Imagine a moonless, stormy night in 1941, heading over the English Channel at 2am in your trusty Lysander. No nav aids, just the faint red glow of your panel showing your heading. After a couple of years finally crossing the French coast, to then start looking for an Aldis lamplight signalling your destination, while all the time trying to stay the right way up using that panel. What an incredibly brave generation of people. The whole lot of 'em.
No nav aids? You’ve got a compass and a map. Admittedly, it’s too dark to see your map or the ground properly, but your map shows a bridge over a small river, and down there you can see what looks like a bridge over a small river, so that must be it. There can’t be many small rivers and bridges in France, can there?
Dave Short of flying in the Lysander, you have given this single engine pilot and student of WWII clandestine operations a special insight into the Tempsford gang’s flights to Europe. I am amazed at the pilots’ flying skills and navigation abilities to fly with pinpoint accuracy on moonlit nights to airfields identified with a 1930s Michelin road map. Your running commentary about all the little “bits and pieces” of the flight characteristics was truly appreciated. I will watch this video many time more.
If any of the viewers are interested in the RAF Tempsford Squadron 161Lysander operations and stories of actual wartime flights, you could read “We Landed By Moonlight” by Hugh Verity.
my grandfather bumbed a lift from one back to base in 1943. its scared him witless. or so he said. he used to operate on the Shetland Bus and did several drops and pick ups on the Belgium cost. everyone talks about the French resistance and forgets the massif importance of the Belgium, Dutch and Norwegians resistance. the risks taken by people like your grandfather makes my blood run cold.
@@tommyfred6180 What I want to know is what those communists *would* have wanted to befall Europe, in the absence of any German invasion. They would have wanted a communist Europe.
Wow, what a fantastic experience you have captured for us all! My father flew in these as an R/T operator and was shot down over Dieppe in 1942. He survived but spent the rest of the war in POW camp. He never spoke too much about his experiences, understandably I suppose. Your filming of this flight is the closest thing I've seen to "being there" ever and I suspect many aviation enthusiasts around the world have marvelled at your honest "first person" footage of this extraordinary aeroplane. Many thanks again for sharing this with the world. ;-)
My Father worked at Westland from 1939 until his retirement in 1985, I too worked there from 1973. We were aircraft nuts! I remember him telling me that as he left work to go for lunch one day, a Lysander was hovering into the wind at about 50 ft over the airfield at Yeovil, the engine at barely tick over speed. When he returned from lunch it was still just hovering in the same place as before. It had most remarkable low speed handling characteristics
Back in the early 1980s I was going for my private pilots licence here in Tasmania, Australia. An old chap of seventy years or so, (I was then in my mid 30s) who had let his licence lapse, came in for some flight checks in order to renew it. It turned out that he had been a WW2 pilot, and had in fact been sent out to Australia to command the flight training school at that very airport. I asked him if he had been in fighters or bombers, and he replied that he had flown pretty well everything, to which I asked, had he been a ferry pilot? He replied, no, he'd been an operational pilot, and in fact he had completed his second tour on bombers, and as a reward was given command of the training base in order to pass on his skills to new pilot trainees, as well as recognition that he and his crew had done their share with 2 complete tours. I really didn't know what to think as I was aware that it would be highly unusual for a pilot to fly lots of completely different aircraft types, but I said nothing and perhaps he noticed the look on my face or something because in the days following he came in with his stack of log books, about 500mm high from memory and indeed he had flown nearly everything with wings. He had flown to Norway to either drop off an agent or pick one up, I can't remember which. The ground party had UHF radios with highly directional antennas which they pointed skyward when the aircraft approached, so that the enemy would only get a very weak signal to track, and similar with torches to signal the pilot. With his passenger either picked up or dropped off into the hands of the local Resistance, he took off again straight away, but as he did so, a patrol came out of the woods firing on him, so he responded with machine gun fire while on his take off run. Fortunately he made it home unscathed in his Lysander. He ended the war as a Pathfinder, firstly in Lancasters, but eventually in Mosquitos. They would come in and drop a flare pattern over the target, and then climb up high to wait as the flares on parachutes would drift in the wind, or following flights of bombers would be some minutes later, so the pattern would have to be relaid as time passed. The first pattern was dropped and an aerial photograph was taken simultaneously, and the flight speed and direction recorded for analysis by the cartographers when they returned. The photos were often pasted into the log book together with the accuracy of the release, and as I recall, his first drop was about 500 yards off target, but with each subsequent mission, the accuracy rapidly improved, and on his second or third last mission he was only 2 and a quarter yards out, and was travelling at over 300kt at release. After the war he came out to Australia, and at the time was living about 45 minutes from his old command, now a civilian airport. Needless to say I was really gobsmacked, not just by his achievements, but also with the amazing skills with which he carried out his work, It was all documented there in his pile of log books. I nearly forgot, In 2012 I think my wife and I were in the U.K. and I visited Old Warden in Bedfordshire on a flying day, and indeed saw their Lysander make several flights on the day, together with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and lots of other amazing aircraft that I never imagined that I would ever see flying, very fond memories.
@@Jigaboo123456 Winkle never left Europe in his career, he spent most of his time testing naval aircraft in South England then near the end of the war he went to occupied Europe to test fly German aircraft, mainly jets as he had been a German student at university pre-war and spoke German fluently. He was one of very few allied pilots to fly the Me163 on rocket power from take off, I'm sure a quick google search will find him talking about that adventure
@@gordonmcgregor6431 Thank you for replying, but I suggested Winkle Brown may have been the pilot Rope Tangler met in Australia post war. A pilot on any covert ops would have have been very cautious not to talk of ANY covert op he has been assigned to during WW2, and for many years after if it might cause problems of various kinds, and the RAF wouldn't shout it out either, so the possibility remains -who knows. I saw the excellent documentary of his life a few times, and remember his comment on the" terrifying to fly" Me 163. I also remember that during his time in Germany pre-war, he had watched Jesse Owens win his gold medal for the 100 yds, and contrary to the MSM claim that Hitler had thrown a tantrum, Brown said that he had been cordial towards Mr. Owens.
An excellent tutorial Dave, thank you. I particularly appreciated the talk-over when engine noise drowned out normal comms. It brings the book of SOE flying, 'We landed by Moonlight' completely to life. What brave men and women. And they did the same ops using Hudsons, too!
Lot of comments about the operations with agents, which is what this aircraft is known for, but let's not forget the pilots who flew it in combat during the defence of France and Belgium in 1940, when it was used for reconnaissance, army co-operation and even as a light bomber, suffering horrendous losses, 118 lost out of 175. Not as celebrated as Battle of Britain pilots, but surely as brave.
Very true. When you look at the Pathe films promoting the aeroplane (as per 1936 Air Ministry thinking), you see it being presented as a miracle-machine. In 1940, it wasn't.
I live about 20 mins from that field on the Ottawa side. Worked for the feds in Gatineau for years. My father was a career R.C.A.F. man and at his request I read "High Flight" at his funeral. Thanks, Dave for a nice piece on the Lysander. Hard to believe they actually sneaked in and out of occupied France in something that loud but they did, often!
I've been lucky enough to see two Lysanders flying together here in the UK. An aircraft with so much history behind it. Great video - really enjoyed it. :)
35yrs ago when I was a teenager I met a guy who'd flown these in WW2. In his words he'd 'lost his bottle' after being shot down in his Hurricane and so ended up flying these. He made 13 return flights into France and 1 single trip which ended with him being downed and captured. I wish I'd known then what I know now so I could have talked with him much longer. His stories must have been incredible if only I'd known enough to ask!
