RAF Museum CMS
Dashboard
Lancaster
Kiosk
Nose Art
Air Crew
WebAR (BYOD)
Nose Art
Bomb Bay
Air Crew
Lancaster - WebAR - Air Crew
Pilot
Label
Heading
Intro
Image
Delete
Name
Rank
Squadron
Years Operational
No. of Operations
Notable Operations
Story Heading
Story
Benny Goodman was born in London to a Jewish family and joined the RAF in 1939. He trained as a pilot and joined No. 617 (Dambusters) Squadron in 1944. Benny needed all his flying skills to pilot his Lancaster through 30 operations over enemy territory. He attacked the battleship Tirpitz in Norway and dropped a 22,000lb Grand Slam bomb on the Arnsberg viaduct in Germany. The Grand Slam was so heavy that Benny remembers his aircraft going vertically up over 100 feet after its release. Due to his Jewish faith, Benny faced extra danger in the event of capture by the Nazis.
Audio File
Delete
Audio Text
Bomb Aimer
Label
Heading
Intro
Image
Delete
Name
Rank
Squadron
Years Operational
No. of Operations
Notable Operations
Story Heading
Story
Leonard Sumpter was born in Kettering and served in the British Army before transferring to the RAF in 1941 and training as an Observer/Bomb Aimer. He joined No. 57 Squadron and completed 13 operations before he transferred to No. 617 Squadron and joined the crew of pilot David Shannon. They attacked the Eder Dam during the Dams raid, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his accurate bomb aiming. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in June 1944 and participated in No. 617 Squadron’s final wartime operation, to Berchtesgaden, in April 1945.
Audio File
Delete
Audio Text
Wireless Operator
Label
Heading
Intro
Image
Delete
Name
Rank
Squadron
Years Operational
No. of Operations
Notable Operations
Story Heading
Story
Frank Mottershead grew up in Sydney, Australia and joined the RAAF in 1942. He trained as a wireless operator/air gunner in Canada before further training in the UK. He flew in Hampdens, Wellingtons and Stirlings before completing his training on Lancasters when he was posted to No. 463 Squadron at RAF Waddington. He joined a crew with four other Australians and two British airmen and together they completed 30 operations. Frank had to adapt to life in wartime Britain with its rationing and restrictions, although Australian aircrews were able to meet and socialise at the exclusive Boomerang Club in London.
Audio File
Delete
Audio Text
Navigator
Label
Heading
Intro
Image
Delete
Name
Rank
Squadron
Years Operational
No. of Operations
Notable Operations
Story Heading
Story
Shailendra Sukthankar was a student at Manchester University on the outbreak of the Second World War. He volunteered for the RAF in 1940 and trained as a navigator. He completed 45 operations, including 14 on board the Lancaster R5868. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in September 1943, becoming the first Indian officer to do so. He was honoured for the “high level of commitment, skill and efficiency” he showed while operating against highly-defended industrial targets. He returned to India in 1944 and left the Indian Air Force in 1947 with the rank of Squadron Leader.
Audio File
Delete
Audio Text
Mid-Upper Gunner
Label
Heading
Intro
Image
Delete
Name
Rank
Squadron
Years Operational
No. of Operations
Notable Operations
Story Heading
Story
Alfred Huberman was born into a Jewish family in London’s East End. He volunteered at the age of 18 for the RAF after his home was bombed in the Blitz. After training as an air gunner, Alfred joined a crew and together they were posted to No. 576 Squadron. Alfred was proud to be an air gunner on bombers and enjoyed being part of a close-knit crew. After his first tour Alfred was posted to a ground radar station but missed flying and joined No. 83 Squadron to resume operations. In all he completed 38 operations before the end of the war.
Audio File
Delete
Audio Text
Rear Gunner
Label
Heading
Intro
Image
Delete
Name
Rank
Squadron
Years Operational
No. of Operations
Notable Operations
Story Heading
Story
Gerard Norwood was born and raised in Hertfordshire and joined the RAF in 1942. He trained as an air gunner at RAF Llandwrog in Wales and RAF Seighford in Staffordshire. His original crew were killed in a crash while he was in hospital so after being posted to No. 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook, he acted as a spare rear gunner on a variety of crews. He survived a crash in Lancaster ND366 in January 1944 and went on to complete his tour of 30 operations with Australian pilot Reginald Mullins. He was never required to fire his rear turret guns in combat.
Audio File
Delete
Audio Text
Flight Engineer
Label
Heading
Intro
Image
Delete
Name
Rank
Squadron
Years Operational
No. of Operations
Notable Operations
Story Heading
Story
Frank Tilley was born in London in 1922 and worked at the Desoutter factory in Hendon before enlisting in the RAF and becoming a flight engineer. He joined the crew of New Zealander Arthur Joplin and they were posted to No. 617 Squadron in August 1944. They completed eight operations, including raids against shipping in Brest harbour and against the battleship Tirpitz. Frank’s aircraft crashed in fog following their return to England from an 8-hour trip to Politz in Poland. He suffered a broken leg and two crewmates were killed. Frank never returned to operations.
Audio File
Delete
Audio Text
Update
Uploading