British Multi-Engined Support Aircraft of WW2

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British multi-engined support aircraft of WW2

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INTRODUCTION

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HIS EDITION OF Aeroplane Collectors’ Archive illustrates British-built aircraft which have provided support to the main operational types covered in previous Bomber and Fighter editions. The title proved difficult because of the variety of types covered and in this respect we must point out that the Beaufort is included here although it was an operational aircraft but was omitted from the Bombers volume. Since there are quite a few support aircraft it was necessary to split them between two editions and the second edition will cover singleengine types ranging from Tiger Moths to Magisters, Henleys, Lysanders etc. Where possible we provide cutaway drawings by Aeroplane, Flight and other artists, but in some cases we have only been able to obtain other style cutaways such as those for the Manchester, Botha and Beaufort included here. PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ARTISTS As before, we bring you some material from Aeroplane by the former staff including Charles Sims,

Alf Long and Maurice Rowe who began their photographic work with First World War vintage equipment, learning to make up chemicals, dry prints on rotary glazing drums and operate a large camera on rails. Becoming a photographer for Temple Press was a do-it-yourself operation and if a large number of images were required slides had to be reloaded, so an overnight assignment required a wardrobe in the bedroom ensuring the door was tightly closed! Photographers these days don’t know how lucky they are with digital equipment – but is the quality as good? CUTAWAY ARTWORK Detailed examination of the cutaway drawings included in these pages reveals the amount of work involved. James Clark began producing cutaways in the mid 1930s for Aeroplane and continued for 30 years, his rival with Flight was Max Millar. At first these drawings were small and relatively uncomplicated but as aircraft and engine design developed the cutaways became even more detailed.

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Production could involve hundreds of hours and Clark would often spend a week in a factory sketching detail drawings of aircraft parts, with reference to the engineering drawings, sometimes emerging with a complete drawing, others needing weeks of additional work to bring everything together. Although occasionally criticised for unorthodox perspectives sometimes seen in his work, Clark often used it to accentuate a key part and so maybe his work, in some cases with minor faults, should be viewed as aviation art. Older readers will remember Chris Wren’s Oddentifications in The Aeroplane Spotter which certainly accentuated the aircraft’s shape to bring out a point! Some of the illustrations here have been produced by other artists including Roy Cross, John Weal, Frank Munger and Mike Badrocke, and we are grateful to Flight Global for the use of some of the cutaways from the Flight International archive which have enabled us to produce a more complete section of aircraft. Mike Hooks Editor The oldest Anson surviving in the UK is N4877, preserved with the Imperial War Museum Collection at Duxford. Here, it is seen at Little Rissington’s At Home on August 29,1964

Aeroplane Collectors’ Archive

RAF Support Aircraft

Editor Mike Hooks Production Manager Rebecca Gibbs • Scanning assistant Michael Hutchings • Design and image restoration Paul Sanderson Published by Kelsey Publishing Group, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent TN16 3AG. Telephone 01959 541444 Fax 01959 541400 www.kelsey.co.uk Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd., Willenhall, West Midlands. © 2013 all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with prior permission in writing from the publisher. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Publisher. ISBN 978-1-909786-01-1

British Multi-Engined Support Aircraft of WW2 3 6

INTRODUCTION PREAMBLE

Elderly types still in service at the outbreak of war

10 DE HAVILLAND DOMINIE

Biplane navigation trainer and communications aircraft

14 BLACKBURN BOTHA Ineffective as a torpedo-bomber

21 BRISTOL BEAUFORT Torpedo-bomber and later trainer

30 HANDLEY PAGE HARROW Designed as a bomber-transport

35 ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ALBEMARLE

RAF’s first British aircraft with tricycle undercarriage

41 AIRSPEED OXFORD

10 21

Shared the training role with the Anson

52 AVRO ANSON

General reconnaissance and trainer

61 DE HAVILLAND D.H. 95 FLAMINGO Airliner turned military transport

66 VICKERS WARWICK

Reconnaissance and air-sea rescue aircraft

74 DE HAVILLAND D.H.86 Last of the biplane airliners

77 PERCIVAL Q.6 Small VIP transport

81 DE HAVILLAND D.H.91 ALBATROSS A pair of four-engined mailplanes/freighters

84 GENERAL AIRCRAFT HOTSPUR Small two-seat training glider

86 GENERAL AIRCRAFT HAMILCAR RAF’s biggest tank-carrying glider

90 AIRSPEED HORSA

Equipment and troop-carrying glider

94 IMPRESSMENTS

Some of the civil types which went to war

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Contents

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77

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81 86

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Preamble TO SET THE scene, here we look back at four of the older multi-engine types which served the RAF in World War Two in minor roles as they lingered on in obsolesence. The 1930s Royal Air Force was operating several bombers. The oldest was the Vickers Valentia, a bomber-transport based on the Victoria, and of 82 Valentias built, 54 were converted from Victorias. The fuselage was of composite wood and metal with fabriccovered metal wings, power being provided by two 650hp Bristol Pegasus engines. As a bomber, the Valentia could carry up to 2,000lb beneath the wings. There was a gun position and a bomb-aimer’s position in the nose plus a mid-upper position. The pilots were in an open cockpit and when used as a troop transport 22 could be carried. Although none served as bombers Vickers Valentia K8848 served its five years in the Middle East, first with No.70 Squadron, then 216, with which it was written-off after hitting a dummy aircraft during landing in December 1940

in the European theatre, three squadrons were equipped overseas, No 31 in India and Iraq, No 70 in the Middle East and No 216 in Egypt and the Western Desert. They helped quash the Iraqi rebellion in 1941, and served with the Bomber Transport Flight at Lahore from 1935.

The last Valentia was retired in July 1944 from the Iraq Communications Flight, while in the UK K8850 soldiered on with No 1 Signals School at Cranwell until November 1941. The Boulton-Paul Overstrand was a development of the Sidestrand with more powerful 580hp Bristol Pegasus engines, the first RAF bomber with an enclosed, power-operated gun turret mounting a

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Lewis gun, with others in dorsal and ventral mountings. The maximum bomb load was 1,600lb. It had a sprightly manoeuvrability, an enclosed cockpit canopy and an auto-pilot. Overstrand deliveries began to No 101 Squadron, Bicester in January 1935. Twenty-four plus four Sidestrand conversions were delivered, but No 101 was the only operator although No 144 used four in 1937 as a flight of No 101. By the end of 1938, No 101 had been re-equipped with Blenheims and their surviving aircraft went to Bombing and Gunnery Schools until being declared obsolete in 1940. Last of the RAF’s biplane bombers was the Handley Page Heyford, of metal construction with fabric covering and a crew of four. An unusual feature was attachment of the fuselage to the upper wing, the 2,000lb bomb load being stowed within the lower wing centre-section. The Mk III could

carry 2,660lb of bombs and was the main production version of 124 built. Engines were two 575hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIIS . First deliveries appropriately went to No 99 Squadron, Upper Heyford in December 1933 replacing Handley Page Hinaidis. Further squadrons were equipped; Nos 7, 9, 10, 38, 78, 97, 102, 106, 148, 149 and 166 - the type was popular with crews – it could be looped! In September 1938 there were six squadrons with Heyfords and the last to give them up was No 166 at Leconfield which re-equipped with Whitleys. Some remained with Bombing and Gunnery Schools and one survived as a glidertug until April 1941, the type being declared obsolete in July that year. The Fairey Hendon was the RAF’s first all-metal monoplane. Flown in November 1930, five months after the first Heyford, it was designed to the same Specification

B.19/27 and the 14 production aircraft had 600hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel engines. There was a crew of five, bomb load was 2,660lb and there were Lewis guns in nose, midships and tail positions. Only one squadron, No 38 at Mildenhall, received Hendons in November 1936, replacing Heyfords. The design contrasted strongly with the preceding biplanes, and while the prototype, K1695, had open cockpits production versions had a canopy for the pilot and navigator plus deflectors for the mid-upper and tail gunners. Hendons began to be replaced by Wellingtons in November 1938 and the last went to RAF Cranwell for ground instruction. An interesting design, but forthcoming Whitleys and Wellingtons promised far superior performance with speeds of 222mph and 255mph respectively in their final versions, and bomb loads of up to 4,500lb.

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(Left) Originally built as a Victoria V, in which guise it is seen here in 1933, K2808 was one of 54 converted to Valentias and was used as a bomber on five 1941 raids. It survived until November 1941

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The Overstrand was the first aircraft in the world to have a fully-enclosed power-operated turret, also built by Boulton Paul. Overstrand J9185 (above), started life as a Sidestrand and is seen here after the conversion. It served with No 101 Squadron, and was written-off at North Coates on September 9, 1935

The second Sidestrand converted to an Overstrand was J9770; notable changes other than the turret were the tailwheel which replaced a skid and an enclosed cockpit. Seen here are the large servo rudder and the Lewis gun in the gunner’s cockpit. There was another Lewis gun in the ventral position

This view of an earlier Sidestrand, J9769, illustrates some of the differences between the type and the later Overstrand. This aircraft was not converted to an Overstrand, having been struck by taxying Tomtit K1452 at Andover on November 7, 1932

PREAMBLE

The first production Handley Page Heyford, K3489, showing the open cockpit and gun positions and two-bladed propellers. It was later modified to a Mk III and given four-bladed props, and was struck off charge after a heavy landing at Farnborough in September 1938

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Heyford K4029 with an enclosed cockpit was the prototype Mk II; the modification was not adopted for production aircraft. K4029 later served with No 166 Squadron until struck off charge in August 1939

The prototype Fairey Hendon, K1695, showing the strange double cockpit arrangement and absence of front turret. Service trials with Nos 9 and 10 Squadrons and various maker’s tests plus A&AEE and RAE trials occupied its eight years before being struck off charge in January 1939

Crew entry to the Hendon was by ladder up to the cockpit; note the nose turret minus gun and enclosed cockpit

Hendon K5092 of No 38 Squadron. The crude double canopy indicates a dual-control version. The dorsal gunner’s protective barrier is raised

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De Havilland Dominie

Delivered to No 24 Squadron, Hendon, K5070 was the first of six D.H.89s used as communications aircraft before the name Dominie had been adopted

DE HAVILLAND DOMINIE

ENGINES: Two 200hp D.H. Gipsy Queen WINGSPAN: 48ft LENGTH: 34ft 6in HEIGHT: 10ft 3in WING AREA: 340sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 5,500lb MAX SPEED: 157mph

WITH THE SUCCESS of the D.H.86 fourengined airliner, de Havilland decided to produce a smaller, twin-engined derivative, the D.H.89 Dragon Rapide and the prototype flew on April 17, 1934, immediately attracting orders from a number of civil operators as a single-pilot eight-passenger aircraft.

