How were bomber crews trained?
After flying training, the crew – pilot, navigator, bomb aimer, air-gunner and wireless-operator – teamed up at Operational Training Unit (6 OTU and 53 OTU were based in Lincolnshire), where the new intake was paraded in a hangar and told to form themselves into crews. OTUs were generally equipped with Wellington and trainees acquired team skills, sometimes via minor operations (dropping mines or leaflets). After OTU those destined for four-engined aircraft were sent to a Heavy Conversion Unit (eg 1654 HCU – a complete list for Lincolnshire is on the Units navigation) where the crew was joined by the flight engineer and a second air-gunner. HCU crews carried out some raids and feint attacks as part of Bomber Command’s nightly onslaught on Germany. At HCU instructors converted the crew onto Halifaxes or Stirlings, and after a short course the crew was posted to an operational Squadron. Crews destined for Lancaster-equipped units did a very short course at a Lancaster Finishing School (L
