Dances With Wolves Posted December 4, 2016 Share Posted December 4, 2016 (edited) Hi folks: I recently posted my completed build of 'Altair' here - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235012902-hasegawa-172-liberator-altair/ but there's more to this Pathfinder Liberator, her skipper, Tom Scotland and my uncle, Ted Budd than is generally known. The following is a brief summary of Tom's account in his book 'Voice from the Stars - a Pathfinders Story' on the potentially momentous evening of December 24 1944, by my brother Nick. "Christmas menu for the Squadron dinner held in Foggia. Ted and Tom nearly missed the Squadron Christmas meal, for an incredible Op that was aborted at short notice. 'Altair' and its crew were tasked at short notice with target marking Berchtesgaden, as intelligence had intercepted messages that the Fuehrer was going to be at the Berghof for Christmas. Mosquitos were to immediately follow up, using 'Altair's' target marking to precision bomb the building, in an attempt to kill Hitler. As 'Altair' stood ready to depart on the runway on Christmas Eve at Amendola with engines idling, a jeep finally appeared out of the falling snow to give the order to stand down. Intelligence had intercepted communication that Hitler remained in Berlin. An incredible story of a momentous objective that ultimately never happened, where Tom and Ted so nearly found themselves unexpectedly flying the mission of their lives, to foreshorten the war and alter the course of history. I hope Ted, Tom and the crew enjoyed their meal." That Tom and his crew were selected to lead on such a task speaks volumes for them all. An interesting side note in the history of one Liberator among over 19,000 others. Steve Edited December 4, 2016 by Dances With Wolves 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DStewart Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Interesting story. From the menu it looks like rationing didn't exist in Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveCromie Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 That is a very interesting story, I'm guessing that the intelligence came from Bletchley Park after opening an ENIGMA signal? It is intriguing to run the 'what if?' scenario through your head had the mission gone ahead succesfully. I wonder how much of the Christmas menu was obtained from the Italian locals supplies? As Stewart says, it certainly doesn't look like a rationed meal! DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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