The Air Ministry bought one, K5070, as a VIP transport for No 24 Squadron, Hendon and five more soon followed. Considered for Coastal Command for general reconnaissance under Specification 18/35, a single example of a militarised version, K4772, was built as the D.H.89M, but the contract went to the Avro Anson, although

several were sold to other countries. On the outbreak of war No 24 Squadron was very busy, and a number of civil D.H.89s were impressed, the Air Ministry had placed orders for the RAF as the Dominie Mk I navigation and radio trainer and Mk II communications aircraft and 528 new aircraft were supplied, deliveries

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The cockpit of a Dominie was quite compact – definitely a single pilot operation!

beginning in September 1939, the Fleet Air Arm also receiving some from the RAF, one of which, X7452, was used as an air ambulance. The Dominie was of wooden construction with a box-structure fuselage covered with plywood, while wings and tail unit were fabric-covered. Because

de Havilland was heavily involved in Mosquito production by 1942, Dominies were also built by Brush Coachworks at Loughborough who supplied 336. They served with Air Observer and Navigator Schools, Radio Schools and Station Flights and were also used by the Air Transport Auxiliary for crew delivery and retrieval.

The last Brush-built Dominies were delivered in July 1946, but as they were not by then required for military use 100 were delivered direct to the de Havilland Repair Unit at Witney which converted them to civil standard as Dragon Rapides for sale to civilian customers and in fact de Havilland at Witney built two from spares!

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The caption for this photograph dated May 21, 1941 states that two Dominie air ambulances were purchased by the Silver Thimble Fund from subscriptions received from all parts of the Empire. They were Z7258 and Z7261, but research shows that these two were impressed aircraft, ex-G-AFMH and ‘FMJ respectively!

Interior of a Dominie used for radio training A head-on view shows the clean lines of the D.H.89

Dominie X7524 in RAF colours with black painted nacelles did not in fact go into service but was lost at sea along with X7525 on delivery to Misr Airways, Egypt

DE HAVILLAND DOMINIE

A number of Dominies were supplied to the USAAF in the UK for communications duties

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Showing what could be done, a Moroccan Police Rapide with 27lb bombs under the centre fuselage Dominie HG722 survived the war and is seen at Croydon in March 1950 with temporary ferry marks G-ALWP. It was sold as VQ-FAL in June the following year

A Dominie under restoration post-war

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Blackburn Botha TWO AIRCRAFT WERE designed to meet Specification 10/36 for a general reconnaissance landplane torpedo bomber – the Bristol Beaufort and Blackburn Botha. One was to be successful, the other not. Both had been ordered without initial testing and this was to prove unfortunate for the Botha. At first considered with 670hp Bristol Aquila engines, then changed to the 890 hp Bristol Perseus VI and finally the Perseus X of 880hp, the first Botha, L6104, flew on December 28, 1938. It was of all-metal stressed skin construction with a bomb/ torpedo bay in five sections. Official trials revealed a number of defects in longitudinal stability, elevator control and

poor view from the cockpit, as well as being underpowered and uncomfortable to fly. Later, 935hp Perseus XA engines were fitted but the aircraft, according to the Central Flying School, Upavon could not maintain height on one engine. Several Bothas were tested by the Torpedo Development Unit, Gosport where it was said to be suitable and mine-laying trials were also successful; one Botha was tested as a target-tug in 1941 but this was not pursued, crews probably feeling it would have been better as a target! No 1 Operational Training Unit, Silloth began to receive Bothas in June 1940, replacing Ansons, but during their first sortie on August 9 on convoy escort, crews

complained that their restricted views made them less suitable than Ansons and they were withdrawn in November 1940. The type’s final role was as a trainer and No 3 School of General Reconnaissance at Squires Gate, Blackpool had 72 on strength for navigational exercises but a large number were lost in accidents, again due to restricted view from the cockpit. Declared obsolete in May 1943, a few Bothas lingered on until September 1944. Seriously underpowered, the Botha was unloved and its withdrawal occasioned no tears. Total production, which ended in May 1942, reached 580.

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Two views of L6264, showing how the Botha’s navigator windows behind the cockpit gave a restricted view. L6264 was lost on a training flight in October 1941 while with No 10 Air Observers School, Dumfries

BLACKBURN BOTHA

ENGINES: Two 935hp Bristol Perseus XA WINGSPAN: 59ft LENGTH: 52ft 2in HEIGHT: 14ft 8in WING AREA: 575sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 17,447lb MAX SPEED: 230mph

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Peeling away from the camera, a Botha appears to have fighter-like qualities – rather deceptive!

Single pilot operation in the Botha, showing the quite small instrument panel

The Botha’s bomb aimer’s position – not the most comfortable environment!

The Botha’s Fraser-Nash FN 7 power-operated turret caused fuselage and tail buffet and rudder oscillations and was said by the A&AEE to be cramped and difficult to enter

BLACKBURN BOTHA

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The Botha’s head-on aspect reveals the asymmetrically-glazed nose and its optically-flat panel

A Botha runs up while an erk clears the windscreen

Inspection of a Botha with engine cowlings open

(Left) The view from above the cockpit reveals the astro dome and bulged turret

When the entry door swings down the ladder automatically slides into position. Opposite the exit is a packed automatically-inflatable dinghy

Blackburn Bo 19

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21 22 23

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Aileron. Fixed aerial. Upward identification lamp. DF loop. Hot air duct. Air vent to fuel tanks. Fuel collector tank. Oxygen bottle rack. Water tank. Ration tins. Dingy stowage.

12 13 14 15 16 17

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Sea markers. Flare rack. Emergency crash exit (rear gunner). Rear gunner. Main hatchway. Two Browning machine guns (with reflector sight). 18 Watertight compartment between turret and tailfin. 19 Rudder. 20 Rudder trim tab.

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Tail navigation lamp. Elevator trim tab. Elevator. Fixed tail wheel. Formation-keeping lamp. Starboard navigation lamp. Pressure head. Undercarriage. Controllable cooling gills. Accumulators. Exhaust ring.

rn Botha

60 1

59 5

6

11

4 58 13

3

12

57 56

9 5 10

8 33 7 30

55

32 34 54 53

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38

40 52

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51 50

28 35

41

36

43 37

39

48

42

49

44

47

45 46

32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

Bulkhead watertight door. Spare trailing aerial. Wireless operator. Oil cooler intake. Bomb compartment. Signal pistol. Navigator or bomb aimer. Hydraulic header reservoir Navigator’s table. Selector lever for wheels and flaps. Bomb doors control lever.

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53

Bomb release switches. Undercarriage hand pump. Emergency exit (floor). Bomb aimer’s panel. Fixed Browning machine-gun. Auto-pilot (beneath pilot’s floor). Bomb-aimer’s instruments. Airscrew controls. Throttle and mixture controls. Control column. Pilot.

54 Bead sight for forward Browning machinegun. 55 Emergency crash exit. 56 Air extractor. 57 Variable pitch airscrews. 58 Perseus XA engines. 59 Twin landing lamps. 60 Port navigation lamp.

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Ground crew have a camera break from maintenance

Another air-to-air view of a sprightly Botha

A rather worn Botha runs up its engines

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Bristol Beaufort

Beaufort L9878 served only with No 217 Squadron until being struck off charge on May 31, 1943

THE REQUIREMENT FOR a new torpedobomber for the RAF in the Far East to replace Vickers Vildebeests and Vincents was met by the Beaufort to Specification 10/36 and a contract was awarded for 78 in August 1936, but considerable difficulties with the Bristol Taurus engines delayed deliveries until November 1939 to No 22 Squadron, Thorney Island, first sorties beginning in April 1940. Failure of the competing Blackburn Botha meant that Beauforts had to equip home Coastal Command squadrons, while Australianbuilt Beauforts, 100 of which had been ordered, equipped the RAAF and the RAF in Malaya. The Beaufort was of all-metal

construction and could carry 2,000lb of bombs or a torpedo. It was described as difficult to fly, early aircraft being underpowered and various engine changes resulted in the installation of 1,200hp Pratt & Whitney Wasps which improved the performance and Beaufort Mk IIs joined No 217 Squadron at Thorney Island and St Eval in October 1941, other squadrons being progressively equipped, a total of 11 flying the type. Beauforts of No 42 Squadron attacked the battle cruiser Scharnhorst on June 5, 1942 off Norway and were often used in bombing attacks and minelaying. On April 6, 1941 a No 22 Squadron aircraft crippled the battleship Gniesnau in Brest harbour,

while the last torpedo strike from a UK base was on May 17, 1942 when No 42 Squadron attacked the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen in the North Sea and lost seven aircraft. In Malta, Beauforts of No 69, 39 and 86 Squadrons struck at Axis tankers supplying fuel to North Africa, while a No 217 Squadron aircraft sank the cruiser Trento in June 1942. From August that year Beauforts were retired from Coastal Command and moved to Malta, Egypt and Ceylon, the type’s last operational sortie from Ceylon was by No 217 Squadron on September 10, 1944. Total UK production had reached 1,429 when it ended in April 1944, while a further 700 were built in Australia.