Hard to imagine it taking less "Bottle" to fly a Lysander into unprepared fields in enemy territory at night...than to fly a day fighter! Respect..utter respect.
My aunt was a nurse on Malta throughout the siege (dies 1982). I also feel aggrieved that my zero comprehension of what she did meant I never got to record her stories. There must be so many lost to history.
It's so often the same - as teenagers we have the chance to learn incredible interesting and tremendously historically-valuable stuff from our parents' and grandparents' generations - but only understand that when it's too late and they've gone. My sisters and I did actually have the idea to hide a small tape recorder [though they weren't all that small in those days!] and get the old folks talking - but we just never got round to it! So many regrets now about that...
@@robwilde855 If it makes you feel any better an old RAAF friend of mine was travelling the country here a year or so ago (on paid Reserve time - its an official project) getting "oral histories" from surviving WW2 veterans...
Wonderful to get a pilots eye view of this iconic aircraft. Most of the comments concern the Lizzie's famous role as a spy taxi. But after getting chopped up badly during the Battle of France (nearly 70% of the Lysanders sent to France were lost!) the aircraft was also relegated to more prosaic roles. My dad, F/Sgt Nick Carter, flew around 400 hours on ASR and target Towing duties in the south west of England. After 18 months he finally got to where he really wanted to be - in the seat of a Spit Vb. He rarely talked about his experiences and I only got to see his log book after he'd passed away. He was one of the many unsung heroes of the RAF who just 'did his bit' for five long years. Never forget them.
I live a stone throw away from where this was built, I can see the airfield from my window it originally took off from. We also have a road named here in my town named after this plane.
Another Yeovilian here. My route to school and back included Lysander road, I spent half my time at secondary school gazing out over the airfield at the helicopters.
@@pierrebuffiere5923 That was when I was staring out of my schoolroom window watching the Lynxes and Sea Kings. I know so many people that worked there, unsurprising when each year a third of boys from my school became apprentices there.
When I was a kid my hobby was building plastic aircraft kits . I had loads , on shelves hanging from the ceiling , all of the well know models . The Lysander was my favourite of them all .... I cannot describe why but I guess she looked like no other . I remember always wanting to fly in one ... well this is the nearest I will get and thank you for this virtual ride . Regards.
As a child 60 years ago I lived near Tempsford Airfield where the SOE flew out of. Friends and I used to sneak onto the airfield and play. The ghosts of the men and machines were very much there. If I could own and fly one aircraft in my life It would be a Lysander.
@@thethirdman225 Hi The Third Man, I have a copy of an excellent account of the war time activities at RAF Tempsford. It is titled; RAF Tempsford Churchill's most secret airfield. It was written by Bernard O'Conner. The book number is; ISBN 978-1-4456-0071-0. My copy was signed by the author in 2010. It may still be in print but if not it would be worth tracking down a copy. The book details how crews often used both Tempsford and Tangmere as well as other alternative fields. The secrecy surrounding Tempsford was so tight that even in the 1960's when I grew up in the area, the locals still referred to it as a bomber base. As an even more interesting side note, here in Canada I was introduced to a man that I was told had been in the RCAF during the war. I asked where he had been posted. He told me the name of a field in Yorkshire. I told him that I had lived near Tempsford and his eyes lit up and he said, "Is the pub still at the top of the hill." Such was the secrecy of that base that even in 1995 the men that served there would not voluntarily divulge that they had served there. They all have my undying admiration as do the aircraft they flew. Regards, David.
@@trainsontuesday Thanks for very much the tip. I'll have a look for the book. My Dad's friend didn't seem to mind talking about it. He eventually had to stop flying because he was shot down by a marauding Focke-Wulf 190 and hurt his back but he gave us a very detailed description of what happened to him in that incident. He didn't say that much about the other flights though. Sadly, neither of them is around any more so I'm still at a bit of a loss to know where he was even based but he was definitely a "Black Lysander" pilot and did the SOE ops. I've always wanted to know more but he died before I could do any further research. I was extremely lucky to know this man. It was because of him that I got to meet Adolph Galland, no less. I will definitely see if I can find that book. Cheers. :)
@@trainsontuesday By the way, the reason I mentioned Tangmere is that there was definitely an SOE establishment at that field. From my fading memory is was to the east of the field in a country house. I was there in 1991 and they pointed it out. I know nothing about Tempsford at all.
Yes, been to Tempsford Dave. Very creepy in that big barn place. You feel you're not alone, even though the place is completely empty...... no longer the easiest of places to find.
Brilliant film of a firm favourite that captured this small lad’s imagination with tales of daring pilots and SOE agents. Like others, I remember the Airfix kit. I coveted the one my friend built, but I always managed to make a smeary mess of canopies and windows so steered clear of the Lysander, Anson and most bombers. Made a good job of a Hawker Typhoon though!
Love that aircraft. My first 'Airfix' model kit as a kid. Obviously a few pitfalls for a Cessna pilot who imagines he could just jump out of a 182 and straight into a Lysander.
Great video and very informative - thanks for posting. Like many of the less glamorous airframes, the Lysander nonetheless had a vital role in helping to win the war, in particular its use by the RAF Special Operations squadrons that supported the SOE. Long may this particular example fill the skies.
It's really great to see these old warbirds being maintained and flown still. A 'living' memorial to the brave aircrews and SOE agents (men and women) who flew to and from war in them. Great work.
Just so you know if you're in the UK .......... Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden in Bedfordshire have a Lysander flying regularly at their regular old aeroplane air shows. Search engines will find their website but Shuttleworth have a number of Vids posted on You Tube too.
@@Farweasel Many thanks for that info. The Shuttleworth collection has been on my 'to do' list for a while now. Post pandemic I will definitely check it out.
@@kevinmottram9491 You won't be disappointed. As events are 'themed', if your travelling any distance it would be wise to check the planned displays which their website shows ..... And closer to the time check the Met forcast because some of the really early stuff needs virtually still air. You had probably better add Duxford to the list, just to be on the safeside. Book in advance and you can buy a flight in a Tiger Moth or a Dragon Rapide at Duxford too ~ 'Though not on display days. And combine it with a tour of the huge museum.
Amazing to be able to watch this with POV... My grandad worked for Westland in Yeovil for 40 years, and my other grandad worked a similar time for Martin Baker in Denham.. They both passed 20 years ago.. I would dearly love to talk again with both about their experiences..
If there was ever a OSS air plane it was this one. My pal growing up was a OSS pilot Glen Browles. He would tell hair razing story's of sneaking in and out of France and Belgium in a plane as big and noisy as the Lysander. He told one story about landing in a field in France and the Germans showed up. But the underground had set security a ambushed them. He was dropping off and picking up while a fire fight raged all around. When he got back to England they counted 32 bullet holes in the plane. That's running a airline.
Thanks for this extremely well made and informational video. I am a great fan of the Lysander, even went from the US to Duxford in the early 2000s when it was the airshows featured marque. It was interesting to see all the quirks involved in getting it up into the air and back down correctly.
My grandpa, RCAF F/O Norman Folkersen flew 416 twice while stationed with 122 Squadron, Patricia Bay. Although paint job was not this factory paint. Coded TM-A while at Pat Bay! He logged time in a few Lysanders. New appreciation for he small, loud and hot that cockpit is! Great video. Thanks.
