Thursday, November 10, 2011

No. 111 O.T.U Nassau, Bahamas
Aircraft Training




B24 Liberator


No.111 Operational Training Unit (OTU) was established by the Royal Air Force in Nassau to serve as a training location for the B24 Liberator bomber. The Bahamas provided space to carry out operational flying training beyond the range of German aircraft. Canadians also trained at No. 111 OTU. Once trained on the B24, Canadian Air Force members joined Atlantic aircraft ferrying operations or were posted to the Far East.


Duke and Duchess of Windsor RAF Review


The covers shown in the post were addressed to Sgt. J.A. Fudge who was stationed at No. 111 OTU, Nassau in 1943.



Toronto to OTU Nassau, January 3, 1943
20 cents air mail letter rate for 1/2 ounce (10 cents/ 1/4 ounce)




Nassau receiver, January 11, 1943


Air Letter


Toronto to No. 111 OTU, Nassau, March 12, 1943
10 cents air letter rate


Nassau receiver, March 16, 1943


Pilots and crew members sent to Nassau for Liberator training spent about fifty hours flying on the B-25 Mitchell twin engine bomber before moving on to the Liberator.


Mitchell B-25


Christmas 1944

Shown here is the menu for the OTU 111 Officers' Mess Christmas Dinner.






The back of the menu was signed by Air Force personnel who was flying the B-25 Mitchell bomber.


111 Operational Training Unit
Oak's [sic] Field in outskirts of Nassau
Flying twin engine Mitchell B-25