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BRISTOL BEAUFORT

ENGINES:

Two 1,200hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp WINGSPAN: 57ft 10in LENGTH: 44ft 3in HEIGHT: 14ft 3in WING AREA: 503sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 22,500lb MAX SPEED: 265mph

The Beaufort prototype without armament or undercarriage doors

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The undernose rearward-firing gun blister on the Beaufort would seem to be something of an obstruction for the torpedo

Beaufort I X8931 in Coastal Command colours at Shorts, Belfast in October 1943. It served with both Nos 3 and 5 OTUs before being struck off charge in January 1946

The rearward-firing gun proved to be ineffective and was an unnecessary weight penalty, so was later removed

BRISTOL BEAUFORT

Ground crew loading a torpedo for an attack on the Italian fleet in 1942

A No 42 Squadron crew at Leuchars on May 17, 1942 prepare their Beaufort II for an attack on the German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen off the Norwegian coast

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Bristol Be

ol Beaufort

1 Nose machine-guns. 2 Front gunner-navigator and bomb aimer. 3 Navigator’s table. 4 Aileron trim tab control. 5 Throttles. 6 Friction adjustment on lower control box. 7 Landing lamp control.

8 Airscrew constant speed control. 9 Pilot. 10 Fuel tank controls. 11 Cold and warm air controls. 12 Carburetter cut-out controls. 13 Hydraulic fluid tank. 14 Radio (receiver and transmitter).

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Radio operator. Panel controls. Beam gun. First Aid equipment. Entrance ladder. Rear gunner. Ammunition containers. Rear gun turret.

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The second Beaufort prototype was L4442, here displaying very obvious underwing serials and roundels. First flown on July 3, 1939 it was written off in a crash during maker’s trials on May 21, 1940

A Beaufort with crew from the RAF Film Unit considerately oblitering the serial! The Unit was very active throughout the war

A No 22 Squadron line-up of Beauforts with N1171 in the foreground; it went missing on August 27, 1941

BRISTOL BEAUFORT

A South African Air Force Beaufort lines up with a Beaufighter and Marauder, location unknown

(Right) A visit by Sir Kingsley Wood, Secretary of State for Air, was the occasion on February 11, 1940 for a crew (probably fictional) to pose with the second prototype Beaufort L4441, the censor rather inexpertly scratching out the serial!

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A torpedo installed in a Beaufort. The stabilising tail was to ensure its descent into the water at the correct angle

BRISTOL BEAUFORT

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Beaufort IIA trainer ML672 was derelict at Hamble on August 6, 1949 having been struck off charge on December 26, 1946 and sold to Air Service Training on April 11, 1947. Just what they were proposing to do with it is not known

Dual-control trainer Beaufort T.IIA ML625, with turret and military gear removed like ML673 (seen below), went to the Fleet Air Arm in May 1945

Beaufort IIA trainer ML673 had always served with No 17 SFTS and is seen here – not surprisingly in view of its scruffy state – departing for a meeting with the scrapman at Montrose after being struck off charge on September 17, 1946 Beaufort L9821 and Hampden AE366, both in Coastal Command colours, were with No 5 OTU. They were respectively struck off charge on November 29, 1945 and February 7, 1944, the Hampden having been converted to a torpedo bomber

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Handley Page Harrow

The Harrow prototype, K6933, first flew on October 10, 1936 without turrets. After Service trials it became G-AFRG and was shipped to Canada, operating from Gander on flight refuelling trials with Empire flying-boats, finishing its life with the Royal Canadian Air Force as 794

DESIGNED AS A bomber-transport, the Harrow was based on an earlier design, the H.P.51, which flew in 1935. Produced to Specification 29/35, the first Harrow, K6933, flew on October 10, 1936, an order for 100 having been placed in August 1935. The first 38 were Mk Is with 830hp Bristol Pegasus X engines, but from the 39th, K6971, Mk IIs had 925hp Pegasus XXs. The Harrow was of metal construction with fabric covering and as a heavy bomber

with a crew of five the bomb load was 3,000lb. First deliveries were to No 214 Squadron in January 1937 replacing Vickers Virginias. Four other squadrons, Nos 37, 75, 115 and 215, were equipped by late 1937 but although some remained until December 1939 the Harrow was never used as a bomber and it reverted to transport duties. However, one use by No 93 Squadron based at Middle Wallop was to tow aerial mines across the path of enemy aircraft

during the Blitz and it seems that six were destroyed, but the scheme was abandoned. A number of Harrows served with gunnery schools and eight were transferred to the Fleet Air Arm, these had been converted with turrets removed and fairings at nose and tail and were known as Sparrows. Some RAF Harrows were similarly converted and could carry 20 troops or freight, which included Merlin engines, and the first unit to receive these was No 1680

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Flight at Doncaster which later became No 271 Squadron. Two of the squadron’s Sparrows helped evacuate casualties from the September 1944 Arnhem operation and several were destroyed on New Year’s Day, 1945 by German strikes on Allied airfields on the Continent, while the last operational Harrow, K7500, was damaged beyond repair in a taxying accident at BrusselsEvere on February 10, 1945.

Three Harrows were transferred to civil marks and used as tankers in air-to-air refuelling trials with Short Empire flying-boats in 1939, the prototype, K6933 becoming G-AFRG, K7029 ‘FRH and K7027 ’FRL. The first two had been shipped to Gander, Canada for these trials and in 1940 were impressed into the RCAF, the second as spares, while K7027 was restored to the RAF.

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HANDLEY PAGE HARROW ENGINES: Two 925hp Bristol Pegasus XX WINGSPAN: 88ft 5in LENGTH: 82ft 2in HEIGHT: 19ft 5in WING AREA: 1,090sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 23,000lb MAX SPEED: 190mph

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Harrow K7001 of No 37 Squadron, Feltwell was one of a formation of 18 Harrows which flew over London and the Home Counties on May 23, 1939 to advertise Empire Air Day. It was another converted to a Sparrow and passed to No 782 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Donibristle in May 1942 named Merlin XVI. It was struck off charge in November 1943

No 115 Squadron at Marham began to receive Harrows in June 1937; this is K6962 coded M which was later converted to a Sparrow. It was struck off charge in May 1945

The Sparrow conversion on K6996/N of No 271 Squadron gives a more aesthetic appearance to the bomber transport. As mentioned in another photograph, it crashed in France in June 1940

HANDLEY PAGE HARROW

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Work being carried out on a new Harrow at the factory – the serial has not yet been applied

Harrow deliveries to No 214 Squadron began in January 1937 and this Flight photograph reproduced in its March 3, 1938 issue shows an echelon formation, operating from its Feltwell base

A 1937 photograph in the Handley Page factory at Radlett showing what was described as shadow shading, ie spraying irregular patches of dark green and dark earth to camouflage the upper surfaces of a Harrow. A Heyford is seen in the far distance

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A line-up of No 214 Squadron Harrows at Feltwell, including K6987/I, K6993/L and K6989/K. The first was converted to a Sparrow and was struck off charge in May 1945 while K6989 crashed in July 1939

Although not wearing the squadron number, these two Harrows were K6993/L and K6996/H of No 214. The first was converted to a Sparrow and was destroyed in an air raid on Brussels/Evere airfield on January 1, 1945 while K6996 crashed in France while evacuating personnel on June 20, 1940

Squadron take-off by No 217 at Feltwell early in the Harrow’s career. Nearest is K6935/J, struck off charge in April 1940

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Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle

SPECIFICATION B.18/38 ISSUED to Armstrong Whitworth for a reconnaissance bomber for rapid production stipulated that it should be of composite wood and steel construction, enabling components to be widely sub-contracted to firms outside the aircraft industry. It was to be the first British production aircraft with a tricycle undercarriage. Two prototypes, P1360-1361, were built by Air Service Training at Hamble, a member (like Armstrong Whitworth) of the Hawker Siddeley Group and the first flew on March 20, 1940, later going to Armstrong Whitworth at Baginton, Coventry. Test pilots from the Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) felt the aircraft’s performance was mediocre and disappointing, while later tests with the second prototype revealed poor handling at all-up weights. The first production aircraft, P1362, experienced considerable difficulties in bomb loading, but fortunately the Albemarle was never operated as a bomber. In spite of these difficulties, 602 Albemarles were built in a number of

versions, but as production built up more troubles became apparent, the 1,000 sub-contractors having difficulties with the fine tolerances required by the aircraft industry. While a number of different versions were built, a decision was made to use the type as a glider-tug and paratroop transport and the first two went to No 13 Operational Training Unit, Finmere for transport trials. Albemarles began to operate carrying despatches to Gibraltar, while on January 9, 1943 deliveries began to the Heavy Glider Conversion Unit, Hurn where No 296 Squadron was carrying out leafletdropping operations. The Squadron began training towing Waco Hadrians in Algeria in June 1943, and 25 took part in the landings in Sicily, a prelude to the D-Day operations over France and later Holland and Germany, where Albemarles came into their own at last. Scrapping of the type began in August 1947, the only other operator being Russia which received 14 as a gift in 1942. Not the most successful aircraft, the Albemarle nevertheless undertook tasks for which it was never designed and performed satisfactorily.

