Flypast 2013-08

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Britain’s Top-Selling Aviation Monthly

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SIGNED LIMITED EDITION EAGLE SQUADRON GOODIES

BURMA BANSHEE EXCLUSIVE

Spectacular first air-to-airs of North Weald’s new P-40 Kittyhawk

FOR VALOUR

DAMBUSTERS TRIBUTE

Bravery in a burning Lanc AIRCREW

Remembering the bomber crews

VULCAN TO FLY ON

COMMEMORATION

The very latest news on XH558 PRESERVATION

Spotlight Boulton Paul Defiant The ‘forgotten’ Battle of Britain fighter HISTORY www.flypast.com AUGUST 2013

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MAYDAY OVER KOREA Deadly drama in a Douglas Invader

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COLD WAR

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Welcome

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s we journey to the heart of airshow ‘season’, welcome to the August issue, complete with coverage of various opening displays, two major ‘good news’ stories and much more. I’m especially pleased to bring you an exclusive on Peter Teichman’s superb North Weald-based Curtiss P-40M Kittyhawk which – as seen on our cover – has a magnificent new paint scheme. The fighter represents ‘Lulu Belle’, a machine that operated with the USAAF 89th Fighter Squadron over Burma. In our July issue we featured Col Philip Adair’s recollections of flying the original ‘Lulu Belle’ in combat, along with archive images. This time, starting on page 56, we look at how Peter and his Hangar 11 team transformed G-KITT into Col Adair’s wonderful-looking machine, along with exclusive air-to-air pictures from the lens of Darren Harbar. Also this month, our comprehensive Spotlight section – starting on page 65 – focuses on the often maligned Boulton Paul Defiant. The distinctive British aircraft was soon outclassed as a day-fighter, although it did have its share of success, and soon ‘enjoyed’ a second life when employed on nocturnal operations. We also join recent commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of the dams raid, and USAAF operations from the UK, both of which were honoured with major flypasts. It’s been a particular pleasure to help produce this issue and we hope you share our enjoyment on reading it... This is the month that was... This is the month that is...

Nigel Price Editor

In August 1909, the First International Aviation Competition Meeting was held in Rheims, France. American Glenn Curtiss narrowly beat Frenchman Louis Blériot in the main event. Illustrated: The Shuttleworth Collection’s Blériot XI. DARREN HARBAR

Assistant Editor Steve Beebee

Contributing Editor Ken Ellis

Advertising Manager Alison Sanders

MANAGING DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER: Adrian Cox EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN: Richard Cox

General enquiries to: Editor’s Secretary: Julie Lawson FlyPast, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK Tel: 01780 755131 Fax: 01780 757261 E-mail: [email protected] www.flypast.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS / MAIL ORDER: Manager – Roz Condé PO Box 300, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1NA, UK Tel/answerline: 01780 480404 Fax: 01780 757812 E-mail: Subscriptions: [email protected] E-mail: Mail Order: [email protected] Readers in USA can place subscriptions by visiting www.flypast.com or by calling toll free 800 676 4049 or fax 757 428 6253 or by writing to FlyPast, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828.

DESIGN: Art Editor – Mike Carr

ADVERTISING AND COMMERCIAL: Commercial Director – Ann Saundry Group Advertisement Manager – Brodie Baxter Advertisement Manager – Alison Sanders E-mail: [email protected] Ad Production Manager – Debi McGowan Ad Production Controller - Angela Greaves E-mail: [email protected] Marketing Manager – Martin Steele Marketing Executive – Shaun Binnington Marketing Assistant – Jessica Jagger EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Paul Hamblin

SMALL PRINT: While every care is taken with submissions, the Publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage incurred. All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions. These are regularly updated without prior notice and are downloadable from www.keypublishing.com We are unable to guarantee the bonafides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisements within this publication. The entire contents of FlyPast is © Copyright 2013. No part of it can be reproduced in any form or stored on any form of retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher.

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FlyPast (ISSN: 0262-6950), August, is published monthly by Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK and distributed in the USA by Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854.

EDITORIAL: Editor – Nigel Price Assistant Editor – Steve Beebee Contributing Editor - Ken Ellis

PRODUCTION: Production Editor – Sue Blunt Deputy Production Editor – Carol Randall Sub Editor - Norman Wells Production Manager – Janet Watkins

Art Editor Mike Carr

After a three-year hiatus, the Red Bull Air Race GmbH has confirmed it is looking at bringing back its air racing championship in 2014. Training has already begun in Slovenia.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Piscataway, NJ and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FlyPast, Key Publishing Ltd., C/o Mail Right International Inc., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854. DISTRIBUTED BY: Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001 PRINTED BY: Warners (Midland) plc, The Maltings, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY: Key Publishing Ltd, address as Editorial

Printed in England ISSN 0262-6950

Britain’s top-selling aviation monthly

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Features 36

Night Invader

100 Duxford’s film stars

46

Eagle Squadron salute

106 Remembering the Dambusters

56

B-26 navigator Charles Hinton describes a nocturnal mission over North Korea that almost ended in disaster.

Four Duxford-based warbirds flew a moving tribute to Americans serving in the RAF and USAAF. Rachel Morris reports.

We go backstage and report on Duxford’s latest warbird film stars.

Events and flypasts to mark the 70th anniversary of the legendary dams raid.

108 Rise of the Dornier

The RAF Museum has succeeded in its attempt to recover a unique Luftwaffe bomber from the sea bed. We report on an epic project.

114 Spitfire leader

Barry Marsden concludes his look at an aviation-minded Derbyshire family and the World War Two career of Spitfire pilot Frank Woolley.

Kittyhawk comeback

The story behind the eye-catching new paint scheme on Peter Teichman’s UK-based Curtiss P-40M Kittyhawk.

Contents August 2013

No.385

Front Cover

The Hangar 11 Collection’s newly painted Curtiss P-40M Kittyhawk G-KITT ‘Lulu Belle’. See feature starting on page 56. DARREN HARBAR This page, main image: The RAF BBMF’s Avro Lancaster B.I PA474 flying on May 16 over Derwent Reservoir. See our Dambusters’ anniversary coverage on pages 106 to 107. SCOTT RATHBONE

36 Night Invader

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56 Kittyhawk Comeback

114 Spitfire Leader

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News

• Goodwin Sands Dornier raised • Flying Mosquito for sale • Vulcan could fly on into 2015 • Lightning roars at

Regulars 24

The Way We Were

34

What’s New

44

Glory Days

50

For Valour

52

Museums – Sywell

88

Airshow

96

FlyPost and ‘Ops’ Board

Bruntingthorpe

• Rare Japanese survivor • Sopwith Great War replica flies

The story of 216 Squadron, the RAF’s airlift specialists, is told by Sqn Ldr Andrew Thomas.

The latest books, prints and other aviation collectibles receive the FlyPast verdict.

Cliff Blundell presents a portfolio of his father’s time flying Avro Lincolns during the Malayan Emergency.

Air Cdre Graham Pitchfork profiles Canadian VC recipient Andrew Mynarski.

Ken Ellis visits the Northampton aerodrome’s fine tribute to the area’s heritage.

Reports and images from recent shows at home and overseas.

Readers’ letters and dates for your diary.

102 From the Workshop – de Havilland

Ben Dunnell visits the superb de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre in Hertfordshire.

122 Finals

Lockheed F-104A Starfighter.

WIN! Spotlight

Exclusive Eagle Squadron display team goodies in our very special competition. See page 97 for more details.

Boulton Paul

Defiant

FREE DVD! Take out a two-year subscription to Britain’s topselling aviation monthly and you will receive a FREE copy of Vulcan – Spirit Of Great Britain, a DVD that takes you inside the cockpit of XH558, the world’s last flying Vulcan. With multiple on-board cameras, it includes a commentary from pilot Martin Withers. See pages 94 and 95 for subscription details or visit www.flypast.com to find out more about our digital packages.

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Origin and History

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Defiant in Profile

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Men Behind the Defiant

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In Combat

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Warriors

A look at the history of the World War Two turret-fighter.

Air Cdre Graham Pitchfork highlights two pilots who had impressive successes on the Defiant.

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Inside the Defiant

Cutaway artwork of the Boulton Paul fighter.

Andrew Thomas describes the Defiant’s role as a target tug, with Pete West artwork.

The many highs and lows of the Defiant’s wartime career are recounted by Andrew Thomas.

A look at the sole complete survivor, the RAF Museum’s Defiant Mk.I N1671.

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NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE

Editorial comment

There have been at least two very significant events this month – both of them hugely positive for historic aviation and heritage. First, as you’ve probably seen in the news, the RAF Museum has successfully raised a Dornier Do 17 from the English Channel. We always knew that it was going to be a tricky operation, and so it proved, with weather conditions initially thwarting the process, leading some to speculate that it might even be abandoned. It was certainly heart-inmouth stuff when the wreck finally clearly the water on the evening of June 10, the Battle of Britain-era aircraft largely intact, just as we’d hoped. It was quite moving to watch, so don’t miss the full story of this epic recovery, starting on page 108. Also this month, the operators of the world’s only flying Avro Vulcan have announced that XH558 could fly on until the end of 2015 (see page 10). It had previously been feared that a necessary modification would prove impossible to implement, but showing their usual tenacity, the Vulcan To The Sky Trust (VTST) once again appears to have found an answer. It must be said that both projects have been extremely costly, and have attracted their share of criticism. VTST has never made any secret of how expensive it is to maintain the Vulcan, while the total cost of the Dornier project is likely to be £600,000. In these difficult economic times, such concerns are understandable. On the whole, though, both ventures represent achievements not merely of funding, but of truly determined and dedicated groups of people, and their supporters. Together, they have moved heaven and earth to create something special for today, and an important legacy for tomorrow. It was especially pleasing to hear RAF Museum director general Peter Dye talk about the German aircraft being conserved in a spirit of “reconciliation and remembrance”. It is this shared sense of history and sacrifice that will now be kept alive for the foreseeable future.

Goodwin Sands Dornier raised Dornier Do-17Z-2, believed to be 5K+AR, is lifted from the English Channel on June 10. COPYRIGHT THE TRUSTEES OF THE RAF MUSUEM

A recovery team led by the RAF Museum successfully raised Dornier Do 17Z-2 5K+AR from the sea on June 10. The Luftwaffe bomber had been resting 50ft (15m) below the surface off the coast of Kent since being shot down by RAF fighters on August 26, 1940. Although a few parts are missing, the Dornier – the only one of its type known to exist – is in surprisingly good condition and has now entered a conservation programme likely to last at least two years, at Cosford, Shropshire. RAF Museum boss Peter Dye told FlyPast: “The successful recovery of the world’s last surviving Dornier Do 17 is owed to the hard work and determination of a small group of curators, archaeologists, engineers, scientists and fundraisers who recognised the importance of saving this unique artefact before it disappeared to the remorseless efforts of time and tide. The irony is that none of the German bombers brought down in the Battle of Britain survived the war, most were either destroyed or sent to the smelters. This aircraft provides the last direct link to the hundreds of Luftwaffe bombers that attempted to destroy Fighter Command and Britain’s will to resist during the Blitz.” The bomber will eventually be displayed at RAF Museum Hendon. For the full story and more pictures of this remarkable recovery see The Kraken Wakes, pages 108-110.

Fred Panton All at FlyPast were saddened to learn of the death of Fred Panton, one of the leading lights behind East Kirkby’s Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre and its showpiece, Avro Lancaster B.VII NX611 Just Jane (see March issue). Fred, who was 82, died suddenly on June 9. A statement on LAHC’s website described him as: “a gentleman, a loving and caring family man and an inspiration to us all. He will remain in the thoughts and spirit of the centre forevermore.” FlyPast sends its condolences to all of Fred’s family and friends. Fred Panton at his beloved East Kirkby in Lincolnshire. COURTESY A&K MARKHAM

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www.flypast.com

VC10 joins Bruntingthorpe collection

Vickers VC10 K.4 ZD241 has recently been acquired by Dave Walton, and will be based at Bruntingthorpe, Leics. The aircraft will be maintained in taxying condition. It is pictured in late May making its public debut after being handed over. DAVE WILLIS

Mustang found in Lake Garda

NASM’s Nakajima Kikka awaiting restoration in Dulles on May 19. GEOFF JONES

Rare Japanese survivor to be restored The remains of the first Japanese jet, a Nakajima Kikka ‘Orange Blossom’ believed to be 7377 (coded 91ST), arrived recently at the Udvar-Hazy Center (National Air and Space Museum) at Dulles, near Washington DC. This rare machine is due to receive attention within the museum’s Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar, and is currently positioned underneath the right wing of Sikorsky JRS-1 1063, the military version of the S-43 flying-boat, which is also being restored. The Japanese machine was previously based at NASM’s Paul E Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage facility in Suitland, Maryland, and is thought to be the only one of its type in existence. GEOFF JONES

The wreckage of North American F-51D Mustang 44-73158 has been discovered at the bottom of Lake Garda in Italy, close to the town of Lazise. The fighter belonged to the postwar Italian Air Force, which acquired 174 F-51Ds (designated ‘F’ for fighter, rather than the US ‘P’ for pursuit) to equip the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Stormos (Wing) in 1951. The F-51s remained in service for the rest of the decade before being gradually phased out in favour of jets. Flying as MM4309 with the Italians, the Mustang crashed into the lake on August 7, 1951. Its pilot, Tenente

Lightning returns to health The Lightning Preservation Group (LPG) is returning the second of its English Electric Lightnings to ground running condition at Bruntingthorpe, Leics. With the erection of the ‘Q-Shed’ (Quick Reaction Alert Hangar), LPG is working on Lightning F.6 XR728, the sister-ship to XS904 which already performs high-speed taxi runs following an overhaul two years ago. Both of ’728’s engines were removed recently as the lower unit had been losing power due to a suspected upload of contaminated fuel, which had led to blockages in the reheat nozzles. All the affected components in the fuel system have either been cleaned or replaced, and the engine can now be operated at full power. The other engine has also been given

Paolo Tito, was killed in the accident and his body recovered. The aircraft came to rest at an approximate depth of 230ft (70m), where it has remained ever since. The wreck was discovered by Gruppo Sommozzatori Volontari del Garda, a volunteer organisation that has conducted rescue and recovery operations from Lake Garda since 1983. Only one Italian F-51 is known to survive, and is currently on display in the Italian Air Force Museum in Vigna di Valle. All the others were lost in the line of duty or burned at the Capannelle Firefighting School near Rome. GIAN SPAGNOLETTI

Lightning F.6 XR728 performing a successful engine test at Bruntingthorpe. HUGH TREVOR

attention after a turbine air cooling duct was found to be leaking. This has been replaced, and a new reheat fuel pump was also fitted. Having the engines out enabled various airframe controls to be checked and overhauled, and also to service and test the safety systems, before the units were re-installed.

If all continues to go according to plan, XR728 will commence runway trials soon. LPG is confident that, in its 25th anniversary year, both aircraft will be fully serviceable for fasttaxying on July 28 – the first time this will have been seen since 1988. www.lightnings.org.uk HUGH TREVOR August 2013 FLYPAST 7

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Massive warbird collection goes up for sale Renowned warbird collector Jerry Yagen has put his vast fleet of warbirds up for sale. One of the largest and most varied private flying museums in existence, it includes the world’s only flying DH Mosquito, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Supermarine Spitfire,

Messerschmitt Me 262 replica and a North American Mustang. A spokesman for Jerry’s Virginia Beach-based Military Aviation Museum told FlyPast on June 13 that the initial plan is to slim down the fleet by around a half, and then to review the team’s operations at

that point. He went on to confirm that all the airframes are up for sale, rather than a selected few. The future of the museum’s home airfield is unclear at this point, although it is also believed to be available for purchase. www.militaryaviationmuseum.org

Mosquito FB.26 KA114 at the Military Aviation Museum in May. GEOFF JONES

A Broussard in Yorkshire

‘Memorial’ Dakota sought by RAFTCM The RAF Transport Command Memorial (RAFTCM) is making good progress towards acquiring a Douglas DC-3/C-47 to fly in the UK and overseas. The aim is to use the machine as a flying memorial to the unsung heroes of Transport Command, appearing around the UK and Europe in their honour. To cover the running costs, RAFTCM will obtain an Airline Operators Certificate (AOC) and offer pleasure flights to the public. It is hoped that the aircraft will make its first passenger-carrying flight in May 2014, although its major goal is to offer veterans of Normandy and Arnhem free passage to the 70th anniversary commemorations to be held that year. Once in Normandy the Dakota will undertake several flights to remember those who served in 1944, and seats on sightseeing trips along the coast will be available. RAFTCM is presently in talks with the CAA about the potential for operations on an AOC. To ensure its project gets off the ground, it has also launched a supporters club, offering members 10% off future purchases, with all proceeds going directly to the fund. It is also interested in hearing from any potential investors. WITH THANKS TO DAVID PETTERS

www.raftransportcommandmem orial.co.uk

briefings

Max Holste MH.1521C-1 Broussard F-GGKL has been acquired by Tony ‘Taff’ Smith of The Real Aeroplane Company. Coded ‘5-ML’, the aircraft was ferried from Le Touquet, France, and arrived at its new home, Breighton, Yorkshire, on May 26. ANDY WOOD

A section of an NA B-25 Mitchell has been located in Beijing, China, prompting some to speculate that it may have belonged to one of the famous Doolittle Raiders. It consists of an engine pod with left landing gear. Used for decades at a technical school, it is in good condition but attempts to confirm its identity have proved fruitless. ROGER SOUPART

A surprise visitor to the annual Heli Games at Sywell Aerodrome, Northants, was Slovakian-registered Mil Mi-8T Hip OM-AVS, owned by UTair Europe. Promoting rotorcraft company Russian Helicopters, the 1988-built former Aeroflot machine performed some impressive demonstration flights during its four-day stay. BEN BROWN

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Classic jets on the move

Harrier GR.3 XV804, shortly before being removed.

Phantom XT905, photographed using a new pole-mounted system. BOTH STEVE PEARSON www.fotomast.com

Two long-term residents at the former RAF North Luffenham in Leicestershire were removed from the station in May. The first to be taken away by a private contractor was HS Harrier GR.3 XV804,

followed soon after by McDonnell Douglas FGR.2 Phantom XT905. Both airframes are now believed to be in East Anglia, and it’s hoped that at least one will be preserved.

Gulf War Panavia Tornado to be restored Jet Art Aviation has taken delivery of Panavia Tornado GR.1 ZA399 after dismantling and transporting the airframe back to its site in North Yorkshire in late May. The aircraft will undergo a restoration and rebuild along with some minor cosmetic work to enhance its appearance. As a tribute to the Dambusters, the aircraft will stay in its original 617 Squadron colours and will retain the code AJ-C. The aircraft is dedicated to Plt Off Warner Ottley DFC who was killed when

the Avro Lancaster he was piloting on the third wave of the dams raids was shot down over Hamm, Germany. His name is painted under the port side of the nose. ZA399 took part in Operation Granby (British military operations in the 1990 to 1991 Gulf War) and flew combat missions in 1991. At that time the aircraft was operated by 15 Squadron and based at Muharraq, in Bahrain.

Jet Art’s existing Tornado GR.1 ZA353, which has been with the company for the last four years, has now become an invaluable source of spares to aid the restoration of the new acquisition, a more historically important example. Look out for images of the completed aircraft in a future issue of FlyPast. Both Tornados are currently for sale – ZA399 as a top-end static

display or museum aircraft and ZA353 as a more reasonably priced restoration project ideal for a smaller museum or enthusiast. Jet Art Aviation is also keen to hear from any personnel who flew or worked on ZA399 during Operation Granby. www.jetartaviation.co.uk WITH THANKS TO CHRIS WILSON

Tornado GR.1 ZA399 arriving at Jet Art Aviation’s base in late May. CHRIS WILSON-JAA

Beech C-50 Twin Bonanza CC-CCM arrived at the Museo Aeronáutico in Los Cerrillos, Chile, on June 3. It is thought to be the only surviving example in Chile. Its last operator and donor was the commuter airline Transportes Aéreos Don Carlos of Coyhaique. The Beech will be restored and painted in a Chilean Air Force scheme. ÁLVARO ROMERO

A new addition to the UK airshow calendar this year is the RAF Kenley Empire Air Day, a 1930s-style ‘revival’ event featuring a flying display and classic vehicles. It will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Empire Air Day to be held at the Battle of Britain airfield. This year’s event takes place on September 7 and 8. www.kenleyairshow.co.uk

Stampe SV-4C D-EZXW has been acquired by Alberto and Eduardo Ottomanello who will base the aircraft on a private strip near Verona, Italy. The biplane, which has been restored by RAR of Deurne, Belgium, will retain its German registration. It first flew in 1947, initially in France as F-BCXX with Parisbased Association Intergroupes. GEOFF JONES August 2013 FLYPAST 9

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Vulcan could fly until “the end of 2015”

Avro Vulcan B.2 XH558 flying at Little Gransden, Cambs, in 2012. PHIL WHALLEY

The world’s last flying Avro Vulcan is to receive a vital airframe modification that could keep it airworthy until the end of 2015. The Vulcan To The Sky Trust (VTST), the charity that owns and operates XH558, had feared that 2013 could be the delta’s swansong, but extensive research by its engineering team and support from specialists at Cranfield Aerospace now look likely to solve the complex technical challenges that lie ahead. “We now have confidence that we can design the wing leading edge reinforcement plates that we need to carry on,” VTST boss Dr Robert Pleming told FlyPast. “In 2012 we knew that a wing modification would soon be needed to extend the Vulcan’s flying life, but the data we had was insufficient to feel that

it was feasible, so we decided to announce that this year, 2013, was likely to be our last flying season. “A lot of the practical design data we required simply no long exists. Now, with the help of Cranfield Aerospace, we’ve got the information we need, and the next stage is to look into the process of manufacturing the plates and installing them on the aircraft. There are of course still many obstacles to overcome, but I’m delighted that it looks as if we’re going to be able to fly on.” There are three elements to the engineering programme, which the charity has called Operation 2015. The first and most technically challenging is the modification to the leading edge of the wings. The second is to ensure that

sufficient stocks of required system components are available, and the final item is to complete the 2013-14 winter service, including fixing any issues that might arise during the 2013 ‘season’. The Vulcan’s flying time is also dependent on the life of its engines – should one cease to be serviceable, the aircraft would almost certainly be grounded shortly afterwards. The aim is to raise as much money as possible through pledges, so that once all preparations have been completed, the necessary work can proceed at once. Another aspect of Operation 2015 is a more immediate fund-raising campaign to support the preliminary work that will need to be done before the actual modifications can take place. The team cannot afford to let this need ‘drift’ into 2014

and risk compromising the Vulcan’s availability for displays. “We’re also continuing to move ahead with planning what will happen to the aircraft when its flying days are over,” adds Robert. “Our hope and intention is that the Vulcan will eventually be the focal point of a centre dedicated to engineering excellence.” XH558 successfully flew her first two sorties of the year on May 18, and has a clean bill of health going into what should be another busy and memorable airshow ‘season’ for VTST and its supporters. “I’d just like to ask people to continue to come with us down this extraordinary path,” says Robert. “What we’re doing is undoubtedly a challenge, but thanks to everyone’s support, we are close to delivering what everybody wants.” www.vulcantothesky.org XH558 landing at Bruntingthorpe, Leics. KEY-STEVE BEEBEE

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NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE

Privately owned MiG-29 flies in US On May 9, former Ukrainian Air Force Mikoyan MiG-29UB made its first post-restoration flight in private hands. Meticulously returned to flying condition, the jet is owned by the Flying Heritage Collection of Paine Field, Washington State, US, and is registered N29UB. It was flown by Doug Russell and John Penney. The photo was taken from a Northrop F-5B over Washington’s Cascade Mountains. JIM LARSEN

Sopwith replica flies in Australia

Tillamook museum to change home The Oregon, US-based Tillamook Air Museum, which includes the collection of airworthy warbirds amassed by Jack Erickson, has announced it will vacate its historic airship hangar before its lease expires in January 2016. The airworthy aircraft will relocate to a new facility being constructed at

Sopwith Pup ‘19-7309’ at Watts Bridge in Australia. JOHN PARKER

briefings

A reproduction of a Sopwith Pup flew for the first time at Watts Bridge in Queensland, Australia, on May 17. Experienced airline pilot and founder of The Australian Vintage Aviation Society (TAVAS) Andrew Carter was at the controls for the Pup’s debut flight. After circling the small airfield several times, he landed and reported the machine to have “virtually no vices”. The Pup, which is powered by a modified VW 2275cc Type 1 engine giving similar power to the original Le Rhône radial (80hp or 60kW), was

built by Bruce and Mary Clarke over the course of two years. It is painted to represent 19-7309, a machine flown by Australian-born Royal Flying Corps pilot Patrick ‘P G’ Taylor who scored five victories in 66 Squadron Pups against German Albatros fighters. An active member of TAVAS, Bruce plans to fly the aircraft at various displays in Queensland, and hopes the Pup will play a full part in commemorations next year to mark the centenary of the Great War. www.tavas.com.au JOHN PARKER

Sywell Aviation Museum has now completed landscaping and fencing around its Hawker Hunter F.2 WN904. It is continuing to refurbish the jet’s cockpit, and is looking for a headbox parachute cover for the Mk.2 ejection seat, and harnesses. If you can help please e-mail: sywellaviationmuseum@ gmail.com or call 07968 061708. BEN BROWN

Madras in Oregon, around 200 miles from its present location. There has been a major push in recent months to get as many of the aircraft flying again as possible. This has resulted in the first flight for a decade by former Lindsey Walton-owned Vought F4U-7 Corsair N1337A. www.tillamookair.com MIKE SHREEVE

The Tillamook Air Museum hangar in Oregon. MIKE SHREEVE

The National Museum of the USAF’s planned fourth building will now include aircraft from its Research and Development (R&D) Gallery, along with a new Presidential Gallery, an expanded Space Gallery and selected global reach aircraft. The addition of many of the R&D exhibits will allow visitors to see the popular XB-70, X-1B and the ‘flying saucer-like’ Avrocar, among others. The original R&D and Presidential Gallery areas were closed on May 1 until further notice as part of budget reduction requirements. Previously, museum visitors were required to ride a shuttle bus to visit them as they were located on a controlled-access portion of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

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‘Stinson’ arrives at new home company. A parasol-winged two-seat trainer, powered by a Lycoming R-680 radial engine, eight examples went overseas to the air forces of Brazil, Honduras, Argentina and China, with the final one serving as an instrument trainer in the US.