Thank you mate for keeping this fantastic historic aircraft flying. As other commenters have said just imagine the bravery that went into supporting SOE operations in enemy occupied Europe during WWII from both the pilots and the secret agents they transported. Respect to them.
I always loved this aircraft, and built the model kit a couple of times. Thank your for the tour, it was very interesting and felt like I was up there with you.
Respect to your flying skills! I wouldn't ever fly this aircraft no matter what after that video... The more I watch these kind of videos, the more I appreciate the American aircraft industries
Great looking old ‘Tin Lizzie’. Fantastic flight and well explained the quirks and eccentricities of the amazing aircraft. I would imagine in the depths of winter dropping into enemy occupied France as was commonplace for the Lysander, you’d be grateful for the toasty oil tank pipe work!
I've always loved the Lysander, ever since one of my first Airfix kits and the photographs in one of my dad's books - he was a navigator. Although I am a Brit and I still live here, I've never seen a real Lysander flying (I'm over seventy) and I think I've only ever seen one model flying. The first thing one notices is; just how big they are, compared to its German counterpart, the Feisler Storch. That whole wing, slats, flaps thing is extraordinary and, not surprisingly, very similar to the Storch. I wonder if theirs was automatic like the Lizzie? It obviously has a great enthusiasm for flying - it does it with little apparent effort and appears to be smooth and stable. It has some quirky little gotcha's though. That thing about the flare and elevator authority and the auto slats hoisting the thing back in the air if you lift the nose very much. Some of these things must make it a very quirky aeroplane to fly. But I still love it. I believe they have one at the Shuttleworth Trust, I must check it out and maybe visit when our present - endless - lockdown ends. Great vlog guys, thank you.
Shuttleworth do have one, I saw it fly last July at their first drive in airshow. It is a wonderful beast of an aircraft and a lot larger than I had imagined. Shuttleworth are hopefully holding more airshows this year...
@@TheFlytechguy Ahh, that's encouraging, I'll have to keep my eyes and ears open for that. Thank you. A 'drive in' airshow? I even have three glass roof panels in my Land Rover, so it could be a perfect air show watching platform!
Yes, shuttleworth has a Lysander, with a dummy long range fuel tank slung underneath. See you there this year --or possibly next year the way things are going! As a kid i was lucky enough to visit when there was a magically steady 35kt headwind. We were very close to a Storch (Stork), and saw it lift it's tail, roll 2yds forward then lift off vertically and hover.
Great and very informative video! It's so cool to see this airplane flying, as back in the early 70s on a trip to the Moose Jaw Airshow with my Dad in his Harvard and we landed at their home strip across the gravel road from the Assiniboia airstrip and overnighted at Anne & Harry's place. Along with his Hurricane, we saw this airplane in a very large number of pieces in one of the farm shop buildings. As I recall, it was first on Harry's list for restoration after he finished the in-progress Tiger Moth...the wings for which were in their dining room, much to Anne's displeasure hahaha.
My Dad and a Sergeant found a Lysander that had been abandoned in the N. African Desert, neither of them had flying experience but decided to see if they could fly it? Off they went, the Sergeant took it off and my Dad landed it after a little trip over the desert!!
Just read the bio of the work of Teddy Petter, the very clever man who designed this aeroplane well worth it and thanks Dave for the insightful commentary I feel I have experienced one of these enigmatic aircraft which carved itself such a unique war service history. Interesting to compare the Talk given by the pilots who fly shuttle worth’s Lizzie, lots in common. The word ‘gotcha’ being one
Thank you so much for posting this video, I have always been interested in the fixed wing aircraft that Westland Aircraft manufactured, Lysander, Whirlwind & Seafire. I was an employee at Westlands for fourty three years starting in 1973 at age sixteen on August 20th and retiring on December 21st 2016. I did a four year apprenticeship qualifying as an airframe fitter working on rotary wing aircraft such as Seaking, Lynx & WG30 as well as PP1 & PP2.
@@davehadfield5906 Absolutely, I remember one guy who was a paratrooper in operation market garden, all he would say was it was a witches cauldron. In the main assembly hall affectionately called the erection shop the rails in the concrete floor where the Seafires were moved along the assembly line were still visable & on on side of the building there were several bullet holes from enemy aircraft fire. The factory was bombed several times but fortunately did not suffer any considerable damage! The milk factory at Somerton approx ten miles away from the Yeovil site was completely destroyed, mistaken for the aircraft factory.
very well done...very informative without being boring at any point. I visited a flying day at the Shuttleworth Collection, Bedfordshire, England two years ago and their black SOE Lysander was flown to the delight of the crowd.
The bit about a pilot being armed with a pistol to shoot anyone approaching on the right side always struck me as an awkward thing to have to do - passengers were to approach on the left, as procedure; anyone on the right was taken to the enemy.
I was at the Shuttleworth Collection in 2018 and saw one of these fly in black livery and it was a great sight. A beautiful plane especially the dorsal view.
'The Lysander is fully STOL capable but we have 6,000 feet of runway available so I'm going all the way to the far end'. *These* are the words of a sensible bloke I would be happy to fly with. I live pretty close to Shuttleworth, quite a number of their kites, including the Lysander, amble over my home when Covid's not disrupting the world. I suspect this is partly to do with prevailing wind direction and my even greater proximity to the giant Cardington hangers which I can attest are an absolutely unmistakable navigation marker from the air.
Since I was a kid and a huge fan of building model airplanes, especially from WW2 era, this "non-combat" airplane has been my favorite. I don't know why, it is just a brilliant airplane and I liked it more than any Spitfire, Mustang, BF-109 or Zero. I was so thrilled to see one at the Air and Space Museum in Virginia. So great to see one flying.
Not sure that an aircraft that made thousands of trips into occupied Europe at night during WW2 can be classed as 'non-combat'. Always at risk from ground fire both in the air and on the ground and a sitting target for fighters.
@@johnmurrell3175 Yes I agree, which is why I "non-combat" in parenthesis, perhaps not clear. Nevertheless it's a great looking plane and when I made a model of it as a child it was a combat aircraft in my mind.
What a fascinating aircraft Dave ! to think these flew night sorties across the channel dropping spies off in fields in France,thats a workmanlike cockpit with a lot going on,great explanation of a fine Westland product.
I also had the Airfix kit but despite living between a couple of active small airfields with manufacturers (Handley Page at Woodley and Fairey Aviation at White Waltham) in the 1950’s and 1960’s where there were plenty of Ansons, Chipmunks, Provosts etc I never saw a Lysander -I imagine they were mostly gone even then. (I did see a Fieseler Storch in German colours landing at Shobdon near Leominster a few years ago and that was a treat!) However there is no experience like having the prototype Fairey Rotodyne fly low overhead.....All great those British aeroplanes - we really have lost something.
Shes a beauty. I had an Airfix model of the Lysander when I was maybe 10 or 11 which is why I still love this aircraft. Also, I live less than 20 miles from the Westland plant in Yeovil
Thoroughly enjoyed this one! I really love the detailed pilot point of view through the checklist and flight. Thanks for sharing all the little interesting details!
fantastic work on conservating this (today) unique aircraft. Very British in its kind of construction but i really love it. I hope that it will be in this condition for a very very long time.
Many years ago there was a Lysander kept at Blackbushe airfield, not far from Farnborough. I was a mad keen aircraft spotter and it was always worth a visit when I had the chance, particularly Franborough airshow week as it was the overflow airfield. Great video.
I probably have never said that word for 55-60 years, but as soon as I saw this thumbnail I said “Lysander”. Yet I can’t remember what I want from the fridge sometimes.