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(Above) The last production Albermarle I was V1599 and it is shown here wearing prototype marks when forming the prototype for the S.T. Mk I

An Albemarle cockpit showing the left pilot’s seat, access to the navigator’s position in the nose and, on the right, the second pilot’s seat, folded

ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ALBEMARLE

ENGINES: Two 1,560hp Bristol Hercules XI WINGSPAN: 77ft LENGTH: 59ft 11in HEIGHT: 15ft 7in WING AREA: 803.5sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 22,600lb MAX SPEED: 265mph

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An early production Albemarle. The type was unusual at the time in having a tricycle undercarriage, a similar layout to the American B-25 Mitchell

ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ALBEMARLE

The Albemarle’s nose showing the clear vision panel. Comparison with the cutaway shows that a folding step was situated here

A close-up of the starboard Bristol Hercules XI engine and D.H. constant-speed propeller – you will notice on the cutaway that props in those days were called airscrews!

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The Boulton Paul dorsal turret with its four 0.303 machine-guns. The turret was offset to port to allow a passageway to the rear fuselage

Interior of an Albemarle looking towards the tail

The final version of the Albemarle as a transport was the S.T.Mk VI

Armstrong Whitworth A

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Headlamp Bomb aimer’s panel Navigator’s table. Pilot’s instrument panel. Rudder pedals (dual control). Crossmembers (nosewheel support). Nosewheel hinge. Nosewheel operating jacks. Nosewheel radius rods (hinged under floor beneath navigator’s compartment). 10 Bomb door hinges. 11 Crash arch.

12 D/F loop. 13 Fire control dome and emergency exit hatch. 14 Second pilot’s folding seat. 15 Second pilot’s rudder pedals stowed position. 16 First pilot’s seat-raising lever. 17 Sliding doors in armoured bulkhead. 18 Emergency exit hatch. 19 Front fuel tank (fuselage). 20 Rear fuel tank and covering (fuselage). 21 Fuel tank filler cap.

22 Fuel tank vents. 23 Wing centre section to which are fixed centre fuselage and front fuselage. 24 Front fuselage fixings to wing centre joint. 25 Four wing/fuselage attachment joints.

th Albemarle

26 Wing centre section boom-joints (booms change direction from normal athwart-ships to dihedral plus sweepback). 27 Outer wing fixings to centre section. 28 Wing fuel tank positions.

29 Fly-over motor bearers (avoids awkward joint with dihedral plus sweepback wing spars). 30 Undercarriage fixing to wing backspars. 31 Fuselage wooden flooring (with intermittent metal reinforcing members). 32 Emergency exit hatch. 33 Parachute exit hatch. 34 Fuselage joint (centre to rear). 35 Dinghy manual release. 36 Upwards navigation light (emergency exit nearby). 37 Elevator linkage. 38 Elevator shafts universal joints. 39 Tail fairing hinges down for access to lamp connections. 40 Navigation and formation-keeping lights. 41 Tailplane fixings to fuselage. 42 Fin front post bolted to tailplane spar. 43 Cruciform fairing between top and bottom fins. 44 Cabin heating through exhaust muff. 45 Navigation lamp. 46 Formation-keeping lamp. 47 Aircraft jacking pad.

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The Albemarle production line at the A.W.Hawksley factory at Brockworth. Hawksley was a new company in the Hawker Siddeley Group and assembled the aircraft with parts coming from more than 1,000 subcontractors – it must have been a nightmare! Interesting to see two silver mid-fuselages with roundels already applied

An unidentified Albemarle, hopefully about to level out for a landing!

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Airspeed Oxford

Oxford V EB666 was an RCAF aircraft. It was struck off charge in August 1946 AIR MINISTRY SPECIFICATION T.23/36 for a twin-engined trainer was issued to Airspeed in May 1937, the requirements specifying bombing with 111/2lb practice bombs, long-range navigation, night flying and a rear-firing defensive gun. A retractable undercarriage was preferred and dual-control was necessary. Airspeed had already built 50 twinengined Envoys including one for The King’s Flight and the Oxford was based on the Envoy’s design, the first prototype, L4534, flying on June 19, 1937. From the first small production batch, L4535 to L4541, three initially went to the Central Flying School, Upavon for evaluation before passing to No 11 Flying Training School, Wittering and, as deliveries built up, others went to Nos 2 FTS, Brize Norton, No 3 South Cerney and No 5 which used Speke, Broughton, Hooton Park and Ringway. One from the first batch, L4538, was used initially by Airspeed before passing to the Department of Civil Aviation then British Airways where it became G-AFFM in October 1938 and was used for blind approach development and other training work before it crashed after striking a balloon cable near Fareham on November 20, 1939. The first production contract was for 136 aircraft, most being built at the company’s Portsmouth factory. By the outbreak of

war in September 1939 nearly 400 had been delivered, including 75 built by de Havilland at Hatfield. During the war, Oxfords were also manufactured by other companies and when production ended in July 1945 a total of 8,586 had been built by Airspeed, Standard Motors, de Havilland and Percival. The Oxford’s wooden construction featured stressed skin wings and tailplane with a semi-monocoque fuselage. The normal crew was three but there were six crew stations for training work. There were three main versions; the Mk I, for crew training, with an Armstrong Whitworth dorsal turret mounting a Lewis gun; the Mk II, which omitted the turret and was used mainly for pilot training, both with 375hp Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah X engines; and the Mk V, fitted with uprated 450hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp Juniors. The sole Mk III was P1864, converted to become the Mk V prototype, the Mk IV was a projected pilot-training development of the Mk III but was not built. The Oxford was not easy to fly, therefore became a good trainer for pilots going on to other twin-engine types. It was said that swings on take-off were hazardous as were ground loops on landing and in an attempt to counteract this in 1938 L4539 was fitted with the McLaren drift-correcting undercarriage which enabled adjustment

of the main wheels in flight to keep the aircraft straight along the runway when it was pointing off track, but it was found to be impractical and was never adopted. In addition to RAF service, many Oxfords went abroad – 500 plus to South Africa and Rhodesia, 297 to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 188 airframes to Canada as Mk Vs to be fitted there with engines and 40 to the Middle East. Others went to Portugal, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Free French and the United States Army Air Force. Post-war a number of Oxfords were bought back by Airspeed for conversion to civil Consuls (these are covered in our Early British Post-war Airliners) while there were also a number of civil Oxfords. The final RAF aircraft were withdrawn from service in 1954 with the closure of No 10 Advanced Flying Training School, Pershore

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AIRSPEED OXFORD

ENGINES:

Two 375hp Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah X WINGSPAN: 53ft 4 in LENGTH: 34ft 6 in HEIGHT: 11ft 1in WING AREA: 348sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 7,600lb MAX SPEED: 188mph

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A diagram of an Oxford cockpit published in Flight dated May 27, 1943 Three of the first batch of Oxfords delivered to the RAF went to No 11 Flying Training School (FTS) at Wittering; only one of these is fitted with a turret. Presumably all have their undercarriages down to slow up for the photographic biplane!

An Oxford cockpit – note differences with the Flight diagram above Oxford prototype L4534 at the 1939 Brussels Air Exhibition

The cockpit seen from centre cabin

An early Oxford – the door was not large!

AIRSPEED OXFORD

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A partial cutaway showing details

A line up of Oxfords of No 3 FTS, South Cerney, all minus turrets but wearing code numbers and a red fuselage band

Oxford L4576 of No 3 FTS, South Cerney A No 3 FTS Oxford running up its engines at South Cerney

Standing next to a line of P-47 Thunderbolts, Oxford T1074 was used throughout its life by Shorts – note the company crest on the nose. It was not struck off charge until December 1955

The prototype Oxford V, AS592, went to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in May 1942

Airspeed O

ed Oxford

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The Royal Netherlands Air Force and Navy received 31 Oxfords post-war, and here several are undergoing overhaul at the Fokker factory

One of a batch of Oxford Mks I and V built between April and September 1942 at Portsmouth, EB490 was delivered to Canada as a Mk V airframe

More Dutch Oxfords being overhauled by Fokker. In the background, Tiger Moth A-3 and the wing of a Swiss DC-3

AIRSPEED OXFORD

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A 1940 illustration of a camouflaged Oxford being loaded with small practice bombs

Oxford L4563 displays its serial in an unusual fashion and was one of a number of this type used by the Air Transport Auxiliary

Oxford BF982 went to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in April 1942 and here with several others appears to be derelict.

UB339 was a Consul, converted post-war from an Oxford for the Burmese Air Force which had some 24 aircraft of these types. Here it carries rockets beneath the wings and has two fixed machine-guns beneath the fuselage. It was photographed at Boscombe Down in 1948 with the Tudor VIII in the background

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Oxford AS504 was fitted experimentally with de Havilland Gipsy Queen engines in 1940

Oxford I P1864 became the prototype Mk III and was later converted to a Mk V before being struck off charge in October 1944

A formation of 12 Oxfords from No 9 Advanced Flying Training School, Wellesbourne Mountford

RCAF Oxford AR756 crashed on approach to Medicine Hat on August 13, 1941 and was written off

50 Somewhat scruffy Anson N5331 served with various units but displays no unit markings. It has rather worn wing fabric, but survived until being struck off charge in March 1945

AVRO ANSON

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Avro Anson Anson N5331 wears a Polish marking on the nose. At that time it was with No 6 Air Observer & Navigator School, Staverton. The very small writing on the fin says Distress Signal Stowage.

