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Title:LIBERATOR OPERATIONS AGAINST NATKYIGON, BURMA BY RAF 355 SQUADRON [Allocated Title]
Film Number:ABY 29
Other titles:ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: Consolidated Liberator heavy bombers of RAF 355 Squadron attack Japanese targets near Natkyigon, Burma
Description: Operating from Salbani airfield, in Bengal, India, RAF 355 Squadron Liberators attack Japanese targets in Burma. Fitters seen working on engines while armourers examine an aircraft's guns. A bomb train is loaded at the bomb dump, before being fused and hauled away by a tractor. Pilots are briefed. The bomb train arrives at the dispersal point and bombs are loaded aboard the aircraft by armourers. Aircrew dismount from a truck and board their aircraft. Aircraft taxi to the runway before taking off. Shot of undercarriage being retracted. Variety of air-to-ground and air-to-air footage, including some fine views of Liberators in flight. A single Hawker Hurricane IIC is seen flying with the Liberators, and at one point makes a mock attack. Shot of pilot at controls. Bombs shown dropping from bomb bay. The Liberators return to base. Air-to-air and ground-to-air footage of aircraft landing. Aircraft return to dispersal point and crew disemplane before boarding a truck. Aircrews relax with tea and drinks after the sortie.
Production Details: Air Ministry, Directorate of Public Relations (Production sponsor)
Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (Production company)
Towler, D (Pilot Officer) (Production individual)
McKee, J L (Production individual)
Layzell, R G (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: MacDougall (Squadron Leader) (person)
Royal Air Force, 355 Squadron (regiment/service)
Keywords: Natkyigon, Burma (geography)
Salbani, Bengal Province, India (geography)
Bomber operations, Air operations over Burma, Burma 1942-1945, Second World War (event)
Aerial Warfare (theme)
Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (theme)
Far East 1939-1945 (theme)
India 1939-1945 (theme)
Burma 1942-1945 (theme)
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 1169 ft; Running time: 13 minutes
HD Media:
Notes: Squadron Leader MacDougall, B Flight commander, is named as leader of this sortie on the dopesheet.
Dopesheet remarks on the number of Canadians and Australians on the squadron, as well as an Indian pilot.
Also included is dopesheet for use of film for Indian newsreel, possibly Indian Newsreel Parade.
Dopesheet for this film includes shot list.
No slates, date from dopesheet.
One of the cameramen of this piece, Warrant Officer John Laing McKee, was killed on 21 January 1945. Flying in a Liberator heavy bomber of RAF 99 Squadron supporting the landings on Ramree Island, McKee's aircraft collided with another Liberator of the same squadron and both disintegrated. All aboard both aircraft were killed. McKee, and the nineteen other aircrew of the two bombers, are buried in the CWGC Maynamati War Cemetery, near Comilla in Bangladesh.
