Hawker Typhoon veteran has dream flight fulfilled
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2020
- Bernard Gardiner is one of the last remaining WWII Hawker Typhoon pilots and a strong supporter of the project to rebuild Hawker Typhoon RB396. He flew the Hurricane and Typhoon during the war, but one aircraft eluded him - the Spitfire. Bernard originally joined the Royal Air Force on the 3rd October 1940, while the Battle of Britain raged overhead. Almost exactly 80 years later the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group (HTPG) arranged something incredibly special for him to thank him for his service, but also his strong support of the fundraising efforts being made to return RB396 to flight.
To find out more about the project to rebuild RB396 please visit the website: www.hawkertyphoon.com.
We would like to thank Hideaway Studios for creating this video for us.
I am from Belgium, and I want to say thank you for liberate us twice.
Thank you to al the brave young men who are no longer here.
As a 47 year pilot myself , you can see the love of flying in his face and to salute this gentleman this way was the best anyone could do . I am a vet as well us flying vets could really understand .
70 plus years on and he still scans the instruments like it was yesterday! Thank you Bernard and all of your fellow pilots.
Definition of OG. We will never witness a generation of this calibre again. 98 years old, you throw him in a Spitty and he instinctively starts scanning the skies. Legendary.
You can see the expression on his face, he was back in his element. Thank you for your service to your country and an inspiration to all pilots
Bernards generation were and are so special. As time goes by and we loose them we must never forget the men and women who did their duty so well. God bless you Bernard.
Look at the eyes scanning the skies. A real hero, then and now. Brings shame on the generations of self serving whingers of today. Thank you Bernard, an inspiration.
Well said!! I grew up with the Greatest Generation !! Thank You to all The World 2 vets and all Veterans for their service!!!!
Hi Paul, I agree with you 110%, that guy makes me VERY envious, and he is one of the last true WWII warriors.
I noticed that before I read your comment...absolutely amazing; as if he was expecting Bandits to come diving out of the sun
Would that be the self-serving whingers that were killed, injured or disabled in Iraq and Afghanistan?
@@briancampbell7569 always someone isn't there! Our Armed Services are one of the last institutions of pride, bravery and national service amongst the whinging, self loathing, me-me-me, criticise everything society we seem to live in today.
But I think you know that.
Thank you for your service Bernard, the free people of this world are forever in your debt.
Thank you Bernard for your service to your country and the free world. Great to see that a Typhoon is being restored/rebuilt to flight.
Brought tears to my eyes honestly with Nimrod as the music. Very few of these lads left and we need to celebrate them even when they are gone and all their compatriots from near and far who strapped themselves in and flew out to meet the challenge.
Couldn't agree more .... its the younger generation that need to wake up to the reality of what these people gave for us all.
We simply cannot thank the Bernard’s of the world enough!
My Dad, W.O. Nicholls joined up in 1944 to serve. He's gone now, but would have loved to see this. God bless you Dad, and all your RAF companions past and present, you're still my biggest hero.
So sad to see thumbs down- it is thanks to men like this that they have a choice in today’s world. I salute this former Typhoon pilot and all who flew to save us from not having a choice.
They just don't appreciate what Bernard and his colleagues went through, climbing in to those cockpits every day not knowing if they were coming back, brave men
Hear hear
Disgusting isn't it?
@@robdean704-Yes, indeed it is. I think there are people out there who would put a thumbs down on anything-a pity they can do it anonymously.
YES!
Our best generation.
I miss my old folks.
Brianne C. Me too. My parents lived through the War, and I can only imagine the things they experienced, like air raids, the nightly blackouts and rationing. They were always loving, caring and kind, and like so many others of their generation they had the sort of integrity which so few people have today.
You are not alone,the ones we look up to are gradually leaving us....
Not many of our ww2 heroes left. God bless you Bernard. Respect. Can’t wait to see the beautiful typhoon restored.