The reproduction was built by Jeff Paulson of Evergreen Aviation Services in Scappoose for owners Brad Paul and Jim Teal. Jeff used a Stinson Reliant as the basis for the project as the original design utilised many of the same components.

Moth Club Dams tribute

Tiger Moth crews at Paderborn on May 16.

The Museum of Flight at Seattle, Washington’s Boeing Field has recently added a reproduction of a 1933 Stinson Model O to its collection. Nine of the original Model Os were originally built by Stinson, the only open-cockpit type produced by the

The British Moth Club flew several of its de Havilland Tiger Moths over the Möhnetalsperre reservoir in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, on May 16 to mark the 70th anniversary of the 1943 Dambusters raid. A large crowd lined the dam over the water as the aircraft flew overhead.

Stinson Model O reproduction NC121817. MIKE SHREEVE

The machine first flew in March 2010 as NC121817. The museum intends to install it in its main building later this year when it carries out a reorganisation. www.museumofflight.org MIKE SHREEVE

STEFAN SCHMOLL

The team then landed for lunch at Paderborn-Lippstadt airport, the home of the Quax Flieger fleet of historic aircraft. The British crews were escorted on their flight by several classic aircraft based in Germany, including four Tiger Moths. STEFAN SCHMOLL

Canberra arrives in China

The Chinese Aviation Museum in Datangshan has received a gift from Africa in the form of an English Electric Canberra B.2. The jet, the identity of which has not been confirmed, is a survivor from a batch delivered to the Rhodesian Air Force in the 1960s. It is displayed in China in its most recent Zimbabwe Air Force camouflage. ROGER SOUPART

Newark Air Museum is making good progress on its restoration of Mooney M20A G-APPV, the first aircraft of its type to join the UK register in July 1959. Thanks to the generosity of a Canadian donor, the project has received a crate of parts and fittings, along with useful drawings and other documentation. HOWARD HEELEY

Brooklands Museum in Surrey has donated a Short Sunderland auxiliary power unit generator to Pembroke Dock’s Flying Boat Centre. The generator, which was located in a wing of the aircraft was used to provide power when on the water. It was presented by Brooklands’ Bob Hodgkinson, whose father flew Sunderlands. MARTIN CAVANEY August 2013 FLYPAST 13

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‘Speedmail’ bags top award Sarah Wilson’s 1929-built Stearman 4E ‘Junior Speedmail’ NC667K was a worthy winner in the Grand Champion Antique category at this year’s Sun ‘n Fun event held at Lakeland, Florida. One of 40 Model 4s produced by the Stearman company in Wichita,

Kansas, most went to oil companies or airlines as high-speed transports, ‘mailplanes’ or navigation trainers. Sarah’s example was delivered to Richfield Oil in California, where it became the flagship for the popular pre-war radio series The Air

Lynx arrives at Duxford

Westland Lynx Mk.7 XZ194 on display at Duxford. BEN DUNNELL

briefings

Westland Lynx Mk.7 XZ194 has recently been placed on display within IWM Duxford’s Battle of Britain exhibition area, having been gifted to the Cambridgeshire museum by the Ministry of Defence. Entering service as a Mk.1 on January 3, 1979, the Lynx was converted to a Mk.7 in September 1992 after 3,104 flying hours. The Lynx flew with 7 Regiment Army Air Corps (RAAC), the main helicopter pilot training unit for the army, at Middle Wallop, Hants, until May 2012, when it was grounded after 6,667 flying hours. The remainder of

its service life was spent with 9 RAAC at Dishforth, North Yorks, and with the School of Aviation at Middle Wallop. Collections manager John Delaney said: “The type would have been seen by every British soldier serving on operations over the past 35 years. The majority would have benefited by receiving supplies from them, being carried by them or receiving gunfire support from them. This is the first [British] Army helicopter to be displayed at IWM and it helps us to demonstrate the unique role played by helicopters on the modern battlefield.”

Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann D-EAZO has been acquired by Håkan Wijkander who plans to base the aircraft at Håtunatunaholm in Sweden, although it will retain its German registration. The 1939-built machine was made in Altenrhein, Switzerland, and delivered to the Swiss Flugwaffe as A-41. It arrived in Germany in 1981. JAN FORSGREN

Adventures of Jimmy Allen, and was flown extensively by Richfield’s chief pilot Dudley Steele to promote the programme. NC667K was flown by Charles Lindbergh from Burbank, California, in April 1930, and later became a

Award-winning Stearman 4E NC667K at Lakeland, Florida. MIKE SHREEVE

crop-sprayer, before being acquired by Sarah as a restoration project. The work was entrusted to Kevin Kimball and his team at Jim Kimball Enterprises in Zellwood, Florida, and it flew again in August last year. MIKE SHREEVE

Replica Spitfire in new colours Built by GB Replicas, a life-size model of Supermarine Spitfire IIa P7895 was unveiled on May 3, having been repainted in 72 Squadron colours. In the hands of Spit4Hire, the replica (which is owned by Neil McCarthy) is due to travel the UK this year to help raise funds for worthy causes, including the RAF Benevolent Fund. The present day 72 Squadron, now

based at Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, has agreed to store the ‘Spitfire’ between shows. The paint for the project was supplied by Indestructible Paint of Birmingham (see June issue). The project’s owners are keen to source a set of genuine Spitfire wheels to replace their glass fibre examples. If you can help, please contact Philip Moore: [email protected]

Replica Spitfire IIa P7895 in its new paint scheme. PHILIP MOORE

A Bloodhound surface-to-air missile was acquired by Newark Air Museum, Notts, on May 21. After refurbishment it will be displayed alongside the museum’s recently repainted Type 86 Radar Cabin. Some key items are missing from the Bloodhound but the museum is hopeful of sourcing these parts in the coming months. HOWARD HEELEY

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Belgian B-25 restoration gathers pace

The forward section of the B-25 at the BAPA workshop. ROBERT VRYDAGH VIA ERIC DESSOUROUX

Work in Belgium on B-25J Mitchell 44-30925 has passed a major milestone, with the aircraft being transported from Grimbergen

A helping hand for The Wing

briefings

Steve Burt, boss of Action Stations!, which flies passengers in a helicopter alongside a Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, presented a cheque for £6,000 to The Wing Appeal recently. When completed, The Wing will be a permanent interactive exhibition on the site of the National Memorial to The Few at Capel-le-Ferne, Kent. Steve, who has been a keen supporter of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust (BBMT) since he set up his Canterburybased business several years ago, donates £5 to the appeal on behalf of every customer who ‘flies with a fighter’. The appeal has so far raised about £1.7m, and with work due to start shortly, it is hoped that The Wing will be finished in the autumn of 2014 and officially opened in 2015 during the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. www.battleofbritainmemorial.org

Airfield to the Belgian Aviation Preservation Association (BAPA) workshop at Gembloux on May 27. There BAPA will properly be able to

begin its restoration to static display condition. It was in the pages of this very magazine that, in 2004, a Brussels Air Museum Restoration Society member saw the B-25 — known as Gorgeous George-Ann from the filming of Hanover Street, and also a veteran of Catch-22 — reported as being up for sale, following the demise of Imperial Aviation at Sandtoft. The Mitchell has special significance for Belgium, as RAF examples were based at Melsbroek (now Brussels Airport) towards the end of World War Two, and flown as part of the Second Tactical Air Force by Belgian crews. A fundraising campaign on the part of the Brussels Air Museum

Foundation ensued, and in January 2006 the £10,000 deal to buy the airframe was done. It was duly transported to the museum’s Vissenaken store. Since then, work has been carried out at various locations. The search for a suitable base for these restoration activities resulted in the establishment of BAPA as a new organisation, with the B-25 being the top priority. This is now a BAPA project with no formal link to the Brussels museum itself. The Mitchell will be finished as an RAF 320 Squadron example as many of the Belgian airmen who flew the type during wartime were assigned to that unit. BEN DUNNELL

Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 56-0817 at the Pacific Aviation Museum. PAM VIA ROGER SOUPART

Lockheed Starfighter on the move Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 56-0817 (FG-817) has arrived at the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The fighter was previously a temporary resident at Aero Trader in Chino, California. Stationed at various bases in California

during the 1970s, the Starfighter is now painted in the markings of the 83rd Fighter Interception Squadron (FIS) while it was part of the Air Defense Command at Hamilton. FG-817 subsequently went on static display at the Selfridge Air National

Guard Base in Michigan. From this point it had folding wings and tail surfaces so that it could be moved about easily on a flatbed trailer. In the late 1980s it was transferred to the Museum of Aviation at Warner Robins, Georgia. FRANK B MORMILLO

A full-size replica of a Bleriot XI monoplane has gone on display at the Air and Space Museum near Tel Aviv, Israel. The model is painted in the colours of that flown by pioneering French pilot Jules Vedrines. From September it will be shown at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv.

Flt Lt Eric Clarke flew with the Waddington Flying Club at the age of 100 years recently, beating the club’s previous record for the oldest person airborne by a day. During World War Two, Eric flew with 49 Squadron from Scampton as a wireless operator/gunner on Hampden, Manchester and Lancaster bombers.

On May 7 a group of RAF Reservists from 600 Squadron laid wreaths on the graves of airmen from their unit who lost their lives fighting in the skies over Rotterdam during World War Two. On May 10, 1940, six Bristol Blenheims flew an ‘op’ over the city that resulted in just one aircraft returning and the deaths of seven airmen.

WITH THANKS TO DANNY SHALOM

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DC-7 diner on the way Having been rescued from being scrapped in 2012 by the Perna family, New Smyrna Beach, Florida-based Douglas DC-7BF N381AA has been restored and will soon be converted into a diner. The machine was the last production passenger DC-7 ever made and flew more than 32,850 hours. Once the project is complete, the 1956-built airliner will open as the DC-7 Grille next to the airport at Smyrna Beach. www.dc7grille.com BOB WARD

Falklands Skyhawk restoration At Avra Valley Airport in Arizona, Douglas A-4 Skyhawk specialist Mike McDougall is bringing A-4C 148597 back to life for an American pilot of Argentine heritage. The jet will be painted in the colour scheme of a Falklands Warera Argentine fighter, and is expected to make its first post-restoration flight in about a year. “The airframe we have selected is a good, solid aircraft,” said Mike, who has previously restored a two-seat TA-4F. “In going through the airframe we found numerous combat repair patches from when it served with the US Navy during the Vietnam War.” MICHAEL O’LEARY

The Reichenberg flying bomb at the Dutch Legermuseum. ROGER SOUPART

Manned flying bomb future unclear The Dutch Legermuseum at Delft has closed its doors to the public. Some of its exhibits are expected to reappear within the new National Defence Museum at Soesterberg when it opens in 2014.

The Legermuseum had a V2 rocket, as well as a very rare and original World War Two Reichenberg – a manned version of the V1 flying bomb – in its collection. In the new museum, the V2

will be suspended from the ceiling of the restaurant area, but it is not yet known if the Reichenberg, which has been in longterm storage for many years, will also be displayed. ROGER SOUPART

A trio of recently restored US-built historic aircraft has been received by a new owner at Dijon-Darois in France. Among them was distinctively painted Kreider-Reisner KR-31 NC10290 (pictured). The others were Laird LC-RW300 Speedwing NC4442 (see News, January issue) and Rearwin Speedster NC15865. MIKE SHREEVE

Three Panavia Tornado F.3s previously held at the Aircraft Maintenance and Storage Unit at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, have now departed to the Defence Fire School at Manston in Kent. The last to leave was the tail and wings of ZE204 on April 22, following on from ZE165 and ZH553 which were moved in March. STEPHEN DOBSON

Dayton, Ohio’s National Museum of the USAF was recently awarded the 2013 Air Force Heritage Award for an exhibit titled ‘Destruction from High Above: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress in Southeast Asia’. The award recognizes outstanding achievements that foster a better appreciation of the USAF’s history. August 2013 FLYPAST 17

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Douglas Skyhawks line up in San Diego Visitors arriving at the US Marine Corps Aviation Museum operated by the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation in San Diego, California, are now greeted by the sight of four restored Douglas A-4 Skyhawks. Heading the row at the museum entrance is an A-4M Skyhawk wearing special markings to denote the fact that it was the last ever produced of the 2,960 built. Its livery features Skyhawks on display at the US Marine Corps Aviation Museum. IAN SCAIFE

Dutch Harvard goes on display New Tiger

Moth project for Sywell Sywell Aviation Museum in Northants has taken delivery of its latest project – the cockpit and fuselage of de Havilland Tiger Moth II G-AOES. Built by Cowley-based Morris Motors in 1941 as 84547, it was allocated the serial number T6056 in RAF hands and saw wartime service with 18 EFTS at Fairoaks, Surrey. After the war, it moved to Benson, Oxfordshire, and Waddington, Lincs. In storage at Cosford by 1955, it

NA Harvard FT288 ‘Cathy’ at the Aviodrome in Lelystad. ROGER SOUPART

The Aviodrome museum in Lelystad, the Netherlands, has placed North American AT-16B Harvard IIB FT288 on display. The trainer is not a new acquisition, but is now viewable for the first time. Originally earmarked for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), with whom it would have flown as B-73, the aircraft in fact spent its entire ‘life’ as an instructional airframe, firstly with the RNLAF and later at a university. The Harvard is painted in a yellow training scheme and is devoid of any markings other than the name Cathy beneath the cockpit. www.aviodrome.nl

the flags of each of the nations that operated the type. Also included are an A-4C, an A-4F and a TA-4J trainer, with a North American FJ-3 Fury completing the line-up. The collection of Skyhawks is especially appropriate to the museum given that its chairman Maj Gen Bob Butcher flew most marks of the A-4 during his 31-year military career in the Marine Corps. www.flyingleathernecks.org IAN SCAIFE

was sold (wearing the markings of 600 (City of London) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force) to the Progressive Flying Club/County Flying Club at Biggin Hill, Kent. Having been operated from Redhill in Surrey for a while, the machine subsequently moved to Baxterley, Warks, in 1992. Flown by well-known Tiger Moth pilot Ken Broomfield, Echo-Sierra was involved in an accident in 1999 and then stored. The museum at Sywell has been searching for a Tiger Moth project for many years and is delighted to have obtained this example from Ken. It will now enter temporary storage until restoration work can begin. BEN BROWN

DC-4 heads to Alaska

Former Brooks Air Fuel Douglas DC-4 N96358 has been sold to Alaska Air Fuel which is now basing the machine at Palmer Municipal Airport, Alaska. The aircraft is pictured here at its new home during a snowstorm on May 4. JOE G WALKER

briefings

ROGER SOUPART

Aero Engines Carlisle has acquired two incomplete Russian Mikulin AM42 engines. It hopes to restore one to running condition and create a static exhibit with what remains. The wartime 2,000hp V-12 AM42 remained in production until 1954. The team is keen to hear from anyone with specific knowledge of the engine. www.aeroenginescarlisle.org.uk

Another Piper Cub has joined the list of airworthy examples of this popular historic type. Owned by Bob West and based at Florenceville-Bristol in New Brunswick, Canada, CF-OQO made its first flight recently following a year and a half of restoration work. Painted in an overall yellow scheme, Bob’s Cub was built in 1946. JIM ALLISON

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Preservation project for Wright factory

The Wright Company buildings in Dayton, Ohio. NAHA

A project is under way to restore Wilbur and Orville Wright’s company buildings in Dayton, Ohio. The

Imperial Airways Museum to open A new museum dedicated to Imperial Airways, the Croydon-based British airline which operated from 1924 to 1939, is set to open later this summer at Clyffe Pypard, Wiltshire. Work has been progressing for the past two years, and the attraction is now approximately 80% complete, with

Wright Company, formed in 1909, was the first American factory built for the purpose of aircraft

many exhibits in place. The museum is situated next to the Goddard Arms, an aviation-themed pub and tea room which contains over 250 items of memorabilia – including propellers, tail fins and an ejector seat – and has been described by visitors as a museum in itself. The Imperial Airways Museum, set up by Neil Farley, will feature a main room based on the Croydon Airport booking hall, complete with ticket office, meteorological map, and newsagent’s kiosk, offering a flavour of the period. Other rooms and corridors, all of which

Gate guard duties for Jet Provost

production. Two further buildings were constructed in 1910 and 1911 to manufacture Wright-designed machines, with three more added later. General Motors acquired the facility in 1919 and converted it for car manufacturing. The complex grew into what became the Delphi Home Avenue plant, which closed in 2008. The following year, US Congress placed the five buildings under the auspices of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, but the park does not own them and they are not currently open to the public. The park is now working with

have an art deco theme, will illustrate the history of the airline. One of its main attractions is likely be a reproduction of part of a Handley Page HP.42 fuselage, which visitors will be able to sit in. The museum will be

the city of Dayton, Home Avenue Redevelopment LLC, and the National Aviation Heritage Alliance (NAHA) to clear most of the site for commercial reuse while preserving the Wright Company buildings. A grant of $3 million (£1.93m) has been allocated for the work. “The Wright Company factory project is going to be a success thanks to the strong support we are receiving from the National Park Service,” said Tony Sculimbrene, NAHA executive director. “We hope to tell the full story of the Wright brothers’ work in Dayton, work that helped launch the aviation industry in the 20th century.”

free to enter, and is likely to be open Fridays to Sundays all year round. As it works towards an opening date, it welcomes contact from anyone with artefacts or reminiscences of Imperial Airways. www.imperial-airways.gb.com

Another Harvard for Dutch Historic Flight The Royal Netherlands Air Force Historical Flight has acquired another North American T-6 Harvard for its collection at Gilze Rijen. The trainer, currently painted in US Navy colours, is 42-12517, which saw service with the RAF as FH130 and later as B-165 with the RNLAF. It was subsequently

used for decades as an instructional airframe at a Dutch technical school until it was obtained by the Military Aviation Museum in Soesterberg. After being kept in storage for several years, it was recently transported to its new home where it will be restored to flying condition. ROGER SOUPART

Bell UH-1 G-HUEY, one of only two flying Vietnam-era ‘Hueys’ in the UK, will appear at the Military & Flying Machines Show at Damyns Hall airfield, Essex, on August 2 to 4. It will be among the stars of the twohour airshow, which also includes B-17 Sally B. Some 300 military vehicles are expected. www.militaryandflyingmachines.org.uk

The Michigan Aerospace Foundation is hoping to acquire a portion of the former Ford B-24 Bomber Plant at Willow Run, Michigan, to become the new home of the Yankee Air Museum. It currently flies a Boeing B-17, NA B-25 and Douglas C-47 as well as maintaining many ground-based exhibits. www.savethebomberplant.org

briefings

North Yorkshire-based Jet Art Aviation (JAA) delivered and assembled BAC Jet Provost T.5A XW434 at Halfpenny Green airfield near Wolverhampton on May 29. The aircraft – one of nine recently acquired by JAA, which specialises in restoring jets to static display condition – is now a ‘gate guard’ outside the flying school. CHRIS WILSON-JAA

Around 500 people attended a service at Milton Mausoleum, Notts, on May 19 for the unveiling of a memorial to the crew of Avro Lancaster B.I DV334. The IX(B) Squadron bomber came down on December 3, 1943 returning from a raid on Berlin. Low on fuel, it crash-landed in a field close to the site of the mausoleum. HOWARD HEELEY

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Buccaneer fires up

Blackburn S.2B Buccaneer XW544 was among the star attractions running their engines at the Cold War Jets Open Day on May 26 at Bruntingthorpe, Leics. Preserved and maintained by the Buccaneer Aviation Group, the jet made its first public taxi run since retirement in May 2011 and was repainted last year. www.buccaneeraviationgroup.com DEAN WEST

Swedish J 22 project begins A long-term project has begun in Sweden to restore an FFVS J 22 fighter to airworthiness. Enthusiasts Håkan Wijkander and Stefan Sandberg have acquired the remains of J 22 22236 from a private collector. They also have the fuselage frame of 22216, formerly owned by the Flygvapenmuseum (Air Force Museum), which will serve as a template. The J 22 was designed in 1940 to 1941 by Bo Lundberg, and entered service in

late 1943; 22236 became operational on March 3, 1945. While serving with F 10 wing, it had to ditch on Lake Flåren during an operational training flight on May 4, 1949. Its remains were eventually recovered and subsequently acquired by a private collector. Meanwhile 22216 ended its career as a target for live firing, and its badly-corroded remains were rescued in the 1980s. JAN FORSGREN

Piper L-18 Super Cub 18-3455 has recently been returned to the colours and markings it wore during its service with the Luftwaffe. A flyer with the Bundeswehr Sportflieger Gemeinschaft Hangelar, the Cub is registered D-EFTB in Germany. It appeared at the former RAF Laarbruch airfield on May 24 in its new scheme. ROGER SOUPART

We are sorry to report that US warbird collector Doug Champlin passed away on May 20. Doug owned the Champlin Fighter Museum, based in Mesa, Arizona, specialising in airworthy machines from both world wars. After 22 years of operation, the museum closed in 1993, most of the collection moving to Seattle’s Museum of Flight.

Well-known pilot and Great War replica builder John Day was killed in an accident at Middle Wallop in Hampshire on April 27. John was flying his Fokker E.III Eindecker reproduction, G-CHFS. A full investigation into the accident is currently taking place. All at FlyPast extend their condolences to John’s family and friends. August 2013 FLYPAST 21

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Biggin Hill victory tally remembered

The original wartime image denoting Biggin Hill’s 1,000th victory.

Charles and 341’s Commandant Rene Mouchette – shook hands and declared it a ‘draw’. To mark the occasion, a

(L-r) W/O Neville Croucher, Flt Lt Rodney Scrase DFC, W/O Maurice Macey and F/Sgt Reg Findley with Spitfire MK912 on May 15. BOTH VIA ROBIN J BROOKS

The Biggin Hill Heritage Hanger (BHHH) recently hosted an event to mark the 70th anniversary of the sector station declaring its 1,000th ‘kill’. On May 15, 1943, Supermarine Spitfire pilots from Biggin Hill’s 611 and 341

Squadrons claimed the base’s 999th and 1,000th enemy aircraft. As the precise order of the victories could not be established, a compromise was reached. The two pilots – 611’s Sqn Ldr Jack

Lincolnshire memorial plans gather pace The official launch of the Lincolnshire Bomber Command Memorial Appeal took place on May 30 and 31 at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. An audience of more than 350 guests including many RAF Bomber Command veterans attended. The event featured the unveiling of The Spire of Names, the winning design by former flight engineer Sgt Syd Marshall – a veteran of Bomber Command. After a video presentation, an introduction from Tony Worth,

the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, explained why the memorial was such an important project to the Command and the county. It will pay tribute to the 25,611 aircrew who lost their lives in World War Two while serving from one of the county’s 27 bomber bases. www.lincsbomber commandmemorial. com

briefings

An artist’s impression of the proposed memorial. VIA LBCM

Eileen Younghusband has been awarded The People’s Book Prize in the non-fiction category for her excellent wartime memoir One Woman’s War. She dedicated her win to all women who contributed to Allied victory. Eileen, who is 91, was also awarded the British Empire Medal on May 30 at Buckingham Palace. www.onewomanswar.co.uk

David Westacott Newark Air Museum (NAM) and the British aviation preservation movement are mourning the passing of David Westacott, who died on May 17, aged 76. David’s interest in aviation stemmed from his National Service in the RAF and time with the Royal Observer Corps. In the early 1960s he became one of the key people in the group that founded the museum at Newark. David combined the skills of getting

photograph was taken featuring Biggin Hill pilots posing in front of a Spitfire, the propeller blades of which had been marked with the numbers 999 and 1,000. This image was recreated at the BHHH event, during which Spitfire IX MK912 was adorned with the relevant ‘kill’ markings. Veterans in attendance were Flt Lt Rodney Scrase DFC, W/O Neville Croucher, W/O Maurice Macey, F/Sgt Ted Molineux, and Biggin Hill engineer Sgt Reg Findley. ROBIN J BROOKS

his hands dirty on the aircraft and other exhibits while also working meticulously in the background, ensuring things were done properly and effectively. During the 1960s and ’70s he co-ordinated many of the airframe moves on NAM’s behalf; more recently he was a museum employee and helped to establish its vibrant café. His lifelong involvement with Newark shines through at the museum. FlyPast and NAM trustees extend their sympathies to his family and many friends. HOWARD HEELEY

We salute you W/O Bill Bell - Lancaster navigator with 103 Squadron, shot down on 20th ‘op’, made four attempts to escape from German PoW Camps, and flew Mosquitos post-war – died on April 11, aged 98; W/O Jim Brookbank - completed over 20 Lancaster operations as a bomb aimer with IX Squadron from August 1944 – on March 14; Brig Bob Carr MBE DFC - Royal Artillery officer who flew as an air observation pilot with 654 Squadron in Italy, later commanding a Parachute Field Battery – on April 11, aged 93; Capt Ken Jenner DFC - flew Liberators with 159 Squadron in the Middle East and Burma before joining BOAC where he was one of the first DH Comet pilots – on February 24, aged 92; Sqn Ldr Robert Kings - Battle of Britain pilot with 238 Squadron, later shot down over the desert during a sweep over Sidi Rezegh – in April, aged 98; Sqn Ldr Percival Leggett - flew Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain with 46 Squadron and later served with 249 in Malta where he shot down a Macchi 202 – on May 28, aged 92; Flt Lt Robin Macilwane DFC – flew 40 sorties on 7 Squadron Lancasters, later becoming a BOAC pilot – on April 22, aged 92; Gp Capt Maurice Short MBE AFC former Halton apprentice who trained as a pilot serving on Shackletons and Nimrods, becoming OC Operations Wing at Kinloss – on March 9, aged 87.

