Warbird Information Exchange

Hi all,

I remember a year or more back I saw a commercial for a recent TV series that was being done in Canada (probably Ontario somewhere) where they took young men from across Canada and gave them roughly the same training a bomber crew would get in the BCATP before being sent over to the war in Europe. It was to give them an idea of what life was like in the BCATP. It was a reality TV show type deal, and that's all I know about it. From what I know, I think they guys that made it to the end got to go for a ride in the CWH's Lancaster.

It sounded interesting, but without cable I was never able to see an episode to determine if it was worth watching.

Does anyone know the name of it, whether it was any good, and if it's on youtube or anything?

Cheers,

David

P.S. I think with the number of B-17's in the US, it would be a really interesting show to try and put together. Then again, on another thread on this board the point was raised that since the show wouldn't include any 600 lbs people, plastic surgeries, or disfunctional millionaires, it probably wouldn't do to well in the ratings.

There was a similar series (called 'Bomber Crew') filmed in the UK a couple of years back, with grandchildren of Bomber Command veterans as the 'crew'. Training started in a Beech 18 at Duxford, and the 'crew' then flew a 'mission' in B-17 'Sally B'.

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsi ... ombercrew/

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the reply. That also sounds like a very interesting series. I imagine the Canadian one that I thinking of was a little cheaper... probably a CBC production, but very interesting none-the-less.

Cheers,

David

Our local PBS station (KERA) aired the first segment of the series, then never aired any more. I enjoyed it. I guess the general public didn't.

Cheers!

_________________
Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

the series was called bomber boys and it showed the training that the cadets went through in ww2. the twist was that the modern day cadets were the grandsons of the actual veterans of the program. i think there were only 2 or 3 episodes. it showed mostly the on ground and classroom training and such. it was highlighted with a flight in the ontario lancaster with some of the boys grandfathers who were veterans. it was a good show although a little on the slow side. well worth watching. i would bet that it will be on again this year sometime around rememberance day. sim.

the series was called bomber boys and it showed the training that the cadets went through in ww2. the twist was that the modern day cadets were the grandsons of the actual veterans of the program. i think there were only 2 or 3 episodes. it showed mostly the on ground and classroom training and such. it was highlighted with a flight in the ontario lancaster with some of the boys grandfathers who were veterans. it was a good show although a little on the slow side. well worth watching. i would bet that it will be on again this year sometime around rememberance day. sim.

One of our local PBS stations ran Bomber Boys last year..I caught a couple of episodes and it was pretty good.

SN

Check out these two sites:

http://www.customflix.com/212916

http://www.airmuseum.ca/reach.html

bill word

Hey Bill,

Thanks for those links. I might just have to buy the DVD. Sounds really interesting. I bet with a bigger budget they could make a really exciting program. Mind you, I haven't seen it yet, so maybe it's exciting enough.

Thanks again.

Cheers,

David