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In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by bestselling author and journalist Will Iredale to talk about his new book, Churchill’s Pirates.
The book tells the story of the Royal Naval Patrol Service – the men who served in what was effectively a navy within the Royal Navy. Many were fishermen, trawlermen and civilian sailors who found themselves recruited into dangerous wartime work, operating small vessels around the British coastline.
They cleared mines, hunted submarines, protected shipping and carried out a variety of vital tasks that were essential to Britain's war effort, yet their contribution has often received far less attention than that of the conventional Royal Navy.
Jane and Will discuss who these men were, the dangerous work they carried out and the individual stories Will uncovered during his research.
They also look back at Will's previous books, The Pathfinders, about  Bomber Command's  elite Pathfinder Force, and The Kamikaze Hunters, which tells the story of the Fleet Air Arm's fight against the Japanese kamikazes during the final months of the Second World War.
Across all three books, Will has explored the experiences of people undertaking highly specialised and dangerous wartime roles – often people whose individual stories have been overshadowed by the larger narratives of the conflict.
In this episode:
Who were the men of the Royal Naval Patrol Service?
Why was this unconventional force so important to Britain's wartime defence?
What was life like for the fishermen and civilian sailors who found themselves serving in wartime?
The dangers of mines, U-boats and coastal operations 
Some of the remarkable individual stories uncovered during Will's research.
The writing of The Pathfinders and what it revealed about Bomber Command.
Will's first book, The Kamikaze Hunters, and the Fleet Air Arm's war against the kamikazes.
Jane and Will discuss research and the perils of veteran testimony. You can read Jane's article on the subject here: https://justcuriousjane.com/memory-minefield-veteran-testimony/
You can find Jane's book on Bomber Command minelaying and mine warfare here: The Invisible Campaign - Bomber Command Minelaying Operations 1940-1945 

Support the show
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content,  by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 
 
Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts  here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Send us a message or question!
The Lancaster is probably the most recognisable aircraft associated with RAF Bomber Command. But what did an ordinary 24 hours actually look like on a Lancaster squadron?
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by military aviation historian and author Michael Napier to explore the Lancaster not simply as an aircraft, but as the centre of a vast organisation of people, preparation and expertise.
Mike's new book, Lancaster: Twenty-Four Hours on a Squadron, takes us through a complete operational cycle on a wartime Lancaster station — from the daytime preparation and maintenance of the aircraft, through briefing and pre-flight preparations, to the night raid over Germany and the return home.
Drawing on more than 200 first-hand accounts, Mike brings together the experiences of aircrew, ground maintenance personnel, mission planners and the many other people whose work was essential to putting a Lancaster into the air. The book also explores the dangers faced by the crews during the operation and concludes with a poignant reflection on their achievements and sacrifices.
But Mike has another perspective on the subject. Before becoming a military aviation historian and author, he was an RAF pilot who flew the Tornado GR1, including operational flying from RAF Brüggen and operations over Iraq following the first Gulf War. He subsequently became a Boeing 787 captain with British Airways.
So, what similarities — and differences — are there between the experience of a Lancaster crew in the Second World War and that of a Tornado crew several decades later? And does having experienced military flying himself change the way Mike approaches the experiences of Bomber Command aircrew?
In this episode we discuss:
Why Mike chose to structure the book around a 24-hour operational cycle rather than a conventional squadron history.
What happened on a Lancaster station during the hours before a raid.
The vital contribution of ground crews, engineers, armourers, planners and other support personnel.
What more than 200 first-hand accounts reveal about the reality of flying Lancaster operations.
The dangers faced by Lancaster crews during night operations over Germany.
Mike's own experiences as a Tornado GR1 pilot and how they have influenced his approach to aviation history.
The similarities and differences between operating a Lancaster in the 1940s and a Tornado during the Cold War and Gulf War era.
Whether the legendary status of the Lancaster has sometimes obscured the reality of the people and organisation behind it.
About Michael Napier
Michael Napier joined the RAF in 1978 and qualified as a Tornado GR1 pilot. He flew in the strike/attack role from RAF Brüggen during the final years of the Cold War and subsequently took part in operations over Iraq following the first Gulf War.
After leaving the RAF in 1997, Mike began a second career as an airline pilot with British Airways, eventually becoming a Boeing 787 captain. He is the author of 18 books on military aviation history.
About the book
Michael Napier – Lancaster: Twenty-Four Hours on a Squadron
Published by Evro Publishing
Hardback, 288 pages
ISBN: 978-1-918070-01-9
Published: 6 August 2026.
Buy Lancaster: Twenty-Four Hours on a Squadron from Evro Publishing
Support the show
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content,  by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 
 
Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts  here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Send us a message or question!
Jane Gulliford Lowes welcomes author, editor, and aviation historian Dan Sharp to dig into the Luftwaffe’s bomber plans, from prewar requirements to late war jet concepts. The conversation focuses on how German bomber strategy was shaped by speed, range, and technological ambition, and why so many of the most advanced ideas never arrived in time.