I briefly had the priveledge to become friends with a multi decorated pilot who flew both the Tempest and Typhoon heavy fighters during WW2 before his death in 2006 . Twice member of the 'Goldfish Club' , Flt Officer Bruce Lawless of the RNZAF . He would not talk much about his exploits but would rather gas about anything else over a pint of beer , so some of this may be my error not his ! He flew Tempest JR349 from SAS( Tangmere?) and promptly ditched that in the Channel on return from a sortie .He was ordered to the MOD for debriefing on how to safely ditch the type as the manual required the pilot to parachute out and not stay with the aircraft because of it basking shark mouth air intake for the radiator etc. During the V1 attacks on London he officially accounted for 19 but his colleagues stated many more were downed by Bruce saving countless lives . He later flew the Typhoon PD508 of 198 Squadron RAF Manston TPT , in a ground attack role during the German offensive in the Ardennes for which he received medals from the US , France and UK . He talked about how well the German tanks would " brew up" when hit . He the flew that aircraft until it crashed due to engine failure on 13th April 1945 . He wasn't into debriefing after sorties preferring to get to the pub or club for a few pints and would not claim kills in action . In fact his fuselage artwork was a foaming jug of beer . R I P Bruce . His records decorations citations and other items can be seen at the East Essex Aviation Museum , Tower A Point Clear , St. Osyth , Essex where he settled for many years after his retirement . Sadly many RNZAF pilots lost their lives during the Ardennes offensive simply due to poor weather conditions which grounded most aircraft or tiredness flying continuous missions . Respects to those that gave their lives can be made at the Memorial Cemetry at Potton in Belgium , sadly a cemetery that seldom gets visitors due to its location far from the famous cemeteries at the beaches of Normandy .
True to say we owe our society and freedom to soldiers, sailors and airmen like him.
I have a great affinity with the Typhoon as my father was ground crew attached to 174 & 175 squadrons
Have you checked out our Typhoon Initiative For Family (TIFFy) Gerald? Details are on our website, hawkertyphoon.com 174 squadron was the squadron RB396 was attached to, and that is the aircraft we are raising the funds to rebuild.
Hey Bernard! There are more people than you know that are familiar with the story of the Tiffie pilots. Thank you and your mates for hanging in there and doing the job as tough as was. Hope you got some stick time in that Spit! God bless, and a thumbs up from the US.
the glint is still in the eye,what they saw and lived can never be realized fully...
Totally agree, makes you wonder what was going through his mind during the flight
Thank you sir . And to your pals that never came home🇬🇧❤️
I'm willing to bet he could get in a Hurricane and fly it right now...
Guaranteed.
He did! ua-cam.com/video/8eaRiOgcyZc/v-deo.html
I hope that he might see this? I wish to say a huge thank you to him and all the other's involved back then! My mum was a W.R.A.F and died last year aged 95! Thank you to you guys giving heim that flight! We MUST never forget the sacrifice that was made back then! Bernard Gardiner thank you for what you did for all of us!
From the U.S.A.- Wishing all blue skies always and all the best in the successful completion of your Typhoon restoration project.
These old warriors still look and speak pretty smart. Spits ok too!
As someone who was born less than 20 years after young men like Bernard were doing their thing, I want to thank them all for the freedom they won for me! Thankyou Bernard so so much!
The Finest Generation that this country ever produced. A fitting tribute along with Nimrod from Elgar played by the RAF band at the cenotaph.
You, admirable British and other HM people, I want to tell my admiration for all the brilliant engineering, design and originality you had (still have) in those sad and hard times, and we, the French, we know what the huge reconnaissance we always must keep in mind and in our heart; you know when I was a kid (‘69 born), my first little kid question about the WWII to those who used to suffer the terrible era, at each time they always finished the answer with « you know those were sad times, but fortunately we had De Gaulle, Winston Churchill and the Brits, the Spitfire and the RAF » and of course the americans who later set my beloved Normandy free; so thank you to all of you who fought, fell, survived to keep the symbols of the air fight and freedom, and keep those state of the Art aircrafts in the best condition, they are symbol of the fight for liberty; I saw few years ago now, a team is gathering parts to rebuild a Hawker Typhoon, what a challenge, but I’ve absolutely no doubt the project will end in a Victory, « who dares wins » as you say...
Thank You !
It's all well remembering the Spit but don't forget the Hurricane during BoB that helped allow Britain to hold out longer and build the Typhoon, Tempest, Mosquito, Lancaster etc. I think they were unlucky to have De Gaulle as he was an arrogant twat and more of a hindrance.
@@josephking6515 knowing well Charles De Gaulle’s history and life, I can’t agree with you
Great comment and good wishes to all in beloved Normandy.
I was a child at the time. This brings tears and gratitude
The men of his generation preformed miracles of strength and endurance every time they flew a mission. Lest We Forget them all. Best wishes from Australia, Denis.
O7 Sir, you are truly part of the Greatest Generation. They don't make em like you any more.
Thank you for honoring this warrior and all his companions in those dark days long ago
Don't know if it was 'Nimrod' or the fact this absolute hero was back in the skies. Very big lump in the throat and I swear someone is peeling onions ....
God bless and keep you Sir. Thank you and all your generation for what you gave, what you did and keeping us and Europe free.
What a badass bird and with a real hero in it! We need hearts like his in our continuing fight against fascism.
Feast your eyes upon a real man - well done Sir!
The smile on that mans face on takeoff was priceless. A true hero to the free world. Thank you sir for your service for freedom. I hope the Typhoon gets restored soon so he can get a ride in it before he passes.
The smile on his face says it all :)
Bravo! Thank you so much for posting. My father was a WWII Army combat veteran, landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day with the Fightin' 29th Inf. Division ["LET'S GO!"]. All at the ripe old age of 19, he was wounded outside St. Lo a week later and captured by the Germans, liberated a year later. Thank you so much for keeping the memories alive . . . lest we forget . . . .
Loved seeing the big grin on his face. God bless, Bernard and thank you.
Awesome. Hate music videos with aeroplane videos but Nimrod was a great choice.
Remarkably good mobility for a 101 year old!
A beautiful tribute, and the music was very moving, out a tear in my eye.
God Bless Bernard
Yes!!👍👍go and rebuild that typhoon, marvelous plane👌good luck!
Well, as soon as the funds are raised she can be built! We're getting there, but still need support to progress.
Not a chance there are no tears, this is incredible. What an awesome experience for this hero and his accompanying pilot.
Uhm, I seem to have something in my eye... Got to love his cheeky smile and the glint in his eyes. Bravo sir and thank you for what you (plus your friends & colleagues) did for us !
Watching Bernard's face a flood of memories are discernible in the subtle, gentle ways you would anticipate from someone who could not have become anything but an exceptional man.
This can be stated with confidence because Bernard endured more than most of us can imagine and not only during the war but ever since, as the memory of such experiences does not fade.
Yet Bernard has persevered with quiet strength and dignity for a particularly long lifetime and, if experience serves as a reliable measure, then many has likely been the time when while he sat in quiet solitude he has wept for his mates but would probably never admit to much less discuss it.
Nonetheless a hard edge, an inherent toughness the sum of their experiences could not help but impart to all such men can also be seen not far beneath the tranquil surface of his customary expression.
No footage of any instruments available in the rear cockpit of the Spitfire appeared in the accompanying file I watched.
But it was fascinating to see a level of airmanship which kept Bernard alive through the lethal maelstrom of World War Two resume smoothly for him almost as if he were transported back over eighty years literally rather than vicariously.
A quick but thorough scan inside every few seconds then Bernard's eyes were back out quartering the sky as best someone of his venerable age could manage.
With it's enormous power and airscrew necessary to exploit it came significantly greater weight.
Consequently the Hawker Typhoon Bernard flew instead of the more glamorous Spitfire which will always be more innately elegant and appealing, was able to approach the speed of sound in a dive with relative ease.
But doing so was fraught with many dangers as the effects of transonic flight were unknown at the time the type hastily entered service and numerous pilots lost their lives due to inability to deal with things like compressibility'.
The Typhoon was designed and introduced to service in relative haste as there was urgent need of an aircraft with it's general capabilities for numerous reasons
Not least among them, was intercepting a new Nazi terror weapon considered to be the first of several 'weapons of retribution' against Britain which Hitler demanded be developed which was officially designated the V1 and technically was the first true cruise missile.
The V1 or 'buzz bomb' as the stoic British public came to call it, was self guided and powered by a basic pulse-jet engine enabling it to carry a substantial payload of explosives in level flight at speeds fighter aircraft of the time could not maintain or even safely sustain for long during and after a dive.
An unconventional 24 cylinder, sleeve-valve, 2,500hp Napier engine was installed in the Typhoon and later in the Tempest.
The engine produced high levels of toxic carbon monoxide gas with it's exhaust which tended to quickly flood the cockpit, so pilot's had to use pure oxygen from the moment the engine started or risk being gassed unconscious and killed as a number were before the hazard was identified.
Many people have always maintained the opinion that the Spitfire is in many ways a superior fighter aircraft, however it was always intended that the Spitfire be nothing but a fighter.
The mighty, multi-role Typhoon and it's more sophisticated descendant the Tempest were also purpose built to fill specific roles the Spitfire simply could not.
As such, they were actually considerably more challenging to master and fly than their smaller, more agile and in some ways forgiving cousin.
In some respects the Typhoon in particular was an inherently difficult and dangerous aircraft to fly even for the most experienced pilots, therefore all due recognition must be accorded Bernard and all like him who flew them.
What a tremendous gift this experience must have been for one of a very small number of legendary hero's who thankfully persist among us for so long.
Bernard is set apart by inclusion to the company of men who for the most part would have seemed to be ordinary chaps until they answered a call to do extraordinary things because their nation needed them to!