Saab 91C Safir SE-KVZ crashed shortly after take-off at Söderhamn, Sweden, on June 1. Tragically, the pilot was killed when it hit a wooded area and the aircraft was destroyed in the resulting fire. The Safir had been based at Söderhamn and operated by the F 15 Aero Club. JAN FORSGREN

A ceremony to commemorate Royal Navy personnel who served at RNAS Burscough in Lancashire was held on May 25. Wreaths were laid at the station monument near Ormskirk, and a flypast of RNHF Fairey Swordfish LS326 and four helicopters from the modern Fleet Air Arm took place the following morning. LAWRENCE CRITCHLEY

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THE WAY WE WERE 216 SQUADRON

Masters Dual-Role

Our series on RAF squadron heritage turns to 216 Squadron, adaptable airlift specialists. Sqn Ldr Andrew Thomas takes up the story

A

lways referred to as ‘TwoSixteen’ rather than ‘TwoOne-Six’, 216 Squadron can trace its history back to October 1917 – and decidedly naval roots – when a detached flight of Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) Handley Page O/100s at Manston, Kent, was designated as ‘A’ Squadron under the command of Sqn Cdr K C Savory DSO . Ten aircraft flew to Ochey, near Nancy, France, to the 41st Wing, Royal Flying Corps (RFC), for attacks on industrial areas in Germany. Operations began on the evening of October 24 when nine of the large biplanes raided Saarbrücken, and although 41/2 tons of bombs were dropped to good effect, two ‘HPs’ were lost to anti-aircraft fire. Flt Lt Sieveking’s O/100 was shot down attacking Mannheim a few nights later, so

after just two ‘ops’ strength had been significantly reduced. Bad weather curtailed further sorties until the night of January 6, 1918 when Courcelles railway junction in Belgium was struck. Two days later, ‘A’ Squadron was redesignated as 16 Squadron RNAS (or ‘16 Naval’) An epic raid was staged on March 24 when Flt Cdr Digby succeeded in reaching Cologne during an 8 1/2 hour flight. He wrote: “Bombs were dropped in a line over the Haupt Bahnhof [the main railway station]. Large store north east of station set on fire and burning fiercely when last seen. Anti-aircraft defence was poor, only five guns noticed in action. No AA guns in the forts surrounding Cologne, and no balloon barrage was noticed.” For his feat Digby received the DSO

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Above

Handley Page O/100 3123 ‘Split Pin’ was shot down on October 31, 1917. J M BRUCE/G S LESLIE COLLECTION

Left

High over Afghanistan a Tristar KC.1 of 216 Squadron refuelling a pair of US Navy F-18C Hornets. HQ AIR COMMAND

“Bombs were dropped in a line over the Haupt Bahnhof [the main railway station]. Large store north east of station set on fire and burning fiercely when last seen. Anti-aircraft defence was poor, only five guns noticed in action

On ‘A’ Squadron’s first raid against Saarbrücken on October 25, 1917, O/100 3141 fell victim to anti-aircraft fire. J M BRUCE/G S LESLIE COLLECTION

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THE WAY WE WERE 216 SQUADRON Badge & Battle Honours No.216 Squadron’s badge is an eagle, with wings elevated, holding a bomb in its claws. It was approved by HM King Edward VIII in May 1936. The motto, ‘CCXVI dona ferens’, translates as ‘216 bearing gifts’. The squadron’s Battle Honours are: Independent Force and Germany 1917-1918*; Egypt and Libya 1940-1942*; Greece 1940-1941*; Syria 1941*; El Alamein*; El Hamma; North Africa 1943*; Mediterranean 1943; Manipur 1944; North Burma 1944*; South East Europe 1944-1945*; Gulf 1991; Kosovo; Iraq 2003. Those marked with an asterisk are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard.

and his observer, Percy Adkins, a bar to his DSM. Soon afterwards, on April 1, the RFC and RNAS were amalgamated into the Royal Air Force and 16 Naval became 216 Squadron RAF. Around this time a number of improved O/400s arrived for use alongside O/100s. The strikes on Germany’s industry continued, fortunately with few losses for the unit. In July, for example, 216 dropped 33 tons on targets in Mannheim, Coblenz, Karlsruhe and Stuttgart. The unit later moved to Autreville in northern France under Major Willie Read as part of the 83rd Wing, and in early October its

Handley Pages began carrying the 1,650lb bomb, dropping four before the Armistice. In just over a year, 216 and its predecessors mounted 162 raids and dropped 176½ tons of munitions. In midDecember 1918 the squadron began carrying mail to Cologne for the occupation forces.

Baghdad Mail In the spring of 1919 the British decided to increase the number of units based in Egypt and, in July, 216 began moving to Qantara. Although officially a bomber squadron, the unit spent most of its time flying mail and passengers between Egypt and Palestine

“...the unit began pioneering the Cairo to Baghdad mail service, following wheel tracks in the sand to aid navigation!”

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Valentia K3167 over arid desert during a flight into central Africa in April 1937. FLT LT P SCOTT

Left

Vimy ‘Albatross’ arriving at Hinaidi with mail from Egypt. AUTHOR’S COLLECTION

A lumbering Victoria at Khormaksar, Aden. VIA J D OUGHTON

– so establishing its transport tradition. In April 1921 it moved to Heliopolis, Egypt, and began to re-equip with DH.10 Amiens, which were bombers converted into freighters. On June 23 the unit began pioneering the Cairo to Baghdad mail service, following wheel tracks in the sand to aid navigation! As the Amiens had a reputation for being unreliable, the type was replaced by Vickers Vimys in 1922. While the type was dependable, the small fuselage of the Vimy severely limited the amount of passengers and freight it could carry. Introduced in January

1926, the roomy Vickers Victoria bomber-transport proved much more suitable for 216’s tasks. The squadron also developed air routes such as Cairo to Aden in September 1926. At other times troops were flown into trouble spots – for example, in 1929 the South Wales Borderers were rushed to Palestine following riots there. The following year, 216’s Victorias trailblazed the West African route from Khartoum to Bathurst in the Gambia, flying over fearsome terrain. In February 1935 the unit began to re-equip with the improved and more powerful Valentia. During the Abyssinian Crisis (a land dispute

in central West Africa between Italy and Ethiopia) in late 1935, two Valentias were detached to Nairobi, Kenya, in the bomber role. During the final years of world peace, 216 surveyed remote landing grounds (LGs) in the Egyptian desert. One of the pilots recalled: “The petrol, supplied by the Shell company, was transported to the LGs by camel train in those days... VIPs were also transported. It was on one of these flights to Mersa Matruh that we had the humiliating experience of being overtaken by an army staff car. Struggling against a 40mph wind our Valentia didn’t stand a chance!”

Soon after the Munich Crisis, 216’s Valentias were camouflaged – KR2793 at Aden in June 1939. The ‘R’ in the serial number denoted a major rebuild. D L WEBB

Left

No.216’s first post-war type was the DH.10 Amiens, identified by playing card symbols – ‘Clubs’ being E9080, at Baghdad in 1920. 216 SQN

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THE WAY WE WERE 216 SQUADRON Bombay L5820 departing Khartoum on a transport sortie in 1940. GP CAPT J E PELLY-FRY

Bombay L5845 undergoing maintenance at Marble Arch on the Libyan border in December 1942. VIA C F SHORES

“Some bright spark thought up another pet scheme. We would lob the bombs out of the Bombay’s open doorway, which was a large affair. Three ‘erks’ did the hard work. Twenty-pounders seemed to weigh a ton after lifting 30 or so!” Desert campaigns Soon after World War Two broke out in September 1939, the first Bristol Bombay, flown by Sgt Pilot Ford, arrived at Heliopolis and soon the majority of the squadron re-equipped with the type. A monoplane bomber-transport, the twin-engined Bombay could lift a 3,000lb load or 24 passengers. With Italy’s entry into the war in June 1940, No.216 mounted its first raid on the night of June 14/15, attacking Tobruk, Libya. Raids continued throughout the summer, with Tobruk and Benghazi (also in Libya) the usual targets. One of the unit’s gunners recalled using 20lb bombs: “Some bright spark thought up another pet scheme. We would lob the bombs out of the Bombay’s open

doorway, which was a large affair. Three ‘erks’ did the hard work. Twenty-pounders seemed to weigh a ton after lifting 30 or so!” A successful raid against shipping in Benghazi on October 17 saw two merchant vessels set on fire and a destroyer damaged. The Valentias maintained weekly mail and passenger flights between Iraq and Egypt and also transported personnel and equipment to Greece. As more bombers became available to fulfil the attack role, 216 concentrated on transport work, its last raid coming when three Bombays struck Bardia, Libya, on the night of January 1, 1941. The squadron was heavily engaged in the withdrawal from Greece at the end of April when 350 people were evacuated. No

sooner had this been completed than rebellion broke out in Iraq. Five Bombays and two Valentias were sent to Lydda on May 6 while troops and ammunition were flown to Habbaniya and civilians evacuated to Palestine. Meanwhile the Vichy French in Syria had been transporting arms to Iraq by train. To stop

this, a Valentia of 216 flown by Flt Lt Bartlett took a party of sappers [soldiers/engineers] to a point west of Campaniya and landed in the desert near an important bridge on the Aleppo to Mosul railway line. It was successfully demolished and the sappers were taken out again by Valentia. In September 1941 the last of biplanes left and 216 concentrated on Bombays. The unit transported Captain David Stirling’s paratroops – the forerunners of the Special Air Service – into battle and on November 16 dropped men near Tmimi, Libya, to destroy enemy aircraft on the ground. In July 1942 several transportconfigured Lockheed Hudsons arrived and, in addition to routine resupply and casualty evacuation work, 216 also mounted ‘special ops’. One such was on July 9 when six Bombays loaded with fuel accompanied a force of Fleet Air Arm Fairey Albacores to a point 200 miles (321km) inside enemy territory. South of Sidi Barrani in Egypt, the Albacores refuelled and made a surprise attack on a convoy off Tobruk.

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After re-equipping with Dakotas, 216 used the type throughout the Mediterranean, including the ill-fated campaign in the Aegean. 216 SQN

Prior to the British Eighth Army’s El Alamein offensive in October, 216’s Hudsons carried out diversionary operations. Each aircraft carried eight selfdestroying dummy parachute troops, which were dropped with the object of diverting attention from the main battle area. Following the breakout from El Alamein, an audacious move saw two Hurricane squadrons land 400 miles behind enemy lines: supplied by the Hudsons, the fighters launched a series of strafing attacks on Axis airfields and troop columns.

Wide-ranging response By the fall of Tunis in May 1943, Dakotas had begun arriving, the last obsolescent Bombays leaving in June. Now concentrated at Cairo, 216 began a weekly eastbound service to Habbaniya and Shaibah in Iraq and another west to Casablanca in Morocco. But it also remained operational in the airborne forces role. In September a detachment was sent to Ramat David, Palestine – from where, on the 14th, paratroops were taken to the Aegean island of Kos. One pilot described the ‘op’: “The aircraft

flew along the southern coast of Turkey to be sheltered by the hills and below the cover of German radar on Rhodes. At the drop zone just outside the main town, each fired a red flare cartridge which was answered by a green. With the landing ‘T’ illuminated, each Dakota dropped 30 troops and equipment.” Resupply flights to Kos and Leros continued throughout October and November with up to eight sorties a day. Several Dakotas were damaged over Kos by the robust German response. At the beginning of April 1944, ground forces fighting the Japanese around Imphal and Kohima in India were in urgent need of air supply and 216 Squadron sent 15 aircraft to Agartala. Drops began immediately, including some to beleaguered Chindit forces well behind enemy lines in Burma. The Dakotas returned to Egypt in midJune. The following month a detachment moved to Corsica to support the invasion of southern France, later going to Bari in southern Italy for regular flights to Athens, Sofia and Bucharest. Supply drops were made to Tito’s

partisans in Yugoslavia, the first 216 Dakota landing in Belgrade on November 5 to evacuate casualties. At the end of the war, members of 216 had been awarded two DSOs, 19 DFCs and eight DFMs.

Middle East swansong Wg Cdr Morton became the first post-war CO, and under him 216 settled into regular runs from Almaza in Egypt. Dakotas staged east through Iraq and the Persian Gulf to Karachi, west to Naples and south to Durban. By February 1947 the squadron was based at Kabrit in the Suez Canal Zone as part of the large Middle East Transport Wing. No.216 suffered its first, and worst, post-war loss when Dakota C.4 KK122 crashed in poor visibility at Ischia, Italy, on March 8, 1947: all 13 aboard perished. Among other tasks, 216 provided a pair of Dakotas to support a highly successful goodwill tour of East African colonies by Spitfires of 208 Squadron. In a throwback to pre-war days, some routeproving work was also undertaken, with the passage to Bulawayo,

Southern Rhodesia, being surveyed. In 1948 the unit was heavily committed to the British evacuation from Palestine when administration of the territory by the UK ended. In November 1949, Vickers Valettas began replacing the faithful Dakotas which had all gone by December. No.216 moved to Fayid in the Canal Zone in February 1951 and from there continued its airlift tasks. Middle East Air Force fighter units were highly mobile and frequently detached to trouble-spots. For example, in July 1951 during the Iranian oil crisis, 216 helped move the Venom-equipped 249 Squadron to Shaibah in southern Iraq, close to the Iranian border. In the mid-1950s, the imminent British withdrawal from Iraq and Egypt meant squadrons had to be found new tasks. For the first time in 38 years, 216 returned to the UK, in November 1955, ready to gain a unique niche in RAF history.

Jet pioneers Following the loss of three Comet jetliners due to suspected metal

After El Alamein, 216’s Hudsons regularly flew into rough desert strips, sometimes behind enemy lines. A captured Junkers Ju 87 can be seen on the left. 216 SQN

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THE WAY WE WERE 216 SQUADRON ‘special’ and VIP tasks. They were extensively used in the pull-out of British service families from Cyprus following the Turkish invasion in 1974 with, among others, the Cypriot President, Archbishop Makarios, being evacuated to London. Soon afterwards a defence review announced severe cuts in the RAF’s transport force, and the Comet C.4s were withdrawn. No.216 Squadron was disbanded on June 10, 1975 – for the first time since forming in 1917 – after 58 years’ unbroken service.

Maritime interlude No.216’s next incarnation was to be very different. On July 1, 1979 the unit reformed at Honington, Suffolk, equipped with Buccaneer S.2Bs for maritime strike-attack. When 216 was almost at the point of being declared operational on February 7, 1980 a 15 Squadron S.2A crashed fatally in Nevada during a ‘Red

fatigue, the type was withdrawn from commercial service pending redesign. In need of a fast personnel transport, the RAF agreed to take delivery of a number of the revised Series 2s to prove the type in intensive service. Having moved into Lyneham under Wg Cdr B D Sellick, 216 became the first military jet transport squadron in the world. The first Comet, crew trainer T.2 XK670, arrived on June 7, 1956 and two weeks later flew 216’s first operational sortie when it took the Minister of State for Air, Nigel Birch, to Moscow. Route-proving with T.2s continued pending arrival of the first C.2 on September 14. The jets were soon busy flying high-priority loads to Malta and Cyprus during the Suez Crisis. The Comets brought the most distant part of the Commonwealth

to within two days of the UK – the 10,500 miles to Adelaide taking 38½ hours, for example. The squadron reached full strength in June 1957 and that month flew Her Majesty the Queen in a Comet – the first of many royal flights for 216. Schedules were established, including east to Singapore and Australia and west through the USA to Christmas Island, supporting British nuclear tests. These and VIP flights formed 216’s regular ‘bread and butter’ as the Transport Command ‘flagship’ unit. In 1961, Comets airlifted Ghanaian troops to the Congo for UN duties, and during the Kuwait Crisis of the same year 216 helped to move paratroops from Cyprus to Bahrain. The first of the stretched and more powerful Comet C.4s arrived in early 1962, allowing the smaller C.2s to

Above

One of 216’s elegant Comet C.4s, XR399, at Narvik in Norway, April 1965. RAF LYNEHAM In 1979 the squadron re-formed for a short time with Buccaneer S.2Bs in the maritime attack role. R C B ASHWORTH

concentrate on shorter routes to the Mediterranean until they were finally withdrawn in 1967. With the successful introduction of the VC-10 to 10 Squadron in mid-1966, the Comets of 216 concentrated on route activation,

Flag’ exercise. All Buccaneers were grounded and fatigue was discovered in part of the wing main spar. This resulted in some aircraft being withdrawn and, in the interim, Hunters were issued for crews to maintain flying currency.

Comet C.2 XK697 on final approach to Lyneham in August 1962. PETER GREEN

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Tristar K.1 ZD951 refuelling a pair of Tornado F.3s of 25 Squadron during routine air defence training in the 1990s. RAF PR – SGT RICK BREWELL

Below

The 216 Squadron badge as carried on the Buccaneer and Hunter. VIA AUTHOR

“On entering service the Tristars were the largest and heaviest aircraft ever operated by the RAF” The squadron moved to Lossiemouth in July 1980 but a shortage of aircraft forced the reduction of the Buccaneer force by one squadron. No.216 was merged with 12 Squadron, and effectively ceased to exist – though the unit

No. 216’s Aircraft Type

From

To

Handley Page O/100

Aug 1917

Nov 1918

Handley Page O/400

Apr 1918

Oct 1921

De Havilland Amiens

Aug 1920

Oct 1922

Vickers Vimy

Jun 1922

Jan 1926

Vickers Victoria II, V, IV, VI

Dec 1925

Nov 1935

Vickers Valentia I

Feb 1935

Oct 1941

Bristol Bombay I

Oct 1939

Jun 1943

De Havilland DH.86B#

Nov 1941

Apr 1942

Lockheed Hudson III#, VI

Jul 1942

Apr 1943

Douglas Dakota I, III, IV

Mar 1943

Dec 1949

Vickers Valetta C.1

Nov 1949

Nov 1955

De Havilland Comet T.2#, C.2

Jun 1956

May 1967

De Havilland Comet C.4

Feb 1962

Jun 1975

Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.2B

Jul 1979

Aug 1980

Hawker Hunter F.6#, T.7#

Jul 1979

Aug 1980

Lockheed Tristar K.1, KC.1, C.2, C.2A

Nov 1984

present

# = partial equipment. Airbus Voyager tanker-transports (based on the A330 widebody airliner) are being introduced to replace the final VC-10s with 101 Squadron and 216’s Tristars. The VC-10s are expected to bow out late in 2013, while the latest thinking on the Tristars is that the fleet will serve on until at least the spring of 2014.

records defiantly stated: “This is not a disbandment!”

Tanker-transports Following the Falklands War in 1982, six Lockheed Tristar 500 airliners were modified as tankers that were also capable of carrying personnel and freight as Tristar K.1s and KC.1s. Three further examples were later acquired purely for passenger duties as C.2s. It was particularly fitting that when Wg Cdr Keith Philby formed his squadron at Brize Norton on November 1, 1984, it should be 216, returning to its traditional role. On entering service the Tristars were the largest and heaviest aircraft ever operated by the RAF. As strategic tankers they were used on all long-haul routes, supporting detachments to North America as well as tanking UK-based units over the North Sea or on quick reaction alert operations. No.216 also assumed responsibility for the regular shuttle to the Falkland Islands via Ascension Island after the opening of RAF Mount Pleasant. No.216 soon became a key element in RAF operations and it was heavily involved in the build-up to the 1991 Gulf War, flying 90 sorties refuelling coalition strike aircraft during the war itself. Through the 1990s the Tristars regularly supported NATO operations over Bosnia. The squadron also took a leading role in Operation Allied Force with up to five aircraft based in Italy in support of NATO sorties over Serbia and Kosovo – and flying a total of 230 missions offloading 13.5 million pounds of fuel to 1,580 aircraft from

seven countries. For this the squadron received the Battle Honour ‘Kosovo’ and Sqn Ldr Stuart Mitchell was awarded the DFC, his citation noting: “On two missions alongside the Serbian border he drew the effusive praise of fighter aircrews for his courageous flying and remaining on station to complete his tasks regardless of the threats to his aircraft.” In 2001 the squadron supported policing of the no-fly zone over Iraq. Following the Allied intervention in Afghanistan in 2001, 216’s tanking capabilities were specifically requested by the US. It was a 216 Squadron Tristar that had the distinction of being the first Allied tanker to fly over Afghanistan. The Tristars were hugely committed to the build-up of the second Gulf War and then provided tanker support during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In all, 216 flew some 300 refuelling missions, and in the transport role deployed 16,000 personnel and 700 tons of freight to the Middle East. Following the greater British engagement in Afghanistan, from 2006 the Tristars of 216 became fully committed to the airbridge into Kandahar and the main British base at Camp Bastion. A detachment based in Oman provides en route refuelling support. More recently, 216’s Tristars were supporting Allied policing and ground attack operations over Libya. All of these commitments have made 216 one of the RAF’s most hard-working ‘heavy’ units – maintaining traditions established as a dual-role transport squadron over 90 years ago.

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book briefs The Second World War In The Air, Merfyn Bourne, Matador, 408pp, illus, sbk, £15.99 – a meticulously researched and highly readable narrative history of airborne military operations during World War Two. The author has taken on a hugely ambitious subject and is to be congratulated on covering it so vividly. www.merfynbourne.com

OK, One More Yarn..., Jan Algera, Martin Leeuwis Publications, 222pp, illus, sbk, €14.95 – this unusual collection of tales is based around aviation humour and cartoons by artists from all corners of the world. Short and mostly comedic aircraft-related stories are supplied by 31 contributors. Originally published in Dutch, now translated into English. www.humor.aero

Correction

In our July issue’s What’s New section we mistakenly give the title of Michael Napier’s excellent new book on 14 Squadron as ‘Winged Promises’. It is, in fact called ‘Winged Crusaders’. Sorry for the confusion!

Hornchurch heroes immortalised www.mitorpublications.co.uk

Tumult In The Clouds, Dean Wingrin, Helion, 344pp, illus, sbk, £29.95 – comprises numerous stories from the South African Air Force, from 1920 to 2010. All told in the first person, these are intensely immediate and personal recollections of heroism, duty, adventure and tragedy. The final chapter includes the lyrics of some squadron mess songs! www.helion.co.uk

On The Edge Of Flight, Eric William Absolon, Pen & Sword, 166pp, illus, hbk, £19.99 – the author looks back on a lifetime of working in the development and engineering of aircraft. His engrossing account includes tales of testing the Gloster Meteor after World War Two, as well as his involvement in the more commercial side of production. www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

Nose-art inspired models www.flightplancollectibles.com

FlightPlan Collectibles is a new manufacturer with offices in the US and Germany specialising in aviation-themed models. Its current On The Nose range is a collection of 1:6 scale, hand-painted statuettes inspired by and immortalising the nose-art graffiti so popular among World War Two airmen. Taking their cue from old photographs and modern reproductions, the sculptors of FlightPlan Collectibles bring to life the glamour girl mascots that so motivated the pilots and crews. Each finely finished statuette is presented complete with a stylised name and aircraft details, customised display stand and copy of the original image that inspired the sculptor, all in a designer presentation box. These high-quality products are limited to 500 examples per edition, and each retails at $109.99.

Hornchurch – Streets Of Heroes, Richard C Smith, Mitor Publications, 192pp, illus, sbk, £12 The wartime aerodrome at Hornchurch may be gone, but thankfully the legacy of the pilots that flew from it during World War Two has not, due to various local streets and avenues having been named after them. When Hornchurch closed in July 1962 it was sold off by the Air Ministry for housing and gravel extraction, but fortunately the London Borough of Havering decided to honour many of the airmen associated with the old base. This book gives a detailed biography of each of the men whose names have been used, some very famous and others not so well known but equally deserving of their place in history. The pilots profiled include Douglas Bader, ‘Sailor’ Malan, Eric Lock, Richard Hillary, Paddy Finucane, James Leathart, Don Kingaby, and many more. This is a well written and informative guide to some of the true heroes of World War Two, and also includes several images that have rarely – if ever – been seen before. Author-signed copies are available from the website above.

Tirpitz Nemesis www.corgi.co.uk

The Avro Lancaster has frequently been immortalised by modellers, but this new 1:72 scale die-cast offering from Corgi certainly takes some beating. Benefitting from the manufacturer’s usual close attention to detail, this newest creation represents Lancaster B.I W4964 ‘WS-J’ Johnny Walker, a 9 Squadron machine that took part in the successful bombing of German warship Tirpitz on November 12, 1944. With a wingspan measuring over 17 inches (435mm), the model features detailed crew figures, rotatable propellers and gun turrets, and comes with the option to display with the undercarriage either up or down. The real Johnny Walker participated in 102 ‘ops’, the sinking of the Tirpitz marking its 100th. Codenamed Operation Catechism, the raid consisted of 31 Lancasters from 9 and 617 Squadrons, each armed with a 12,000lb (5,543kg) Tallboy bomb. Despite the ship using its fearsome guns in an attempt to break up the bomber formation, the vessel was hit by two bombs. The Tallboy from ‘WS-J’ struck close to the warship’s aircraft catapult, exploding and creating a large hole in the ship’s side and bottom. Shortly afterwards, Tirpitz – once a major threat to Allied convoys – was disabled and capsized. Corgi’s excellent depiction of W4964 is available now, priced at £124.99.

