11] However, filming was disrupted on 30 September due to a 24-hour protest at BBC Wales because of compulsory redundancies.[12] The story is partly inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (from The Chronicles of Narnia) by C. S. Lewis.[13] C. S. Lewis died the day before the very first episode of classic Doctor Who aired. Filming of some scenes involving Alexander Armstrong took place in and around the Lancaster bomber 'Just Jane' at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre on 3 October 2011.[14] External footage of the lighthouse building took place in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.[15][edit] Cast notesAlexander Armstrong previously appeared in Doctor Who episodes "The Stolen Earth" and "Journey's End" as the voice of Mr Smith, an alien computer, his character from The Sarah Jane Adventures.Arabella Weir previously appeared as an alternate incarnation of the Third Doctor in the Doctor Who Unbound audio drama Exile.[16]Claire Skinner is placed in the opening titles instead of Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, whose appearance in the episode was not reported before broadcast. Gillan and Darvill are, however, credited above Skinner in the episode's end credits.[edit] References    ^ Golder, Dave (21 September 2011). "UPDATE: Doctor Who Christmas Special Director Revealed". SFX. Retrieved 15 December 2011.    ^ "Steven Moffat on the New Exec". BBC. 21 July 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.    ^ Seale, Jack (29 November 2011). "Christmas TV: scheduling confirmed for Doctor Who, Strictly and Downton". Radio Times. Immediate Media. Retrieved 29 November 2011.    ^ "Doctor Who: Christmas Day at 7:00pm". BBC. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.    ^ "Doctor Who Christmas Special" (Press release). BBC America. Retrieved 15 December 2011.    ^ "Doctor Who: The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe - December 25th at 9pm ET!". Space. Retrieved 28 December 2011.    ^ http://www.abc.net.au/tv/doctorwho/christmas2011/    ^ Golder, Dave (27 October 2011). "Doctor Who Christmas Special Clip During Children in Need". SFX. Retrieved 29 October 2011.    ^ "Adventure Calendar 2011". BBC. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.    ^ "The Prequel to The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe" (Video). BBC. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.    ^ "Christmas Special: The Stars! The Story!". BBC. 20 September 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.    ^ Jeffery, Morgan (30 September 2011). "'Doctor Who' Christmas special filming disrupted by BBC Wales strike". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 September 2011.    ^ "Doctor Who Christmas special cast to include Bill Bailey and Claire Skinner". Metro. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.    ^ "Doctor Who Christmas Special role for Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre". Skegness Standard. Retrieved 30 November 2011.    ^ who "Look what's landed for Dr Who Xmas special!". The Forester. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2011.    ^ "Doctor Who Unbound — Exile". Big Finish. Retrieved 25 October 2011.

As promised, here’s the interview with Syd Marshall. Syd is a volunteer guide at the Battle of Britain memorial Flight museum, and what a great interview it turned out to be. I wasn’t expecting to meet a WW2 Lancaster crew member so it was not only a pleasant surprise, for me, but Syd had some great stories to tell about his time as a flight engineer on Lancaster bombers.