God bless Bernard and all like him because they have earned our perpetual, unfailing gratitude, respect and remembrance.
Well said
The smile on Bernards face says it all..... Thankyou for your service and that of your flying friends in the Hawker Hurricanes and Typhoons,without the Pilots and those planes it makes you shudder to think what the World would be like now. The Typhoon was a Beautiful Aircraft and well designed for the jobs it had to do " A Typhoon pilot was asked wouldn’t you have liked to have flown Spitfires though ? “ and his response " Not on your Nelly ". My Father who passed away in April was ex RAF and made a huge RC Typhoon years ago and the stories he told....My dream was to get him a flight in a Spitfire but now he has his own wings and is probably up there every time a plane flies from Duxford,my Father loved Duxford and all its History. Would have been his Birthday end of this November. Miss you Dad. Love you. Your passion for Flying and Duxford lives on in me. ❤️
I love the way Bernard is tanding smartly to attention in front of the aircraft.....old habits. Well done Sir.
God Bless him - and all of them who fought so bravely to preserve our fast dwindling freedoms. 😔
I've only just watched this, but thank you Bernard for your service. It's men like you that have enabled us to live in a free country today.
Thank you for sharing and raising awareness of the Typhoon and its pilots. My grandfather was a Hurricane and Typhoon pilot with the 486th RNZAF.
Check out our Typhoon Initiative For Family (TIFFy) on our website. Part of this project is telling the stories of those who had a part to play, like your grandfather, support at the right level can enable you to have a name (which could be a family member/veteran) engraved on the finished aircraft, forevermore. www.hawkertyphoon.com
What a special old boy.. Thank you so much for your service.
A hero back in the air riding in the greatest plane ever built no doubt about it
when you have given your all sacrificed everything and still walk the earth a memorial to these people should be at least made to them as their type will not come this way again!
That is the purpose of this project, raising the funds for RB396 so she can be that memorial and fly in their honour.
all those war time & flying memories , to hear him recount some them would be amazing
Most would see a WW ll Vet flying an aircraft, but what I see is a man who's been transported back in time to the prime of his youth...one can only imagine the thoughts running through his head and the memories he's recalling.
God Bless Aerial Collective for making this happen.
As straight as a ramrod. All right son let’s see what she’ll do.
The H.G. Hawker Aircraft Ltd. Kingston on Thames. 🇬🇧
How wonderful! Something very moving about seeing a veteran take to the skies after all these years and in very different circumstances. Sorry, something in my eye. 💪🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Fantastic. Well done everyone and Skipper Bernard...xx🤗🤗
My goosebumps had goosebumps throughout that... Absolutely marvellous. Saluted Sir.
What a lovely man and thank you for all you men did for us
Das ist die Generation die uns die Freiheit brachten DANKE SIR
Thank you Sir for your service Bee Beaumont also loved the Typhoon he said the last model Spit was really a Typhoon by a different name
Amazing old boy.god bless him
Thank you Bernard.
...brings tears to ones eyes.🙏✊
What a wonderful thing to have done for Bernard --- it would have been good to see him take control. Anyway, it gave me Goose bumps! and brought back memories of a period of my apprenticeship at Westland when as a post graduate in the early 80s, I was working under the supervision of Bill Wilson Asst Chief Mechanical Stress Engineer, on gearcase loads. He was a Tiffy pilot--- never very forthcoming of his exploits --- pretty typical of these heroes. Great video. Thank you.
He did take control, you may not see it in this video, but he did!
What a privelidge to see Bernard being aloft in the skies again with Paul " a very safe pair of hands ".
We thank you Sir for your part in keeping this country free from the Nazi tyranny, lest we forget.
I shall be watching with interest the progress on RB396
Thank you sir, we could not thank you enough.
Eternal salutes from me boys
I haven't to say the Hawker Typhoon has to be equal in many ways to the Spitfire, it's amazing to see such a tribute as time dissolves the past.
God bless you Sir and thank you.
By the way the Typhoon is in no way a forgotten legend, it will be forever remembered.
... Imagine... the memories, the sights, sounds, smell Bernard has seen. It is through him, we sit at our computers now - free to make choices. Free to decide. Free to determine our next steps. Frankly, we owe him & his generation - everything.
nice dream for an old pilot
My aunty was the managing director's secretary at Napiers during the war and immediate post war period. Napiers manufactured the Sabre engined which was installed in the Typhoon. That factory, on the Uxbridge Road, West London, along with CAV Lucas was a prime target for the Luftwaffe. So much so that the site defense included a naval pom-pom mounted on a railway flat-bed wagon siting on the siding behind the factory. Its was moved daily along the sidings to different positions to avoid being zeroed-in on. The factory was not more than 200 yards from the residential "Garden suburb" of Bedford Park.
