Air combat expensive

Video file

Description
Mr. Campbell discusses the economic impact of keeping just one bomber in the air.

William Campbell

William Campbell was born on March 14, 1920 in Almont, Ontario. His father was a First World War veteran, and his brother had enlisted when World War Two broke out. Mr. Campbell enlisted in the Haldeman Rifles, but after not being called up he switched to the Air Force. After training in Canada, he went to England and joined a Blenheim crew. Mr. Campbell was deployed to Middle East Command, where he took part in successful bombing raids against Rommel's fuel and ammunition stores. He was then sent to the Far East to participate in the bombing runs to Burma and China. Mr. Campbell was fortunate to survive a crash landing after an engine failure. While still stationed in India he also instructed American pilots in low-level bombing techniques.

Transcript
Well you have an expensive machine, varying costs, you have, we figured it cost fifty thousand dollars to train each of us. But a little wee Blenheim like that, you got three guys that’s one hundred and fifty thousand for openers, not counting the airplane or the bombs or anything. We always figured that that’s what it cost and I think we were low because it takes 14 guys to keep a guy in the air. So when you consider all your people, all your radio guys, your riggers and your fitters and all those guys, armorers, it’s a lot of people. They’re all, most of them non-commissioned, but they go right to W 01 and that’s a... you have a fair investment, everybody, costs a lot of money.

Meta Data
Medium
Video
Owner
Veterans Affairs Canada
War, Conflict or Mission
Second World War
Person Interviewed
William Campbell
Branch
Air Force
Units/Ship
159 Squadron
Military Rank
Sergeant
Occupation
Navigator
Duration
1:24
Date modified: