Bidspirit auction | WW2 RAF Doug MacLennan 617

WW2 RAF Doug MacLennan 617 sqn signed 1995 Christmas FDC Concorde flown. Cambridge stamps cover depicting Lancasters 617 sqn RAF Waddington 1945. Robin York special postmark on full set 5 Xmas stamps. Flown by Concorde, cachet on back. Rare numbered 10 of 25 issued. Shot down in 1944. The aircraft, 617 Squadron (Apres moi, le deluge) Lancaster I NF 920 KC-E nicknamed ”Easy Elsie” piloted by Flying Officer DW Carey DFC RAAF, departed from RAF Milltown, Scotland Click for Google Map at 01:14, to attack the battleship Tirpitz which had been moved from Alten Fjord Click for Google Map to Tromso Fjord in Norway Click for Google Map after the partially successful attack by 617 and 9 Squadrons on September 11, 1944 (Operation Paravane). On this operation (Operation Obviate) the target was covered in cloud, and despite making several bombing runs, none of the crews could get a satisfactory view of the target. Thus, none of the bombers scored a hit on the battleship, although there was one near miss. After six runs over the target, NF 920 was badly damaged by flak and in no condition to make it back to Scotland, so the crew flew it through the mountains to neutral Sweden and force-landed in a bog near Porjus, Lapland Click for Google Map. Flying Officer Carey was injured but the rest of the crew were unharmed and they all survived to became Interned Prisoners. There was one Canadian on board, Bomb Aimer, Pilot Officer Douglas Hayden MacLennan (RCAF). The Pilot, Flying Officer Daniel William Carey DFC (RAAF), Rear Air-Gunner, Flying Officer Gerald Augustine Andrew Witherick DFM (RAFVR), Navigator, Pilot Officer Alexander Millar McKie DFM (RAFVR), Flight Engineer, Flight Sergeant LW Franks (RAFVR) and Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Flight Sergeant Arthur Ernest Young (RAFVR). There were only six aircrew aboard as the top turret had been removed to lessen the overall weight of the aircraft and improve its range. . Good condition Est.