WHEN AVRO WAS invited to build a twinengine retractable-undercarriage fourpassenger airliner for Imperial Airways, it produced two Avro 652s, G-ACRM and ‘CRN, both being delivered to Croydon on March 11, 1935. While they had been in the design stage, the Air Ministry invited Avro to tender for a twin-engined coastal patrol aircraft under Specification 18/35 and the company immediately made changes to the 652 to accommodate the new requirements. The Anson prototype, K4771, flew 13 days after the 652s were delivered. Service trials in competition with a military version of the D.H.89 biplane in May 1935 favoured the Anson, an initial contract being awarded for 174, the first production aircraft, K6152, flying on December 31, 1935.

No 48 Squadron, Manston received their first aircraft in March 1936, the RAF’s first monoplane with a retractable undercarriage and by the 1937 RAF Display there were five Anson squadrons represented while by September 1939 there were 760 Ansons in service including 300 with Coastal Command. In July 1937, Ansons joined No 11 Flying Training School, Wittering. The Anson was blooded on September 5, 1939, when a No 500 Squadron aircraft attacked a U-boat, while during the Battle of Britain three Ansons fought off an attack by nine Messerschmitt Bf 109s and shot down two. The Commonwealth Air Training Plan, begun in December 1939, required 223 Ansons being sent to Canada to equip

training schools; later Ansons were built in Canada in various marks. Similarly, in Britain Ansons emerged in a number of versions with Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah engines of 350 or 420hp. Construction featured fabriccovered metal fuselages and metal wings and tail, and while earlier versions required 174 turns of a wheel in the cockpit to retract the undercarriage later marks had hydraulicallyoperated undercarriage and flaps. Ansons served in many roles including training, transport, communications and radar calibration and continued in production post-war with military and civil versions, the last aircraft, WJ561, a Mk T.22, being delivered in May 1952 after a production run of 8,138 in Britain and 2,882 in Canada.

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AVRO ANSON

In a similar pose to the main picture, Anson K6285/MW-F of No 321 Squadron, formed with Dutch Navy personnel who had escaped to the UK after the invasion of Holland. One crew member smiles through the door beneath the turret, while a second Anson’s tail is just visible beyond the turret.

ENGINES: Two 350hp Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX WINGSPAN: 56ft 6in LENGTH: 42ft 3in HEIGHT: 13ft 1in WING AREA: 410sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 8,000lb MAX SPEED: 173mph

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Ansons with serials between N5093 and ‘5107 on the production line and awaiting gun turrets, one of which can be seen near workers in the foreground. After serving with Nos 502 and 608 Squadrons, N5107 went to the RCAF in July 1941

(Below) An impressive formation of aircraft from the Central Flying School, Upavon in June 1938. From top to bottom are Hawker Fury K8238, Avro Tutor K3303, Hawker Hart K5863, Airspeed Oxford L4537 and Anson K6163, all wearing the CFS badge on the tail

A 1938 photograph of a tight formation of No 217 Squadron Ansons. No 217 was based at Tangmere at that time, with detachments to Warmwell and Carew Cheriton

No 215 was a bomber squadron and operated Ansons from February 1937 to November that year, based at Driffield. Here are K6291/B, K6296/H and K6295/G looking rather defenceless without turrets and with their undercarriages down

This photograph from the files of Shorts’ Civilian Repair Organisation shows Anson K6279/OY-B of No 48 Squadron, apparently with black undersurfaces and presumably in for repair

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The instructional staff at No 9 Flying Training School, Hullavington, a Flight photograph published in its July 14, 1938 issue.

The cockpit of a post-war Anson T.20 Navigational Trainer showing access to the Air Bomber’s position in the nose... ...though the prone bombing position was not very comfortable!

(Above) The Anson cockpit was quite compact but offered a reasonable view to the crew

An Air Navigation School pupil plotting a course in an Anson

Avro A

ro Anson

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A formation of RAAF Ansons from Richmond Aerodrome, Australia showing two distinct colour schemes, some of the aircraft like N4977 in the lead wore British serials while others, in both schemes, wore Australian serials, the second aircraft here being A4-40

(Left) The British Student Nurses Association of the Royal College of Nursing presented an Anson Air Ambulance, illustrated in Flight dated July 6, 1944 – but it doesn’t say to whom it was presented! One known air ambulance was W2037 of the Royal Australian Anson DG766 of the Middle East Communications Squadron photographed Air Force but that was at El Kabrit, Egypt on January 14, 1943. It was struck off charge in November delivered in May 1941 1946

A pre-war line-up of Ansons of No 206 Squadron and torpedoequipped Vildebeestes in a combined RAF/Army exercise

AVRO ANSON

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A line-up of No 48 Squadron Ansons in October 1936, probably at Manston. K6158/E was the first of this batch to be lost when it was hit by lightning and crashed at Ewell Minnis, Kent on February 22, 1939

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This Bombardier Aerospace, Canada photograph shows a group of Anson Mk IIs in the FP serial range with, in the far distance, Canadiancanopied Tiger Moths

Another picture from Bombardier Aerospace, Canada is something of a puzzle, since N5091 is not recorded as ever being in Canada. The aircraft served with No 6 Service Flying Training School, Hullavington until going in April 1941 via South Africa to the Rhodesian Air Training Group

No doubt as to the location of N9913, being serviced in the snow. It was the first Mk I Anson to be assembled in Canada by D.H. Canada in February 1940 and became RCAF 6001

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De Havilland Flamingo

A Flamingo used to test Bristol Perseus engines with Hamilton hydromatic propellers was the former G-AGAZ, bearing test marks E16. It later reverted to the civil marks before becoming AE444 in September 1940. Note absence of the temporary central fin shown on the cutaway drawing opposite

THE FLAMINGO WAS designed as a small airliner and the prototype flew on December 22, 1938. Accommodation was provided for up to 17 passengers with a crew of three, and construction was allmetal with stressed skin. The prototype was originally fitted with a central fin, subsequently deleted when the twin fins were enlarged. The first aircraft became G-AFUE and carried out proving flights between the Channel Islands and England in May 1939, having been evaluated by the Air Ministry as a suitable military transport two months earlier. Although two had been ordered by Guernsey and Jersey Airways, war broke out before delivery and they were impressed, G-AFUF becoming X9317 and G-AGAZ, operated for a few days with this marks, became AE444, both with No 24 Squadron, Hendon. A batch of eight, G-AFYE to ‘FYL was earmarked for BOAC, but one was impressed, G-AFYH becoming BT312 with

the Royal Navy, Donibristle. It turned out to be the only post-war survivor and was briefly restored, only to be scrapped. The King’s Flight, Benson received two Flamingoes, R2764-2765, on September 7, 1940 and R2766 was attached to the Flight with temporary civil marks G-AGCC for possible emergency use by the Royal Family if the invasion of Britain materialised. RAF Flamingoes featured a 2ft increase in wingspan and other changes. A pure military version, the The Flamingo cockpit was small but offered a good view Hertfordshire, was built to Specification for the crew 19/39 as a transport for a crew of two and 22 troops, or with the ability to carry two aero-engines. If arranged as a DE HAVILLAND FLAMINGO medical transport, a crew of three and ENGINES: Two 930hp Bristol Perseus XVI ten stretcher cases could be carried, WINGSPAN: 70ft while provision was to be made for LENGTH: 51ft 7in transportation of fuel and water in two HEIGHT: 15ft 3in tanks. Thirty were ordered, but only WING AREA: 651sq ft one, R2510, was built, differing mainly LOADED WEIGHT: 17,600lb in having almost circular windows. It 243mph MAX SPEED: crashed in October 1940.

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Flamingo production at Hatfield with work being carried out on a wing Flamingoes operated with and without spinners; the nose air duct was for cabin ventilation and heating

Flamingo R2765 underwent acceptance tests in April 1940 at the A&AEE, Boscombe Down before delivery to No 24 Squadron at Hendon, being named Lady of Hendon. It was finally struck off charge in November 1944

A line-up of four Flamingoes with their pilots. The Flight caption at the time said three Flamingoes and a Hertfordshire; there was one of the latter, distinguished only by small portholes in the main cabin instead of windows

DE HAVILLAND FLAMINGO

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A civil Flamingo gets airborne at Hatfield with a D.H.91 Albatross just visible beneath the tailwheel

Seen alongside a B-25 Mitchell which had just arrived from Newfoundland, Flamingo AE444 of No 24 Squadron became Lady of Ayr in 1942. It was struck off charge in November 1944

Wearing temporary civil marks G-AGCC, Flamingo R2766 was attached to the King’s Flight during the 1940 invasion scare for possible emergency use by the Royal Family and, after returning to No 24 Squadron in September 1940, was named Lady of Glamis. It was one of two passed to the Admiralty, serving with No 782 Squadron, Donibristle until being used as spares for the other, BT312

de Havilland Fl

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Pendant rudder bars. Stick change-over from pull-rod to wires. Seat slide. Seat-raising gear (actually on opposite side). Hydraulic accumulator. Radio. Cabin cold air trunk with luggage rack over. Double-pane windows.

Central fin shown here was eliminated on production models, the wireless aerials then being taken to the outer fins.

nd Flamingo

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Vickers Warwick

WHILE VICKERS WAS building the Wellington, a parallel design for a heavy bomber to Specification B.1/35 incorporating the same form of geodetic construction was to emerge eventually as the Warwick which, in the event, never served as a heavy bomber since the RAF had by then adopted the Stirling and later the Halifax and Lancaster. The Warwick prototype, K8178, flew on August 13, 1939 with two 1,800hp RollsRoyce Vulture engines while the second,

L9704, followed in April 1940 with 2,520hp Bristol Centaurus radials and 250 aircraft were ordered in June 1941, but due to a shortage of Centaurus engines 1,850hp Pratt & Whitney Double Wasps were adopted. In 1943 the type was converted for air-sea rescue duties carrying an airborne lifeboat, first deliveries being made to No 280 Squadron, Thornaby in October 1943; some 350 were thus converted as ASR Mk Is serving with 15 squadrons in the UK and overseas.

