Paul’s first book, US Air Force Bases in the UK, retraced the concrete paths of 50 of the UK’s past and present American air force bases. The book examines how the so-called “special relationship” has helped shape the land we see today. According to Bingley, while Americans view all airmen as heroes, the men in the RAF Bomber Command were not seen in the same light, as the attention was more focused on the pilots who flew fighters.

We wanted to go for the 75th anniversary, but the pandemic got in the way,” he said. 1st Lt. John A. Silvernale and crew after completing their tour in March 1944. [Courtesy: Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Museum] Remembering the Bomber Boys One of the frequent contributors is Don Madar, an author and historian. Madar has written several books about military history, all of them with a family connection. His interest in the 381st is tied to his uncle Andy Piter Jr., a member of a ground crew at Ridgewell who did not make it home. First and foremost, I’m an aviation geek. Much as I like contemporary aircraft, I’m fascinated by historic aviation. In the context of world history, aviation is a modern-day technology, yet it’s been incredibly momentous. From hot air balloons rising over Paris in the 19th Century, to mankind venturing to the outer reaches of space by the 21st; aviation has literally flown past in the blink of an eye. Most of that development, unfortunately, has come about through conflict. The First World War saw the dropping of the flechette, while the recent invasion of Ukraine has seen the release of bombs by unmanned drones. Conflict aside, in what other period have such dramatic, ground-breaking advancements been made, and in such a short space of time? Aviation history is an encyclopaedia still waiting to be fully opened.Sometimes relationships are forged between visitors, such as the day when two American families came to visit.

It is Paul’s passion for the American Eighth Air Force that drove him to co-author his most recent book, Bomb Group: The Eighth Air Force’s 381st and the Allied Air Offensive over Europe. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of the 381st Bombardment Group, Bomb Group has been widely praised as “vivid”, “extraordinary” and “sure to become a WW2 aviation classic.” That is why it’s so important that the Ridgewell museum is preserved and continues to be used as a focal point for the families,” Bingley said. “It is an honor to be a part of it.” Paul has described writing Bomb Group as “penance” for not knowing he lived just nine miles from the former Eighth Air Force base at Ridgewell – the Essex home of the 381st Bomb Group. For a self-confessed aviation geek, it was an awkward discovery. Consult museum archives. Museums may have detailed information about military groups. For example, if the city has or had a large military component during the war, there is a pretty good chance the local museum will have photographs and records from that time.On April 23, 1945, a B-17G, 43-38856, flown by a two-pilot crew was transporting 29 servicemen. Many of the men had been at Ridgewell since the 381st arrived in June 1943. Keep in mind the usual crew complement of a B-17 was 10 men. Probably not advice, more an observation: researching is much easier than writing. Anyone can be a detective, piecing stories together like a jigsaw puzzle, but actually forming it into a coherent narrative is much harder to do. Don’t expect to become rich, either. If I was to calculate my hourly pay for writing my most recent book, there wouldn’t be a calculator capable of recording all the zeros after the first zero and decimal point. Having said that, the reward comes from knowing you’ve told a story that many didn’t know before. I admire James Holland for his ability to convey military history so well. Unfortunately, I just don’t have his capacity to write the number of books he has. He’s a veritable writing machine. For books covering aviation, I highly recommend Sagittarius Rising by Cecil Lewis, First Lightby Geoffrey Wellum, and Combat Crew by John Comer. Three outstanding books by three very brave individuals. Obviously the internet has allowed access to archives across the world. While it doesn’t beat holding an original document in your hands, it has made researching a much easier task. The advent of social media has also helped. There are specialised Facebook ‘groups’ that are now proving invaluable in accessing information or individuals.

Most visitors—they get about 100 a day when they are open—do some research before they come to Ridgewell. Sometimes the visitors surprise the volunteers with what they bring.Bingley noted that the landlords, Robert and Vanda Root, “have been unstinting in their support for the museum.” In February 1942, a reconnaissance party of United States Army Air Forces officers arrived in England. Firmly wedded to the doctrine of daylight precision bombing, they believed they could help turn the tide of the war in Europe. In the months that followed, they formed the Eighth Air Force - an organization that grew at an astonishing rate. To accommodate it, almost seventy airfields were hastily built across the eastern counties of England. In 2017, we were named ‘runners-up’ in the 2017 Museums + Heritage Awards’ ‘Project on a Limited Budget’ category,” Bingley said. “This has led to more individuals donating and loaning items for display. We are particularly keen on personal items, as the ethos of the museum is to tell their stories. We can see just how deeply these stories resonate with visitors.” The death of Andy Piter, especially so close to the end of the war, had a profound impact on the family, Madar said. If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self, either as a student or when you first started out as a writer, what would it be?