Page 18 - Peter Brown

Mk 111 Vickers Wellington Medium bombers of No. 30 Operational Training Unit
(Squadron code BT) being refuelled at RAF Hixon. Up to 1943 Operational Training
crews were used on operations to boost Main Force aircraft numbers, these include
the 1000 bombers attacks against Lubeck and Cologne. It was realised that losses of
experienced O.T.U instructors and the disruption caused to the training of new crews
by diverting them to operations was counterproductive and this practice was stopped
leaving O.T.U,s to get on with training crews.

This painting depicts a 'Nickelling' operation (dropping Propaganda leaflets) over
th
th
France on the evening of 6 /7 September 1943.
The crew undertook an air bombing exercise in Wellington BT – T-Tare (in the
background) on the 13 July 1944. One wonders if the Wellington T- Tare in this line
th
up was the same Wellington the crew trained on.