The next mark was the GR.II as Centaurus engines became available, 119 being built for Operational Training Units, the Empire Air Navigation School and meteorological duties, but the following Mk V was the first to be engaged in offensive operations with a radar scanner beneath the nose and a Leigh Light below the fuselage, 236 being built between April 1944 and April 1946, entering service in November 1944 with No 179 Squadron, St Eval where they served until being replaced by Lancaster GR.IIIs

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Warwick I BV285 was lost on November 20, 1943 when, while serving with the Overseas Aircraft Development Unit, it hit a tree on take-off at Hurn

in May 1946. The last GR.Vs were retired with No 621 Squadron in Palestine in August 1946. The Warwick’s first transport role was with BOAC, which operated 14 Mk Is converted for mail services to the Mediterranean until the aircraft were handed over to RAF Transport Command in 1944. The following similar Mk C.III featured a freight pannier beneath the fuselage and 100 were built for Transport Command for

operations in the Mediterranean but serviceability was poor. It was used as a troop transport carrying 24 men and their equipment between the UK and Middle East serving with Nos 525 and 167 Squadrons, but No 353 in India found that the fabric covering was unsuited to the tropics. Mk IIIs were finally retired at Chedburgh in May 1946 when No 304 Squadron converted to Halifax C.VIIIs.

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VICKERS WARWICK ENGINES:

Two 1,850hp Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp WINGSPAN: 96ft 8in LENGTH: 70ft 6in HEIGHT: 18ft 6in WING AREA: 1,006sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 46,000lb MAX SPEED: 260mph

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Another official photograph dated April 1940 showing the B.1/35 Warwick instrument panel

A Warwick on the Vickers production line, guns still to be installed in the turrets

This official picture dated May 6, 1944 shows the interior of a transport Warwick

The interior of a Warwick transport of RAF Transport Command, quite spartan and with the wing centre section covered by a step. Note the fire extinguishers on the bulkhead

A July 1939 illustration of the Vickers B.1/35 Warwick airframe with inner wing panels attached highlights the geodetic construction

A close-up of an airborne lifeboat clearly shows its propellers

VICKERS WARWICK The first prototype B.1/35 Warwick, L8178, was fitted with Rolls-Royce Vulture engines, but they proved as troublesome as they were in the Avro Manchester

The second prototype B.1/35 was L9704 with Bristol Centaurus engines. The colour scheme would indicate yellow undersurfaces. This aircraft was fitted with two .50in guns in a remotely-controlled turret in each engine nacelle (right), but the scheme was not adopted

Warwick C.III HG340 shows the large cargo pannier. This aircraft served with No 304 Squadron until struck off charge in August 1947

Silver-finished Warwick PN827 with airborne lifeboat and wing radar aerials. It served its time only with Vickers until being struck off charge in July 1947

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Warwick ASR. I BV351 with ‘invasion’ stripes and looking rather scruffy with a small lifeboat alongside

Warwick ASR.I BV301 with a Mk I lifeboat spent its life with the A & AEE Boscombe Down until being struck off charge in July 1947

VICKERS WARWICK

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Warwick GR. II HG348 with Centaurus engines served with No 524 Squadron until being struck off charge in January 1947

Later Warwick GR. Vs were fitted with a dorsal fin fillet to cure directional instability, this is LM789

Installation in a Warwick III transport/freighter of a Napier Sabre VI engine in an annular cowling

Demonstrating its ability to fly on one engine with the starboard propeller feathered is Warwick C.III HG348, a No 524 Squadron aircraft

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Warwick GR.V LM818 with a special nose scanner in a clear Perspex radome, forerunner of the fibreglass version

The Warwick GR.V had a 6ft radar scanner beneath its flat-panelled nose

A 27ft airborne lifeboat being attached to a Warwick

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De Havilland D.H.86 THE PROTOTYPE D.H.86 four-engined airliner flew on January 14, 1934, designed and built in four months to an Australian Government requirement for a ten-seater to operate across the Java and Tasman Seas. It was of wooden construction with fabric covering and 62 were built to meet UK and Australian orders. The RAF bought four of the D.H.86B model – conversions of the D.H.86A – from British Airways, G-ADYC and ‘DYD

becoming L8037 and L8040 as flying classrooms for wireless telegraphy and navigation training and were delivered to Cranwell in November 1937, while G-ADYJ and ‘DYG became L7596 and N6246, and were delivered to No 24 Squadron, Hendon. L7596 was destroyed in a forcedlanding at Kirby-in-Furness on July 28, 1939. No 24 Squadron acquired two more impressed D.H.86s, AX795 (G-ADYI) and X9441 (G-AEJM) but the latter was burnt

out after catching fire during start up on March 31, 1943. Impressments totalled 17, including four for the Royal Navy while HK843 (G-AEAP) served with the RAAF No 1 Air Ambulance Unit, AX760 (G-ADFF) with the Lydda Communications Flight and several others were Cairo-based. Pictures of Service D.H.86s are not common, but it served the RAF well with little ceremony in various theatres. Several survived and returned to the civil register post-war.

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Photographs of RAF D.H.86s are not common and Aeroplane archives have only those shown in these pages. We make no apologies therefore for using these three views of L7596

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DE HAVILLAND D.H.86 ENGINES: Four 205hp D.H.Gipsy Six WINGSPAN: 64ft 6in LENGTH: 46ft 1 in HEIGHT: 13ft WING AREA: 641sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 11,000lb MAX SPEED: 166mph

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Camouflaged D.H.86B L8037 (ex G-ADYC) appears to carry the name The Citadel II on the nose. It served with No 1 Electrical & Wireless School, before going to No 24 Squadron and then passed to the Admiralty. It was used by No 782 Squadron, Donisbristle from March 1943 to February 1945

Starting life as D.H.86A, G-ADYJ was converted to a D.H.86B and in October 1937 became L7596 with No 24 Squadron, Hendon but crashed during a forced-landing at Kirby-in-Furness on July 28, 1939

The interior of a D.H.86 used by RAF Cranwell as a radio trainer. The door to the cockpit was extremely narrow! This rather sad D.H.86 may be HK829, the former G-ACWD, whose undercarriage collapsed on landing at Nefatia North on March 17, 1943 while serving with No 1 Air Ambulance Unit or it might by HK844 (ex G-ACPL) which suffered a double engine failure on take-off causing it to swing and suffer an undercarriage collapse at Maaten Bagush on April 10, 1942. What do you think?

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Percival Q.6

Q.6 P5639 was the sixth of seven built for the RAF for communications duties and posed for an air-to-air sortie. Sold in April, 1946, it became G-AHTA, other survivors from this batch being P5634 and ‘5637 which became G-AHTB and ‘HOM respectively THE FIRST TWIN-ENGINED aircraft designed by Edgar Percival was the Type Q, originally to be a low-powered Q.4 which was not produced, then the Q.6, an all-wood six-seater which was basically an enlarged Percival Gull. The prototype, G-AEYE, flew on September 14, 1937 and orders were obtained from private owners. A Certificate of Airworthiness was granted on January 27, 1938 and the Q.6 was available with a fixed or retractable undercarriage, but throughout the type’s life both gave problems. The aircraft was very comfortable with low noise levels and no vices, being able to be trimmed to fly hands-off. In 1938, Specification 25/38 for a VIP communications aircraft was met by the Q.6 and on January 27, 1939 eight were ordered for the RAF, P5634-5641 but the last was not completed. They were to standard engine configuration but with a four-seat cabin, a bulkhead separating it from the cockpit, and a toilet was

fitted at the rear. All seats had chair-type parachutes. The radio operator had a transmitter/receiver and directionfinder, while electric engine starters and navigation lights were fitted. As the war progressed, a number of civil Q.6s were impressed and were widely used in the transport of senior officers, P5638 was allocated to the AOC Coastal Command and two, W9734 (ex G-AFFE) and AX860 (G-AFVC) went to the Royal Navy at Lee-on-Solent, X9406 (G-AFIX) served Bomber Command HQ at Halton. While carrying Air Marshal Tedder to the Middle East, W6085 (G-AFKC) made a forced-landing in the desert – there were no casualties – and HK838 G-AFMW) was based at Heliopolis. In total, Q.6s served with 16 RAF units and three RN; seven aircraft survived the war and returned to civil marks but the only survivor is the second aircraft, G-AFFD, on long-term restoration, hopefully to flying condition.

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Designer Edgar Percival at the controls of a Q.6

PERCIVAL Q.6

ENGINES: Two 205hp D.H. Gipsy Six II WINGSPAN: 46ft 8in LENGTH: 32ft 3in HEIGHT: 9ft 9in WING AREA: 278sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 5,550lb MAX SPEED: 195mph

Percival Q

al Q.6

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The prototype Q.6, G-AEYE, running up at Luton where it made its first flight on September 14, 1937

Another view of a Q.6 cockpit showing more of the instrument panel, the Sperry gyroscope dial is visible behind the top right of the wheel which is mounted on a throw-over pedestal

The Q.6 production line at Luton was opened in 1938

Q.6 P5639 returns from its photographic survey for a fly-by

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De Havilland D.H.91 Albatross

The first D.H.91, G-AEVV, with long-range tanks visible behind the third window

DESIGNED TO AN Air Ministry requirement for two transatlantic mailplanes, the D.H.91 prototype, E-2, flew at Hatfield on May 20, 1937. Its circular fuselage was built of wood, laminated cedar ply with a balsa layer between, the one-piece wing having a box spar with two layers of spruce planking. The four 525hp D.H. Gipsy Twelve engines were enclosed in close-fitting cowlings, cooling being via intakes in the wing leading edge, the undercarriage retracting inwards ahead of the main spar. The whole design exhibited perfection of line, although the slimness of the fuselage was to prove its undoing later.

