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Berlin Air Lift
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Message 1.Β
Posted by anitamo (U5717936) on Wednesday, 19th May 2010
Hello folks, I haven't posted on this board before, I am usually over on the Family History board. I am trying to find out about Britain's involvement in the Berlin Air Lift, especially the WAAF's involvement. Any ideas as to where I can get the info would be appreciated. Thanks
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Message 2
Posted by Vizzer aka U_numbers (U2011621) on Wednesday, 19th May 2010
The Berlin Airlift in popular history has tended to be presented as an overwhelingly American affair and the US aircrew who took part are famously remembered as the 'Candy Bombers'. The RAF, however, is said to have provided around half of the planes which took part in the airlift.
There is a simple explanation for this. As the saying goes - an image is worth a thousand words - and so it was with the Berlin Airlift. The newly formed US Air Force (less than a year old at the time of the airlift) had the benefit (in terms of publicity) of having its planes fly directly in to the centre of Berlin to Tempelhof Airport in the American Sector. This mean that ordinary Berliners (and no few press photographers and newsreel cameramen too) could get spectacular views and images of US Air Force planes in their brand new livery coming in to land.
The very many RAF planes taking part in the airlift, on the other hand, landed in the UK Sector at RAF Gatow. This airbase, however, lay on the outskirts of the city in a predominantly rural area and so (as far as popular history is concerned) the RAF (and other Commonwealth) contribution was out of sight and therefore out of mind. -
Message 3
Posted by anitamo (U5717936) on Thursday, 20th May 2010
Thank you for that information Vizzer, all the sites I looked on seemed to extol the virtues of the American Air Force but very little about the RAF. I am trying to find out what involvement the WAAFs had as my husband's Aunt was part of a rescue mission and we were told she was given an award.
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Message 4
Posted by baz (U14258304) on Thursday, 20th May 2010
Anitamo, it works both ways. Some people love to bash the yanks, and may give a distorted picture themselves.
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Message 5
Posted by OUNUPA (U2078829) on Thursday, 20th May 2010
In some ways the situation facing the Western Powers at the time of blocade of Berlin in 1948 by the soviets was similar to that facing Great Britain when she embarked upon the Falklands Islands campaign four decades later ...it was one of peacetime readiness for an emergency involving the use of military means of transport.In the case of the Falklands it involved the movement of men and materials thousands of miles by sea- in the case of Berlin it involved the movement of supplies, fuel and food relatively short distance, but by air/ in both cases the speed of response to an emergency was demonstrated.
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Message 6
Posted by OUNUPA (U2078829) on Thursday, 20th May 2010
Initially the RAF and the USAF carried out separate,independent airlift missions, but in October 1948 these were merged in a Combined Air Lift Task Force in order to ensure maximum utilization of the resources of both participants.
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Message 7
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Thursday, 20th May 2010
I'm don't think the idea has grown up that it was a mainly American affair. US sites tend to concentrate on the US contribution because, hey, they are US sites. The ones I have looked at do mention the British contribution. It is a fact the Yanks lifted much more tonnage - they had bigger airplanes.
The British contribution (RAF and civilian) was OPERATION PLAINFARE (The US name was OP VITTLES)
From the British perspective, the operation saw the innovative use of Short Sunderland flying boats, landing on the Havel (but their use was a sign of how over-extended the RAF transport fleet was) and also saw the first operational use of the Handley-Page Hastings, which enetered service in November 1948.
Of more relevance to your husband's aunt, OP PLAINFARE was also the swansong of the WAAF - on 1 Feb 49 the WAAF adopted the original (WWI) title of the RAF's female service and became the Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF), a much more appropriate name.
If you think she was decorated, try entering her name on the National Archive site.
LW -
Message 8
Posted by anitamo (U5717936) on Thursday, 20th May 2010
Thanks for your answers people, it has been much appreciated.
LW, I tried that but nothing showed up. I am going to the National Archives later this year so I might try asking for assistance then! Thanks again everyone. -
Message 9
Posted by WarsawPact (U1831709) on Thursday, 20th May 2010
As chance would have it, I was at the RAF Museum at Cosford on Sunday, and they had a display on the Cold War and the Berlin Airlift.
From their website, the RAF started the operation using Dakotas, but soon supplemented them with Avro Yorks flying from Wunsdorf to Gatow (29,000 sorties carrying 230,000 tons) and Handley Page Hastings flying from Schleswigland to Tegal Airport (12,396 sorties carrying 55,000 tons) -
Message 10
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Sunday, 23rd May 2010
anitamo
That's a pity. You could try using initials rather than Christain names, and just her first name, or all names, depending on what you have tried already. It also helps to define a time range (suggest 1949-1952).
But the NA staff will help.
LW -
Message 11
Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Sunday, 23rd May 2010
One of the lasting effects of the Airlift was that Tegel Airport was built in the French sector to increase the capacity for receiving flights.
Subsequently, Tegel rapidly outstripped Tempelhof in the US sector, because as has been noted, Tempelhof is right in the centre of the city. Gatow was not a commercial rival and closed in 1995 after the RAF withdrew.
Temeplhof is now also closed, and Tegel is scheduled to go in 2012 when the new airport outside the city opens.
Much nicer for Berliners - no more noisy aeroplanes, but I suspect added nausea for business visitors. Getting to and from Tegel is bad enough as it is.
If anyone goes to Berlin, there are plenty of Airlift-related things to see. And locals of a certain age (in the old Western Sector, anyway)bring it up at the drop of hat..
LW
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