However in 1943, the peaceful idyll was transformed into a vibrant hotbed of gum-chewing and jiving, ‘oversexed and over here’ young American warriors. The pilots and aircrew of the USAAF’s 34th Bombardment group flew hundreds of sorties out of RAF Mendlesham. Each crew of 10 brave young men, flying in their thunderous B17 bombers, facing fearsome antiaircraft fire and the ever-present threat of Luftwaffe attack.
Freezing limits
To alleviate the dangers on the way to their target, pilots would fly their machines at the freezing limits of their planes’ altitude capabilities. Thus if the Nazi flak or pilots didn’t get them, frostbite was an ever-present threat. To remedy this the Americans developed an enormously bulky electric flying suit that the crew plugged into their aircraft’s power supply.
For any Gun who thinks themselves a good shot, I would like to challenge them to bag an angry Focke-Wulf travelling at 400mph, armed only with an unwieldy open-sighted .50 calibre machine gun. Then try this wearing a hybrid between a Michelin-man suit and an electric blanket.
Remarkably they did; we won the war and Mendlesham has gone back to its peace and quiet.
While electrically heated clothing is not a new thing, I am trialling the latest in such gear. Härkila Heat uses some very clever modern fabric technology. The V-necked waistcoat version appears at first glance to be nothing more than a sage green-and black polyester gilet.
Denne historien er fra November 6, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra November 6, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside