Called up for National Service, Ron Andrews was delighted to join the Royal Air Force and trained as an Instrument Fitter. His first postings took him to RAF Honington and then RAF Oakington, where he worked on Avro York aircraft. He had completed his service and was ready to leave when the Russians blockaded Berlin and Operation Plainfare began. With little warning, Ron was retained and sent to Germany — scraping together kit and equipment on the way.

In his interview, Ron describes the vital role of ground crews in the Berlin Airlift: inspecting and maintaining the aircraft that kept the city supplied. He recalls one flight that could have ended in disaster, and how he filled his downtime fruit picking to the delight of local families.

Although he knew his work was essential, Ron speaks frankly about the personal cost of having his demob stopped. His memories reveal the dedication, frustration and unexpected human connections that kept the Airlift flying.

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Jimmy Taylor joined the RAF at 19 to avoid being drafted into the army or working in a coal mine. Motivated by his passion for aviation, he secretly enlisted at a recruiting centre in Reading. His training took him across the UK and eventually to Canada and the United States. Jimmy experienced the harsh discipline of American military training, but despite these challenges, he excelled and became an instructor. He volunteered to instruct American cadets, as the RAF needed to supply 10% of its graduates to train new students. Jimmy trained 20 cadets, enjoying every moment, especially teaching formation flying and buzzing the airfield with his students beside him. In October 1943, he returned to England. His role in the Second Tactical Air Force involved long-distance reconnaissance, mapping future battle areas and updating outdated maps with accurate photographs. While weather often hindered flights, he maintained a vigilant watch over German jet airfields, which included managing risks from German radar detection. On one occasion, while photographing airfields near Rhina, he experienced engine failure and opted to bail out, eventually landing in a field in occupied Holland. After avoiding capture, he planned his escape westward toward Utrecht, aware of the dangers posed by locals and the ongoing German occupation.

Starting as a Bevin Boy, Alan Hewett, struggled to settle down after being demobbed. Determined to follow his dream, Alan joined the RAF. Originally stationed at RAF Melksham, Alan met his future wife, Eve. Later he was sent to North Luffenham, working as a mechanical engineer, Alan replaced Dakota aeroplane engines during the Berlin Airlift. Although RAF Luffenham wasn’t a very social place, Alan reflects on how his downtime was spent there. After serving as an instructor at Melksham and on tour in Iraq, Alan was meant to be demobbed. Instead he took a job at RAF Crawley, building the De Havilland Comet 2 flight simulator. At RAF Little Rissington, Alan became the chief in charge of simulators for the NATS, which later became the Red Arrows. Lastly, Alan reflects on the independence and self-reliance that his time spent in the RAF taught him. He details how his 22 years of service shaped his confidence, work ethic, and even his marriage, affording him with an overall ‘great life’.