Lancaster Stettin Raid Transcript

(April 20/21, 1943)





START OF RECORDING

Pilot: Right oh...

BBC Sound Engineer: Right, we're on now.

Pilot: OK.

Bomb Aimer: Well, there's the target straight ahead, Skip.

Pilot: OK, now we're over the lake now...

Bomb Aimer: OK, now....

Pilot: ...just coming up.

Navigator: OK.

Pilot: What was the heading again?

Navigator: 146.

Pilot: OK, on 146...

Navigator: OK.

Pilot: ...and the airspeed?

Navigator:170.

Pilot: Yes, I've got it. Bang on.

Pilot: OK.

Navigator: Ten seconds. Two minutes, ten seconds, Bomb Aimer.

Bomb Aimer: OK, ??, two minutes ten seconds.

Navigator: Twenty seconds...

Bomb Aimer: You can weave a bit, Skip.

Pilot: OK, bomb aimer.

Navigator: Thirty seconds...

Bomb Aimer: There's...flares...just to the left.

Pilot: OK.

Bomb Aimer: OK, you can keep weaving for a while.

Navigator: Forty seconds...

Pilot: Check the position of the flares by your time run.

Bomb Aimer: Yes, I can see some ground detail in the flash of the flak bursts.

Navigator: Fifty seconds...

Navigator: One minute...

Bomb Aimer: Keep on weaving skipper.

Navigator: Ten seconds. One minute to go now.

Navigator: F-i-v-e

Pilot: All right now, you'll want some last minute corrections, bomb aimer...

Bomb Aimer: Yes...

Pilot: ...I'll fly her straight ahead

Bomb Aimer: Steer her nice, straight and level

Navigator: Ten...

Pilot: Bomb doors open.

Bomb Aimer: Bomb doors open.

Pilot: Give her a bit of extra time if anything.

Bomb Aimer: Yes...

Navigator: Fifteen...

Bomb Aimer: ...left, left

Navigator: Twenty...

Bomb Aimer: Steady...steady...

Navigator: Twenty five...

Bomb Aimer: Steady...

Bomb Aimer: Bombs away!

Navigator: Thirty.

Bomb Aimer: There goes the cookie...

Navigator: Lookie...lookie...lookie.

Unknown: Oh, we got lucky going over there!

Bomb Aimer: ...and there go the incendiaries....there goes my bottle.

Pilot: Umm, take jettison action.

Bomb Aimer: Jettison action now.

Pilot: OK. I think they're firing at us.

Unknown: Yeh!

Pilot: Bomb doors closed.

Bomb Aimer: Bomb doors closed.

Pilot: By jove!

Pilot: New course now ??.

Navigator: New course....

Bomb Aimer: Look at those fires boys...oh what a....

Navigator: ...185.

Pilot: OK, Turning on...185.

Mid-Upper Gunner: There's a Lanc up on your starboard beam.

Pilot: I see him, yes.

Mid-Upper Gunner: He's turning down. move...

Pilot: Yes, I can see him...starboard bow now.

Mid-Upper Gunner: Yes, he's right ahead...

Pilot: OK...

Mid-Upper Gunner: ...cross over...

Pilot: Right, give me that course again ??, well north of us.

Navigator: 185.

Pilot: 185, OK.

Pilot: That was direct hit over the target by the look of it!

Crew: yes...yeah...

Pilot: OK.

Unknown: Keep going, Skip, they're all turning off this way.

Pilot: OK.

Mid-Upper Gunner: There's a Lanc coming up on your starboard beam underneath our... wing...

Unknown: He's turned off...just moving off...

Pilot: OK.

Rear Gunner: There's a Lanc on our port beam.

Pilot: Yes, I can see him...ah...rear gunner.

Mid-Upper Gunner: There's a bloke still on our starboard beam, just down a bit.

Pilot: I know!

Pilot: right, Now, keep your eyes peeled for fighters, gunners. They're obviously milling around the target now like...like flies.

Mid-Upper Gunner: OK, Skip.

Rear Gunner: Searchlight underneath our starboard wing, Skip.

Pilot: OK.

END OF RECORDING

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