Reaching for the sky

If you love watching old movies, you may well have seen that classic biopic about the incredible wartime exploits of fighter pilot, Douglas Bader. This 1956 film, entitled, Reach for the Sky, tells the story of how Bader, played by the wonderful Kenneth Moore, managed to succeed as a World War Two flying ace, despite being a double amputee.

Douglas Bader joined the RAF in 1928 and in 1931 he lost both legs after attempting some daredevil aerobatics. Bader almost died, nevertheless he survived and went on to retake his flight training. But it was only when war declared in 1939 that Bader was accepted as a pilot.

He went on to score victories…