Guy Gibson remembered www.mitchesmilitarymodels.co.uk The 70th anniversary of the famous Dambusters raid has been marked in many ways recently, but one of the more distinctive products currently on the market is this 200mm (7.9in) resin figure of 617 Squadron’s fearless leader, Wg Cdr Guy Gibson. Mitches Military Models has released this superbly rendered likeness in kit form – you need to put it together yourself, but that of course is half the fun. Created by modeller Maurice Corry, the finished figure is beautifully detailed and perfectly posed to capture the spirit of the man. The quality of the casting is very high, and the model is finely detailed – Gibson’s ‘Mae West’ and all associated strapping is visible, and there is a sharpness of detail in the casual pose, pipe held in hand, and remarkable facial likeness. As well as the resin figures, Mitches Military Models is also releasing a limited edition coldcast bronze version on a pedestal base which stands 300mm tall. These will be limited to an appropriate 617 certified copies. The retail cost of the kit version is £65 with the bronze statues priced at £150. For more information contact Gordon Mitchell via the website or telephone 07976048558.

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The Bomber Command Memorial – We Will Remember Them, Fighting High, 128pp, illus, hbk, £19.95 – the official book of the Bomber Command Memorial, this is an excellent source of information on both the memorial and the men of Bomber Command. Well illustrated throughout, this book belongs in any enthusiast’s collection. www.fightinghigh.com

Vampires, Goblins & Ghosts, Harry Walker, selfpublished, 135pp, sbk, £8 plus p&p – an excellent personal account by a RAF engineer, serving on a fighter unit during the 1950s in the Middle East. This compelling read contains many photos from an oft-overlooked era, most of which haven’t been seen before. E-mail harry@ walker9652.freeserve.co.uk or call 01797 252770

page turners Liberator workshop manual www.haynes.co.uk

Tribute to ‘The Few’ www.aviationoriginals.com Currently being much admired in the FlyPast office is this new limited edition print from aviation artist Andrew Harris. A Break From Battle is Andrew’s latest oil painting and the print looks likely to be in high demand from collectors and enthusiasts. It depicts a group of pilots from 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron taking a wellearned break between operational sorties and fighter sweeps in the late summer of 1940 at RAF Hornchurch. Fg Off Richard Hillary relaxes in the warm sunshine, listening to the gramophone and chatting with fellow Spitfire pilots about the last engagement with the enemy, as the crackle of a departing Spitfire’s Merlin engine roars overhead. This is an unusual and particularly evocative tribute to ‘The Few’ capturing a moment in time almost as if the artist had been present himself. Strictly limited to just 850 giclée prints individually numbered and signed by the artist, each is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. E-mail the artist for more details and to reserve your numbered print before they are released: andrew.harris@ aviationoriginals.com An exhibition of Andrew’s work can be seen at Shoreham Airport from July 6 to August 26.

Must have reference www.freeworldpublications.co.za Springbok Fighter Victory – SAAF Fighter Operations 19391945 Vol 6 – Index, Statistics and Unit histories, Michael Schoeman, Freeworld Publications, SBK, 194pp, illus, ISBN 978 0 9802797 8 8 This is the final volume of an extensive account of the fighter operations of the South African Air Force during World War Two. Earlier volumes covered individual theatres from East Africa, through the long desert campaigns to the operations in Sicily and Italy. This concluding volume covers brief biographies of every SAAF fighter pilot, including those that served in RAF units, as well as an analysis of claims, losses and casualties. It is further complemented with brief descriptions of each of the main fighter types flown, as well as those enemy aircraft captured and used. As with previous volumes, this is well illustrated with rare photos of both pilots and aircraft including captured examples. This book is a first-class piece of research that will prove essential to serious historians and enthusiasts alike. ANDREW THOMAS

Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1939 onwards (all marks), Graeme Douglas, Haynes Publishing, 162pp, illus, hbk, £21.99 Consolidated’s B-24 Liberator is the latest aircraft to be given the Haynes Workshop Manual treatment. Although Boeing’s B-17 Flying Fortress is much better known than the B-24, in fact there were around 5,750 more Liberators built than Flying Fortresses and the B-24 type holds the distinction of being built by four different manufacturers at five separate locations, concurrently. The Liberator would see service in every theatre of operations during World War Two, and it played a pivotal role in winning the Battle of the Atlantic by sinking many German U-boats. Although the type was retired by the USAAF almost as soon as the war ended, the Indian Air Force, which was desperate for combat aircraft in 1947, managed to make 36 aircraft that had been dumped by the RAF flyable. When India retired its Liberators in 1968, the survivors were disposed of. Most of those currently on display around the world (and all of the airworthy and potentially airworthy machines) are ex-IAF, including the Collings Foundation’s example, Witchcraft, which features prominently in this book, the author Graeme Douglas having been granted privileged access. He has also featured contributions from current B-24 aircrew (including the Foundation’s chief pilot Jim Harley) as well as wartime aircrew. Very well illustrated with rare photographs and excellent line drawings of the myriad systems, this is a great read, and a fine addition to the Haynes stable. DAVE UNWIN

Detailed record www.aviation-bookshop.com

Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol 4 ETO Area July 1944-September 1944, Stan D Bishop and John A Hey MBE, Aviation Bookshop, 720 pages, £69.99, ISBN: 9780954768546 This remarkably extensive reference book details losses suffered by the US Eighth and Ninth Army Air Forces in chronological order over a three-month period in 1944. In addition, to complete its account, it also covers US Navy casualties, including those resulting from Operation Leader, which involved aircraft flying from USS Hornet in late 1943. USN losses from south-west England are also listed. It is clear that in-depth research has been carried out by the authors in bringing this information together. Appendix 1 covers casualties in instances where the aircraft did manage to return to friendly territory, and includes those airmen killed while flying with the RAF. In addition, it lists personnel who died in accidents, such as road traffic incidents, and from natural causes. Further sections profile Capt Lindsey, the sole Congressional Medal of Honor winner during this period, and the bases from which US squadrons and groups operated. It also chronicles aircraft that were transferred to different theatres of operation, and to the RAF. The book will be officially launched at Duxford’s Flying Legends airshow on July 13 and 14, at which Stan Bishop will be on hand to sign copies.

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COLD WAR WARRIORS B-26 INVADER

how my war

began ‘N

o sweat’ was the best way to sum up the first two missions in Korea. But then I was in a learning situation and had the luxury of just observing. Tonight I was in charge. Well, I wasn’t really in charge. Captain Parker Baker was the pilot and he was on his 55th mission and he didn’t really need a navigator. Captain John Kennedy was the bombardier in the glass nose and he had a lot of missions behind him also. Besides that, he was a navigator himself. We had a gunner with upper and lower turrets. He had two 50-calibre machine-guns in each turret back behind the bomb bay.

It was January 5, 1952 – my first mission as a navigator in a Douglas B-26 Invader night intruder flying out of K-8 – Kunsan, Korea. Our primary aim in this phase of the war was to stop the flow of rail and truck traffic from Manchuria to the front lines during the hours of darkness. Our call-sign was Pintail 09 with a scheduled take-off at 10:30.

The hardest part

Before climbing in, I make a radio check with the tower with my URC-4 radio. The emergency radio is a two component unit, one under each armpit, and buttoned into a vest under my Mae West. I grab the

handholds on my side of the aircraft and make that long, long, step with my right leg onto the ladder. How did the little guys do this? I start my pre-flight checks and try to take care of my own unfamiliar problems. I still had a borrowed parachute and it wasn’t adjusted right. After struggling with the dinghy on the two previous missions and not being able to sit upright in the seat while sitting on it, I had placed it on the jump seat behind me. The dinghy was 4in (10cm) thick and the aircraft’s clamshell canopy came down so close to my head that I just couldn’t sit on it without ducking and hunching my shoulders.

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Charles Hinton candidly talks through a night intruder operation that looked set to end in disaster

The clothes I was wearing made movement in the cockpit almost impossible. ‘Long John’ underwear, military uniform, then the electric suit, next the heavily-padded flying suit, topped off with a heavy jacket, my emergency URC-4 radio in its vest and the Mae West on top of everything. On my feet were two pairs of socks, my zippered jump boots of Japanese manufacture (made mostly of paper I later learned) and over that, heavy flying boots. I was decidedly underdressed on my head with a plain World War Two leather helmet with goggle attachments. It was almost impossible for me to

get the ’chute adjusted. I had difficulty twisting around to get the plugs connected for the electric suit. Although the temperature in the cockpit was below freezing I had sweat pouring down my face. I find the headset and get it adjusted and plugged in. I wrap the throat-mike around my neck, snap it, and get it plugged in. With the seat

belt fastened I’m not only strapped to the aircraft, I am wired to it! Now I discover my mapboard and flight plan are behind me on the dinghy and I can’t turn around to get them because of the binding effect of the protective equipment. Unfasten the belt. Twist, turn, heave, strain and now I have maps and flight plan and get hooked up again. I reach the unavoidable conclusion that the hardest part of the mission is getting in and getting ready to go.

Left

A 13th Bomb Squadron Invader crossing the Korean border on its way back to base after a night mission over enemy territory. ALLAN SCHOLZ VIA WARREN THOMPSON

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COLD WAR WARRIORS B-26 INVADER

I’m ready and I answer with a garbled “Roger” because my throat-mike isn’t adjusted correctly. Baker tells me to hold the pick-up buttons against my throat when I talk. With one mittened hand I press the pick-ups against my throat and give another “Roger”. This one is clear. Our 10:30 take-off time approaches and the tower gives us clearance to line-up and hold. It seems like I should have something to do, so I tell Baker: “You’re heading after take-off will be 347 degrees.” At 10:30 the tower gives us clearance to roll and wishes us good luck. I hold my flashlight with one mittened hand and make an illegible entry with the other. I think that’s what

Sweat is dripping off my nose and I make sure the rheostat of the electric suit is turned full down.

Above

Clearance to roll

Right

Baker has none of my problems. He is in his seat, comfortably running his checklist, starting engines, getting taxi clearance, and moving into the aircraft run up position. Baker checks with Kennedy in the nose and asks him if he is ready to go. Kennedy says: “Roger”. He asks me if

the navigator is supposed to do. From my side of the cockpit I note the pilot’s airspeed indicator begins to increase. Blue flames from the right engine stream along the cowling. We roll on all the wheels for a long time. Baker lifts the nosewheel and we roll on the main gear for a long time. I wonder if it’s going to fly. The green lights at the end of the runway flash under the nose and Baker pulls back on the yoke. Yes, it will fly. Baker retracts the wheels, turns off the landing lights, and brings up the flaps. Unnecessarily, I remind Baker that the heading will be 347 degrees. He has made the 40-minute climb out to checkpoint ‘Oboe’ 54 times before. I give him an ETA. At level-off I make an entry in the log and try to estimate

Charles Hinton in winter combat gear. B-26B 44-34287 ‘Old Able’, with an eight-gun nose, at Kunsan, January 1952.

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“I reach the unavoidable conclusion that the hardest part of the mission is getting in and getting ready to go” a position. We’re over water and I can’t see anything. It doesn’t matter because Baker has tuned in the radio beacon and the ‘bird-dog’ [needle on the direction finder] shows ‘Oboe’ dead ahead, on an island just south of Haeju in UN control.

Enemy territory

Baker and Kennedy have been discussing the plans for the evening. We have been briefed to search for trucks, but the visibility from the snow on the ground and the thin slice of moon enables the trucks to drive without headlights. The bombsight is useless unless the trucks have their headlights on. Some said it was useless all the time. Baker and Kennedy agree that the thing to do is to go down and see

if there are any trains on R-19 route. ‘Red-19’ runs east from Sariwon and then southeast toward the Kaesong restricted area where the peace talks are under way. As he comes over ‘Oboe’, I asked Baker where he wants a heading to. He says: “Never mind, I know the route.” When the ‘bird-dog’ swings over ‘Oboe’, Baker checks in with Dentist, the controller at the Joint Operations Center. He advises them that Pintail 09 is over ‘Oboe’ inbound. Dentist says: “Roger, check outbound.” I note in my log the time and a fix symbol with the words ‘Over Oboe’. Now we are in enemy territory. The checklist says turn off all navigation lights, charge and check the guns. Baker gives the gunner clearance and I hear and feel the vibration of the turret guns back behind the bomb bay. Baker squeezes the trigger on his control wheel and the six wing guns rattle into

life. Baker swings a right turn to 50-degrees and pulls the power back for a gentle descent. He says: “We’ll check the railroad west from Holy Land.” Ahead and to the right I can see the searchlights indicating the Kaesong area. In about ten minutes Kennedy says he can see the river up ahead. The road and railway are just west of the river. I can’t see anything, but Kennedy has the best view from the glass nose. Shortly Kennedy announces: “You’re over the railroad now.” I get a brief glimpse of a dirty line in the snow just as Baker starts a hard descending left turn. I make a note in my log: ‘Over R-19’ and the time. As Pintail 09 continues its left turn I can see a frozen river with a distinctive bend which I then match with the map. Sure enough, there is a highway and railway depicted about a mile west of the river. I know where I am. Five miles south is Kumchon and the edge of the restricted area.

Far left

SHORAN-equipped B-26C 44-35967. Standing for shortrange navigation, SHORAN was a precision radio navigation aid. Left

Pages from the author’s war diary.

Riding the deck

I look out the front and we are below the level of the hills. I check the map. The hills are 600 to 800ft high. I look at Baker’s altimeter – 500ft and still descending. I can’t see anything out the right side and not much up ahead. I note the compass and it indicates we are going north. Kennedy says the railway is bearing to the west. Baker: “I’ve got it” and swings the heading to the northwest. I can’t see anything. Kennedy: “Sinmack up ahead”. Baker: “Roger, I’ll stay south and we’ll pick up the road west of town.”

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COLD WAR WARRIORS B-26 INVADER a runaway prop. I think I should make an entry in the flight log and I enter the time and the words ‘runaway prop’. Baker tells us that the prop doesn’t respond to the throttle and it looks like he’ll have to feather No.2. Baker reaches up above the windshields and pushes the right feathering button. Nothing happens. Baker and Kennedy now hold a short conference to decide what next. Since the propeller won’t feather the best tactic is to get as much altitude as possible. Baker tells us the B-26 will fly fine on a

The airspeed says 300mph. I check my map to see if I can find Sinmack. Yes, there it is. The road and railway diverge. Baker is now on a westerly heading. I look up ahead and there is a railway. I stop looking at the map and watch the countryside race by. We can’t be more than 200ft high. Occasionally the rail lines pass through a tunnel and Baker swings around the hills and picks up the rails on the other side. The road and railway come back together. Kennedy notes that some of the factories along the tracks look intact. Baker follows the rails as they swing northward. Kennedy: “Sariwon just ahead.” Baker: “Maybe we should go back and hit those factories.” I check my watch and note in the flight log the time and the fix at Sariwon. We are still riding the deck and Baker starts a climbing left turn to go back to the factories.

Runaway

Then the engine noise changes from a steady roar to a scream. Baker tenses and reaches for the throttles. Kennedy: “What’s that?” “Runaway prop,” Baker says. Baker pulls the right throttle back. There is no change in the engine noise. I think I’m supposed to do something at this time but I’m not sure what a navigator does with

fear the reaper Author Charles Hinton describes his introduction to the 13th Bomb Squadron: “I was sent to Korea without ever going through combat training. I went direct from navigator school to Korea, as did all the rest of my class. Consequently I wasn’t crewed up and flew with several different pilots according to who needed a navigator. The 13th began as the 13th Aero Squadron flying SPAD biplane fighters from June 1917 and is currently on active duty at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, flying the B-2 Spirit ‘Stealth’ bomber as part of the 509th Bomb Wing. Charles has been the historian for the 13th Bomb Squadron Association for nearly 30 years and has had two spells editing its magazine, The Invader. The association has a superb website, with much on the Korean era: www.13thbombsquadron.org

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“I look at the altimeter and it now indicates 3,500ft and the climb indicator indicates a descent of 300ft per minute. Baker tells us we had better let the world know about our problem” single engine and we should be able to make K-14 at Kimpo with no sweat. The bombs are jettisoned – first the wing load and then the interior load. The high-speed run down the railway has given us sufficient momentum to make an altitude of 3,800ft. Baker completed the engine shutdown checklist, established 150mph indicated, placed the mixture control to idle cut-off, pulled back the throttle and shut off the fuel to the engine. So far as I can see there is no effect on the engine. It is shut down but the piercing propeller scream continues. Baker tells us that we can’t hold altitude with the prop windmilling in the slipstream and driving the engine. I look at the altimeter and it now indicates 3,500ft and the climb indicator indicates a descent of 300ft per minute. Baker tells us we had better let the world know about our problem.

We have a problem

“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is Pintail 09.” “Roger Pintail 09, this is Dentist. What is your emergency?” “We have the right engine out, unable to feather, unable to hold altitude. Current altitude 3,300ft, heading 155 degrees. We’re about 20 miles from

the west end of ‘Red-19’.” “Pintail 09, this is Dentist. Turn right heading 245 degrees.” “Pintail 09 turning to 245.” “Roger Pintail 09, I have you on my screen. Turn left heading 135 degrees. This heading will take you around some unfriendlies.” Kennedy reports from the nose: “Pilot, we’re about 90 miles from K-14. At this speed it will take us about 35 minutes.” I have been checking my map with the idea there should be some way for me to be helpful. I lay the plotter down with one end on Sariwon and the other on Seoul and draw a straight line. It’s the first line on my new map. If Kennedy and Baker are right, and that was Sariwon back there five minutes ago, and if we’ve been making an average of 3 miles per minute at 180mph, then we must have covered about 15 miles and we should be about.... there! I drew a lop-sided circle on the chart. The map shows a high point of 2,335ft about 8 miles ahead of us and another mountain of 2,700ft about 10 miles to the left of our course. I report to the pilot: “You have a 2,300ft mountain just ahead and terrain above 2,700ft off to the left”. Baker acknowledges and says he thinks Dentist is steering us around some obstructions.

Better ditch?

I look out my window at the engine and I can see a glow on the backside of the prop. That’s new. What could be reflecting off the prop? I never saw anything like that before. Jesus Christ! It’s on fire. “Pilot, I think the engine is on fire. I can see a glow reflecting off the back side of the prop.” “I don’t see how it could be, Hinton, I’ve got the fuel cut off and there shouldn’t be anything there to burn.” Well, Baker should know. Yet I’ve never seen anything like that before. The glow looks like it is getting brighter. “Pintail 09, this is Dentist. Steer heading 160. This heading will keep you out of the range of unfriendlies just ahead. What is your altitude?” “Roger Dentist, this is Pintail 09. We’re 2,750ft steering 160 degrees.” I look at the back of the prop. Now it’s an orange red. “Pilot, it’s getting brighter. Something is going on out there. There has got to be a fire of some sort if I can see the back of the prop.” Baker loosens his seat belt and raises his head up to the canopy. “Can you see anything Kennedy?” “No. The angle is wrong. I can’t see anything from up here.” I look at the altimeter again. We’re down to 2,500ft. I can see a hill ahead and to the right that seems to be

Clockwise from above

A rehearsal for a rare daylight mission, 1951. JOHN HARRIS

In Korea, 13th Bomb Squadron flew ’B and ’C models of the Invader. This was taken over the coast of Korea, close to the border between the North and the South in late 1952. AL KEELER VIA WARREN THOMPSON

The flight line at K-8 Kunsan with aircraft of the 13th Bomb Squadron at the bottom. The aftermath of an aborted take-off on January 4, 1952 – all survived.

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COLD WAR WARRIORS B-26 INVADER miss the pocket and the pencil falls to the floor. I try to bend over to pick it up but the headphone, mike cables, heated suit cables and the safety belt have me trapped. Now I panic. I’m trapped. Why put on the dinghy? No. I have to try. Unhook everything. Twist around and get the dinghy from the jump seat. Slip it under me. Pull down my head so it doesn’t hit the canopy. Find the latches and rings to hook it to the ’chute. Don’t lose the flashlight. Yes, it can be done. I have the dinghy on and then I find the mike and headphone hook-

Three B-26s at Iwakuni, Japan, in 1951 – each with a tale to tell. JOHN HARRIS

unusual trio Illustrated is an interesting trio of B-26s at Iwakuni, Japan in 1951. In the middle is B-26C 44-35388 Q-for-Queen. Charles Hinton says it is unusual “because it doesn’t have any wing guns but does have pod guns hung under the wings”. [Inboard of the wing bomb pylons.] These “were terrible because they didn’t fire similar patterns and didn’t synchronize”. To the right is one of the rare B-26s with a 0.50in calibre machine-gun sticking out of the bombardier’s compartment. Charles: “When that thing went off it must have been an awful racket.” Under Queen’s starboard wing is B-26B 43-22343. Charles explains that this was “an early ‘flat-top’ [which] was considered unsafe to fly in combat and was used for training. The CO tried to get the ‘inspect and repair’ people to turn it into the later model with the raised cockpit, but they said the job couldn’t be done. A sergeant said he could do it and the CO promised him a commendation medal if he could do the update. The sergeant took parts out of the ‘boneyard’ and did what the depot said they couldn’t do. The CO rotated [got posted Stateside] and the sergeant didn’t get his medal.” Right

‘Louise’, a B-26C assigned to the 13th Bomb Squadron at Kunsan in the spring of 1953. ALLAN SCHOLZ VIA WARREN THOMPSON

Above right

A briefing room map showing the red and green routes. Right centre

The author at the nose of ‘Old Able’. ALL IMAGES AUTHOR UNLESS NOTED

at our altitude. It sure looks like the engine is on fire. I wish my parachute fitted me better. Baker calls a conference. “Gang, it doesn’t look like we’re going to make it. I thought we could hold altitude on a single engine but that windmilling prop is like a big piece of plywood out there. We are never going to be able to get over those hills. It looks like the best chance is to head for the water and hope the ‘Dumbo’ [air-sea rescue] will pick us up in the morning.”

Not part of the dream Oh boy. How will I ever get my dinghy on in this cockpit? There isn’t enough room to sit on the dinghy with the canopy closed.

The aircraft will probably blow up before I get the dinghy under me. If I get the dinghy on and we bale out I’ll probably fall out of the ’chute because it isn’t fitted to me. And then what? I’ll be landing in the water at night. Do I remember how to open the dinghy? What’s the difference? I’ll freeze to death in ten minutes anyway. Charlie Hinton from Mt Auburn, Illinois – how in the hell did you ever get up here anyway? This wasn’t part of the dream. I tell Baker I have to get my dinghy on and he responds: “You’re not wearing your dinghy?” With my mittened hand I try to slip my new Eversharp pencil into the sleeve pocket on my heavy jacket. I

ups and I’m back as part of the crew again. Where is my map and log? Down on the floor under my feet. I can’t get to them because of all the clothes and the binding equipment. No, I’m not part of the crew again. I’m a very frightened passenger.

Get out and walk

Dentist calls and gives us another steer. Baker reports back our altitude as 2,300ft. Kennedy comments that the ground looks awfully close. I look out my window in the moonlight. Boy, we are low. I can make out the huts clearly. I glance over at Baker and see him studying the ground also. Baker: “Gang, it looks like we may have to get out and walk soon. Check

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your equipment well and decide what you want to take with you. If we have to leave the plane we want to still have room to jump.” “Dentist, Pintail 09 here.” “Go ahead Pintail 09.” “Dentist, Pintail 09 here. Keep a good fix on us. It looks like we’re getting pretty close to the ground and we’ll have to jump while we still have room.” “We have your position and we’ll have a chopper over you at first light. What’s your altitude now?” “Our altitude is 2,300ft. It looks like we’re holding 2,300. Standby, Dentist.” I look at my engine again and note the glow is gone. I look at it closely. The glow is gone. Yes, it’s really gone. I report to Baker: “I think the fire has gone out. I don’t see any glow on the back of the props anymore.” Baker responds that it’s time something went our way! I glance over at Baker’s altimeter and see that it reads 2,400ft and then look at the rate of climb. The needle points up at 100ft per minute. Not much but it’s up. Maybe we’re going to make it.

Hang on, fella

Someplace down on the floor are my map and flight log and my new Eversharp. I should pick them up

and go back to work. Why bother? Dentist is still giving us steers and Baker has tuned in the radio compass to K-14 and the needle points straight ahead. Up ahead I can see the bomb line with clearly defined areas to the north with no lights and the area south of the line all lit up with floodlights and all the signs of civilization. Baker follows Dentist’s instructions and soon we are in the K-14 traffic pattern. We’ve made it. K-14 tower clears us to land. Just a few minutes and it will be all over. Baker waits until we have the landing made and puts the flaps down and then gear down. Gear coming down. Two green lights for the main gear. We wait for the nose gear light to go green. It has been a tough mission and now I feel tired. I know I also have a good story to write home to the family. Well, I can’t write it to the folks, but I have to write it to somebody. The nose gear light is still red. Oh boy! Ooooh boy! It’s still red. Baker comes on the interphone. “Kennedy, hang on. We don’t have any nose gear and I can’t go around. Hang on, fella.” Baker makes the level off for the landing. There it is. It’s

green. The nose gear light is green. Touchdown! The tyres make a chirp as they lightly come in contact with the runway. It’s a beautiful landing. Baker cuts the power and steers it straight down the runway. Let me out of this bastard! I pop the hatch, push the ladder down, and miss all but one or two of the footholds going down the side, and I’m off the runway. Baker examines the dead engine with his flashlight. We have a hole in the prop dome. A single rifle bullet has hit us in the prop dome, caused us to lose all the hydraulic fluid for engine feathering and the engine ran away. Later it was determined that the red I was seeing on the back of the props was from a red-hot nose casing from a lack of engine lubrication. When the crankshaft failed for lack of lubrication the prop was able to windmill freely and we had near normal single performance. And that’s how my part of the war began.