Now that's an plane you strap on! Plane today are so refined they fly them self's almost, glade to see that this one is old school. Great video, thanks.
When I was a kid, we rented a field for our horses next to a house owned by a lovely old gentleman who we knew as Mr Hodges, he'd talk with us every now and then and we gave him some manure for the beautiful roses he grew in his garden. Many years later, after we'd long since moved away, Mr Hodges sadly passed away, and my father sent me a link to his obituary. At this point I found out that Mr Hodges was in fact, Air Chief Marshall Sir Lewis Hodges, who flew for the SOE and was later NATO Deputy Commander in chief Allied Air forces in Central Europe. To say I was stunned was an understatement, but I'm glad to have known him, he was a lovely man, may he rest in peace.
Thanks for the video. My dad flew Lysanders into occupied France during WWII. He said it was the scariest time of his life. Alone in the air, armed with only the Webley pistol in his flying boot, and not knowing what his destination would hold.
I flew a Westland Lysander in the70's when I was a kid ... it was at low altitude however as I was carrying the Airfix Model I made of it in my hand as it flew around my bedroom! Nice one ... lovely to see the big one going ;-)
The whole clandestine operation is one of unimaginable bravery and skill. The resistance men and women bringing the shot down air crew and S O E agents to the rendesvouse , The steel nerved pilots not really knowing who was waiting for them down below in the darkness.It gives you goosbumps thinking about it. Im sure we all give our sincer and humble thanks to that band of remarkabley brave people.
That trickiness that he mentioned only exists if you choose [as he did] to land 'flying', i.e. on the main wheels. There's nothing to prevent being in the three-point attitude, or close to it, for the whole of the final approach, with the slats open; and of course this had to be done for the commonly-found requirement to land in small fields. It is a STOL aircraft, by design, after all.
I've seen the Shuttleworth Lysander during an airshow at Old Warden, where it was flown with panache and gave a great exhibition. What tickled me about your video is that it was really marvellous to be able to see inside your cockpit and imagine the difficulty of navigating across enemy territory at night looking for a faint signal, never really knowing if it was fake or not. That has got to be one of the most cramped and cluttered cockpits to be making long flights in, but I think they deliberately put all the hot oil equipment up front to help the pilot avoid freezing in the depths of winter in Europe. Thanks for a very interesting video Dave!
There were also various modifications to the basic Lysander design. During 1940, when the German invasion was felt to be very likely, a variation of the Lysander appeared with a twin tail, like a Lancaster Bomber. And at the rear of the fuselage, between the twin fins, a four gun Boulton Paul turret was fitted. The theory being that it could be used for strafing landing beaches as the Germans came ashore...... but ultimately the design was not developed further, as plans to set the sea on fire at numerous potential landing sites, using various inflammable chemicals were well advanced at that time....as were further plans to halt the Germans if they did get ashore. But as these could be rather controversial even today, I'll say no more......
@@Brian-om2hh They were quite well described in Giles Milton's book "Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler's Defeat". Somewhat nationalistic but worth the price of admission...
@@thethirdman225 That would be it. I was aware Churchill was instrumental in it. I think the plan was intended to be implemented as part of the final defence line strategy. As you'll probably be aware, a line was chosen between two points, from one side of Britain to the other, and was fairly well fortified with the intention of halting the Germans long enough to enable Winston's nasties to be brought into play........ Ungentlemanly sums it up rather well......... Desperate times, desperate measures.
Wartime workhorse,used for just about everything. My old book published during the war gives only a brief mention of this fantastic aircraft,mostly due to censorship restrictions. Said nothing about flying agents over to Germany! One machine gun in the starboard wing for self defence,not much use against a Messerschmitt! Took a load of courage to fly these craft,and they did a damned good job. In the desert for retrieving messages,picked up by a hook suspended from the aircraft! Those guys could fly! Terrific video,so glad at last to see one of the last of those great planes in action.
These flew extensively unarmed into occupied France dropping off resistance operators and picking up American flyers. They were on the ground for minutes and rarely shut down their engines. This flying aircraft represents a lot of devotion and hard work making it air worthy again. Thank you.
Imagine a moonless, stormy night in 1941, heading over the English Channel at 2am in your trusty Lysander. No nav aids, just the faint red glow of your panel showing your heading. After a couple of years finally crossing the French coast, to then start looking for an Aldis lamplight signalling your destination, while all the time trying to stay the right way up using that panel. What an incredibly brave generation of people. The whole lot of 'em.
No nav aids? You’ve got a compass and a map. Admittedly, it’s too dark to see your map or the ground properly, but your map shows a bridge over a small river, and down there you can see what looks like a bridge over a small river, so that must be it. There can’t be many small rivers and bridges in France, can there?
🤦♂️No braver than any other generation , before or since.
I'll now have to look up an Aldis lamp. 😁
@@guaporeturns9472Nah, every generation is softer than the last. It’s not a bad thing, until it is.
@@nunyabidness3075 Speak for yourself. Me and my offspring are hard af.
Dave
Short of flying in the Lysander, you have given this single engine pilot and student of WWII clandestine operations a special insight into the Tempsford gang’s flights to Europe. I am amazed at the pilots’ flying skills and navigation abilities to fly with pinpoint accuracy on moonlit nights to airfields identified with a 1930s Michelin road map. Your running commentary about all the little “bits and pieces” of the flight characteristics was truly appreciated. I will watch this video many time more.
Based on the viewer comments, I think more of this type of Lysander videos are warranted. Patrick from Albuquerque
If any of the viewers are interested in the RAF Tempsford Squadron 161Lysander operations and stories of actual wartime flights, you could read “We Landed By Moonlight” by Hugh Verity.
My grandfather was pickt up twice during war by it, as he was working for the resistence in Belgium.
@Carlos C What an incredibly brave man your grandad was. I hope he came through the war ok.
Respect to your grandfather sir.
my grandfather bumbed a lift from one back to base in 1943. its scared him witless. or so he said. he used to operate on the Shetland Bus and did several drops and pick ups on the Belgium cost. everyone talks about the French resistance and forgets the massif importance of the Belgium, Dutch and Norwegians resistance. the risks taken by people like your grandfather makes my blood run cold.
@@tommyfred6180 What I want to know is what those communists *would* have wanted to befall Europe, in the absence of any German invasion. They would have wanted a communist Europe.
Your grandfather was a Red.
Wow, what a fantastic experience you have captured for us all! My father flew in these as an R/T operator and was shot down over Dieppe in 1942. He survived but spent the rest of the war in POW camp. He never spoke too much about his experiences, understandably I suppose. Your filming of this flight is the closest thing I've seen to "being there" ever and I suspect many aviation enthusiasts around the world have marvelled at your honest "first person" footage of this extraordinary aeroplane. Many thanks again for sharing this with the world. ;-)
What an occupation & your dad was a very brave man.
