Author: RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE

The Archive covers many aspects of life in RAF Bomber Command from 1942, the year in which the Path Finder Force (the PFF, later known as 8 Group) was formed. However, the Archive's specific focus is upon the Pathfinders as they were generally called. Historically, this Archive has always been centred around 97 Squadron, which belonged to the Pathfinders for one year. However, we are now looking to substantially increase the Archive to include all PFF squadrons, PFF HQ, and the wider Bomber Command and Home Front milieus. The aim of the Archive is to provide an in-depth illustration of what life - and death - were like for Pathfinder aircrew, their working comrades, their friends, and their families.

Website Typos, Omissions, Errors …

Posted by RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE in Archive News

We have received two messages in the last day about typos on the website, and this seems as good a time as any to say that we welcome any such feed-back in the interests of historical accuracy. With our slender resources, there is an enormous time-pressure on keeping the website up to date as well as dealing with everything else – a huge email correspondence, charity admin, research, cataloguing, etc – so there is bound to be the occasional mistake or imperfection. Many thanks to those who wrote in. Offending typos duly corrected!

Dixie Dean, CO of PFF NTU

Posted by RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE in Pathfinders, PFF Navigation Training Unit, RAF Station Upwood, RAF Station Warboys

Wing Commander Dixie Dean, the commanding officer of the Pathfinders Navigation Training Unit, was so well thought of that in February 1944 he received a letter of the highest praise from Air Commodore Donald Bennett, AOC of the Path Finder Force. Bennett was not a man given to praise or hyperbole, which makes the letter all the more striking. See our new page: WingCo Dixie Dean, CO of the Pathfinders NTU

Two Canadians & a Mosquito of 109 Squadron

Posted by RAF PATHFINDERS ARCHIVE in 109 Squadron, Archive News, PFF Mosquito Squadrons

The beautiful image on this post is of the grave of Ray Hutchings Logan, a Mosquito navigator, who lost his life on 28 May 1943 when the Mosquito he was flying in was hit by a German nightfighter and exploded in mid-air. The pilot, Chrysler, survived by coming down by parachute. See our new page: Two Canadians & a Mosquito of 109 Squadron