Above

The squadron commander’s Invader returns from North Korea after an early morning mission. Note the underwing ordnance had been expended. HAL WHITE VIA WARREN THOMPSON

Below

Early morning at Kunsan after these 13th Bomb Squadron Invaders had returned from their night missions. RAY ANASTOS VIA WARREN THOMPSON

“It’s a beautiful landing. Baker cuts the power and steers it straight down the runway. Let me out of this bastard!”

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GLORY DAYS PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORIES

STATE OF

EMERGENCY CLIFF BLUNDELL PRESENTS A PORTFOLIO OF HIS FATHER’S TIME FLYING AVRO LINCOLNS DURING THE MALAYAN EMERGENCY IN THE 1950s

London-born Johnny Blundell DFC joined the RAF in 1941 and was selected for aircrew duties in 1943 and was commissioned on October 1. Johnny trained on Wellingtons with heavy conversion on Stirlings before moving to Lancasters. He flew operationally as a bomb aimer with 622 and 7 Squadrons, completing two combat tours – see January 2012’s ‘FlyPast’. Post-war Johnny remained in the RAF, serving in Germany and at the Air Ministry in London, until re-training as a pilot in the early 1950s. He then flew Avro Lincolns with 83 Squadron. No.83 Squadron moved to Hemswell, Lincs, in July 1946 having converted to Lincoln B.2s. The unit deployed to Tengah, Singapore, in late August 1953 with aircrew going out for a six-month tour of duty. Johnny led ‘A’ Flight while based at Singapore and is seated, fifth from the right, in this October 1953 formal gathering.

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After the formation of the Union of Malaya in April 1946, increasing hostilities from communist terrorists (CTs) brought about the declaration of a state of emergency on June 17, 1948. Known to the British simply as ‘The Emergency’, Operation Firedog was waged for 12 years until the insurgents were defeated. Lincolns were used to disrupt CT camps and to keep the enemy forces moving. Top right

Johnny flew Lincolns on ‘ops’ in Malaya with 83 Squadron and is illustrated at the helm 9,000ft over Singapore in December 1953. Upon his return from Malaya, Johnny was awarded a Queen’s Commendation “for valuable services in the air”. He retired from the RAF in 1964, passing away in 1989. Above left

Johnny Blundell (left) with a Dragonfly HC.2, very probably of 194 Squadron, at Kuala Lumpur, November 1953. Left

Lincoln B.2 RE358 of 83 Squadron, less spinners, at Tengah. Maintenance crews worked hard in the hot and humid climate to keep the bombers operational. This page

A Lincoln circling to monitor movement after bombs had been unleashed into the jungle. Included in the bomber force’s arsenal was the costeffective ‘Screamer’ – beer bottles that made a terrifying howl as they plummeted to earth.

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COMMEMORATION EAGLE SQUADRON

Eagles over E Eagle Squadron display team manager Rachel Morris gives an insider’s account of an emotional Duxford show and memorial flypast

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Right

The Eagle Squadron in formation with the Red Arrows on May 26. ALL PHOTOS BY OR VIA JOHN DIBBS

he sun finally made an appearance in the UK on May 26, and more than 17,000 people ventured out to a hot and hectic IWM Duxford to enjoy the Spring Airshow. The star display act was the Eagle Squadron, a unique four-ship of fighters specially formed to tell the story of American service in World War Two. (See Airshow on page 88.) The Eagle Squadron aircraft are Hawker Hurricane AE977 (painted as P3886), Supermarine Spitfire AR213 (as P7308), Republic P-47G Thunderbolt SNAFU and North American P-51C Mustang Princess Elizabeth. The Hurricane and Spitfire are painted to

commemorate the American volunteer pilots who flew with the RAF’s Eagle Squadrons from 1940 to 1942. The Thunderbolt and Mustang represent the USAAF’s primary aerial fighters used over Europe from 1943. The Bremont Horsemen Flight Team, working closely with John Dibbs, brought the Eagle Squadron concept to IWM Duxford. Project leader Dan Friedkin explained their motivation: “The idea came out of the 70th anniversary of the Eighth Air Force here at Duxford. We had the opportunity to commemorate it, to recognise and honour the people who were a huge part of that. It’s an honour and a privilege for us to come over to the UK to do this.” Eagle Squadron guest of honour, triple ‘ace’ Colonel Clarence E ‘Bud’ Anderson, kicked off the afternoon’s flying events in style.

At 1pm the 91-year-old veteran got airborne from Duxford in The Fighter Collection’s twin-seat Mustang Miss Velma with Dan Friedkin. Later, after dismounting from the aircraft, the colonel was driven along the crowd line in a period American Jeep. Bud Anderson flew 116 missions in P-51 Mustang Old Crow with the 357th Fighter Group during the war, ending the conflict with a tally of 16-plus kills. At 2pm the Eagle Squadron aircraft flew a missing man formation pass which started a minute’s silence, solemnly observed by the crowd. In the background was the poignant rumble of B-17 Sally B’s four Wright Cyclone engines. Exactly 60 seconds later, the roar of the fighters marked the end of the silence as they swept in to begin their routine in tight formation. After several Below

Saturday evening before the event saw Bud Anderson go for a local flight from Duxford with Steve Hinton Jnr in The Fighter Collection’s Mustang ‘Miss Velma’. Pictured post-flight, left to right, are Steve Hinton, Stephen Grey (TFC founder), Bud Anderson, Nick Grey and Steve Hinton Jnr.

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r East Anglia impressive passes and turns, the four-ship split into pairs. The Hurricane and Spitfire, piloted by Paul Bonhomme and Dan Friedkin, performed formation aerobatics followed by a pairs display from Steve Hinton in the Thunderbolt leading Ed Shipley in the Mustang. For the final segment of their 30-minute routine, the fighters joined up with Sally B in a salute to the American crews lost in the war. Thanks to the hard work of Sqn Ldr Jim Turner, Flt Lt Ben Plank, Sqn Ldr Mike Ling and Paul Bonhomme, there was yet another aerial treat for IWM Duxford’s visitors at the end of the day. The Eagle Squadron aircraft joined the RAF’s Red Arrows for a stunning formation pass. The Reds then finished the show with their impressive routine.

Memorial tour

The tribute continued on Bank Holiday Monday with the Eagle Squadron’s commemorative flypast around East Anglia to mark American Memorial Day. Crowds gathered at Duxford in good but blustery weather to watch the aircraft launch. First to take off was Sally B, with the fighters soon catching up to fly off the bomber’s wings. Bud Anderson was airborne in TF-51 Miss Velma with Fighter Collection pilot Pete Kynsey to provide ‘escort cover’ for the formation. After joining up and making a first pass at Duxford, the flight headed over Bassingbourn before arriving at the Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, to provide the closing salute for the annual ceremony being held on the ground. BOD NEY

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COMMEMORATION EAGLE SQUADRON

Aircraft in the tribute

Below

Aircraft from the Comanche Warbirds collection formed the basis of the Eagle Squadron commemorative flight. Tom (right) and Dan Friedkin (centre) are the driving force behind Comanche Warbirds and are seen here with Steve Hinton, who flew the P-47G during the weekend’s events.

Ceremony organiser Leslie Turner, from the American Battle Monuments Commission, described the fly-by as “a most fitting tribute to the fallen”. The fighters then took the lead, with Sally B following behind. In a nod to today’s continuing AngloAmerican alliance, the formation flew over a current USAF base, RAF Mildenhall. Next they headed to a wartime location, RAF Bodney, where the 352nd Fighter Group were based during World War Two. P-51C Mustang Princess Elizabeth is painted in the unit’s colours. The flight continued over American wartime bomber bases Snetterton Heath, Knettishall,

Type

Serial

Reg

Name

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress

‘124485’

G-BEDF

Sally B

Hawker Hurricane X

‘P3886’

G-CHTK

–

Republic P-47G Thunderbolt

225068

G-CDVX

SNAFU

North American P-51C Mustang

325147

N487FS

Princess Elizabeth

North American TF-51 Mustang

–

N251RJ

Miss Velma

Supermarine Spitfire Ia

‘P7308’

G-AIST

–

Horham and Thorpe Abbotts before arriving at Halesworth. With the North Sea off their port wing the formation headed south to Leiston. There Colonel Anderson broke away in TF-51 Miss Velma, to enjoy some stick time over his old home base. He said: “It was very special, and very nostalgic. To go back again and still know exactly where everything was in my mind, it was like nothing had changed. The pilots did a great job too: we hit Leiston right over the [357th] memorial.” Sally B departed

the formation and headed back towards Duxford while the fighters made a brief refuelling stop at Bentwaters. Then it was onwards to Debden, a wartime home to the three RAF Eagle Squadrons and, later, the USAAF’s 4th Fighter Group. The final destination on the route was another Eagle Squadron base – North Weald. The fighters then returned to Duxford where their landing marked the end of the display team’s busy weekend. Describing the flypast, Dan said: “It was a great day, it certainly felt like a big occasion. It was challenging at times, flying a close formation, but it was good fun! We did what we came here to do, to honour the Eighth Air Force and fly our tribute over Duxford and the countryside where it all happened 70 years ago.” The final word comes from Colonel Anderson: “Duxford is kind of an ideal place to have this all happen. You have the grass field and the old permanent buildings and the hangars. It hasn’t changed much. It’s a special place for us all and it’s been a very special weekend.”

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VICTORIA CROSS ANDREW MYNARSKI

For Valour Air Cdre Graham Pitchfork profiles VC recipient Andrew Mynarski

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orn in Winnipeg, Canada in October 1916, Andrew Mynarski joined the RCAF in September 1941 and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner before joining 419 ‘Moose’ Squadron at Middleton St George in North Yorkshire. The unit was equipped with the Handley Page Halifax and was part of 6 (RCAF) Group, Bomber Command. During March 1944 the squadron converted to Avro Lancasters, and Mynarski and his crew flew a number of operations in the lead up to D-Day. On the night of June 12, a force of 16 Lancasters from 419 was tasked to attack the marshalling yards at Cambrai in Northern France. Mynarski was in the midupper turret. As the bombers approached the target, a Junkers Ju 88 nightfighter delivered two devastating attacks, disabling both port engines and started a raging fire in the rear fuselage. The tail turret was disabled, trapping the gunner, Fg Off Pat Brophy. The fire spread rapidly and the captain ordered the crew to abandon the doomed aircraft.

Saluting a comrade Mynarski started to move forward to bale out but saw his colleague trapped in the rear fuselage. He immediately made his way through the flames and tried to manually rotate the turret to allow Brophy to escape. He could have left him to his fate but, despite his clothing being on fire, Mynarski continued attempting to free the airman. With the aircraft at very low level, the rear gunner signalled there was nothing more Mynarski could do and urged him to leave. Mynarski finally left him but, before diving through the escape hatch, he turned to salute his comrade. With his clothing and parachute on fire he fell heavily and, shortly after being attended to by local villagers, he died of his terrible injuries. By some miracle, the rear turret broke free when the Lancaster crashed and Brophy survived. When his crew returned from prisoner of war camps at the end of the war, his supreme sacrifice was not forgotten and in October 1946, Andrew Mynarski was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His name lives on and a bronze statue was dedicated to his memory at Middleton St George in 2005. In Canada his courage is commemorated in numerous ways, including the renaming of his former school and a group of lakes in his honour. Canadian Warplane Heritage operates the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster and it is painted in the markings of his aircraft.

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MUSEUMS SYWELL AVIATION MUSEUM

Case Study Ken Ellis visits Northampton aerodrome’s superb tribute to the area’s heritage

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hen most people talk of aviation museums, it is mostly due to the latest airframe on show. Yet the largest amount of time spent browsing will be with the smaller artefacts. Last year the Sywell Aviation Museum (SAM) took delivery of its first complete airframe, a Hunter F.2, and the volunteers are very proud of their ‘gate guardian’. Despite this superb machine, it is the incredible content within that will demand the most attention. Located at Northampton’s superb art deco Sywell aerodrome, SAM opened to the public in 2001 to tell the story of the county’s rich aviation heritage. Its buildings are exhibits in their own right: the first phase was a combination of three Nissen huts from Bentwaters, where they had been used as bomb fuzing sheds by the USAAF. During 2010 and 2011 SAM expanded using two former prisoner of war huts from Derbyshire.

While Northamptonshire might not spring to mind as USAAF ‘territory’, it boasted all the major elements of frontline activity: fighters (20th Fighter Group at King’s Cliffe), bombers (for example, the 384th Bomb Group at Grafton Underwood), transports (315th Troop Carrier Group at Spanhoe) and even special ‘ops’ (the 801st BG ‘Carpetbaggers’ at Harrington).

Fatal seconds There is so much to highlight at SAM that it is difficult to single something out, but in the USAAF Hall, inaugurated in Easter 2012, the content of one of the imposing Edwardian display cases is compelling. (Several of SAM’s cabinets date from 1910 and may have originally been commissioned for London’s Science Museum.) An identity bracelet takes the eye, as does a large model of a B-17 and shattered engine parts. Most striking is a folded US flag,

Within a display case at SAM are artefacts that tell the story of a three-aircraft collision over Northamptonshire. Left

Nose art carried on B-17G 42-31053 ‘Stingy’, based on a reconstruction displayed at SAM. PETE WEST © 2013

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“Clearing the wreckage was the largest operation of its kind to take place in Northamptonshire during the war - debris was strewn across 170 fields” August 2013 FLYPAST 53

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MUSEUMS SYWELL AVIATION MUSEUM Inside SAM’s USAAF Hall.

‘Heidi’ the Hunter Proudly ‘guarding’ the SAM building at Sywell is Hunter F.2 WN904, which arrived from Waterbeach, near Cambridge, on August 2, 2012. Part of the Imperial War Museum’s collection since 1974, the Hunter had spent most of its time on display at the army barracks at the former Waterbeach airfield. With the impending closure of the facility, IWM decided to dispose of WN904 and SAM successfully bid for what is the only intact surviving F.2. Built by Armstrong Whitworth, WN904 was the 17th of only 45 F.2s built, first flying at Bitteswell, Leics, on July 27, 1954. It was issued to 257 Squadron at Horsham St Faith (now Norwich Airport) on October 20. Like all F.2s, its service life was short and it became an instructional airframe in November 1957 until being donated to IWM. Why is it called ‘Heidi’? It is named after a former girlfriend of a SAM member, who had best remain anonymous. She and the Hunter are said to share certain attributes: “Great looker, fast mover, but very high maintenance!”

In a busy weekend at SAM, there can be between 400 and 1,000 visitors figures that many larger organisations envy conjuring up images of a guard of honour and white gloves carefully turning ‘Old Glory’ into a tight triangle as a tribute to sacrifice. On October 11, 1944, Fortresses of the 96th Bomb Group were returning to Snetterton Heath in Norfolk from the day’s objective - Rugby. Thankfully for the Warwickshire town, the B-17s were on a training mission. To the west of Northampton, at 15,000ft over Farthingstone, the bombers encountered dense cloud and turbulence. Within seconds, B-17G 43-37684 of the 337th Bomb Squadron was rocked by two violent impacts. B-17F 42-3510, also of the 337th, pulled up sharply and its tail hit the nose of ’7684. As the crew was reeling, the rudder of B-17G 42-31053 Stingy of the 338th also made heavy contact. F-model 42-3510 broke in two and plummeted down; pilot 2nd Lt Jack Core baled out, but the four others on board were killed.

Stingy also fell to earth; pilot 1st Lt Nicholas Jorgensen and his crew of six all perished as it crashed near the village of Woodend. By some miracle, 43-37684 limped back to Snetterton Heath.

Remembering a tragedy Five-year-old Romer Adams was playing in the garden of the family home near Blakesley when the collision occurred. These days a member of SAM, he remembers: “the drone of one of the aircraft above cloud sounding like a wounded animal.” Clearing the wreckage was the largest operation of its kind to take place in Northamptonshire during the war debris was strewn across 170 fields. Romer never forgot that terrible day when the war vividly came to his neighbourhood and 11 young men died. Sixty-six years later, Romer was part of a team from SAM that carried out a ‘dig’ on the crash

site of Stingy. Among the material salvaged that day was Nicholas Jorgensen’s silver identity bracelet. Residents of Blakesley and Woodend, and members of SAM, combined to create a permanent reminder of October 11, 1944. A tasteful monument and an interpretive display board were unveiled in a moving ceremony near Blakesley on September 17, 2011. Deeply touched by the occasion was Philip Jorgensen from New Jersey, the nephew of Stingy’s pilot. He was presented with 1st Lt Nicholas Jorgensen’s identity bracelet; a replica having been made for display at SAM. Afterwards a SAM visitor handed in a worn and torn map that had fluttered down out of the sky on that fateful day; it is now on display. This was the plot chart made by 2nd Lt Richard M McCall, the navigator of 42-3510. His last notation had been overhead Farthingstone, seconds before disaster.

So much more In a busy weekend at SAM, there can be between 400 and 1,000 visitors - figures that many larger organisations envy. It is open every weekend and bank holidays through to the end of September. The extent and the quality of the displays and artefacts belie that SAM is run by just 25 volunteers. SAM’s Ben Brown explained that all of the team take great pride in the museum being: “so much more than a hoard of pieces of metal, it’s full of stories of bravery and endeavour.” There is no charge for visitors (but donations are very welcome) and Ben asserts: “That will never change, not on my watch anyway. We’re not a Duxford or Hendon but we are determined that all should enjoy their time with us.” And you will. More details on 07968 061708 or www.sywellaerodrome.co.uk/ museum

SAM’s wartime Nissen huts are ‘guarded’ by the only whole surviving Hunter F.2. ALL AUTHOR UNLESS NOTED

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WARBIRDS CURTISS P-40 KITTYHAWK

Lu

e l l e B lu Rings the Changes

I

first saw ‘Little Kitty’ [Peter’s name for Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk G-KITT] at the Sandown Airshow in 2005. I was immediately captivated to the point where I made Stephen Grey an offer for the aircraft. He initially didn’t take up the offer, but thankfully later did. I soloed in her during January 2006 after a frustrating weather

Hangar 11 Collection boss Peter Teichman talks to Darren Harbar about why he chose the new paint scheme for his P-40

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delay and was just blown away by the crisp handling and fantastic harmonisation of controls. My first display season in our wonderful new toy was 2006 and I just loved showing her. She is certainly, in my opinion, the most comfortable and manoeuvrable fighter to display in a tight space. Was it not Ray Hanna himself who always led the OFMC Breitling Fighter display team in a P-40? Not a coincidence, I say! At the time of buying the P-40, her colour scheme was of the 11th Fighter Squadron, 343rd Fighter Group, based in Alaska to protect the USA from possible invasion from over the North Pole, circa 1943. I have to say that the scheme was not my favourite and I really wanted to go for a more traditional RAF Squadron ‘shark’s teeth’ scheme.

I had it on my ‘to do’ list, but during 2008/2009 we were fully occupied flying, and of course the arrival of the ‘Hurribomber’ [Hawker Hurricane ‘BE505’] polarised our attention elsewhere, so the repaint was shelved. Then in 2009 we had the pleasure of being involved with a big budget movie, filmed in Prague, called Red Tails and she was painted in a temporary scheme, depicting an aircraft flown by the famed ‘Tuskegee Airmen’. We were supposed to wash it off at the end of the filming but she looked great, so we decided to nurse the washable paint a little longer. That mission turned into three years and three display seasons by which time we had added nose art and touched the scheme up many times. She was starting to look a bit shabby

though, so it was time to repaint her.

Labour of love

Above

P-40M Kittyhawk G-KITT during the air-to-air sortie on June 2. ALL PHOTOS DARREN HARBAR

The work started in earnest in the autumn of 2012. I handed her over to the Hangar 11 painting team, led by Steve Atkin and Alec Kinane. The brief was to strip her to bare metal with great care and attention, having due respect for her age and historical importance. A big decision, when considering possible P-40 schemes, was whether or not to go down the ‘shark’s teeth’ route. This is such a familiar motif and works very well on the P-40 but these days it has perhaps become a little overused. What was really needed was something new that was distinctive, and with an interesting story behind it – even

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WARBIRDS CURTISS P-40 KITTYHAWK Clockwise from right

The Hangar 11 Collection team. Left to right: Mick Bishop, Mike Phillips, Alec Kinane, Peter Teichman, Steve Atkin, James Kinane, Keith Rodwell and Phil Ansell. The Kittyhawk on its way to Biggin Hill for repainting. Peter Teichman with ‘Little Kitty’. The colourful port wheel hub. The ‘Eight-ball and rising sun’ starboard wheel hub. The almost finished Kittyhawk parked up at its Essex home.

better if it was something that had never been done before in Europe. Chris Norris, Hangar 11’s chief engineer, suggested the skull motif of the 80th Fighter Group would fit the criteria and research was commenced by Hangar 11’s Steve Atkin and Alec Kinane to find suitable photographic material. This didn’t prove to be a difficult task; indeed last month’s FlyPast [July issue] feature on the 89th FS’s Lt Philip Adair shows what an extensive selection of photos had been taken at the group’s airfield at Nagaghuli in India. Lt Adair’s own aircraft, Lulu Belle, featured prominently in that image collection and most of the photos can be viewed on the internet. It quickly became clear that Adair had, in fact, two Lulu Belles. The first, a P-40N-1, was externally identical to Hangar 11’s P-40M and seemed to be the logical choice. Moreover, Adair had taken photos of all the distinctive markings on the aircraft including the crew name panel, victory symbols, wheel hub art and, of course, the skull on the nose, which was critically important as each aircraft in the group had a different design of skull. The Lulu Belle scheme was selected as the right choice for the P-40’s ‘new look’ and in October 2012 the painstaking task

of paint stripping commenced. Modern environmentally-friendly ‘pink’ paint stripper materials were unable to go right through the multiple paint layers, apart from in small sections, and the cold temperatures in the last quarter of 2012 and first quarter of 2013 didn’t help at all, as heat would have made it far easier. So the Hangar 11 team worked tirelessly for many, many, months in a cold hangar to get every last bit of old paint off all surfaces. The top layer was removed relatively easily, as it was the aforementioned Red Tails ‘wash off’ paint. Having scrubbed away the temporary finish, the Fighter Collection’s ‘Aleutian Tiger’ scheme dating from the late 1990s was once again revealed. This had in turn been applied over a livery applied in France in the mid-1990s when the aircraft was owned by Christophe Jaquard, and this itself was applied over the original TFC RAF desert scheme. In all, some four layers of paint needed removing and considerably more in the nose area where nose art often requires overlaying multiple layers of paint.

Technical challenges

Chris Norris led on all the technical challenges, which were many and varied. All control surfaces had to be removed, including the ailerons, rudder and elevators. These were inspected and fabric covering found to be a little tired, so were sent to Clive Denney at Vintage Fabrics for re-covering. All the engine panels had to be removed for attention to the interior surfaces which also involved them being stripped and cleaned. All in all, a huge task but after some months we could see light at the end of the tunnel and she was revealed as the most original aircraft we could have imagined. As Chris Norris commented: “There’s hardly a rivet on this aircraft that was not fitted in the Curtiss factory.” She is amazing. We discovered many of the aluminium panels had the manufacturer’s stamps still clearly visible – and several small component identity plates and so much more were found, underlining this aircraft was untouched since 1943; a real gem. The carburettor had been to California for overhaul and the

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original instrument panel top section [as reported in FlyPast news, June issue], sourced from Australia, had been fitted to the aircraft along with those instruments required for flight. A few things are still to be completed in the cockpit to bring the P-40 back to stock condition but it looks stunning. By late April the P-40 had its interior repainted along with many of the internal panel surfaces such as the huge belly scoop. The canopy had been refitted and the team had also completed some rewiring. With the panels back in place, G-KITT was fully assembled and ready for engine checks. We were pleased to discover that she fired up at the first attempt. Running a little rich at first, which is expected, she ran perfectly for mag checks and exercising of the prop and then up to normal temperature. With the aircraft fit for flight, it was time for painting. We needed to select our paint shop carefully and after research decided to send our prized aircraft to RAS Completions at Biggin Hill in Kent. They are a

well-established and respected commercial shop with excellent facilities and an enthusiastic team led by Chris

Ransley and Russell Pitt, who were willing to fully engage with the project and pay the special attention required to complete this complex paint scheme.

