“To live through a global war- in this context in the air- is to learn first-hand its meaning and consequences and thereby to be cured forever of “wanting war”. This does not mean that, in the face of provocation, you may not at some time have to stand and fight for your own, or someone else’s, rights and freedom. Global wars are discouraged by strength and provoked by weakness. The history of this century has proved it.”
Laddie Lucas “Out of the Blue” April 1985.
War memories were still fresh in the 1960’s. Fathers and family friends did not speak about their time as a “POW”, a “Distinguished Service Order” or “Distinguished Flying Cross” but willingly assisted with the trickier aspects of “AirFix” model aircraft assembly and shared stories about characters. A favourite, the SAAF pilot who wrote to his wealthy grandmother requesting money for new Spitfire tyres and a parachute!
Flying Logbooks were off-limits, but schoolboys romanticized the air war with patiently glued together “AirFix” models complete with camouflage paint, roundels, and serial numbers. The hobby absorbed pocket money, affordability forced “cherry picking” and the popularity of Spitfire and Hurricane models mirrored their wartime role while diversely different Blenheim, Hampden, Whitley, Wellington, Halifax, and Lancaster models unintentionally illustrated how research and development enabled an ineffective 1940 bomber force to become ruthlessly efficient.
The Spitfire and Lancaster took pride of place in collections that invariably included a Gladiator, Hurricane, Typhoon, Mustang, Kittyhawk, Beaufighter, Mosquito, Wellington, Halifax and a few Luftwaffe aircraft. A Sunderland model was a rare addition but as Leo McKinstry suggests, “The Spitfire is remembered with near universal affection, but the Lancaster has been enveloped in controversy ever since 1945 because of its central role in the strategic bombing of Germany. The Spitfire was the hero of Biggin Hill and Malta. The name of the Lancaster is associated with the horrors of Hamburg in 1943 and Dresden in 1945.No one has ever accused Spitfire airmen of complicity in war crimes, but Bomber Command was facing that charge even before the conflict had finished”.
Schoolboy model builders, unaware fighter pilots were as young as 19, that 7 and sometimes 8 crew members with an average age of 22 were posted “Missing” when a Lancaster failed to return, had no idea of the anguish families experienced when they received a telegram, waiting several weeks before “Missing” status was clarified.
From “Hindsight and History”, chapter 1 of Jon Eagar's book. About the book.