Bud Abbott is originally from England, where in 1940, volunteered for the Royal Navy & was selected to train as a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service (aka Fleet Air Arm), and as Bud puts it, that proved to be a big, expensive mistake!
He started training March 1941 & was finally discharged 1945, then signed on for extra service when the war ended in Ceylon until 1948. While there, he flew a dozen different types of aircraft, mostly from land bases, training, ferrying, for fun & in operations, using 5 or 6 different aircraft carriers & mostly in & around Britain, and the Atlantic & North Sea. Operational aircraft were older bi-planes; Swordfish, Albacore and new at the time, the Barracuda. All were 3-seat torpedo/bomber/reconnaissance planes, however, no fighters.
Bud says he had 5 or 6 incidents in which planes were damaged; sometimes his fault, with 2 being total losses. Some of his colleagues joked with him, suspecting that he was working for the enemy! He tells us that landing and taking off from carriers is interesting, even tricky; the catapult gives you quite a kick, but the flying was generally just boring!
Bud, 93 in a few days, and Mike Turner came out to the studio tonight, for what was an awesome time. He sure enjoys singing! We were done around midnight or so, working on “the White Cliffs of Dover”. Thanks to Mr. Turner on the guitars.
Enjoy!
Our deepest sympathy to the Abbott family and friends, learning of the passing of our friend Bud; RIP, he’ll be an entertaining addition to the choir!
That song takes me back to a time long ago. Over the years I have heard Bud sing in a group but I really enjoyed his solo rendition.
Yes, Fred, he certainly has a nice tone to his voice.
I think his voice gets better as he gets older. Very nice
e rendition of the “White Cliffs of Dover
Great old tune. They should be heard, before they are lost. Like this one” We`ll meet again. Don`t know where don`t know when.”. Nice work , Bud.
You sound fantastic 🙂