Return to flight

It was decided to do a quick air-toair photographic session en route to Biggin Hill, as it was unusual to see the P-40 in bare metal and sporting her civilian registration which had been specially applied for the transit flight. The trip to Biggin Hill was special as it was lovely to be

reacquainted with ‘Little Kitty’ after some eight months downtime. She fired first turn of the prop and ran very cleanly after we had adjusted the idle mixture as she was running rich after the first engine runs. Take off was normal but right away I felt that the Allison V12 engine was smoother and more responsive as a result of

“It was lovely to be reacquainted with ‘Little Kitty’ after some eight months downtime”

the carburettor having been fully overhauled. In addition, she was carrying less weight, considering that we had stripped off four full layers of paint. On arrival at RAS no time was wasted in removing the temporary ‘G’ codes from the fuselage and the aircraft was fully cleaned and masked, ready for her etch prime and primer layer to be applied. The paint process was lengthy and complex but RAS managed it efficiently and with great enthusiasm. The guys were amazing and produced a fantastic result, for which I am really grateful. The base colours were applied to the upper and lower surfaces, along with the camouflage pattern and tail codes required for her to fly back to North Weald in the last week of April. Back in our North Weald hangar the application of nose art, national insignia and details started. There was much to do – the photos sourced from the Philip Adair collection were invaluable but highlighted a considerable amount of detail which had to be reproduced as accurately as possible. The skull was photographically enlarged and fullsize artwork created by Erik Pilawskii was then made into a series of vinyl masks. The hubcap artwork and crew name panel were applied by Hangar 11’s Alec Kinane – and then followed several long weekends of masking and paint application to apply the August 2013 FLYPAST 59

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WARBIRDS CURTISS P-40 KITTYHAWK

Right

G-KITT during the unveiling on June 2.

distinctive un-outlined ‘star ’n’ bars’ and, finally, the skull artwork. We had taken the unusual step of scheduling an open day to unveil the P-40 on Sunday June 2, so it was with some degree of relief that the Lulu Belle name was finally applied on the afternoon of June 1, ready for the official ‘roll-out’. The reveal event was announced on the fast-growing Hangar 11 Collection Facebook page, followers being invited to North Weald with the incentive of not just seeing the new colour scheme, but also the chance to buy a limited edition T-shirt sporting the new-look P-40 along with the rest of the Hangar 11 fleet. Sunday

Hangar 11’s Kittyhawk Curtiss P-40M 43-5802 was manufactured in October 1943 and assigned to the RCAF as 840. She subsequently flew with a number of Canadian units, amassing around 732 hours in military service. The aircraft was retired in 1950 and moved to Oregon State University as an instructional airframe. Following a long period of storage at Troutdale Airport, Oregon, she was acquired in the late 1970s by well-known P-40 expert Tommy Camp, based in Livermore, California. Fortunately, the airframe was found to have survived in remarkably good order and was suitable for a restoration to flying condition. This was sympathetically carried out in the early 1980s and she flew again in 1982. Purchased by The Fighter Collection and shipped across the Atlantic, she took up residence at Duxford in February 1985. There she remained for ten years until being acquired by Christophe Jacquard, based at Dijon in France. Re-registered F-AZPJ, she was operated in France for three years until returning to Duxford to rejoin The Fighter Collection in 1998. Placed on the UK register as G-KITT, the P-40 continued to be operated by TFC until 2005 when it was bought by Hangar 11 Collection and ferried to North Weald. Since then she has appeared extensively at airshows throughout the UK and across Europe. Right

The P-40’s cockpit during the final stages of the overhaul.

“Painting a warbird properly is not a task to be taken lightly. It is a long and pretty costly process – but, for me, worth every minute and every penny when we were able to recreate this wonderful snapshot of history”

dawned warm and sunny and it was with great pride (and a little relief) that the team towed the P-40 out of the hangar in her new markings to a large waiting crowd of appreciative supporters. With the sun shining and conditions perfect, we flew Lulu Belle for the first time in her new colours. Painting a warbird properly is not a task to be taken lightly. It is a long and pretty costly process – but, for me, worth every minute and every penny when we were able to recreate this wonderful snapshot of history. We have since been contacted by the family of Lt Adair. He is still alive and well and we are looking at the possibility of a visit to Hangar 11 – what a great photo opportunity! Thank you to Peter Teichman and Steve Atkin for help in producing this article. Special thanks to Jon Windover for flying his Yak-52 as camera aircraft for the air-to-air sortie.

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The Hangar 11 Collection’s Curtiss P-40M Kittyhawk G-KITT on a photo sortie for ‘FlyPast’ on June 2, 2013. DARREN HARBAR

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11/06/2013 16:10

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Spotlight Boulton Paul

Defiant

21 Pages in detail 66 Origin and history 68 Men Behind the Defiant 74 Inside the turret-fighter 76 Artwork A colourful Defiant 78 In combat - day and nightfighter roles 86 A detailed look at the RAF Museum’s example

Main picture

Archive Boulton Paul publicity poster from early in the war. VIA LES WHITEHOUSE AND THE BOULTON PAUL HERITAGE PROJECT

65_Spotlight Opener_fp.indd 65

Spotlight this month shines on an often overlooked Battle of Britain fighter – the Defiant. We chart its history from creation to night-fighter, target-tug to museum piece

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Spotlight Boulton Paul Defiant Scrutinizes the history of...

A failure as a day fighter, Boulton Paul’s Defiant proved far more effective by night

Above

Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I T4037 of 256 Squadron in October 1941. Right

The turret-less P.82 Defiant prototype K8310.

The Boulton Paul

Defiant

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erhaps unfairly, the Boulton Paul Defiant seems to be best remembered for what it failed to achieve. Designed as a defensive fighter – its pilot-andgunner configuration inspired by the success of the Bristol F.2 Fighter in World War One – its success in this role was extremely short-lived. As soon as enemy fighter pilots worked out that it had no forward armament and was also vulnerable to attack from beneath, Defiant units suffered heavy losses. The type was subsequently withdrawn from daytime operations, but went on to prove an effective night-fighter, at least until it was superseded by the de Havilland Mosquito and Bristol Beaufighter. The Defiant later saw use in gunnery training, target towing, electronic countermeasures (ECM) and air-sea rescue.

Defiant development

The RAF began to anticipate the need for a turret-armed fighter in the mid-1930s. It was thought that similarly-armed bombers on both sides would be able to penetrate enemy airspace and defend themselves. The requirement was for a fighter that could concentrate fire on the bombers, the turret gunner leaving the pilot free to focus on

positioning the aircraft. The concept had been tested using adapted versions of the Hawker Demon, but it was felt that a faster, more modern monoplane design would be needed in future. Boulton Paul found itself in competition with Hawker, which was developing what eventually became the Hotspur. However, with most of Hawker’s energy diverted to its new Hurricane fighter, the Defiant beat the outwardly similar Hotspur into the air by almost a year, and quickly became the RAF’s turret-fighter of choice. The central feature of Boulton Paul’s P.82 design was its powered, dorsal four-gun turret based on a French design previously licensed to

the Midlands-based manufacturer for its Sidestrand and Overstrand projects. The combination of four 0.303in Browning machine guns could certainly pack the required punch if it could be brought to bear. The downside was that the turret had minimal elevation when facing forward, rendering it close to useless when defending head-on attacks. Also, as the gunner’s hatch was in the rear of the cockpit and had to be rotated to enable entry and exit – plus the fact that the gunner had no room for a standard parachute – many brave men went down with their aircraft in battle. The first P.82 prototype to fly, K8310, took off on August 11, 1937, powered by a 1,030hp

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SPOT FACT The all-in-one garments worn by gunners were nicknamed ‘rhino suits’ (768kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin I. Its initial performance was deceptive as it had not, at this point, been fitted with the turret. The now more familiar-looking second prototype, K8620, was given various revisions, enabling it to reach 302mph in trials.

A deadly game of two halves

The first unit to receive the Defiant was 264 Squadron in December 1939. Its initial task was training, the crews testing their new mounts against Handley Page Hampdens and Bristol Blenheims – and a Supermarine Spitfire flown by Robert Stanford Tuck. The Defiant pilots found their best defence from fighter attack was to form a circle, a tactic also adopted by Messerschmitt Bf 110s of the Luftwaffe. Early Defiant operations (the very first coming on May 12, 1940) were relatively successful. The following day, 264 claimed four Junkers Ju 87s shot down over the Netherlands. More ‘kills’ followed, and during operations to cover the Dunkirk evacuation, RAF crews put their defensive circle tactics into action against attacking Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Six German fighters were claimed for the loss of three Defiants.

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Such statistics were to be shortlived, however. Initially, Luftwaffe units suffered losses while attempting to ‘bounce’ from the rear, possibly mistaking the Defiants for Hurricanes and not anticipating their fearsome rear-facing firepower. As soon as German pilots knew what they were dealing with, they altered their tactics, firing from dead ahead or from below, and losses to the Defiant squadrons were calamitous. On August 26, No.264 lost three aircraft, but worse was to follow two days later when five Defiants fell to enemy guns and nine crew members were lost. From this point on, the aircraft was withdrawn from day fighter operations and transferred to night-fighting. It was in this role that the aircraft truly earned its name, certainly defying any judgement of it being a failure. Defiants of 264 Squadron claimed numerous German bombers, one of which was Dornier Do 17Z 5K+AR of III/KG 3. Forced to ditch in the Goodwin Sands area off the coast of Kent, the bomber was discovered in 2008 and is currently being recovered by the RAF Museum. ‘Daffy’ crews would aim to

Origin & history Defiant Squadron Although by no means the only unit to operate the Defiant, 264 Squadron is probably its most famous exponent. Initially formed from two Royal Naval Air Service flights in 1918, it regrouped in 1939 to operate the turret-fighter. In May 1942 it moved to Colerne, Wilts, to fly Mosquitos as night-fighters until 1944 when it returned to defensive duties. The squadron supported the Allied landings with night patrols over Normandy and ended the war flying sorties over Berlin from Twente in the Netherlands. A Gloster Meteor unit post-war, it disbanded in 1957 at Leeming when it was renumbered 33 Squadron. Its motto was, appropriately enough, ‘We Defy’.

attack bombers from below and sometimes slightly ahead, allowing the gunner to use the weaponry to its full potential. During the winter of 1940-41, Defiants are believed to have shot down more enemy aircraft than any other type. The advent of the more powerful Mosquito and Beaufighter meant the Defiant was soon relieved of its night-fighting role, but it continued to operate as an ECM aircraft, deploying both the Moonshine and Mandrel systems. It continued in this capacity until July 1943, after which it was mostly used as a target tug, ending its operational career in India. Today, the RAF Museum’s Mk.I N1671 is the only complete survivor.

Below

A Defiant in use as a target tug in July 1942.

Defiant Mk.IIs were built

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Spotlight Boulton Paul Defiant

Early P

A Defiant gunner about to go to work.

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SPOT FACT 141 Squadron received its first Defiants in March 1940

Men behind the Defiant

y Promise Before the Luftwaffe discovered its weak points, the Defiant gave a good account of itself. Air Cdre Graham Pitchfork highlights two pilots who had impressive successes on the turret fighter

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ortsmouth-born Edward Rowland Thorn joined 264 Squadron at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, in October 1939 when he teamed up with Leading Aircraftman Fred Barker. The unit was the first to be equipped with the Boulton Paul Defiant, a single-engined fighter fitted with a rear-facing gun turret in which was mounted four 0.303 machine-guns but no forward-firing fixed weapons. No.264 had the responsibility of developing tactics for the new type and after much flying and tactical training masterminded by the CO, Sqn Ldr Philip Hunter, the squadron was declared operational at the end of April. With the German invasion of the Low Countries, the unit moved to Duxford.

From May 23, with the Allied armies retreating to the Channel ports, 264 flew to Manston in Kent each day to be nearer the action. At least two patrols in squadron strength were flown daily over the coast of northern France. The pace quickened as the British withdrawal from Dunkirk started on May 26. There was some action on the 27th and early the following morning Sqn Ldr Hunter led a formation on patrol between Dunkirk and Calais when four Messerschmitt Bf 109Es were shot down; Thorn and Barker being one of the successful crews. Later that day, a flight of ten

Above

Crew from 264 Squadron, with Ted Thorn (front left). Fred Barker is on the back row, third from left. Left

Ted Thorn (left) with fellow pilot Plt Off Des Kay.

“...Sqn Ldr Hunter led a formation on patrol between Dunkirk and Calais when four Messerschmitt Bf 109Es were shot down; Thorn and Barker being one of the successful crews”

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Defiants had reached the RAF by the start of the war

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SPOT FACT The Blackburn Roc was selected over the Defiant for the Fleet Air Arm Bill Thorn: Defiant victories Date May 28, 1940 May 29, 1940 May 29, 1940 May 31, 1940 Aug 24, 1940 Aug 26, 1940 Aug 26, 1940 Apr 9/10, 1941

number 3 2 1 1 1 2 1 1

type Bf 109E Ju 87 Bf 110 He 111 Ju 88 Do 17 Bf 109E He 111

All with 264 Squadron and with Leading Aircraftman Barker as gunner. One-third of a He 111 was also claimed on May 29 and a pair of He 111s tallied as ‘damaged’ on May 31.

Above

A group photo of pilots from 264 Squadron circa 1940. Eric Barwell is in the centre. ALL VIA AUTHOR UNLESS NOTED

Right

Eric Barwell during his time with 125 Squadron. Below

Groundcrew working on Defiant N1621.

Defiants was attacked by a large force of Bf 109s. The unusual armament configuration of the Defiant surprised the Luftwaffe fighters and they suffered heavy losses. Thorn and Barker shot down two more of the enemy aircraft. May 29 was memorable for the squadron. After a skirmish with some Bf 109s, the CO spotted a group of Junkers Ju 87 ‘Stuka’ dive-bombers with a Messerschmitt Bf 110 escort. Over the next few minutes, Thorn and Barker despatched a Ju 87 and a Bf 110 before returning to Manston. Later that day they encountered a very large formation of Ju 87s over the French beaches. In the melee that followed, Thorn and Barker accounted for another Stuka over Dunkirk. Returning to Manston exhausted, Thorn overshot the runway and wrote off the

undercarriage of his aircraft. It had been a remarkable day for the Defiant squadron and one that would not be repeated. No.264 was credited with shooting down 37 enemy aircraft, Thorn and Barker accounting for three of them. On the 31st they shot down an He 111 and damaged two others. Both sergeants were awarded immediate DFMs. No.264 returned to Duxford on June 3 before moving to Kirtonin-Lindsey in Lincolnshire.

Tables turned

After a period of rest and training for new crews, 264 headed for Hornchurch, Essex, under the command of 11 Group, and was in action again on August 24 at the height of the Battle of Britain.

While refuelling at Manston, the airfield came under attack and the Defiants scrambled to intercept a force of 20 Junkers Ju 88s with an escort of Bf 109s. Each fought an individual combat, and Thorn

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Men behind the Defiant

and Barker shot down a Ju 88 but three Defiants were lost, including 264’s charismatic CO, Philip Hunter, and his gunner Plt Off F H King. Two days later the squadron took off to intercept a force of Dornier Do 17 bombers escorted by Bf 109s. Thorn and Barker claimed two before they were hit by one of the German fighters. With their aircraft on fire, Thorn dived in an attempt to put out the flames. He prepared to make a crash landing as the Bf 109 followed him down. Barker got in a good burst and shot it down. By now, German fighter pilots had become familiar with the capabilities of the Defiant squadrons and they revised their tactics, inflicting heavy casualties in the process. The Defiant was totally outclassed and during the week at Hornchurch 14 aircrew were killed including the CO. On August 29, the six surviving 264 Squadron Defiants flew back to Kirton-in-Lindsey, their time as day-fighters over. Early in 1941, Thorn and Barker were each awarded a Bar to their DFM. Once out of the front line, 264 started to train as a night-fighter unit to counter the Luftwaffe’s Blitz. Thorn and Barker achieved their one success at night on April 9/10, 1941. Over Surrey they intercepted an He 111 and shot it down, the wreckage falling near Brooklands. It was their 12th and final success. Thorn was commissioned and went on to command 32 Squadron

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with Hurricanes and led the unit during the Dieppe raid on August 19, 1942 when “he displayed great courage” and was awarded a DFC. He returned to the night-fighter role in 1944 when he was appointed as a flight commander with 169 Squadron flying the Mosquito. At the end of the year he added a Bar to his DFC. On February 12, 1946 Sqn Ldr E R Thorn was killed flying Gloster Meteor III EE456; he was 32. Fred Barker remained with 264 Squadron until 1943 when he

Above left

Formal photo of Eric Barwell. Left

Six 264 Squadron Defiants during formation practice in July 1940. Below

Defiant crews between sorties.

Defiants had reached the RAF by the start of the war

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SPOT FACT 515 Squadron Defiants operated the Mandrel radar jamming system

Right

Defiants from 264 Squadron in loose formation.

responsible for the destruction of three enemy aircraft. In the first patrol of the day, they accounted for a Bf 109E, which crashed into the sea and later they destroyed two Ju 87s off Dunkirk. Barwell formated under the Stukas before his gunner opened fire and both went down in flames. Eric Barwell: Defiant victories

Above

Defiants of 264 Squadron. Below

No.264 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey circa 1940. Nearest to the camera is N1536 ‘PS-R’.

became a gunnery instructor in the Middle East. He was commissioned, but left the RAF in 1946.

Channel ditching

Another 264 Squadron pilot who played a prominent role during the hectic spring and summer of 1940 was Eric Gordon Barwell, who was born at Clare in Suffolk on August 6, 1913. He was educated at Wellingborough School in

Northamptonshire before joining the family engineering firm. In July 1938 he joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve to train as a pilot at Cambridge. At the outbreak of the war he was called up and commissioned. Barwell joined 264 in February 1940, as the unit was developing tactics on the turret fighter at Martlesham Heath. On May 29, the day the squadron gained its greatest success; Plt Off Barwell and his gunner were

Date May 29, 1940 May 29, 1940 May 31, 1940 May 31, 1940 Aug 24, 1940 Apr 10/11, 1941

number 1 2 1 1 1 1

type Bf 109E Ju 87 Bf 109E He 111 Bf 109E He 111

All with 264 Squadron. ‘Kills’ in May with Leading Aircraftman Williams as gunner; last two Sgt Martin was the gunner. On the night of April 10/11 another He 111 was claimed as a ‘probable’.

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Men behind the Defiant Two days later they shot down another Bf 109E off Dunkirk. During a second sortie he attacked Heinkels that were attempting to bomb the convoy of ‘Little Ships’ sailing across the Channel with evacuees. One of the bombers was shot down but return fire hit L6972’s engine causing a leak in the coolant system. It was soon obvious that the Merlin would fail before the aircraft could reach the English coast. A line of ships stretched from the French coast to Kent, and Barwell kept them in sight. When the engine seized, he ditched the Defiant between two destroyers five miles south of Dover. His gunner, Leading Aircraftman J Williams, was knocked unconscious and Barwell managed to get him free and then hold his head above water. HMS Malcolm picked them up and landed them at Dover.

“On May 29, the day the squadron gained its greatest success; Plt Off Barwell and his gunner were responsible for the destruction of three enemy aircraft” Inconclusive combat

After an inconclusive combat on August 24, Barwell and others landed at Manston to refuel and re-arm. They were soon scrambled to intercept a force of bombers approaching nearby Ramsgate. Taking off in twos and threes, there was insufficient time to join up as a squadron. Barwell had one aircraft with him when they chased after some of the force as they headed back to France.

6

Five German fighters attacked him and his wingman, who was immediately shot down. Barwell became involved in a fierce dogfight with the Messerschmitts – his gunner, Sgt Martin, destroyed one of them, and the Defiant was able to escape and land at Hornchurch. When the squadron was withdrawn from the front line on August 29, Barwell was one of the six pilots who flew north to Kirton-

in-Lindsey to train for the nightfighter role. He had destroyed six enemy aircraft during the spring and summer of 1940 and was awarded the DFC. Barwell achieved his first success at night on April 10, 1941 when he and Sgt Martin shot down a Heinkel bomber near Beachy Head in Sussex and probably destroyed a second. He was transferred to another Defiant unit, 125 Squadron, as a flight commander and in early 1942 it converted to Beaufighters. His first combat in the type was on the night of July 1, 1942 when he attacked a Dornier, but as his cannons jammed, he used the less effective machine-guns and could only claim a ‘damaged’. On the same day, Barwell learned that his elder brother, Gp Capt Philip R Barwell DFC, who was the station commander of the fighter base at Biggin Hill, had been shot down and killed over the English Channel in a tragic case of mistaken identity by Allied fighters. Later in the war, Eric Barwell flew Mosquitos and achieved two further successes in addition to destroying a V-1 flying-bomb. By the end of the war he had been awarded a Bar to his DFC, was Mentioned-inDespatches and received the Air Efficiency Award. He was released from the RAF as a wing commander in September 1945. He died on December 12, 2007.

Above

A day-fighter Defiant from 264 Squadron. Left

N1801 ‘PS-Y’ ‘Coimbatore II’, an all-black Defiant night-fighter from 264 Squadron in 1941. Note the five ‘kill’ marks by the cockpit.

With thanks to Alec Brew for additional caption information

German fighters were claimed by Defiant crews on May 28, 1940

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Spotlight Boulton Paul Defiant Boulton Paul Defiant II

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Three-bladed Rotol propeller Spinner Propeller hub Coolant header tank Rolls-Royce Merlin engine Exhaust manifold Engine accessories Engine bearer support Oil cooler intake Intake duct Oil cooler fairing Starboard mainwheel Engine bearer Coolant pipe Engine bearer Oil filter Engine control linkage Forward firewall Engine bearer Hydraulic reservoir Starboard landing lamp Starboard leading-edge AI Mk.VI radar array Wing front spar Starboard navigation light Wing under surface (load-bearing) Wing rear spar Aileron control linkage Starboard aileron

29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Oil tank Oil tank filler cap Tank attachment Fuselage radar array Control column Compass Wing root fairing Seat support frame Pilot’s seat Throttle quadrant Instrument panel Windscreen Cockpit canopy Cockpit coaming Fuselage/rear spar frame Seat adjustment Aileron control linkage assembly Pilot’s safety harness attachment Compressed air cylinder De-icing tank W/T crate mounting frame Transmitter/receiver Fairing actuating ram

52 Dorsal forward fairing 53 Four-gun power-operated turret 54 Four 0.303in Browning machine-guns 55 Turret entry hatch 56 Reflector gunsight bracket 57 Gunner’s armour plate 58 Gun-firing button 59 Turret ring 60 Turret ring/fuselage fillet 61 Turret electric motor 62 Gunner’s (folding) seat 63 Radiator flap control 64 Turret frame support 65 Oxygen cylinder 66 Ammunition containers 67 Forward/aft fuselage construction frame 68 Equipment stores 69 Fairing actuating ram 70 Dorsal aft fairing 71 Corrugated decking 72 Ballast weight hatch 73 Dorsal navigation/ indication light

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SPOT FACT Among RAF pilots it acquired the nickname ‘Daffy’ 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

Fin root fillet Fin/tailplane spar attachments Starboard tailplane Starboard elevator Fin structure Fin leading-edge Rudder mass balance Rudder upper hinge Rudder structure Rudder trim/balance tab Trim tab control linkage Tear-off patches (trim tab control access) Rear navigation light Elevator tab Port elevator Elevator mass balance Port tailplane Rudder hinge Stern post Fuselage rear wedge

94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114

Non-retractable tailwheel Articulated tailwheel strut Rudder control chain linkage Elevator control lever assembly Retractable aerial Aerial mast guide pulleys Ventral aerial Elevator control rods Fuselage brace struts Fuselage frames Rudder control rods Service/escape hatch Wing root fillet Radiator flap control linkage Radiator flap gearbox Radiator flap fairing Radiator bath Coolant thermostat control Wing rear spar Radiator Auxiliary spar

115 Split flaps 116 Inboard/outboard section wing joint 117 Attachment fittings 118 Split flaps (outboard) 119 Bell crank levers 120 Flap rod 121 Rear spar (outboard) 122 Port aileron 123 Port wingtip assembly

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Inside the Defiant 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132

133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

Port navigation light Wing stringers Outboard ribs Front spar Port wing AI Mk.VI radar array Auxiliary fuel tank Main fuel tank Undercarriage beam Diagonal rib

Radiator intake Undercarriage folding strut Fuselage/undercarriage beam Inboard wheel fairing Undercarriage retraction jack Mainwheel well Undercarriage leg pivot Aerial mast Undercarriage leg shock absorber strut Radius rod Torque links Port landing lamp Pitot head Undercarriage leg fairing Towing lug Outboard section wheel fairing Wheel brush Scraper plate

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Spotlight Boulton Paul Defiant

Defi ant in Support

Andrew Thomas looks at the type’s vital work in the support role, with artwork by Pete West Above and right

Boulton Paul Defiant target tug AA507 of No.26 AACU. PETE WEST-2013

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ith the Defiant being largely replaced in frontline use, in July 1941 a target-towing version of the Mk.II was proposed. Powered by the Merlin XX engine, its standard heavy turret was replaced by a built-up rear fuselage with a sliding hood for the drogue operator’s cockpit. The housing for the drogue was faired beneath the rear fuselage and a windmill was fitted to the starboard side. Designated as the TT.I, an order was placed for 150 aircraft carrying serial numbers DR863 to DS169. However, the last few were cancelled and the final Defiant off the line was DS156. Although mundane, target-towing was an essential task for the training of land and naval anti-aircraft

gunners. It was also used for firing practice by new fighter pilots. In these cases, the windsock-like drogue was replaced by a banner-like flag. With further aircraft required, around 150 surplus Defiant I fighters were converted, becoming TT.IIIs. As well as serving with AntiAircraft Co-operation Flights, they partially equipped 18 second line Fleet Air Arm

Road, Karachi received a total of 54 aircraft. This large unit had several detached flights, including ‘A’ Flight at Poona under Sqn Ldr Bill Young. Most of his pilots were from the RAF but a number of Indian Air Force pilots also flew with him. The unit’s Defiants were amongst the most

squadrons serving both at home and overseas. For overseas use the aircraft were ‘tropicalised’ by fitting large Reid and Sigrist filters. These flew in Africa with several Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Units (AACUs). While in India, 22 AACU at Drigh

colourful to ever fly, wearing two-tone blue South East Asia Command-style markings in addition to the traditional yellow and black undersides used on target tugs.