Initially, the tail unit had twin strutted inset fins, but these were soon changed to streamlined, almost oval, endplate fins and rudders. The registration became G-AEVV while the second, E-5/G-AEVW, flew on August 27, 1938 but broke its fuselage in landing. A reinforced fuselage was built and this became standard for the five production aircraft, G-AFDI- ‘FDM. These were built as 22-passenger aircraft for Imperial Airways, deliveries beginning in October 1938. Imperial also acquired the two mailplanes and at the outbreak of war their fleet was evacuated to Bramcote, then Bristol. The mailplanes were soon impressed as AX903

and ‘904 respectively and served with No 271 Squadron on a shuttle service between the UK and Iceland, but both were lost in crashes at Reykjavik, ‘903 which swung on landing and collided with Fairey Battle L5547 on August 11, 1941 and ‘904 which crashed on landing on April 7, 1942. While its RAF service was comparatively short, the design of the D.H.91 and its wooden construction was invaluable in the D.H.98 Mosquito which was to follow.

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The D.H.91 instrument panel, with throttle and propeller controls on the console below

DE HAVILLAND D.H.91 ALBATROSS

ENGINES:

The second D.H.91, G-AEVW, after donning RAF colours as AX904. The paint is beginning to wear but it still wears its civilian name Franklin. The code BJ belonged to No 271 Squadron

Four 525hp D.H.Gipsy Twelve WINGSPAN: 105ft LENGTH: 71ft 6in HEIGHT: 22ft 3in WING AREA: 1,078sq ft LOADED WEIGHT: 32,500lb MAX SPEED: 222mph

de Havilland D.H

D.H.91 Albatross

The de Havilland Albatross depicted here is the long-range version with four fuel tanks within the fuselage.

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General Aircraft Hotspur A Hotspur lands while another, BT525/D rests. It seems likely that most, if not all, of the photographs here were taken at a Press briefing, the release date on the back of this one was September 26, 1942

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT OR.87 spawned Specification 10/40 for a glider to be towed to a height by a power-driven aircraft and subsequently released. It was to be towed in a train of three, capable of carrying a military load of eight men and equipment of approximately 2,000lb, simple to fly, the pilot requiring only a few hours instruction. Speed in normal glide approximately 80mph, and a high degree of longitudinal stability was required. Interconnected rudder and aileron control and a restricted elevator control with trimmer which could be adjusted in flight were suggested. Construction was to be of wood or plastics with fabric covering, light alloys were to be avoided if possible since they were in short supply. A form of trolley would be required to enable tow from ground, the fuselage bottom should be a strong member rather than a single keel, and the glider was required to glide 100 miles from release at 20,000ft – in fact the Hotspur only managed 83 miles when carrying a pilot and seven troops.

General Aircraft met most of the other requirements and the first Hotspur, BV139, flew in March 1941 and 22 Mk Is were ordered from General Aircraft and Slingsby. In addition, 990 were built by Harris Lebus, William Lawrence, Mulliners and Waring & Gillow. The Mk II differed from the Mk I in having wingspan reduced from 61ft 11in to 45ft 11in, dual tandem controls, modified ailerons and flaps and changes to the canopy and door, while the final production version, the Mk III, had an externally-braced tail assembly. Hotspurs equipped a number of Glider Training Schools, Nos 1 and 2, Croughton, No 3 Stoke Orchard, No 4 Exeter and Wellesbourne Mountford and No 5 Shobdon. Doing the donkey work of towing initially were obsolete Hawker Audax and Hector biplanes, later succeeded by Miles Masters. An odd experimental version, the Twin Hotspur, consisted of two fuselages connected by a centre section and tailplane between the two fuselages, each of which could carry eight men, with control from the port fuselage.

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GENERAL AIRCRAFT HOTSPUR

WINGSPAN (MK II): LENGTH: HEIGHT: WING AREA: LOADED WEIGHT: MAX TOW SPEED:

45ft 11in 39ft 4in 10ft 6in 272sq ft 3,598lb 130mph

Hotspur BT734/Z awaiting launch. It survived until being struck off charge in March 1947

A glider pilot receiving instruction in a Hotspur. Note the retractable footholds and sideways hinging canopy

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Hotspurs BT605/D and BT595/U under tow in the summer of 1942. The tugs would have been Miles Masters or Hawker Audax

The same two Hotspurs, still in formation. Both were eventually struck off charge, BT595 in September 1944 but BT605 survived until October 1949

A line-up of 11 Hotspurs. This picture was released in June 1942 and identifiable serials indicate that it was taken at No 2 Glider Training School either at Weston-on-the-Green or Cheddington. In the background are one of the Hawker Audax tugs and an Anson

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General Aircraft Hamilcar

A Hamilcar prototype under tow BRITAIN’S LARGEST GLIDER was the Hamilcar, an assault glider built to Specification X.27/40 and the prototype, DP206, flew on March 27, 1942. Its capacity was a fully-laden Mk VII tank complete with crew, a total of weight of 15,680lb, or two Bren Gun Carriers, fully laden with crew at 17,024lb. The undercarriage was required to be capable of being jettisoned in flight and dual controls were specified, the aircraft should be able to be flown “hands off ” in free flight. The nose was hinged to starboard and a ramp provided for loading, while construction, like other gliders, was to be of wood, enabling manufacture by a number of sub-contractors. These in fact built 390, with General Aircraft producing only 22 , following a half-scale model, DP226, flown to assess flight characteristics. More than 70 Hamilcars towed by Stirlings and Halifaxes took part in the Normandy landings, while 28 saw action in

September 1944 at Arnhem. With war in the Far East continuing, a powered Hamilcar was designed to Specification X.4/44 which covered two prototypes, LA704 and ‘727, to be converted as the Mk X with two 965hp Bristol Mercury engines giving a speed of 145 mph, a range of 705 miles or 1,765 miles with extra tanks. With an all-up weight of 45,250lb under standard tropical conditions and towed by a Lancaster it was required to take-off in no wind conditions in 2,000 yards and achieve a rate of climb of 400ft/ min with engines of tug and glider at max weak mixture cruising power. The first Hamilcar X flew in February 1945, but only 20 had been completed by VJ Day and the project died. It makes an interesting comparison with the Bristol 170 Freighter, first flown in December 1945 and of similar proportions, the 170 of course being of metal construction and much more powerful.

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A rather poor quality picture released in December 1944. Loads quoted were one tank or two Bren Gun carriers, a selfpropelled Bofors gun or two armoured scout cars which could be in action within 15 seconds of the glider coming to rest

GENERAL AIRCRAFT HAMILCAR WINGSPAN: LENGTH: HEIGHT: WING AREA: LOADED WEIGHT: MAX TOW SPEED:

110ft 68ft 20ft 3in 1,657sq ft 37,000lb 150mph

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(Above) This photograph purports to show a light tank backing into a Hamilcar, but maybe it was coming out. The picture shows there was not much clearance, with great potential for damage to the glider (Right) A June 1944 press release shows a Hamilcar under tow (Below) The first prototype of the powered Hamilcar X, LA704, with Bristol Mercury engines

88 1 Landing light. 2 Door-opening handle. 3 Vehicle pushes strap 3 and releases latch 2 via Bowden cable 4 which pulls strut 5 and opens door.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Bowden cable control. Door-opening strut. Door jettison handle (unpins door hinges). Door roller must ride on 8 so door cannot sag when closed. Metal kerb. Adjustable vehicle rails. Fume extractors. Ground towing lug. Undercarriage universal joints. Deflating oleo leg. Main vehicle anchorage. Centre-section-to-fuselage attachment.

GENERAL AIRCRAFT HAMILCAR 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Ceiling forms cockpit floor. Metal deflector plate. Bullet-proof armour behind second pilot. Radio (if required). Laminated boom spars. Servo pneumatic flap gear (behind rear spar). Flap hinge. Aileron cable controls. Outer wing attachments. Electrical bonding. Diagonal plywood grain. Lifting lugs. Air-pressure bottles (large for flaps, small for brakes). Walkway to cockpit. Tailplane attachments. Fin attachment. Fin rear post, down behind fuselage rear face.

33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

Elevator hinge. Elevator and rudder balance trimming tabs. Centre-section lifting lug (alongside 21 in drawing). Barrier across cabin behind entrance door. Datum blocks on fuselage frames near 14 on drawing. Metal plates making frame-corner joints. Bottom longerons. Rudder mass balance. Navigation light. Recognition light. Aileron trimming tab (starboard only). Tow line indicator. Nose-door windows.

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Airspeed Horsa

A Horsa just after completing its initial air test WHILE BRITAIN HAD not seriously considered the use of gliders in an operational role, German successes with airborne forces early in World War Two caused the British military to begin training for the airborne role in summer 1940 at Ringway Airport, Manchester, dropping paratroops from Whitleys. The first Specification for a glider was X.25/40, a 15-seater, and was met by Slingsby Sailplanes who produced ten Slingsby Hengists, but they were not adopted since Waco Hadrians were being received under Lend/Lease agreements. In January 1941, Specification X.26/40 was issued to Airspeed for a 25-seater troop-carrying glider capable of speeds up to 100mph under tow. Dual controls were required, seats had to be removable and be made to tipup, the wheeled undercarriage should be capable of being jettisoned and construction would be of wood. Airspeed

wasted no time, and flew the prototype Horsa, DG597, on September 12, 1941, the second, DG603, following soon after, both assembled at Fairey’s Great West Aerodrome (now Heathrow). Three other prototypes, DG600, ‘604 and ‘609, were assembled at Airspeed’s Portsmouth factory. The great majority of Horsas built were sub-contracted to furniture manufacturers Harris Lebus – some 2,770 plus, with 365 by Austin Motors and 695 by Airspeed, but various records differ on exact numbers. There were two versions, the Mk I troopcarrier and the Mk II which had a hinged nose for loading of vehicles and guns and a twin-wheel nose undercarriage. The type’s first operation was on November 19, 1942 when two Horsas loaded with troops and towed by Halifaxes flew from Scotland to attack a German heavy-water plant in southern Norway, while a mammoth tow of 27 by Halifaxes of No 295 Squadron

from England to North Africa in July 1943 was the prelude to the invasion of Sicily. More than 250 Horsas took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy plus 616 in the Arnhem landings in September 1944, while the final Horsa operation came in 1945 when 440 carried troops across the Rhine. An interesting post-war use of a Horsa came when one was fitted with a modified nose to test the all-weather visibility for the forthcoming de Havilland Comet jetliner, the Horsa being towed by a Halifax.

