The Influence Behind My Collection
Looking back as far as I can into my memory bank, it is evident that my fascination with WWII started with "Reach for the Sky" a film spanning the career of Douglas Steuart Bader in the Royal Air Force played by Kenneth More.
Recommended Viewing;
the original film I received on VHS & a newer DVD release.
For those of you that aren't familiar with the name, Sir Douglas Bader was a young British Pilot Officer in the RAF who lost both legs in a flying accident in 1931. When war broke out in 1939 and after much perseverance Bader was reinstated as a fighter pilot. During the Battle of Britain he held the title of Squadron Leader of No. 242 Squadron, a mainly Canadian outfit that flew Hawker Hurricanes. 242 Squadron claimed 62 kills during the battle and Bader was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Image: Sqd. Leader Bader on the wing of his Hurricane.
In March 1941 Bader was promoted to Wing Commander and had 3 Squadrons of Supermarine Spitfires under his command (Sqd. 145, 610 & 616). The commander obtained his personal identification markings "D-B" on his Spitfire giving rise to the famous radio call sign "Dogsbody". Bader was shot down in August 1941 and imprisoned in the infamous Colditz Castle after making numerous escape attempts. The Castle was liberated in by US forces in 1945. At the end of the war Bader was given the honour of leading a fly-past of 300 aircraft in victory over London. Bader's final score was 20 and 4 shared enemy aircraft destroyed, 6 and 1 shared destroyed and 11 damaged.
Image: My 1/72 scale Corgi die-cast model Spitfire MKIIA
baring identification markings "D-B"
The movie is relatively old at this stage and is shot in black and white but the story is so inspiring and has had a big impact on my life and view on things. In hindsight this film and the story of Douglas Bader has been the inspiration behind my attempts to join the Army and he is one of my hero's. In the words of the legend himself -
"Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't do this or that. That's nonsense. Make up your mind, you'll never use crutches or a stick, then have a go at everything. Go to school, join in all the games you can. Go anywhere you want to. But never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible."
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