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SPOT FACT The Defiant was designed by John Dudley

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Defiant in profile

lb (3,781kg) was its maximum loaded weight August 2013 FLYPAST 77

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Spotlight Boulton Paul Defiant

Defiant t

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SPOT FACT A ‘Special Duties Flight’ with ECM equipment was set up in May 1942

Defiant in combat

t to the last

Boulton Paul’s Defiant was a mediocre fighter but, as Andrew Thomas describes, it lived up to its name

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hen World War Two began in September 1939, Fighter Command had a new single-engined type about to enter service – the Defiant. Boulton Paul’s creation was intended to supplement single-seat Hurricane and Spitfires as ‘bomber-destroyers’, but events were to prove that, in modern war, the ‘turret-fighter’ was a flawed concept. No.264 Squadron was formed in November 1939 at Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, to introduce the Defiant, mainly with pilots fresh from training. Its first Defiant was delivered on December 5, and just two days later the unit moved to Martlesham Heath alongside the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment to expedite its entry into service. At the end of March 1940 two flights of 264 were declared operational with the type, and convoy patrols began. Under the leadership of Sqn Ldr Philip Hunter, tactics to exploit the strengths of the Defiant were developed. The arrival of Flt Lt

2

George Skelton, who had previously been a test pilot with Boulton Paul, greatly helped the process. A second squadron, 141 at Drem, Scotland, began receiving Defiants in April, but was not fully equipped until May. On Friday May 10, the Germans thrust into France, Belgium and the Netherlands and during the next two days 264 Squadron flew uneventful convoy patrols. Early in the afternoon of the 12th it began operations over Holland when Hunter, leading ‘A’ Flight, ran into a formation of Ju 88s from 5/KG 30. His air gunner (AG), LAC Fred King, succeeded in shooting one down. Hunter described the ‘blooding’ of the Defiant: “I could see my AG’s bullets hitting the aircraft which finally crashed in a field at 14:15 hours.” Moments later Flt Lt Nick ‘Lanky’ Cooke’s gunner, Cpl Albert Lippert, accounted for another. Next day, when George Skelton took ‘B’ Flight over The Hague, they encountered Ju 87 dive-bombers and four were claimed before the Defiants

were ‘bounced’ by Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Five Defiants where shot down – the first machine to fall was being flown by Plt Off Sam Thomas, who baled out. His gunner, LAC John Bromley, wasn’t so fortunate and was killed. Skelton also went down; badly wounded, he became a prisoner of war. Plt Off Jack Hatfield, his gunner, baled out and eventually returned to 264, only to die over Dunkirk. The only aircraft to return was flown by Plt Off Des Kay.

Left

Sqn Ldr Philip Hunter was 264’s inspirational leader until his death in action on August 24, 1940. VIA ALEC BREW

Below

Defiant L6996 prepares to scramble from Hornchurch on August 25, 1940 with L7021 beyond.

Dunkirk Glory

The German blitzkrieg split the Allied front, forcing a hasty retreat towards the Channel coast. To help provide air cover, 264’s Defiants deployed to Manston in Kent on May 23. They flew two patrols that day and saw intermittent action over the next few weeks. The epic evacuation from the Dunkirk beaches began on the 26th and the following morning Philip Hunter led a patrol between

Defiants were used for ejection seat development work

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SPOT FACT Defiants were used for radar jamming until July 1943

Praise for the Defiant

Top

One of 264 Squadron’s first Defiants was L6969. It was shot down on May 13, 1940 with the loss of former Boulton Paul test pilot Flt Lt George Skelton. VIA G R PITCHFORK

Above

Defiant L6977 was one of five from ‘B’ Flight of 264 Squadron shot down by Bf 109s on May 13, 1940. T KOPANSKI

Dunkirk and Calais when, at about 09:15, they were attacked by Bf 109s. Four of the enemy were claimed – one fell to Sgt Ted Thorn and LAC Fred Barker (see Men Behind the Defiant on pages 68-73) who were to become the most successful Defiant crew of the war. On a later patrol that day the unit encountered a dozen Heinkel He 111s of KG 51 inbound to attack the evacuation shipping. Sweeping in, the Defiants disrupted the raid, claiming three bombers shot down. The next day Sqn Ldr Hunter led ten Defiants from Manston. Over the Channel at around 12:15pm they were attacked by a large formation of Bf 109s and six enemy fighters were claimed. Two fell to Hunter’s aircraft, making the CO the first Defiant ‘ace’. Despite the loss of three aircraft, Hunter considered that, by using the correct tactics, a Defiant formation could be defended against single-seat fighter attack. In the mid-afternoon of the 29th, a dozen Defiants were once more in action off Dunkirk when several Bf 109s were claimed before a large formation of Ju 87 ‘Stukas’, with escorting Bf 110s, was spotted near Calais. The ’110s dived on the Defiants and a deadly battle developed

Flt Lt Christopher Deansley of 256 Squadron (left) with his gunner, Sgt Jack Scott, gained four victories in the Defiant. E C DEANSLEY

- in the frantic melee no less than six ’110s were claimed destroyed. Having returned to Manston, a little before 7pm Hunter led his men back over the beaches. They spotted several large formations of approaching Stukas which dived when they caught sight of the Defiants. Hunter led his formation down to catch the Ju 87s at their most vulnerable: as they pulled out of their dives. Hunter’s gunner, LAC Fred King, sent one straight into the sea on fire, doubtless raising cheers from the troops waiting on the beaches. Many of the dive-bombers jettisoned their bombs, manoeuvring wildly in attempts to escape, but the Defiant gunners poured fire into the vulnerable bellies of the Stukas at close range. One pilot later recalled: “We were flying in line abreast and we flew under them. We shot at them and they went up in flames. The Stukas were only just beginning to have selfsealing fuel tanks installed; their main fuel tanks were between the pilot and the navigator and if they were hit, they

Flt Lt ‘Sandy’ Sanders of 96 Squadron remarked: “The Defiant was a bit underpowered; the weight of the four-gun turret reduced its manoeuvrability and speed. Nonetheless, it did give sterling service as a night-fighter.” Flt Lt Christopher Deansley of 256 Squadron noted: “The valuable feature of ‘two pairs of eyes’ supported by the power turret, which was able to fire upwards with direct impact, made the Defiant far more effective, and overall the aircraft was easy to fly on instruments.”

just blew up.” Flt Lt Cooke and Cpl Lippert claimed five, making Cooke the RAF’s first ‘ace in a day’ of the war. Meanwhile Plt Off ‘Bull’ Whitley’s

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Defiant in combat gunner, LAC Bob Turner, sent three Stukas down. Other Stukas targeted the harbour and Hunter turned for them, again to catch them as they pulled out of their dives. More were shot out of the sky as were several Ju 88s before an exhausted 264 Squadron turned for home. By any yardstick it had been an outstanding day, with a total of 37 enemy aircraft credited as shot down: eight Bf 109s, nine Bf 110s, a Ju 88 and no less than nineteen Ju 87s. In a confused fight, possibly with several gunners firing on the same target, a considerable degree of over-claiming was inevitable. It had nonetheless been 264’s day. In addition to Cooke, Plt Offs Young, Welsh, Hackwood and Whitley and Sgt Ted Thorn had each claimed their fifth victories during the day. No.264’s next action came two days later when a formation of He 111s under heavy escort was spotted approaching the French coast. Hunter headed toward the bombers, but Bf 109s from III/JG 26 dived to cover them. Almost immediately King – Hunter’s gunner – hit one of the enemy which spun away into the sea. Despite their well-practised defensive circle five Defiants were despatched, but in return five Messerschmitts and six Heinkels were claimed. When the survivors reassembled at Manston it was apparent that Flt Lt Nick Cooke and Cpl Albert Lippert were missing – they had been credited with ten victories during

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Flying Defiant N1535, Sqn Ldr Philip Hunter led 264 Squadron during late August 1940. A W HALL

just 20 days. The squadron then withdrew to rebuild.

Trauma over Kent

With Luftwaffe attacks intensifying, in mid-July No.141 Squadron moved south to West Malling, Kent, and established an advanced base at Hawkinge, also in Kent. There on the 19th, a dozen aircraft stood by to cover coastal convoys. At 12:30, nine of 141’s Defiants scrambled to intercept a Stuka raid off Folkestone – and on that fine, cloudless afternoon, headed to disaster. They were attacked by about 20 Bf 109s of III/JG 51 led by Hptn Hannes Trautloft, who recalled: “I aimed at the right Defiant and the gunner’s tracer streamed towards me. My guns

fired. Pieces of the Defiant broke off and came hurtling towards me. I saw a thin trail of smoke and then just a fiery ball.” So began the carnage and, in less than a minute, five Defiants were shot down and another crash landed. Shattered, 141 returned to Prestwick in Scotland to regroup. Towards the end of August, 264 returned to the cauldron of the southeast, establishing a forward base at Manston. Early on the 24th three sections took off as the airfield was attacked by Ju 88s and three of the German bombers were caught as they flattened out from their dives and shot down. However, a trio of Defiants were lost, one flown by the 264’s inspirational commander, Philip

Below

No.410 Squadron RCAF was among several nightfighter units that flew the Defiant in 1941. C E BRAYSHAW

of the final Mk.III variant were built

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SPOT FACT N1671, the sole survivor, was passed to the RAF Museum in 1971 Right

Defiant L7000 ‘TW-P’ was delivered to 141 Squadron as part of a replacement batch for those lost in the disastrous action off Folkestone on July 19, 1940. DON ARIS Below

Defiant N1752 of 141 Squadron. DR M WHITNALL

“...in less than a minute, five Defiants were shot down and another crash landed. Shattered, 141 returned to Prestwick in Scotland to regroup” Hunter, who was last seen chasing the bombers towards France. The loss of the Defiant’s greatest proponent was a huge blow. The survivors landed at Hornchurch, Essex, mid-afternoon but were scrambled again to engage another incoming raid. The order came too late and bombs were actually falling as seven managed to get off. Two Ju 88s were shot down, one by Plt Off Terry Welsh: “I picked out a straggler and carried out a beam attack and then attacked another from the front. I was then attacked by two Me 109s.” Plt Off Michael Young destroyed a solitary He

111 in an overtaking attack, but it had been a tough day. New aircraft and crews arrived, and just before lunch on the 26th the squadron was ordered to intercept a raid over Kent at 12,000ft between Herne Bay and Deal – but they were attacked by the escorting Messerschmitts. Having destroyed a Dornier, Flt Lt Banham’s aircraft was set on fire. Newcomer Plt Off Des Hughes had a successful start by downing two of the bombers with converging attacks. Having also claimed a brace of Dorniers, Sgt Ted Thorn’s Defiant was hit and was forced to make an emergency landing. The dying Defiant must have seemed an easy target and soon a ’109 closed in to finish them

off. The British crew had different ideas and the irrepressible Fred Barker still had bullets in his guns. He shot the German down. Twenty He 111s under heavy escort were encountered near Folkestone early on August 28 and several of 264’s Defiants went down. Plt Off Jim Bailey saw off a Heinkel, but force-landed after being attacked: “I had felt jolts or rattles on my own aircraft. I flicked over and spiralled for the ground. The engine died, so we dodged between poles, crashed through the brush and landed comfortably on the verge.” No.264’s part in the Battle of Britain was over.

The Blitz

At the end of August the Defiant’s role was officially changed to night-fighting. In mid-September ‘B’ Flight of 141 Squadron moved to Biggin Hill as part of London’s defences; ‘A’ Flight later settling at Gatwick. The unit was soon in action to defend the capital and on the night of the 16th, Plt Off John

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Defiant in combat Left centre

No.151 Squadron’s Defiant N3328 is thought to be the only example painted with ‘shark’s teeth’ on the fuselage. VIA R L WARD

Left

One of the last Defiant victories was achieved by Sqn Ldr ‘Blackie’ Smith and his gunner, F/Sgt A Beale, on the night of February 19, 1942.

Waddingham and Sgt Alf Cumbers attacked two He 111s off the south coast. They were credited with one destroyed and the other as a ‘probable’. These were 141’s first night victories. The next night, Sgts Lawrence and Chard shot down Lt Ganzlmayr’s Ju 88A-1 of 3/KG54. As the German nocturnal offensive increased, more night-fighter squadrons were formed, many with Defiants. Among them was the

21

Polish-manned 307 Squadron; one of its aircraft, N1671, now resides in the RAF Museum at Hendon. On October 14 the Luftwaffe mounted its heaviest night attack to date when 380 bombers struck London. No.264 Squadron had also switched to night-fighting and Plt Off Des Hughes and Sgt Fred Gash were in action. Plt Off Hughes later said: “It was a bright moonlight night. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I saw something move across the stars out to my left. I slid alongside, below and to the right of him. Then we saw the distinctive wing and tail shape of a Heinkel – there was no mistaking it. Fred fired straight into the starboard engine. He got off two or three bursts. The engine burst into flames. Then the Heinkel rolled on its back, went down steeply and crashed into a field near Brentwood.” It was not only London that suffered: on the night of November 14 the centre of Coventry was destroyed when more than 500 bombers targeted the city. Little over a week later two new Defiant squadrons formed – 256 at Catterick and 255 at Kirton-in-Lindsey – and

began to prepare for operations. During the long winter nights, having to rely on visual detection meant the Defiants were always going to be up against it. Plt Off Ben Benson of 141 ruefully commented: “We had to fly with the cockpit hood open without any indication as to the height of the raiders. The nearest we got to one was when we nearly had a head-on collision with a Heinkel going in the opposite direction.” Despite his misgivings, Benson claimed 141’s next victory when his gunner, Sgt Leonard Blain, shot down a He 111P of 3/KG 55 flown by Uffz Bruno Zimmermann over the Sussex coast on the evening of December 22. This was the last victory by a Defiant in 1940.

Left

Radar aerials underwing and just aft of the exhaust stubs on AA583 of 96 Squadron. R C HAINE

Fighting in the dark

Several former Hurricane-equipped units also switched to night-fighting and were fully or partially equipped with Defiants; among them was 96 Squadron at Cranage, Cheshire, for defence of the north-west. Another unit that began re-equipping at the start of 1941 was 151 Squadron at Wittering, Northants. One of its air gunners was Plt Off Syd Carlin, a veteran of World War One. Serving in the trenches he won the Military Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal and lost a leg. In 1917 he had transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and trained as a pilot, gaining ten victories and winning the DFC. Nicknamed ‘Timbertoes’, he had managed to talk his way back into the RAF, becoming aircrew despite being 50 years old! With raids on Liverpool, Bristol and Cardiff in 1941 bringing a lot of ‘trade’, for the Defiants, groping in the dark, successes were hard to come by. No.151 achieved its first

- number of guns the RAF said the Defiant had in a disinformation campaign

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SPOT FACT Fuel was carried in the wing centre section

Hawker Typhoon

Above

a burst of gunfire from behind which smashed the windows of the cockpit and wrecked one engine. Immediately the starboard engine caught fire.” His nemesis was 264’s ‘Boss’, Sqn Ldr ‘Scruffy’ Saunders.

Woodvale-based 256 Squadron saw its first action during the latter part of the Blitz. Illustrated is N1744. D H WOOD

Swansong

Right

Cranage-based 96 Squadron received Defiants in early 1941: T3954 flown by Czech Fg Off Klobouznik. ZDENEK HURT

“Several former Hurricaneequipped units also switched to night-fighting ...among them was 96 Squadron at Cranage, Cheshire...” on the night of February 4 when Sgt Henry Bodien shot down a Do 17Z of 7/KG 2 that was targeting Derby. He received a telegram from the AOC of Fighter Command that read: “Congratulations on your success last night. Glad to observe that the squadron are efficient on any type of aircraft.” Three hundred bombers headed for Liverpool on the night of March 12/13 under a full moon and with little cloud – conditions that allowed the Defiant units an opportunity to hit the attackers hard. In the ensuing battles over the south-west, several of the enemy bombers were shot down. The fighting wasn’t onesided, however – Fg Off Veseley of 96 Squadron found a Heinkel but his Defiant was hit by return fire and he was wounded in the chest. That night the Poles of 307 Squadron made their combat debut when Sgts Franciszek Janowiak and Jerzy Karais attacked a Heinkel over

Ruthin in North Wales and were credited with a ‘probable’. Janowiak recalled: “I saw the bullets of my air gunner entering the enemy aircraft fuselage. I consider that the He 111 was damaged.” Ten days later Janowiak, with Sgt Lipinski, intercepted a Heinkel over Bristol and shot it down near Sherborne – the unit’s first ‘confirmed’. At Squires Gate near Blackpool, 256 Squadron became operational, Flt Lt Deansley flying the first patrol over Merseyside on April 1. A week later a Ju 88A of II/KG 54 that 20-year-old Flt Lt Don West shot down near Liverpool was the unit’s first victory with the Defiant. The following night, April 8, when Coventry was again the target, Defiants of 151 and 264 hit a ‘purple patch’, claiming six Heinkels destroyed. One was flown by Ltn Julius Tengler of 9/KG 26 who survived and remembered: “Suddenly we were surprised by

The intensity of the raids increased in the improving weather and Defiants had more success on the night of April 9th when Birmingham was attacked. One German bomber fell to 151’s Flt Lt Des McMullen, who was circling the fires when his gunner saw a He 111 below and, closing to pointblank range, fired a three-second burst from below. Despite being mortally hit, the Heinkel apparently tried to ram the fighter! Over the Midlands that night, 256’s Flt Lt Chris Deansley, with Sgt Jack Scott, shot down an He 111H-5 of 8/ KG 26. Deansley later recounted: “I found a formation of three Heinkel 111s in bright moonlight above cloud and easily set one on fire.” During April, the Luftwaffe launched more than 5,000 bombing sorties in 16 major raids, though the improved defences took a high toll, with 58 bombers lost. The tempo continued into early May with Liverpool being the target. On the night of the 5th, 255 Squadron finally achieved its first confirmed victory when the CO, Sqn Ldr Rod Smith, with Plt Off Eric Farnes, caught a Junkers Ju 88 over Donna Nook on the Lincolnshire coast and shot it down. Smith said he saw “a brilliant firework display on the side of both engines and the pilot’s cockpit”, adding: “I saw two parachutes leave the enemy, by the light of the flames, and the aircraft went into a vertical dive breaking up into several burning parts before it hit the sea.”

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Defiant in combat The Defiants claimed further scalps two nights later. No.96 Squadron’s Fg Off Victor Verity brought down Uffz Rassloff’s He 111 of 2/KG 53 near Morpeth and 141 claimed two more Heinkels near Glasgow. On the east coast, Uffz Hans Schaber’s Ju 88 of 5/ KG 30 crash landed on Holy Island – a victim of Fg Off Bob Day and Plt Off Frank Lanning. Although not evident at the time, the Blitz was reaching its crescendo with Liverpool again the focus of the attack on the night of the 7th/8th. Flying from Woodvale, 256 had its best night, bringing down three Over the Dunkirk beaches

Heinkels, while other bombers fell to 96’s guns. Within a few weeks several units began receiving the more efficacious Bristol Beaufighter while new squadrons continued to form with surplus Defiants as interim equipment. Among them were 125 Squadron, the Canadian-manned 409 and 410 and ‘Aussies’ of 456. Operations continued relatively uneventfully into 1942. During a sortie at dusk on February 19 in a clear sky, Flt Lt ‘Blackie’ Smith caught a Do 217 off Cromer and shot it down to claim his sixth victory.

Late in the morning of May 29, 1940 Flt Lt Nick ‘Lanky’ Cooke and his gunner, Cpl Albert Lippert, were patrolling near Dunkirk in Defiant L7005 X-for-X-ray of 264 Squadron when they were attacked by six Bf 109s. Lippert spotted a ’109 attacking a Defiant and the enemy fighter Defiant L7005, the aircraft flown by Flt Lt Nick burst into flames under his fire. Having Cooke on May 29, 1940. ALEC BREW fought off the ’109s, they spotted a large formation of Ju 87s and Bf 110s near Calais. In a brief fight the pair shot down a ’110 and another ’109. That evening 264 was once more over the beaches and spotted several large formations of Ju 87s approaching. The Defiants dived to low level and Cooke positioned underneath them, allowing his gunner to pour fire into the vulnerable bellies of the dive-bombers. Cooke noted: “Two shot down in flames at 5,000ft before they had commenced their dive. Remainder of Ju 87 caught at sea level in line astern. On being attacked from below and to one side they released their bombs but three Ju 87s were shot down in very quick succession as we flew up the line. All five Ju 87s were in flames and crashed into the sea or on beach.”

37

By late spring only 264 Squadron, the original Defiant unit, remained fully equipped and operational. By this time some were fitted with the rudimentary Air Interception (AI) Mk.IV radar. It was not particularly effective, however, and the unit’s only success with it came in the early hours of April 18 when Fg Off A I Stuart, with Fg Off M H Maggs as his gunner, shot down a He 111. It was the Defiant’s final victory.

Above

Armourers replenishing the turret of a Defiant of 125 Squadron. J SURMAN Below

Flying N3333 of 255 Squadron on March 7, 1940 Plt Off Ballantyne and his gunner damaged a He 111. VIA G R PITCHFORK

‘kills’ in two sorties were claimed by 264 Squadron on May 29, 1940

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Spotlight

Defiant Photo File

Boulton Paul Defiant

Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I N1671 at the RAF Museum in Hendon. RAF MUSEUM

Spotlight Next Month Douglas A-1 Skyraider Next month Spotlight shines on the fearsome Douglas A-1 Skyraider – an aircraft that entered service too late to see action in World War Two, but nevertheless proved itself in subsequent conflicts, including the Korean and Vietnam Wars. This sturdy machine was both versatile and resilient. Loved by its crews and very popular among private owners to this day, we look at its many uses. Don’t miss this issue – on sale in the UK on August 1.

Survivor The last surviving Defiant can be seen at the RAF Museum in Hendon

F

rom the 1,064 made, only one complete and original Boulton Paul Defiant exists today. Built by Boulton Paul at its Pendeford factory in Wolverhampton in February 1938, Defiant Mk.I N1671 was the 179th production aircraft, and fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine. Taken on charge by 6 Maintenance Unit at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, it was issued to the Polish 307 Lwowski Squadron at Kirton-on-Lindsey, Lincs, on September 17, 1940. In an unusual incident, while being flown by Sgt Dukszte on December 18 of that year, it was fired on by one of the vessels it was defending during a shipping protection operation over the Irish Sea. It entered long-term storage at Hullavington, Wiltshire, in late 1942, where it remained until the RAF’s Air Historical Branch requested a Battle of Britain-era Defiant for museum display.

After more time stored in various locations, it arrived at Cosford, and then Hendon, for display. In January 2009 it was identified as being in need of restoration. The Rochesterbased Medway Aircraft Preservation Society (MAPS) was selected to carry out the task after having successfully completed several other Hendon exhibits, the last being Fairey Battle I L5343. The Defiant arrived in Rochester on April 22, 2009. Following two and a half years of work, N1671 was returned to Hendon on December 6, 2012, and can today be seen inside the museum’s Battle of Britain Hall. It continues to wear 307’s overall black night-fighter scheme, though it is interesting to note that traces of camouflage paint were discovered during the restoration. Major components of three other Defiants – N1766, N3378 and AA377 – are known to survive, but Hendon’s machine remains the only complete example.

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AIRSHOW DUXFORD

Saluting the Mighty T

he sun and the crowds came out just in time for a magnificent opener to the airshow ‘season’ at IWM Duxford, Cambs. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Remembering the Mighty Eighth’, and all involved can be satisfied that this aim was more than achieved. The show was celebrating the

70th anniversary of the arrival of the 78th Fighter Group at Duxford, which was known to the USAAF as Station 357. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolts of the 78th staged their first combat operation on April 13, 1943. Prior to the flying schedule, there were talks in the American Air Museum and entertainments on

the ground, and for enthusiasts determined to get a closer view of the stars of the show, the flightline walk offered perfect photographic opportunities. At 2pm, under blue skies, the four ‘warbirds’ of the Eagle Squadron got airborne. A new formation team for this year, they comprise P-47G Snafu, Supermarine Spitfire Ia

AR213, Hawker Hurricane X AE977 and North American P-51C Princess Elizabeth, a visitor from the US. With each representing a fighter flown by an American pilot during World War Two, this unusual coupling of Merlin and Pratt & Whitneypowered machines was spectacular to behold, both in formation and during their individual displays.

The Fighter Collection’s Curtiss P-40B Warhawk on May 26.

The four Eagle Squadron warbirds with B-17G ‘Sally B’.

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hty Eighth A flypast in the company of Boeing B-17G Sally B, now the only airworthy Flying Fortress in Europe, was especially poignant. It was also a treat to see the Shuttleworth Collection’s Westland Lysander in the Duxford skies, followed by an effervescent display from the Fighter Collection’s two resident Curtiss

P-40 Warhawks, a ’B and an ’F. After a typically polished appearance from the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Sqn Ldr Chris Hearnes flew an entertaining routine in Graham Peacock’s Hawker Hunter T.7 WV372, showing off this beautiful camouflageschemed jet to full advantage. Further highlights included a

A memorable Spring Airshow provided the perfect start to Duxford’s display season pairing of Douglas C-47 Skytrains, Golden Apple’s NA F-86 Sabre, and Duxford-based TF-51 Mustang Miss Velma. Earlier in the day, 91-year-old Mustang ‘ace’ Col ‘Bud’ Anderson had flown in the back of the latter, with Dan Friedkin at the controls, a memorable moment both for him and all watching. The climax of the day was

undoubtedly the return of the Eagle Squadron four-ship, flying in close formation with the nine HS Hawks of the RAF’s Red Arrows display team. This extraordinary sight prompted an outbreak of applause, both in tribute to the skill of the pilots and the memory of the veterans to whom this show was dedicated.

Carolyn Grace’s Spitfire Tr.9 with ARC’s Hispano Buchón

BBMF’s Hawker Hurricane IIc PZ865 in its new South East Asia Command colours.

P-51C ‘Princess Elizabeth’ on the grass. ALL DARREN HARBAR-FOCAL PLANE IMAGES

The Red Arrows in formation with the Eagle Squadron.

Sqn Ldr Chris Hearnes flying Hawker Hunter T.7 WV372 at Duxford.

