Distant childhood memories of a B.B.C series about special operational executive operatives being landed via Westland Lysanders,commonly known as 'lizzies',which were ,by far, much larger than the average WW11 fighter,the aircraft had an amazing STOL(short take off/landing) & very rough terrain landing capability.Originally designed and produced pre war as a two seat army co-operation aircraft & not as a transport ,it was sent to France with the doomed R.A.F advanced air striking force and suffered heavily to light flak and the unwelcome attentions of the Luftwaffe.It was however, later in the war, found to be admirably suited to S.O.E operations,fitted with a large ladder attached to the fusalage and a long range belly fuel tank,it landing and picked up both S.O.E.agents and downed R.A.F & allied aircrew via the French resistance in occupied France,always landing on moonlit nights(hence the series name,moonstrike),in pre designated fields illuminated with hand torches by the French resistance.It was not uncommon for the Germans to be waiting in ambush for the aircraft to land,the landing site and time sometimes betrayed by captured resistance fighters under gestapo torture, the aircraft being captured & the aircrew shot or captured, the agents and resistance invairably tortured for information and either shot or sent to concentration camp for eventual execution.Very much the unsung hero's of WW11.
