Wellington bomber

In 1944 Wellington bomber R for Robert was on a training mission in Scotland. During the course of the exercise the plane experienced difficulties and was forced to ditch into Loch Ness with the loss of one crewman. The bomber settled on the bottom of the lakebed and lay undisturbed for years. Divers discovered her 10 years ago in a remarkable state of preservation and a decision was taken to raise her from the lake and undertake a complete renovation of the aircraft. Among the items found on board was an Elsan toilet, undamaged and in excellent condition. The problems of maintaining and sanitising toilets on wartime aircraft were not key issues at that time, but today this aspect is extremely important in civil aviation. 

All the while, Churchill continued to pound the Ministry of Supply with threats, instructions, exhortations and advice, normally in the form of Action This Day memoranda. By the end of 1941 he had transformed the situation. The Chiefs of Staff were told on 28 December that Britain could now take offensive action with mustard gas at five hours notice.22 Four Blenheim and three Wellington squadrons were trained in the use of aerial spray. 15 per cent of the British bomber force could be employed in chemical warfare. By the spring of 1942—thanks chiefly to the extraordinary time and trouble Churchill had gone to - Britain had almost 20,000 tons of poison gas. 

The Royal Air Force could now mount a retaliatory strike with mustard gas bombs at five hours notice and with phosgene bombs or spray containers at twelve hours notice. Four Blenheim and three Wellington squadrons had been trained to use these weapons 15 per cent of the British bomber effort could be employed in gas warfare. Complementing the accumulation of offensive stocks was the... 

---