And to think, I used to moan about my factory job. 🤔
My Father worked at Westland from 1939 until his retirement in 1985, I too worked there from 1973. We were aircraft nuts! I remember him telling me that as he left work to go for lunch one day, a Lysander was hovering into the wind at about 50 ft over the airfield at Yeovil, the engine at barely tick over speed. When he returned from lunch it was still just hovering in the same place as before. It had most remarkable low speed handling characteristics
That is brilliant. 😁
Back in the early 1980s I was going for my private pilots licence here in Tasmania, Australia. An old chap of seventy years or so, (I was then in my mid 30s) who had let his licence lapse, came in for some flight checks in order to renew it. It turned out that he had been a WW2 pilot, and had in fact been sent out to Australia to command the flight training school at that very airport. I asked him if he had been in fighters or bombers, and he replied that he had flown pretty well everything, to which I asked, had he been a ferry pilot? He replied, no, he'd been an operational pilot, and in fact he had completed his second tour on bombers, and as a reward was given command of the training base in order to pass on his skills to new pilot trainees, as well as recognition that he and his crew had done their share with 2 complete tours. I really didn't know what to think as I was aware that it would be highly unusual for a pilot to fly lots of completely different aircraft types, but I said nothing and perhaps he noticed the look on my face or something because in the days following he came in with his stack of log books, about 500mm high from memory and indeed he had flown nearly everything with wings. He had flown to Norway to either drop off an agent or pick one up, I can't remember which. The ground party had UHF radios with highly directional antennas which they pointed skyward when the aircraft approached, so that the enemy would only get a very weak signal to track, and similar with torches to signal the pilot. With his passenger either picked up or dropped off into the hands of the local Resistance, he took off again straight away, but as he did so, a patrol came out of the woods firing on him, so he responded with machine gun fire while on his take off run. Fortunately he made it home unscathed in his Lysander. He ended the war as a Pathfinder, firstly in Lancasters, but eventually in Mosquitos. They would come in and drop a flare pattern over the target, and then climb up high to wait as the flares on parachutes would drift in the wind, or following flights of bombers would be some minutes later, so the pattern would have to be relaid as time passed. The first pattern was dropped and an aerial photograph was taken simultaneously, and the flight speed and direction recorded for analysis by the cartographers when they returned. The photos were often pasted into the log book together with the accuracy of the release, and as I recall, his first drop was about 500 yards off target, but with each subsequent mission, the accuracy rapidly improved, and on his second or third last mission he was only 2 and a quarter yards out, and was travelling at over 300kt at release. After the war he came out to Australia, and at the time was living about 45 minutes from his old command, now a civilian airport.
Needless to say I was really gobsmacked, not just by his achievements, but also with the amazing skills with which he carried out his work, It was all documented there in his pile of log books.
I nearly forgot, In 2012 I think my wife and I were in the U.K. and I visited Old Warden in Bedfordshire on a flying day, and indeed saw their Lysander make several flights on the day, together with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and lots of other amazing aircraft that I never imagined that I would ever see flying, very fond memories.
Great story, and in the day some pilots got to fly many types. Aviation is still in my old eyes a young endeavor
@@raywhitehead730 Terrific tale, thanks.
Can you remember the old pilots name, I ws thinking it may have been Eric " Winkle" Brown, RN?
Great story: You could write some books with your adventures ...
@@Jigaboo123456 Winkle never left Europe in his career, he spent most of his time testing naval aircraft in South England then near the end of the war he went to occupied Europe to test fly German aircraft, mainly jets as he had been a German student at university pre-war and spoke German fluently. He was one of very few allied pilots to fly the Me163 on rocket power from take off, I'm sure a quick google search will find him talking about that adventure
@@gordonmcgregor6431 Thank you for replying, but I suggested Winkle Brown may have been the pilot Rope Tangler met in Australia post war. A pilot on any covert ops would have have been very cautious not to talk of ANY covert op he has been assigned to during WW2, and for many years after if it might cause problems of various kinds, and the RAF wouldn't shout it out either, so the possibility remains -who knows.
I saw the excellent documentary of his life a few times, and remember his comment on the" terrifying to fly" Me 163.
I also remember that during his time in Germany pre-war, he had watched Jesse Owens win his gold medal for the 100 yds, and contrary to the MSM claim that Hitler had thrown a tantrum, Brown said that he had been cordial towards Mr. Owens.
Respect to the Ww2 aviators and agents who flew in them.
An excellent tutorial Dave, thank you. I particularly appreciated the talk-over when engine noise drowned out normal comms. It brings the book of SOE flying, 'We landed by Moonlight' completely to life. What brave men and women. And they did the same ops using Hudsons, too!
Yes, doing that work in Hudsons blew me away!
Lot of comments about the operations with agents, which is what this aircraft is known for, but let's not forget the pilots who flew it in combat during the defence of France and Belgium in 1940, when it was used for reconnaissance, army co-operation and even as a light bomber, suffering horrendous losses, 118 lost out of 175. Not as celebrated as Battle of Britain pilots, but surely as brave.
My uncle died flying one during that period.
they were audacious pilots to parachute or tke back resistants in France thoses guys have been awesome considering flying over occupied countries
You are not wrong my friend.
I didn't even know about its other roles Sean. I will look them up & thank you for pointing them out.
Very true. When you look at the Pathe films promoting the aeroplane (as per 1936 Air Ministry thinking), you see it being presented as a miracle-machine.
In 1940, it wasn't.
I live about 20 mins from that field on the Ottawa side. Worked for the feds in Gatineau for years.
My father was a career R.C.A.F. man and at his request I read "High Flight" at his funeral.
Thanks, Dave for a nice piece on the Lysander. Hard to believe they actually sneaked in and out of occupied France in something that loud but they did, often!
It's loud on the inside, but actually not so loud from the ground. to the exhaust. Thanks!
I've been lucky enough to see two Lysanders flying together here in the UK. An aircraft with so much history behind it. Great video - really enjoyed it. :)
35yrs ago when I was a teenager I met a guy who'd flown these in WW2.
In his words he'd 'lost his bottle' after being shot down in his Hurricane and so ended up flying these.
He made 13 return flights into France and 1 single trip which ended with him being downed and captured.
I wish I'd known then what I know now so I could have talked with him much longer. His stories must have been incredible if only I'd known enough to ask!
Hard to imagine it taking less "Bottle" to fly a Lysander into unprepared fields in enemy territory at night...than to fly a day fighter! Respect..utter respect.
My aunt was a nurse on Malta throughout the siege (dies 1982). I also feel aggrieved that my zero comprehension of what she did meant I never got to record her stories. There must be so many lost to history.
It's so often the same - as teenagers we have the chance to learn incredible interesting and tremendously historically-valuable stuff from our parents' and grandparents' generations - but only understand that when it's too late and they've gone. My sisters and I did actually have the idea to hide a small tape recorder [though they weren't all that small in those days!] and get the old folks talking - but we just never got round to it! So many regrets now about that...
@@robwilde855 If it makes you feel any better an old RAAF friend of mine was travelling the country here a year or so ago (on paid Reserve time - its an official project) getting "oral histories" from surviving WW2 veterans...
Amazing video thanks! Imagine the skill it took to fly this into a field in France in darkness considering all the Lysander quirks.
Yeah, and imagine the skill it took to even find the landing field with no gps a few hundred miles away at night while you are flying.
Wonderful to get a pilots eye view of this iconic aircraft. Most of the comments concern the Lizzie's famous role as a spy taxi. But after getting chopped up badly during the Battle of France (nearly 70% of the Lysanders sent to France were lost!) the aircraft was also relegated to more prosaic roles. My dad, F/Sgt Nick Carter, flew around 400 hours on ASR and target Towing duties in the south west of England. After 18 months he finally got to where he really wanted to be - in the seat of a Spit Vb. He rarely talked about his experiences and I only got to see his log book after he'd passed away. He was one of the many unsung heroes of the RAF who just 'did his bit' for five long years. Never forget them.
I live a stone throw away from where this was built, I can see the airfield from my window it originally took off from. We also have a road named here in my town named after this plane.
