Tony Pickering, born in 1920, vividly recounts how his passion for aviation was ignited at the age of 16 when a Royal Air Force plane made an emergency landing near his home in Leicestershire. This pivotal moment inspired him to join the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1938, where he began flying Tiger Moths before advancing to Hurricanes and Spitfires. Tony served with 501 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, flying Hurricanes to intercept German bombers. On one mission, his aircraft was critically damaged by enemy fire, forcing him to parachute out over Surrey. Undeterred, he quickly returned to action, playing a vital role in Britain’s defence against Nazi air attacks. Later in the war, he flew escort missions for bombers over France and transitioned to flying Spitfires, which he continued to pilot for the rest of the conflict. Beyond combat, Tony took on roles as a test pilot, instructor, and gunnery trainer, contributing to the RAF’s operational strength and the training of future pilots. His interview provides a vivid account of the diverse roles undertaken by RAF pilots during the war, offering an enduring testament to the courage, adaptability, and dedication of those who defended Britain’s skies.

John Edward Lee joined the Royal Air Force as a pilot navigator after working at the Ministry of Supply. He trained abroad before completing the RAF observer course in navigation, bomb aiming, signals, and gunnery. After training in Lossiemouth Scotland, he joined the No. 76 Squadron as a Lancaster navigator. John flew in thirty-one bombing raids and experienced several close calls flying at 18,000 feet, under attack and blinded by enemy searchlights. He later recalls the stunning sight of thousands of ships below as he flew across the channel on D-Day. After his crew disbanded, they reunited at RAF Moreton-in-the-Marsh. John then extended his service, becoming a navigation instructor and radar specialist, teaching crews’ telemetry for atom bomb drops. He later trained on Vickers Valiants and Wellington Bombers, issuing targets and briefing missions in Russia. John described his RAF career as fascinating and fulfilling, proud of his role and contributions.

Having always wanted to fly with the RAF, Ralph Tyrrell MBE joined the newly-formed Air Training Corps in 1941. Starting as a Cadet, Ralph’s involvement in the war effort would take him all over the world, and introduce him to a wonderful crew with memories to last a lifetime.  Being part a reliable, high-spirited crew was important, especially in a unit as treacherous as Bomber Command. During the Second World War, the RAF’s Bomber Command suffered the highest number of casualties out of any British unit, and for Ralph and his crew, the risk was all too well-known. Although Lancaster Bombers weren’t the most comfortable to fly in, Ralph's crew was well prepared thanks to their intensive training, alongside the addition of a few lucky mascots to keep morale high. Looking back at his time in Bomber Command, in this film Ralph recalls the happy times and great camaraderie he shared with his crew, as well as his thoughts on some of the more controversial decisions made during the war, like the raids undertaken in Dresden, Germany. Returning to the UK as an Officer, Ralph was awarded an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 1993, for fifty years of service in the Air Training Corps, and continued to raise funds each year for the Wings Appeal, in aid of the RAF Association. At the end of the war, though it was difficult to say goodbye to his crew, who had all become like brothers, Ralph was deeply proud to have served his country, retaining his gratitude for the RAF, for helping to shape him from a boy into a man.