They also unpack the long standing myth around the Heinkel 177 dive bomber requirement, showing how the real story is more complicated than the usual explanation.
Key topics
We discuss Dan Sharp’s new book, Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe, Volume 2, and why it matters for understanding German bomber development.
Dan explains that the Luftwaffe did not expect the Heinkel 111, Dornier 17, and Junkers 87 to remain its long term bomber force.
We discuss the 1938 plan to replace older bombers with two fast types, the Junkers 88 and Heinkel 177, in a force of 12,000 aircraft.
Dan shares how early Luftwaffe requirements were heavily influenced by prewar aviation experiments, especially the push for speed seen in aircraft like the Heinkel 70.
We discuss the idea of the bomber that survives by being fast rather than heavily armed, and how that logic shaped the Schnellbomber and Höhenbomber requirements.
Dan shares that Luftwaffe procurement was slow and process driven, so even ambitious requirements took four or five years to reach production.
We discuss the gap between planned strength and wartime reality, including the Luftwaffe going to war in 1939 with only 23 Junkers 88s.
Dan explains the Grossbomber and Fernbomber concepts, and how they fed into the development of the Heinkel 177.
We discuss why the Heinkel 177’s problems were driven more by overambitious speed requirements and aerodynamic compromises than by the dive bomber story alone.
Dan shares how the supposed dive bomber role for the Heinkel 177 was really about shallow glide attacks, not Ju 87 style near vertical dives.
We discuss how the Luftwaffe repeatedly tried to adapt strategy around technology, rather than simply fielding weapons to match a fixed plan.
Dan explains the guided weapon effort, including the HS 293 and Fritz X, and how difficult it was to make those systems work in real combat.
We discuss the attempted long range bombing of America, including refueling concepts, the America Bomber studies, and the ME 264 and JU 390 family of ideas.
Dan shares how late war jet bomber projects like the Heinkel 343 and Junkers 287 reflected a last ditch belief in technological superiority.
Timestamps
00:00 - Welcome back after the summer break
 02:24 - Dan Sharp introduced and the focus on Luftwaffe bomber projects
 04:06 - The Luftwaffe’s plan to replace older bombers with the Ju 88 and He 177
 05:11 - The origins of German bomber requirements before the Luftwaffe era
 07:05 - The Heinkel 70 and the obsession with speed
 10:10 - Why fast aircraft changed thinking about bomber design
 12:36 - Walter Wever and the push for faster bomber types
 15:17 - How speed, altitude, and range became separate bomber philosophies
 17:02 - How German aircraft procurement actually worked
 19:38 - Why new bombers took years to reach service
 22:27 - The Luftwaffe’s outdated bomber fleet at the outbreak of war
 25:23 - Grossbomber and the search for a true heavy bomber
 27:19 - Wever’s Fernbomber priorities and his death in 1936
 31:19 - The real requirement behind Bomber A
 33:01 - The meaning of shallow glide attacks and airframe strength categories
 35:45 - Why a 40 degree descent was not a Ju 87 style dive
 37:23 - The 50 degree change and the mystery around it
 39:18 - How the He 177 was engineered for speed
 40:54 - The coupled engine arrangement and why it caused problems
 42:25 - Remote controlled defensive turrets and evaporative cooling ideas
 44:44 - The later myth of the dive bomber requirement
 47:32 - Strategy being forced to adapt to technological limits
 51:07 - Luftwaffe thinking after the Soviet campaign
 55:09 - The shift toward high altitude specialist weapons
 57:13 - Guided missiles and the limits of wartime technology
 60:51 - The idea of bombing America and the refueling problem
 62:48 - The America Bomber studies and extreme range requirements
 65:27 - The ME 264, JU 290, and JU 390 concepts
 68:00 - Why the America Bomber concept was shelved
 70:29 - Late war technological superiority and the endgame
 72:14 - Jet bomber projects and the He 343 versus Ju 287
 74:46 - The last attempt to revive the jet bomber concept
 76:21 - Closing reflections on quality versus quantity in Luftwaffe thinking
 77:43 - Where to find Dan Sharp’s books
 78:25 - Outro and listener support information
Action items
Look out for Dan Sharp’s Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe, Volume 2.
Check out Volume 1 if you want the wider background to the series.
If you enjoyed the episode, support the podcast by leaving a rating or review and joining the listener community.
Support the show
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content,  by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 
 
Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts  here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Send us a message or question!
Ep. 75 – Stanley Booker: Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy, with Sean Feast 
How does a young RAF observer go from flying operations with 10 Squadron to becoming one of the few Allied airmen imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp?
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies welcome back acclaimed aviation historian and author Sean Feast to discuss his compelling new book, Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy: The Remarkable Story of Stanley Booker DFM.
Stanley volunteered for aircrew at just eighteen years of age and qualified as an observer, joining 10 Squadron RAF during the crucial months leading up to D-Day. Shot down over occupied France in 1944, he was captured, brutally interrogated by the Gestapo at Fresnes Prison, and became one of 168 Allied airmen deported to Buchenwald Concentration Camp as so-called "Terror Flyers."
Against all odds, Stanley survived.
His story didn't end with liberation. After the war, he flew more than 200 sorties during the Berlin Airlift, later worked with British intelligence during the Cold War, and spent decades fighting for official recognition of what he and his fellow airmen had endured.
This is an extraordinary story of courage, survival, resilience and the long struggle for justice.
In this episode
How Sean Feast first met Stanley Booker and why he felt compelled to tell his story.
Stanley's training and operational career as an observer with 10 Squadron RAF.
The mission that ended with Stanley's aircraft being shot down over occupied France.
Capture, betrayal and interrogation by the Gestapo at the notorious Fresnes Prison.
The little-known story of the Allied "Terror Flyers" imprisoned at Buchenwald Concentration Camp.
Why Stanley and his fellow prisoners spent decades seeking official recognition.
Stanley's remarkable post-war career during the Berlin Airlift and later intelligence work in divided Berlin.
Sean reflects on Stanley's legacy and what readers can learn from his extraordinary life.
About our guest
Sean Feast is one of Britain's leading aviation historians and authors. A former journalist, he has written extensively on RAF Bomber Command, the Pathfinder Force and the wider Allied air war. His work is renowned for combining meticulous research with deeply personal stories that illuminate the human experience of war.
Featured book
Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy: The Remarkable Story of Stanley Booker DFM by Sean Feast
Available here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1911714376
Mentioned during this episode
RAF 10 Squadron
Buchenwald Concentration Camp
Fresnes Prison
The "Terror Flyers"
The Berlin Airlift
George Blake
Above Us the Stars by Jane Gulliford Lowes
Related listening
If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like:
Peenemünde, V-Weapons & the Master Bomber with Sean Feast (Series 4)
Internment of Allied Airmen with Andrew White
Bomb Disposal in Hamburg with Thomas Rost
Join the conversation
Had you heard of the Buchenwald Airmen before listening to this episode?
Why do you think it took so many decades for their experiences to receive official recognition?
Join the discussion in the Never Mind the Dambusters Facebook group or connect with us across our social media channels.

Support the show
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content,  by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 
 
Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts  here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Send us a message or question!
Ep. 74 – Easy Elsie: The Battle to Save a Lost Lancaster
What happens when a wartime Lancaster disappears into a Swedish bog—and eight decades later, a dedicated team sets out to bring her home?
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by Dave King, a British adventurer and expedition leader based in Sweden, to discuss one of the most remarkable aviation recovery projects currently underway.
Dave's latest mission centres on Lancaster ND587, "Easy Elsie", which crashed in Sweden during the Second World War and has remained in a bog ever since. 
Together, Jane and Dave explore the story of the aircraft and her crew, the circumstances surrounding the crash, and the extraordinary effort to recover the Lancaster and preserve her legacy for future generations.
In this episode
Dave King's background and how he became involved in historic aircraft recovery expeditions.
The story of Lancaster ND587 "Easy Elsie" and her operational service with RAF Bomber Command.
The crew aboard Easy Elsie and the mission that ended in Sweden.
What happened on the night of the crash, and why the aircraft remained largely untouched for decades.
The archaeological, engineering  and political challenges of recovering a wartime heavy bomber from a  bog.
The international collaboration behind Project Easy Elsie and the ambition to return the aircraft to the United Kingdom.
Why preserving aircraft like Easy Elsie helps keep alive the stories of the men who flew them.
About our guest
Dave King is an aviation historian, adventurer and expedition leader, based in Sweden.  You can read more about Dave and his expeditions at https://arcticalive.com/
To learn more about Project Easy Elsie and follow the recovery effort, visit:
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/268947476623077
Follow the project on social media for the latest updates, photographs and news from the recovery team.
Join the conversation
What responsibilities do we have when recovering wartime aircraft?
Should historic bombers be restored to flying condition, preserved as archaeological artefacts, or displayed exactly as they are found?
We'd love to hear your thoughts. Join the discussion in the Never Mind the Dambusters Facebook group or connect with us across our social media channels.

Support the show
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content,  by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams. 
 
Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts  here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here