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AIRSPEED HORSA WINGSPAN: LENGTH: HEIGHT: WING AREA: LOADED WEIGHT: MAX TOW SPEED:

88ft 11in 67ft 19ft 6in 1,104sq ft 15,250lb 150mph

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1 Nut for wheel removal 2 Air-pressure bottle. 3 Dash lamp. 4 A.S.I. 5 Towing cable angle indicator. 6 Altimeter. 7 Turn and bank indicator. 8 Air brake control levers. 9 Towing cable release. 10 Flap control. 11 Undercarriage jettison. 12 Landing lamps. 13 Compass. 14 Compressed air storage, brakes. 15 Wing nut for rudder bar removal and alternative spindle for pilot’s leg adjustment. 16 Brake regulator valve. 17 Very pistol tube. 18 Compressed air storage, flaps. 19 Beam approach holder. 20 Dimmer switch for cockpit lights. A J.H. Clark drawing of a Horsa cockpit published in The Aeroplane dated May 26, 1944

Horsas arrived at the assembly plants from factories in 30 sections and assembly took several days. Here, the male and female workers pose for an official photograph in May 1944

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A Horsa II airborne on tow behind a Halifax in routine tests at Christchurch in 1950. The purpose of the white crosses is not known

A Horsa I (note single nosewheel) embarks troops on a training exercise. The yellow/black striped undersurfaces were used on training gliders

A 1943 photograph shows another Horsa I about to be towed by a small tractor

AIRSPeeD HORSA

A Jeep being manoeuvred into – or out of – a Horsa via two narrow ramps

A Horsa II nose shows clearly the hinges, towing point and open clear view panel in the cockpit. This Horsa was used post-war in towing trials with the Vickers Valetta

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The Horsa’s simple controls, although they do not correspond in position with those shown in the drawing on page 91. The warning notice states “This aircraft must not be flown in the tare condition with one pilot.”

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Impressments

The first two of nine Percival Q.6s impressed, G-AEYE and G-AFFD became X9328 and X9407 respectively. Both survived to be restored post-war and G-AFFD is currently on long-term rebuild, hopefully to fly again WHEN WORLD WAR TWO broke out in September 1939, the British Government established National Air Communications (NAC) to coordinate the various transport aircraft available, but impressment of the larger civil types did not take place until spring, 1940, and a number were operating until then in civil marks but with camouflage. A new headquarters for the combined fleets of British Airways and Imperial Airways was established at Whitchurch Airport, Bristol and aircraft were hurriedly camouflaged, with Armstrong

Whitworth Ensigns soon going to Baginton, Coventry while Short S.17Ls, Handley Page H.P.42s and de Havilland Flamingoes remained at Whitchurch. Among the aircraft impressed and given RAF serials were 45 Dragon Rapides, 17 D.H.86s, four of which served with the Royal Navy, 18 D.H. Dragonflys, two D.H.91 Albatrosses, 20 General Aircraft Monospars, three H.P.42s, nine Percival Q.6s, 15 Short Scions, two Short S.17Ls, three Spartan Cruisers, seven Short Empire Flying-boats and five Armstrong Whitworth Atalantas.

The principal UK transport unit was No 24 Squadron, Hendon, which employed a wide variety of types including some smaller aircraft to allow senior officers to retain flying skills. The squadron began regular flights to Paris, with requisitioned civil aircraft, mainly Dragon Rapides, and during winter 1939 a number of aircraft were based in France to provide communication services. When the fighting broke out in May, 1940, the squadron was particularly busy and later was involved in evacuating personnel, losing a number

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(Inset) Western Airways Ltd’s Dragon G-ACPX became X9399 on April 2, 1940 but while on AACU duties it crashed on take-off from Castle Bromwich only 20 days later and was a write-off

The prototype D.H. Dragonfly G-ADNA of Southern Airways became X9452 and was used by Anti-Aircraft Cooperation Units (AACU), then Air Service Training Ltd until being struck off charge in August 1942

D.H. Dragonfly G-AECX became AX855 and was used by the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), then by Hawker Aircraft and finally Station Flight, Northolt before being struck off charge in February 1942 of aircraft, either to enemy attack or through abandonment for serviceability reasons. Also in May 1940, No 271 Squadron was formed from No 1680 Flight, Hendon but was based at Doncaster, the task being to transfer men and equipment of fighter squadrons from base to base, mainly with Handley Page Harrows, but when the fall of France became imminent a detachment was sent to Hendon to support the French evacuation using an odd variety of types including Bristol Bombays,

H.P.42s, a Ford Trimotor and four SavoiaMarchetti SM.73Ps, ex-Sabena. With the French campaign over, No 271 began to convert its Harrows to more satisfactory transport requirements, with streamlined nose and tail fairings they were christened ‘Sparrows’. Some Ensigns, retaining their civil marks, were also used to carry supplies and personnel to RAF squadrons based in France. British-built multiengined aircraft lost in France between April and June, 1940, comprised ten Dragon Rapides, two Ensigns and

single examples of the D.H. Dragon and Percival Q.6, some being destroyed and others abandoned, damaged or out of fuel while the Ensigns were captured. Most impressments were in the European theatre but others were in the Middle and Far East. Some aircraft survived the war to rejoin the civil register. As may be imagined, given the circumstances, photographs of aircraft in their impressed marks are quite rare, so in this final section we show a number of aircraft in their pre-impressment colours before they went to war.

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Southern Airways Ltd’s D.H. Dragon G-AECZ became AV982, served with No 24 Squadron and various units but survived to be restored to the civil register in 1946 and was sold as EI-AFK in February 1950. Today it flies in Aer Lingus colours as ‘EI-ABI’

Dragon G-ACIU of Surrey Flying Services became X9395 and went to No 24 Squadron, a French detachment of which was formed at Rheims in January 1940. Damaged during take-off at Mourmelon on April 29, 1940 it had to be abandoned during the evacuation from France

Here in Crilly Airways colours, Dragon G-ACLE later went to Western Airways then became X9397 and served on AACU duties until written-off by a runaway petrol tanker at Odiham on April 4, 1941

D.H. Dragon Rapide G-ACYM originally with Olley Air Service then Great Western & Southern Airlines became X9320 with No 24 Squadron. After a forced-landing at Moyeneville in a snowstorm in February 1940 its tail collapsed and it had to be abandoned during the evacuation from France

Dragon G-ACKU of Commercial Air Hire Ltd became AW172 and was delivered to No 110 Wing for Army Co-operation work but, badly damaged in a crash near Wantage on February 10, 1941, it was subsequently scrapped

North Eastern Airways Ltd’s Rapide G-AEMH became X9387 and served with AACU and other units but survived the war to be restored to the register in March 1947. Final owners were East Anglian Flying Services, Southend and it was scrapped at Ipswich in 1960

Rapide G-ADFX of British American Air Services became X9457 and served with No 24 Squadron and other units before being badly damaged at Sywell in May 1943 during a forced-landing and was subsequently scrapped

IMPRESSMENTS

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A rare photograph of a Handley Page H.P.42 in RAF colours. There were three, G-AAUC/AS981, ‘AUE/AS982 and ‘AXF/AS983. All served with No 271 Squadron based at Doncaster but all had been either burned out (AS981), destroyed by gale (AS982) or damaged beyond repair in landing (AS983) before the end of 1940

Monospar ST-10 G-ADLL belonged to a private owner before impressment as X9341 and served with the AACU until going to Station Flight, Honiley in December 1941 but was struck off charge in February 1943

General Aircraft Monospar ST.4 G-ABVP of Ace Air Services Ltd became X9434 and flew with the AACU for six months from May 1940 but was struck off charge on January 20, 1941

Monospar ST-4 G-ACCO, an early production aircraft, became X9376 and went to the AACU. After a forced-landing, it was fitted with a retractable undercarriage, becoming DR849 but after two collapses during landing it was struck off charge in May 1942

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Armstrong Whitworth Atalanta G-ABPI became AW740, passed to Indian National Airways as VT-AEF and then became DG453, used on patrols and later as a freighter before retirement in 1944

Olley Air Service Short Scion G-ADDO was one of eleven impressed. It became AX864 in July 1940 and was used for ferry duties including a spell with Austin Motors Ltd. It was struck off charge in April 1944

The three-engined six-seater Spartan Cruiser G-ACSM was one of three impressed and became X9438 on April 2, 1940 but was struck off charge on July 4 that year as the airframe was in an advance state of decay

Only two B.A. Double Eagle twin-engined six-seaters were built and both were impressed in July 1941, G-ADVV as ES949 and G-AEIN as ES950. The first was used by Armstrong Whitworth and later Parnall Ltd, but ‘EIN was used only as an instructional airframe