Yeovil?
Another Yeovilian here. My route to school and back included Lysander road, I spent half my time at secondary school gazing out over the airfield at the helicopters.
@@Matt_The_Hugenot I'm not really a Yeovillian (nice term). I used to work at Westlands in the mid 70s, mainly on the Lynx.
@@pierrebuffiere5923 That was when I was staring out of my schoolroom window watching the Lynxes and Sea Kings. I know so many people that worked there, unsurprising when each year a third of boys from my school became apprentices there.
When I was a kid my hobby was building plastic aircraft kits .
I had loads , on shelves hanging from the ceiling , all of the well know models .
The Lysander was my favourite of them all .... I cannot describe why but I guess she looked like no other .
I remember always wanting to fly in one ... well this is the nearest I will get and thank you for this virtual ride .
Regards.
As a child 60 years ago I lived near Tempsford Airfield where the SOE flew out of. Friends and I used to sneak onto the airfield and play. The ghosts of the men and machines were very much there. If I could own and fly one aircraft in my life It would be a Lysander.
One of my Dad’s friends flew SOE operations in the Lysander. Probably out of that field or Tangmere.
@@thethirdman225 Hi The Third Man, I have a copy of an excellent account of the war time activities at RAF Tempsford. It is titled; RAF Tempsford Churchill's most secret airfield.
It was written by Bernard O'Conner. The book number is; ISBN 978-1-4456-0071-0.
My copy was signed by the author in 2010. It may still be in print but if not it would be worth tracking down a copy. The book details how crews often used both Tempsford and Tangmere as well as other alternative fields.
The secrecy surrounding Tempsford was so tight that even in the 1960's when I grew up in the area, the locals still referred to it as a bomber base. As an even more interesting side note, here in Canada I was introduced to a man that I was told had been in the RCAF during the war. I asked where he had been posted. He told me the name of a field in Yorkshire. I told him that I had lived near Tempsford and his eyes lit up and he said, "Is the pub still at the top of the hill." Such was the secrecy of that base that even in 1995 the men that served there would not voluntarily divulge that they had served there. They all have my undying admiration as do the aircraft they flew.
Regards, David.
@@trainsontuesday Thanks for very much the tip. I'll have a look for the book. My Dad's friend didn't seem to mind talking about it. He eventually had to stop flying because he was shot down by a marauding Focke-Wulf 190 and hurt his back but he gave us a very detailed description of what happened to him in that incident. He didn't say that much about the other flights though.
Sadly, neither of them is around any more so I'm still at a bit of a loss to know where he was even based but he was definitely a "Black Lysander" pilot and did the SOE ops. I've always wanted to know more but he died before I could do any further research. I was extremely lucky to know this man. It was because of him that I got to meet Adolph Galland, no less.
I will definitely see if I can find that book.
Cheers. :)
@@trainsontuesday By the way, the reason I mentioned Tangmere is that there was definitely an SOE establishment at that field. From my fading memory is was to the east of the field in a country house. I was there in 1991 and they pointed it out. I know nothing about Tempsford at all.
Yes, been to Tempsford Dave. Very creepy in that big barn place. You feel you're not alone, even though the place is completely empty...... no longer the easiest of places to find.
Brilliant film of a firm favourite that captured this small lad’s imagination with tales of daring pilots and SOE agents. Like others, I remember the Airfix kit. I coveted the one my friend built, but I always managed to make a smeary mess of canopies and windows so steered clear of the Lysander, Anson and most bombers. Made a good job of a Hawker Typhoon though!
phph: I've built about 80 models some 20 years ago-I had the same problem with the canopies and windows-it was frustrating.
Love that aircraft. My first 'Airfix' model kit as a kid. Obviously a few pitfalls for a Cessna pilot who imagines he could just jump out of a 182 and straight into a Lysander.
I want to build that 1/32 Matchbox kit.
I had a Matchbox 1:72, my second aicraft. First was a Hawker Fury
“You can pull the chocks, please...”. God bless 🇨🇦! Great video!
Of course - this is a British aircraft so you have to speak British to the ground crew ;-)
It definitely seems like a quirky airplane. Thanks for the detailed explanation of the runup and takeoff procedures!
Great video and very informative - thanks for posting. Like many of the less glamorous airframes, the Lysander nonetheless had a vital role in helping to win the war, in particular its use by the RAF Special Operations squadrons that supported the SOE. Long may this particular example fill the skies.
It's really great to see these old warbirds being maintained and flown still. A 'living' memorial to the brave aircrews and SOE agents (men and women) who flew to and from war in them. Great work.
Just so you know if you're in the UK ..........
Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden in Bedfordshire have a Lysander flying regularly at their regular old aeroplane air shows.
Search engines will find their website but Shuttleworth have a number of Vids posted on You Tube too.
@@Farweasel Many thanks for that info. The Shuttleworth collection has been on my 'to do' list for a while now. Post pandemic I will definitely check it out.
@@kevinmottram9491 You won't be disappointed. As events are 'themed', if your travelling any distance it would be wise to check the planned displays which their website shows ..... And closer to the time check the Met forcast because some of the really early stuff needs virtually still air.
You had probably better add Duxford to the list, just to be on the safeside.
Book in advance and you can buy a flight in a Tiger Moth or a Dragon Rapide at Duxford too ~ 'Though not on display days.
And combine it with a tour of the huge museum.
Amazing to be able to watch this with POV... My grandad worked for Westland in Yeovil for 40 years, and my other grandad worked a similar time for Martin Baker in Denham.. They both passed 20 years ago.. I would dearly love to talk again with both about their experiences..
If there was ever a OSS air plane it was this one. My pal growing up was a OSS pilot Glen Browles. He would tell hair razing story's of sneaking in and out of France and Belgium in a plane as big and noisy as the Lysander. He told one story about landing in a field in France and the Germans showed up. But the underground had set security a ambushed them. He was dropping off and picking up while a fire fight raged all around. When he got back to England they counted 32 bullet holes in the plane. That's running a airline.
Thanks for this extremely well made and informational video. I am a great fan of the Lysander, even went from the US to Duxford in the early 2000s when it was the airshows featured marque. It was interesting to see all the quirks involved in getting it up into the air and back down correctly.
My grandpa, RCAF F/O Norman Folkersen flew 416 twice while stationed with 122 Squadron, Patricia Bay. Although paint job was not this factory paint. Coded TM-A while at Pat Bay! He logged time in a few Lysanders. New appreciation for he small, loud and hot that cockpit is! Great video. Thanks.
Thank you mate for keeping this fantastic historic aircraft flying. As other commenters have said just imagine the bravery that went into supporting SOE operations in enemy occupied Europe during WWII from both the pilots and the secret agents they transported. Respect to them.
I always loved this aircraft, and built the model kit a couple of times. Thank your for the tour, it was very interesting and felt like I was up there with you.
Respect to your flying skills!
I wouldn't ever fly this aircraft no matter what after that video...
The more I watch these kind of videos, the more I appreciate the American aircraft industries
In 2000, I've been convited to made a flight on a Lysander by the Sabena Old Tilers in Belgium. I'll never forget it.
Great looking old ‘Tin Lizzie’. Fantastic flight and well explained the quirks and eccentricities of the amazing aircraft. I would imagine in the depths of winter dropping into enemy occupied France as was commonplace for the Lysander, you’d be grateful for the toasty oil tank pipe work!