Worst of times bought out the best in people - Bernard is one of them. Thank you sir.
The memories he must have had walking out to the aircraft.
Thank you to all the men and women who gave their all and more for our freedom! Forever will be remembered! Never forgotten!
Thanks Bernard just gets into the cockpit looking around all the time. The Typhoon 🌀 Bernard would of flown as low as 100 feet taking out 🎯 target's 🚂 train's, tanks we owe Bernard and his former Typhoon 🌀 pilots so much the Typhoon 🌀 at the time was an advanced low level ground attack aircraft that the Germans where terrified of. The Typhoons 🌀 sometimes worked in Tandem with P47 Thunderbolts both the Typhoon 🌀 pilots and P47 pilots had respect for each other because both doing one of the most dangerous jobs in World 🌎 War 2 . Respect Bernard a Legend. R.I.P to the Typhoon 🌀 pilots who didn't come home gone never forgotten we shall always remember them 🙏🤝🕊️
Makes you proud to be British - Bernhard thank you and your colleagues for your service during those dark times - I wish we could instill some of that dedication into some of our youth of today 👌✌️- great video guys and excellent effort from all the team in restoring the Typhoon - lest we firget✌️
I somewhat liked the music. Magnificent just like the man. Thank God the editors of this video didn’t use some horrible heavy rock theme.
I agree
No music, it takes away from the spoken word. Saluting all who did their bit back then and it made all the difference in the world, then and today.
Regardless, it's just way too loud.
What a way to honour a veteran. Thanks for your service, Bernard.
My blessings to this Amazing man thanks for you service gif bless you I’m be on tears to see he’s happy face I just imagine the emotion he feel a soon the plane take off 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏👋👋👋👋👍
Nimrod..,perfect....
Such a magnificent aircraft the Typhoon was (and also the Tempest later on) with one of the more revolutionary engine designs of the war, Just beautiful.
Once a pilot, always a pilot.
What a beautiful and moving video. A big thanks too the brave men and women that participated in WWII
The tears are rolling. 👍👍👍👍👍👍😍🥰😍🥰
A REAL hero.
This man made of the right stuff bless you sir
It’s not correct that there is no memorial for typhoon pilots. There is one at Noyers-Bocage in memory of all typhoon pilots killed over Normandy. I was there in 2014 at the 70th anniversary of D-Day. My uncle, Johnnie “Zipp” Button was squadron leader of 193 Squadron from D-Day onwards. It is supported by the Typhoon Entente Cordiale Trust.
Hello John,
You’re so true, those heroes like all other pilots of course, must not be forgotten, considering the courage they had to pilot the Beast (a truly one from all what is written and was told from the airmen); even our RAF french ace heroe, Pierre Closterman, did mention it in his famous book, Le grand cirque, Typhoon or Tempest were really beast to fly. At Dinan in Brittany, where I’m now living, at the WWII museum (at the location Lehon), they do have got a Napier Sabre engine from a shot down Typhoon; a very impressive engine block, despite partially destroyed due to ground impact; huge challenge for the valuable young men to fly and control so much power...
i agree 100%. i met a fellow in the 90s named Ramsey Milne, 245 and 440 squadron on vancouver island. he has a great self published book called sailor boy to typhoon pilot. the stress these boys went through due to losses is quite unimaginble. he was shot down shortly after d day and had a really rough go. the pictures dont lie. he was an amazing guy. these young folks were asked to risk their lives, this generation is asked to sit on the couch while waiting for a vaccine
Well, another one couldn't hurt
Yes John, but that memorial isn't to ALL Typhoon pilots, and ground crews, transport pilots, or those who designed, built and tested the Typhoon. That is what RB396 will memorialise, all of them.
Well that brought a tear to the eye.
Bless him. Thank you all.
What a moving video, and a lovely gesture to a hero. Also good to see "Indy" (PT462) back in the air after she received a little damage a while back. I once went up in Indy with "Rats" - which was one of the most memorable things I've done in my life.
Great thanks to all the bernards
Thank You So Much for Remembering & Honouring the WWII Veterans! May Good God Blessed You All! 🌷🌿🌍💖🇬🇧🇺🇸
👍✌️from a Canadian 🇨🇦🍁.
That sound at 3:17
That smile at 4:49
I think I must've got some dust in my eye.
I feel touched by the fact that such things may still happen !