Flying Boats, Fathers and Fate

This book came into existence due to a remarkable coincidence that Trevor Richter and his friend Richard Russell stumbled upon quite by accident. Having known each other for thirty years, they belatedly discovered that their fathers, Bob Richter and Jim Russell, both RAF flying-boat pilots during World War II, had once served together on the same squadron in the Far East. Unfortunately, this revelation arrived too late for the two former comrades to reunite or realize that they had lived just a few miles apart throughout their postwar lives after being demobilized at the end of the conflict.

Trevor embarked on a journey to uncover everything he could about their wartime experiences, resulting in this heartfelt tribute to both men and their accomplishments. His research led him to delve deeper into the theater of war in the Far East, the Short Sunderland and Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boats that Jim and Bob piloted, and the squadron they both belonged to at one time—No. 205 Squadron RAF—stationed at Koggala on the island of Ceylon.

Flying boats captivate aviation enthusiasts, and the Sunderland and Catalina are both iconic in this regard. Their long range and ability to land on water rendered them particularly valuable in the Indian Ocean, where vast distances separated destinations and proper airfields were scarce, while estuaries, lagoons, and rivers provided ample landing opportunities.

Trevor skillfully weaves Bob and Jim's personal stories into a broader narrative by contrasting them with significant events occurring as the two young airmen underwent their training and made their separate journeys to the Far East, culminating in their eventual meeting. Through this approach, he offers an enlightening perspective on the war and the remarkable feats accomplished by countless young men from diverse civilian backgrounds.

Publisher - Woodfield Publishing Ltd

Language - English

Perfect Bound

Contributors

By author

Trevor Richter

Published Date - 2016-02-17

ISBN - 9781846831683

Dimensions - 29.7 x 21 x 0.9 cm

Page Count - 158