I've always loved the Lysander, ever since one of my first Airfix kits and the photographs in one of my dad's books - he was a navigator. Although I am a Brit and I still live here, I've never seen a real Lysander flying (I'm over seventy) and I think I've only ever seen one model flying.
The first thing one notices is; just how big they are, compared to its German counterpart, the Feisler Storch. That whole wing, slats, flaps thing is extraordinary and, not surprisingly, very similar to the Storch. I wonder if theirs was automatic like the Lizzie?
It obviously has a great enthusiasm for flying - it does it with little apparent effort and appears to be smooth and stable. It has some quirky little gotcha's though. That thing about the flare and elevator authority and the auto slats hoisting the thing back in the air if you lift the nose very much. Some of these things must make it a very quirky aeroplane to fly. But I still love it.
I believe they have one at the Shuttleworth Trust, I must check it out and maybe visit when our present - endless - lockdown ends. Great vlog guys, thank you.
I'VE ALWAYS LOVED
Shuttleworth do have one, I saw it fly last July at their first drive in airshow. It is a wonderful beast of an aircraft and a lot larger than I had imagined. Shuttleworth are hopefully holding more airshows this year...
@@TheFlytechguy Ahh, that's encouraging, I'll have to keep my eyes and ears open for that. Thank you. A 'drive in' airshow? I even have three glass roof panels in my Land Rover, so it could be a perfect air show watching platform!
Yes, shuttleworth has a Lysander, with a dummy long range fuel tank slung underneath. See you there this year --or possibly next year the way things are going! As a kid i was lucky enough to visit when there was a magically steady 35kt headwind. We were very close to a Storch (Stork), and saw it lift it's tail, roll 2yds forward then lift off vertically and hover.
Admire your grandfather, Frank's work..
In Yeovil where they were made the main road past the factory which now produces helicopters is called Lysander road.
Fascinating video. Thank you and the ground crew for producing this.
Great and very informative video! It's so cool to see this airplane flying, as back in the early 70s on a trip to the Moose Jaw Airshow with my Dad in his Harvard and we landed at their home strip across the gravel road from the Assiniboia airstrip and overnighted at Anne & Harry's place. Along with his Hurricane, we saw this airplane in a very large number of pieces in one of the farm shop buildings. As I recall, it was first on Harry's list for restoration after he finished the in-progress Tiger Moth...the wings for which were in their dining room, much to Anne's displeasure hahaha.
My Dad and a Sergeant found a Lysander that had been abandoned in the N. African Desert, neither of them had flying experience but decided to see if they could fly it? Off they went, the Sergeant took it off and my Dad landed it after a little trip over the desert!!
Doubtful
Sure.... why not. I’m sure not a beautiful, perfect flight, but the fact that they could start it, they were probably A & P personnel.
Just read the bio of the work of Teddy Petter, the very clever man who designed this aeroplane well worth it and thanks Dave for the insightful commentary
I feel I have experienced one of these enigmatic aircraft which carved itself such a unique war service history. Interesting to compare the
Talk given by the pilots who fly shuttle worth’s Lizzie, lots in common. The word ‘gotcha’ being one
Thank you so much for posting this video, I have always been interested in the fixed wing aircraft that Westland Aircraft manufactured, Lysander, Whirlwind & Seafire. I was an employee at Westlands for fourty three years starting in 1973 at age sixteen on August 20th and retiring on December 21st 2016. I did a four year apprenticeship qualifying as an airframe fitter working on rotary wing aircraft such as Seaking, Lynx & WG30 as well as PP1 & PP2.
There must have been some of the WWII guys still there when you started, right?
@@davehadfield5906 Absolutely, I remember one guy who was a paratrooper in operation market garden, all he would say was it was a witches cauldron. In the main assembly hall affectionately called the erection shop the rails in the concrete floor where the Seafires were moved along the assembly line were still visable & on on side of the building there were several bullet holes from enemy aircraft fire. The factory was bombed several times but fortunately did not suffer any considerable damage! The milk factory at Somerton approx ten miles away from the Yeovil site was completely destroyed, mistaken for the aircraft factory.
very well done...very informative without being boring at any point. I visited a flying day at the Shuttleworth Collection, Bedfordshire, England two years ago and their black SOE Lysander was flown to the delight of the crowd.
Amazing video.The people who flew these in ww2 had balls .Imagine trying to find a small field in France at night landing and taking off again
The bit about a pilot being armed with a pistol to shoot anyone approaching on the right side always struck me as an awkward thing to have to do - passengers were to approach on the left, as procedure; anyone on the right was taken to the enemy.
@@gitfoad8032 The ladder (permanetly fixed) was on the left, so it made sense.
@@allenwilliams1306 - Message received & understood. Cheers.
Stu, agreed.
Lest we forget.
Love the Lysander and it’s mission. Thanks for taking us along for a ride. 👍
What a fabulously insightful journey you have carried us on. Plus what a cool old plane.
Bonjour de France 🇫🇷,merci pour cette excellente vidéo.👋👍👏😀
What a BEAUTIFUL restoration!!!!!
I was at the Shuttleworth Collection in 2018 and saw one of these fly in black livery and it was a great sight. A beautiful plane especially the dorsal view.
'The Lysander is fully STOL capable but we have 6,000 feet of runway available so I'm going all the way to the far end'.
*These* are the words of a sensible bloke I would be happy to fly with.
I live pretty close to Shuttleworth, quite a number of their kites, including the Lysander, amble over my home when Covid's not disrupting the world.
I suspect this is partly to do with prevailing wind direction and my even greater proximity to the giant Cardington hangers which I can attest are an absolutely unmistakable navigation marker from the air.
'Better safe than sorry'.
But that's about 2000 meters, enough for 747?
This might need 200.
The three most useless things in aviation are runway behind you, altitude above you, and fuel back at base!
That looks like bags of fun!
I Love an aeroplane that challenges from time to time.
Since I was a kid and a huge fan of building model airplanes, especially from WW2 era, this "non-combat" airplane has been my favorite. I don't know why, it is just a brilliant airplane and I liked it more than any Spitfire, Mustang, BF-109 or Zero. I was so thrilled to see one at the Air and Space Museum in Virginia. So great to see one flying.
Not sure that an aircraft that made thousands of trips into occupied Europe at night during WW2 can be classed as 'non-combat'. Always at risk from ground fire both in the air and on the ground and a sitting target for fighters.
@@johnmurrell3175 Yes I agree, which is why I "non-combat" in parenthesis, perhaps not clear. Nevertheless it's a great looking plane and when I made a model of it as a child it was a combat aircraft in my mind.
Very beautiful airplane. Very, very beautiful.
How else would I EVER go for a ride in a Lizzie?? From the PIC’s POV no less! ThNk you Dave!
Dave Hadfield is a great teacher!
He's also lucky ;)
Loved the Lysander since i was a kid in the 50's. So glad to see it handled by an obviously professional pilot. It must be great to be so privileged.
I love the landing lights in those big ass wheel fairings, what a great looking airplane.
Thanks for giving us an insight to a wonderful aircraft few of us will be fortunate to fly.
Fabulous video - 62 people were obviously not a fan of Westland's amazing engineering prowess.
What a fascinating aircraft Dave ! to think these flew night sorties across the channel dropping spies off in fields in France,thats a workmanlike cockpit with a lot going on,great explanation of a fine Westland product.
Thank you so much for sharing. I enjoy your cool calm commentary as you fly the Lysander.
Thanks for looking after the old lady so well.
Great to see it flying! One off my favorite aero planes of all time. Used to sit in a complete but derelict one all the time as a kid
I also had the Airfix kit but despite living between a couple of active small airfields with manufacturers (Handley Page at Woodley and Fairey Aviation at White Waltham) in the 1950’s and 1960’s where there were plenty of Ansons, Chipmunks, Provosts etc I never saw a Lysander -I imagine they were mostly gone even then. (I did see a Fieseler Storch in German colours landing at Shobdon near Leominster a few years ago and that was a treat!) However there is no experience like having the prototype Fairey Rotodyne fly low overhead.....All great those British aeroplanes - we really have lost something.
Shes a beauty. I had an Airfix model of the Lysander when I was maybe 10 or 11 which is why I still love this aircraft. Also, I live less than 20 miles from the Westland plant in Yeovil
THX Dave for the insight, heard plenty references to this small aircraft in books about SOE operations in WW2
Spectacular! Congratulations, what a delightful channel.
One of my favorite designs, but it’s such a quirky rattle box I’ll just enjoy at a distance.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one! I really love the detailed pilot point of view through the checklist and flight. Thanks for sharing all the little interesting details!
Great video. I had never realized what a complex airplane the Lysander is.
fantastic work on conservating this (today) unique aircraft. Very British in its kind of construction but i really love it. I hope that it will be in this condition for a very very long time.
Many times it's been said that when you stop learning you're dead. Thanks Dave for the education.
That was great Dave
For us pilots that will never get a chance, it's the next best thing
Thankyou
Many years ago there was a Lysander kept at Blackbushe airfield, not far from Farnborough. I was a mad keen aircraft spotter and it was always worth a visit when I had the chance, particularly Franborough airshow week as it was the overflow airfield.
Great video.
In the top five favourite aeroplanes for this ex-RAF Airframe Fitter. Thanks so much for the video!
Truely excellent video and narrated with clarity. Thanks.
I probably have never said that word for 55-60 years, but as soon as I saw this thumbnail I said “Lysander”. Yet I can’t remember what I want from the fridge sometimes.
That's a tricky aircraft! You are living the dream! Thank you for the video!
Beautiful aircraft. Thank you for sharing this.
What excellent narration. Fascinating. Thank you!
Now that's an plane you strap on! Plane today are so refined they fly them self's almost, glade to see that this one is old school. Great video, thanks.
When I was a kid, we rented a field for our horses next to a house owned by a lovely old gentleman who we knew as Mr Hodges, he'd talk with us every now and then and we gave him some manure for the beautiful roses he grew in his garden. Many years later, after we'd long since moved away, Mr Hodges sadly passed away, and my father sent me a link to his obituary. At this point I found out that Mr Hodges was in fact, Air Chief Marshall Sir Lewis Hodges, who flew for the SOE and was later NATO Deputy Commander in chief Allied Air forces in Central Europe.
To say I was stunned was an understatement, but I'm glad to have known him, he was a lovely man, may he rest in peace.
Good story!
Awesome machine..!
Million thanks for sharing this great video...
Movie "Allied" comes to my mind...fantastic bird...many thanks for your share.
Thanks for the video. My dad flew Lysanders into occupied France during WWII. He said it was the scariest time of his life. Alone in the air, armed with only the Webley pistol in his flying boot, and not knowing what his destination would hold.
Interesting! Who was your Dad?
I flew a Westland Lysander in the70's when I was a kid ... it was at low altitude however as I was carrying the Airfix Model I made of it in my hand as it flew around my bedroom! Nice one ... lovely to see the big one going ;-)
Great to see one of these in flight.
Man that thing is a beast. What an interesting design. Thanks for posting.
The whole clandestine operation is one of unimaginable bravery and skill. The resistance men and women bringing the shot down air crew and S O E agents to the rendesvouse , The steel nerved pilots not really knowing who was waiting for them down below in the darkness.It gives you goosbumps thinking about it. Im sure we all give our sincer and humble thanks to that band of remarkabley brave people.
Awesome aircraft... thanks for showing us this excellent piece of history!
Thank you for the narration, and all the extra fascinating information about the Lysander.
Thanks for talking about the wing slats. Always been a mystery to me.
Excellent, well narrated video - I had heard they were tricky to land, and it was a good explanation/demonstration of how it was achieved.
That trickiness that he mentioned only exists if you choose [as he did] to land 'flying', i.e. on the main wheels. There's nothing to prevent being in the three-point attitude, or close to it, for the whole of the final approach, with the slats open; and of course this had to be done for the commonly-found requirement to land in small fields. It is a STOL aircraft, by design, after all.
If you forgot that elevator trimmer on approach, you could be in for a nasty surprise. Great video. Thanks.
This one of my favorite airplanes. Nice video!
Always appreciate your cockpit videos. Thanks for taking us along for the flight.
Wow ! Great video ! Thanks for posting. You’re enormously fortunate to get fly this airplane.
I've seen the Shuttleworth Lysander during an airshow at Old Warden, where it was flown with panache and gave a great exhibition. What tickled me about your video is that it was really marvellous to be able to see inside your cockpit and imagine the difficulty of navigating across enemy territory at night looking for a faint signal, never really knowing if it was fake or not. That has got to be one of the most cramped and cluttered cockpits to be making long flights in, but I think they deliberately put all the hot oil equipment up front to help the pilot avoid freezing in the depths of winter in Europe. Thanks for a very interesting video Dave!
By all accounts an excellent aircraft for what it was designed to do. Interesting video.
There were also various modifications to the basic Lysander design. During 1940, when the German invasion was felt to be very likely, a variation of the Lysander appeared with a twin tail, like a Lancaster Bomber. And at the rear of the fuselage, between the twin fins, a four gun Boulton Paul turret was fitted. The theory being that it could be used for strafing landing beaches as the Germans came ashore...... but ultimately the design was not developed further, as plans to set the sea on fire at numerous potential landing sites, using various inflammable chemicals were well advanced at that time....as were further plans to halt the Germans if they did get ashore. But as these could be rather controversial even today, I'll say no more......
@@Brian-om2hh They were quite well described in Giles Milton's book "Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler's Defeat". Somewhat nationalistic but worth the price of admission...
@@thethirdman225 That would be it. I was aware Churchill was instrumental in it. I think the plan was intended to be implemented as part of the final defence line strategy. As you'll probably be aware, a line was chosen between two points, from one side of Britain to the other, and was fairly well fortified with the intention of halting the Germans long enough to enable Winston's nasties to be brought into play........ Ungentlemanly sums it up rather well......... Desperate times, desperate measures.
Wartime workhorse,used for just about everything. My old book published during the war gives only a brief mention of this fantastic aircraft,mostly due to censorship restrictions. Said nothing about flying agents over to Germany! One machine gun in the starboard wing for self defence,not much use against a Messerschmitt! Took a load of courage to fly these craft,and they did a damned good job. In the desert for retrieving messages,picked up by a hook suspended from the aircraft! Those guys could fly! Terrific video,so glad at last to see one of the last of those great planes in action.
These flew extensively unarmed into occupied France dropping off resistance operators and picking up American flyers. They were on the ground for minutes and rarely shut down their engines. This flying aircraft represents a lot of devotion and hard work making it air worthy again. Thank you.
Maybe the odd RAF lad too don't you think?
@@malcolmn.pearson6103 Yes, I am sure RAF bomber pilots were rescued and spirited out. Good point. Well said.
One of my favourite aircraft of WW2. Thank you for the video.
Fantastic, was hoping for video of the slats working.