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AIRSHOW LA FERTÉ ALAIS A magnificent Ju52/3m pair, comprising the AJBS example and one of Ju-Air’s machines.

La Ferté magique The year’s first European historic airshow took place at La Ferté Alais on May 18 and 19. Ben Dunnell reports

E

ven with some less than ideal weather over the Pentecôte holiday weekend, the quality of the annual Meeting Aérien at La Ferté Alais, near Paris, shone through. Reminders that there are few nicer locations to watch aircraft than the hilltop grass airfield on the Plateau d’Ardenay were many, and this year the opportunity was taken to celebrate the centenary of Roland Garros’ pioneering flight across the Mediterranean in a Morane-Saulnier H. As commentator Bernard Chabbert reminded us, Garros’ achievement heralded aviation’s march towards becoming a means of long-distance transport – exemplified by a unique

formation consisting of Douglas C-47B Skytrain F-AZOX from Un Dakota sur la Normandie and Boeing 737-300 F-GIXE operated by Europe Airpost. Warbird content was equally impressive. For the first time outside the UK, The Fighter Collection’s Republic P-47G Thunderbolt Snafu was demonstrated, beautifully, by Pete Kynsey, joined for a few passes by Patrice Marchasson at the controls of the Curtiss Hawk 75. New for 2013 is a formation aerobatic routine by The Flying Bulls’ Lockheed P-38L Lightning and Vought F-4U4 Corsair, Raimund Riedmann leading Eric Goujon through an elegant series of close-coupled fly-bys and loops in these two contrasting fighters.

Almost as impressive in its own way was a Junkers Ju52/3m duo, the veteran tri-motors of the La Ferté-based Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis (AJBS) and Switzerland’s Ju-Air remaining ‘glued together’ for the duration of some very tight orbits.

Past and present La Ferté is nothing if not a varied show. This year’s modern military action came courtesy of the French Navy, a pair of charismatic Dassault Super Étendards somewhat outshining the sheer power of the Rafale duo. The fighters, a Grumman E-2C Hawkeye and Armor Aéro Passion’s Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris also carried out an impressive mixed flypast. At the

other end of the scale, the silent aerobatics by Christoph Zahn in his replica Habicht glider provided one of the show’s finest moments. As a calmer Sunday neared its end, hopes of seeing some rotary-engined World War One machines were dashed, but we were treated to two of the AJBS’ ‘pioneers’. The Blériot XI-2 was joined in the air by a Zlin 526AFS, celebrating 100 years since Adolphe Pégoud flew the world’s first successful loop. The Morane H then offered a final salute to Garros’ Medcrossing feat, sealing a La Ferté show that was perhaps a little lower-key than in recent years, but still ranks, without doubt, among Europe’s finest aviation occasions.

“Reminders that there are few nicer locations to watch aircraft than the hilltop grass airfield on the Plateau d’Ardenay were many...” 90 FLYPAST August 2013

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La Ferté’s memorable pairing of C-47B Skytrain F-AZOX and Boeing 737-300 F-GIXE.

Aer Lingus Charitable Foundation’s de Havilland DH84 Dragon ‘Iolar’ made the trip to La Ferté for the first time. ALL BEN DUNNELL

Christophe Brunelière making a simulated attack in his Douglas Skyraider during a Vietnam scenario.

The Flying Bulls’ Lightning and Corsair.

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AIRSHOW ROUND-UP

Sugarland Express r T

he long-awaited first display of Nordic Warbirds’ Douglas A-26 Invader Sugarland Express took place at Västerås Aviation Museum’s annual Roll Out & Airshow in Sweden on May 26. The Swedish Air Force Historic Flight (SwAFHF) Saab Viggen SE-DXN and a rare threeship de Havilland Vampire

formation were among the other highlights. The newly-formed Nordic Warbirds has a growing collection of aircraft from the 1940s and 1950s based at the museum. Five of them – the A-26, a North American T-6 Harvard and a Texan, a Vampire and a DH Heron – participated in the display while the collection’s Hawker Hunter T.7 was on static display in the large

Left

Curt Cronerud flying Västerås-based HP Pembroke SE-BKG. ALL GUNNAR ÅKERBERG Below

Former Swiss Air Force DH Vampire T.11s SEDXU, SE-DXX and SE-DXT captured over Lake Mälaren.

Stellan Andersson takes off in the noisiest act at Västerås – Saab Viggen SE-DXN.

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s roars in 1930s-built wooden hangar. The building was used for many years by the Swedish Air Force when the F 1 Wing was based at Västerås. Founded in 1997, the museum hosted its first Roll Out & Airshow two years later. Since then it has arranged a traditional ‘open house’style event at the end of May to kickoff the airshow season in Sweden. This year, more than 4,000 visitors enjoyed a superb day of

flying. As well as the Viggen, the SwAFHF flew its Saab SK 60 and Hawker Hunter while Douglas DC-3 9Q-CUK Congo Queen flew in formation with Heron N415SA and Hunting Percival Pembroke SE-BKG (formerly XK884 with the RAF). The combination of some great flying and pleasant weather contributed to a memorable day. www.flygmuseum.com

Åke Jansson taxiing DC-3 9Q-CUK ‘Congo Queen’.

Janne Andersson flying Nordic Warbirds’ Douglas A-26 Invader ‘Sugarland Express’ on May 26. A three-ship Harvard/Texan formation getting airborne

An A-26 Invader made its debut in style at Västerås Roll Out & Airshow. Gunnar Åkerberg was there

UK DATES July 06 Old Warden, Beds - Shuttleworth Collection Flying Evening – 01767 627927 www.shuttleworth.org 06-07 Heveningham Hall, Suffolk - Country Fair with Wings and Wheels – 01986 798151 www.countryfair.co.uk 06-07 Lympne, Kent - Lympne Aero Classic – 01303 265078 www.skylineaviation.co.uk/other/lympne.htm 06-07 RAF Waddington, Lincs - RAF Waddington International Air Show – 01522 726102 www.waddingtonairshow.co.uk 12-14 Goodwood, W Sussex - Goodwood Festival of Speed – 01243 755055 (note - advance ticket admission only) www.goodwood.co.uk/festival-of-speed/welcome.aspx 13 Pirton, Herts - Pirton Summer Fair - 01462 712469 13 RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset - RNAS Yeovilton Air Day 2013 – 08445 780780 www.royalnavy.mod.uk/Yeovilton-Airday 13-14 Breighton, N Yorks - Wings and Wheels and International Bücker Fest – 01757 289065 www.realaero.com 13-14 IWM Duxford, Cambs - Flying Legends Airshow – 01223 835000 www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford 13-14 Swansea Bay, Glamorgan - Wales National Airshow – 01792 637300 www.walesnationalairshow.com 17-21 Folkestone Racecourse, Kent - War & Peace Show – 01304 813945 www.warandpeacerevival.co.uk 20-21 Bembridge, Isle of Wight - Vintage Aircraft Club International Rally – 01983 873051 www.vintageaircraftclub.org.uk 20-21 RAF Fairford, Glos - The Royal International Air Tattoo 2013 – 01285 713300 www.airtattoo.com 24 RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall - RNAS Culdrose Air Day 2013 www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Air-Stations/RNAS-Culdrose/ Air-Day-2013 27 RAF Cranwell, Lincs - Anthems in the Park - 01689 300005 www.rafbf.org/2846/anthems-in-the-park.html 27 Museum of Flight, East Fortune, E Lothian - East Fortune Airshow 2013 – 0300 123 6789 www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums/museum_of_flight.aspx 27-28 Cleethorpes, Lincs - Cleethorpes Airshow - 07530 933598 www.cleethorpesairshow.co.uk 27-28 Roker seafront, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear - 25th Annual Sunderland International Airshow www.sunderland.gov.uk/airshow 28 IWM Duxford, Cambs - Spitfires, Merlins and Motors – 01223 835000 www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford 28 Old Warden, Beds - Shuttleworth Collection Flying Day and Wings and Wheels – 01767 627927 www.shuttleworth.org

August 02-04 Damyns Hall, Upminster, Essex - Military & Flying Machines – 01245 476249 www.militaryandflyingmachines.org.uk 03 East Kirkby, Lincs - RAF Benevolent Fund Airshow – 01790 763207 www.lincsaviation.co.uk 11 Old Warden, Beds - Shuttleworth Collection Flying Day – 01767 627927 www.shuttleworth.org 15-18 Eastbourne seafront, E Sussex - Airbourne – Eastbourne International Airshow – 0871 6630031 www.eastbourneairshow.com All events are subject to operating conditions. Readers are strongly advised to contact venues wherever possible prior to departure to avoid a wasted journey – events can change venue, time or even be cancelled at short notice. Access and facilities for the public at fly-ins may be very limited.

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FLYPOST

FlyPast, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK email: [email protected]

Contributions from readers are always welcome for this column. Views expressed in FlyPost are not necessarily those of the Editor, or publisher. Letters may be edited for style or length.

Note that letters sent by e-mail will not be published unless the contributor includes their full postal address for possible contact. Letters intended for FlyPost should be clearly marked as such.

Junior’s treasures

B-17G Flying Fortress 44-83525 at Paris.

I was intrigued to read the reference to I N ‘Junior’ Burchinal’s airfield in April’s article on the Lockheed P-38G Lightning N5596V. I was able to visit Paris, Texas, [home of Junior’s Flying Tigers Air Museum] in the summer of 1976 and saw a variety of aircraft. One of them, B-17G Flying Fortress 44-83525 (N83525), was later

damaged by Hurricane Andrew in Florida. Around the airfield were three B-25N Mitchells, an SNJ5, a former Mexican Air Force AT-6A Texan, a PT-17 Stearman, a Grumman FM-2 Wildcat, a FG-1D Corsair, a Grumman F9F-2 Panther, an F9F-6 Cougar and two T-28A Trojans, one being a Nomad 260 conversion. Also present was an F-86D

Sabre and Junior’s P-51D Mustang, later registered in the UK as G-SUSY. The P-38G appeared to be in the ‘wrecks and relics’ category, as was B-26C Invader 44-35224 (N9421Z). Unsolved to date is the identity of the Cessna Bobcat coded ‘388’, very much on the scrap dump. The questionable data-block read ‘61708 UC-78 AAF Frederick

The remains of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

Field’, but I may have misread the serial. Also out on the airfield were a couple of Martin 2-0-2s (N93041 and N22AA), the latter possibly being a crop sprayer. Mr Burchinal was very hospitable and his collection was called ‘a monument to patriotism’. LAWRENCE JONES BLACKPOOL, LANCS

An unidentified Cessna Bobcat at Junior Burchinal’s airfield. ALL LAWRENCE JONES

Islander on show Dike Farm Paintball of Maasbree, the Netherlands, has acquired BN-2A21 Islander OT-ALE from PS AERO in Baarlo. The airframe has been in storage for five years at PS AERO’s satellite base at Kessel. The new owner has put the BN-2 on wooden poles and it serves as a landmark at its paintball battlefield. It had previously served as an instructional airframe at Saffraanberg, Belgium. FRANK MINK, VIA E-MAIL

Auster trial On page 94 of the July issue there is a picture of G-ASCC, an Auster AOP.2. I am sending you a photo taken at the gliding club at Sutton Bank in the late 1970s when we were trying out the aircraft as a possible glider tug. Although I and a few others flew it, we found that it was too noisy to operate regularly in the area. The writing on the cowling calls it a Beagle MK Eleven. MIKE WOOD HELMSLEY, NORTH YORKSHIRE

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While we endeavour to include as many contributions as we can, we apologise to all those readers who have taken the time to write in but didn’t get into print.

Jottings... Letters in Brief Dambusters tribute from yesteryear

Andover drops The photo of Andover XS606 [May issue] took me back to RAF Seletar, 1967. I joined 52 Squadron there, equipped with the Andover C.1, which had the unique feature of a ‘kneeling’ undercarriage, achieved by pumping hydraulic oil into/out of the main oleos. See photo of XS606, at RAF Seletar, above. In 1969 the squadron moved to RAF Changi. On October 28 that year I flew 606 to RAAF Butterworth, Penang, loaded up eight ‘Jungle Line’ air dropped containers and set off for the Drop Zones in West Malaysia. This training mission was a first for the RAF. Each container was attached to its parachute by a 200ft-long rope, so that on reaching the trees, the load carried on down to ground level and – hopefully – did not get caught up in the trees. There were eight patrols to supply. The plan was to locate the drop point using the SARBE (Search and Rescue

Beacon Equipment) transmitting from the ground, home on to it with the needle of the on-board meter and release the load as we passed overhead the beacon. Each ground party had been briefed to operate their beacon for just 60 seconds at a given time. No speech was to be used, thus keeping the drops as clandestine as possible. All went as briefed for the first four or five drops, then ‘mayhem’. At least one of the ground parties transmitted out of sequence and the on-board homer went wild. No further drops were possible and we flew back to Butterworth to off-load the remaining containers. Ten weeks later XS606 left Changi for good and flew to RAF Kemble via Butterworth, Colombo, Bombay, Sharjah, Luxor, Cyprus, Malta, Abingdon. About 43 hours flying time over eight days. DENNIS PASCO CAMBRIDGE

Win Eagle Squadron goodies! Thanks to our friends at the Eagle Squadron display team (see page 56 and 88), we have a very special competition for you this month. We have two main prizes to be won – each containing a vinyl decal made especially for fitting on the aircraft and a limited edition print autographed by World War Two ‘ace’ Bud Anderson and the Eagle Squadron team. We also have two runners-up prizes featuring a signed John Dibbs Flying Legends 2014 calendar! To be in with a chance of winning the main prize, simply answer the question below and send it to us before the closing date. Winners will be the first two names drawn from the correct entries after 10pm (UK time) on October 7, 2013. The winners of the runner-up prizes will then be drawn. Good luck!

Question: Bud Anderson became a World War Two ‘ace’ in which type of aircraft? A – Lockheed P-38 Lightning B – North American P-51 Mustang C – Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

With all the activity surrounding the 70th anniversary of the Dambuster’s raid, and having read your recently published special article, I thought readers might be interested in some black and white photos I picked up a while ago at a flea market here in Santiago, Chile. These show Lancaster ‘KM-B’ [the BBMF’s PA474] flying over the Derwent Dam during the 34th anniversary commemorations of the raid, taken in 1977. These were just two of a number of old aviation-related photos that I bought from the seller that day. Amazing that they should find their way over here, so far from ‘home’. NICK CALLAN SANTIAGO, CHILE

Edgar Percival – a gentleman I enjoyed your excellent article ‘Luton’s Legacy’, February 2013, and the inset little article ‘Percival after Percival’ brought back some very happy memories. My school chum Roger Streatfield had heard EP.9 G-APCS wearing the manufacturer’s that Edgar Percival had just built code G-43-3. KEY COLLECTION the EP.9, so one weekend in 1956 we cycled the 15 miles from Ilford to Stapleford Tawney. We had a great afternoon looking around the airfield and the hangars, and found prototype G-AOFU. What we didn’t expect was to be greeted during our wanderings by the great man himself, who showed us the EP.9 up close and answered all our schoolboy questions. We took notes and photographs for the school magazine – somewhere up in my loft there must be a little folder with negatives of that magic encounter, but I haven’t found it yet. But I still have the memories of that day when Edgar Percival took the time to chat to two 14-year-old aircraft enthusiasts! JOHN KITE WINTERBOURNE, BRISTOL

Boston discovery The March issue contained an article which referred to a Boston Mk.III that crashed in 1942 on Carnedd Dafydd in Snowdonia. As a young mountaineer and walker I remember coming across part of the wreckage near the summit of the mountain in 1957, where it remained until recovery several years later. The attached photograph was taken at the time, and may be of interest to other readers. STAN ROBERTS PENYBRYN, WREXHAM

Send your answer, along with your name, address and telephone number to: FP Eagle Competition, FlyPast, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, UK. Alternatively, e-mail your answer and contact details to: [email protected] with ‘FP Eagle competition’ in the subject field. Terms and conditions: Only one entry per household is permitted. The winners will be the first correct entries selected at random after the closing date. There can be no cash alternative and the editor’s decision is final. Winners will be notified no later than October 19, 2013. No purchase necessary. On occasions Key Publishing Ltd, and other selected organizations, may make offers on products or services that we believe to be of interest to our customers. If you do not wish to receive this information please write NO INFORMATION clearly on your entry.

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FLYPOST

OPS BOARD

-----------------------------------------------

Aviation Art in the Mall www.gava.org.uk The 43rd annual Aviation Paintings of the Year exhibition will be held at the Mall Galleries in London SW1 from July 22 to 28. Attendance on the 22nd will be by invitation only, but the exhibition is otherwise open to all and free to visit. The event is organised by the Guild of Aviation Artists (GAvA), and a number of prestigious trophies will be presented, including the £1,000 FlyPast Fellows Award for Excellence and BAE Systems’ £1,000 Aviation Painting of the Year Award. Works by many of the world’s leading aviation artists will be on display, including those by Guild president Michael Turner FGAvA, Gerald Coulson VPGAvA, Simon Smith GAvA and Philip E West AGAvA. Many emerging new artists will also have their work presented, and all but three paintings will be available for sale. Aviation and flight in all its forms will be depicted, making the exhibition a ‘must’ for collectors, anyone interested in aircraft, and those who just enjoy original art. Informal demonstrations of painting in oil, watercolour, pastel and acrylic by Guild artists can also be seen from Tuesday until Saturday. The illustration shows The Turn of the Tide by Graham Henderson GAvA. For more information on the exhibition email: [email protected]. Tel: 01252 513123. July 3, 7, 10 and 17, East Kirkby – Avro Lancaster taxi runs, Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Spilsby, Lincs – 01790 763207 www.lincsaviation.co.uk

July 24, Elvington – Official opening of the new collections building, Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, York, YO41 4AU – 01904 608595 www.yorkshireairmuseum.org

July 13, East Kirkby – Service of thanksgiving for the life of Fred Panton MBE, Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Spilsby, Lincs – 01790 763207

July 28, Bruntingthorpe – Lightning fast taxi special event, Lightning Preservation Group, Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Lutterworth. Leicestershire, LE17 5QS – 07970 390878 www.lightnings.org.uk

July 9, Milton Keynes – ‘Lightning Operations in the Cold War’, a talk by Wg Cdr Mike Streten at the Milton Keynes Aviation Society, Kents Hill Community Centre, Milton Keynes, Bucks – www.mkas.co.uk July 20, East Kirkby – 25th anniversary of the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, LAHC, East Kirkby, Spilsby, Lincs – 01790 763207

July 28, Duxford – Spitfires, Merlin and Motors special event, Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambs - 01223 499353 www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwmduxford (also see the FlyPast Facebook page) August 4, Elvington – Thunder Day at the Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, York – 01904 608595

Ringtail Recalled The article ‘Ready for the Carriers’ in FlyPast brought back old memories as, like the author Lawrence Critchley, I grew up in Ormskirk just a couple of miles from HMS Ringtail at Burscough, Lancs. When the naval air station was commissioned in September 1943 I was an impressionable eight-and-a-half, and in those days it was no big thing for me to accompany slightly older companions in gazing in wonder through the wire fence at Ringtail while Seafires and suchlike were run-up mere yards away. The young trainee pilots at Ringtail faced a tough challenge – our neighbours would take in the wives of these fledgling airmen and it was all too common for an officer to call with the sad news that the wife was now a widow. Huge torque [from the engine] brought on by an aborted landing being a common culprit. Written off airframes would be transported to Ormskirk and dumped unceremoniously in a disused quarry on Scarth Hill, where our gang would try to salvage a tailwheel, instrument

or some such souvenir. After the war, the quarry was filled in and built upon and I wonder if any of the householders are aware of the historic aluminium beneath their floors. Back in those days I recollect seeing a lorry loaded with a battered fuselage, complete with swastika, passing through town. It was most likely a Heinkel or Dornier, as Liverpool Docks were but 16 miles distant. At night we would see the search lights cross the sky as we exited our houses at the sound of the sirens. I was interested to read of the HMS Ringtail trophy as my father was secretary of Ormskirk Golf Club in the late 1950s and my sister plays there to this day. Also in the 1950s some relatives of mine were housed in a Nissan hut adjacent to the ’drome. Mention is also made of Woodvale – happy memories here as I was introduced to the joys of gliding in Slingsby Sedburghs and the like, while in the Air Training Corps. Are 15-year-olds still allowed to solo, I wonder? SAM JOWETT VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA

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AVIATION FILMS BEHIND THE SCENES

Lights, came

Top left

Beaver AL.1 G-DHCZ ready for filming on May 31. It depicts an Israeli Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman. Top right

MH434 getting ready for ‘Monuments Men’ on June 4.

D

uxford-based warbirds are set to feature in two new motion pictures following filming at the Imperial War Museum during late May and early June. Other UK-based historic aircraft were also brought in especially for the projects. The first to start just after the highly successful May airshow was Above and Beyond: The Birth of the Israeli Air Force, which is being produced by Nancy Spielberg and

directed by Roberta Grossman. A major feature-length documentary about the volunteer pilots who fought for Israel in the War of Independence, it will feature locally-based Hispano Buchón, which was painted in temporary Israeli markings for the flying sequences. Other dramatic, and equally short-lived, liveries were applied to the DHC Beaver, and the Old Flying Machine Company’s Spitfire IX MH434. The latter’s

scheme was applied to the portside and upper wings only. Shortly after Above and Beyond had cleared the airspace, a host of Hollywood stars descended to make Monuments Men. This screenplay was been co-written by George Clooney, who is also directing it and has a starring role. Monuments Men is set in World War Two and tells of a group of Allied personnel who set out to save pieces of art and other important

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mera, action We report from the Imperial War Museum Duxford on two new high-profile films featuring UK-based warbirds

cultural items from the Germans. It also stars Matt Damon and is said to be loosely-based on Robert M Edsel’s book The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. The filming used a variety of aircraft, including several Spitfires in D-Day markings, and a Tiger Moth, which was ‘hidden’ in a mocked-up straw-filled barn. Monuments Men is set to be release at the end of the year.

Principal aircraft used on ‘Monuments Men’

Principal aircraft used on ‘Above and Beyond’

Type

Serial

Reg

Type

Serial

Reg

DH Tiger Moth

-

G-ADXT

DHC Beaver AL.1

XP772

G-DHCZ

DH Tiger Moth

-

G-ANCS

Hispano Buchón

‘Yellow 10’ G-BWUE

Douglas C-47

2100882 N473DC

Douglas C-47

2100884 N147DC

Supermarine Spitfire

MH434

G-ASJV

Supermarine Spitfire

MK912

G-BRRA

Supermarine Spitfire

TA805

G-PMNF

Supermarine Spitfire MH434

Above

Buchón G-BWUE in its Israeli markings. ALL PHOTO BY COL POPE

G-ASJV

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FROM THE WORKSHOP DE HAVILLAND HERITAGE

Keeping the DH flame a D

edicated to presenting the history of heritage of a single manufacturer, the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre (DHAHC) is unique among British aviation museums. While the subject matter requires no introduction, for most people the collection remains a well-kept secret. Situated in the grounds of Salisbury Hall, the fine 17th century house near London Colney in Hertfordshire in which the Mosquito design team did their revolutionary work during World War Two, DHAHC deserves wider recognition. Quite apart from the

centre’s rare or unique airframes, the standard of conservation work preserving landmark artefacts is second to none. Director at DHAHC, Ralph Steiner, is aware that museums in other sectors, similarly unsupported by government funds, have been shutting on a depressingly regular basis in the current economic climate. Ralph’s response to this is big and, crucially, achievable plans. Already some have borne fruit. He said: “We’re operating with about 42 different volunteers, all top, skilled people – welders, builders, plumbers, aircraft

electricians, upholsterers, sprayers – giving us their free time. “One of our buildings, where the original engine display was, has been totally rebuilt and has a new roof with insulation, a lowered ceiling with new lighting, and a concrete floor. This will now be the new reception area, the new ‘Aeroshop’, a small cafeteria and space for a selection of engines. “The main hangar at long last has had all its doors re-done. The original Robin hangar in which the prototype Mosquito stood is also being refurbished and we’ve put all the pre-war aircraft in

there. The memorabilia hall now houses the history maze, with all the boards telling the story of de Havilland from 1910 to 1961.”

Mosquito trio Mosquito prototype W4050 is the jewel in the DHAHC’s crown. Indeed, having been saved from disposal, it was the aircraft around which the then Mosquito Aircraft Museum was built from 1958 onwards. In 2011 a detailed conservation programme began, with the aim of returning W4050 in ‘time capsule’ fashion to its December 1943 status. “The restoration is

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e alive coming along fine. At the moment it’s in pieces in the main hangar. We’ve got the fuselage re-covered with linen and dope, and they’re refurbishing the interior, cleaning it all up. The tailplane has been completed and the wing will be worked on, I should imagine, from the end of the year. At the moment they’re concentrating mainly on the fuselage.” The same building houses Mosquito TT.35 TA634, due for a repaint before the type reaches its 75th anniversary in 2015, and FB.VI TA122, a long-term restoration project. Ralph reports that the fighter-bomber: “Has now

Ralph Steiner talks to Ben Dunnell about projects and ambitions at the DH Aircraft Heritage Centre got the fuselage on the wings and both engines are installed, plus a lot of electrical wiring [has been fitted]”. Many smaller components are being made, including new flaps in timber. The future prospect of three Mosquitos on display together is mouthwatering.

From props to jets A variety of other types are also being worked on. DH.53 Humming Bird J7326 is on loan from Terry Pankhurst and Peter Kirk while restoration continues. Its finished fuselage is on display while Terry prepares the Bristol Cherub for

ground-running. “He’s covered the wings, which are in storage at the moment. It’s been restored to flying standard, but I don’t know when it will fly,” said Ralph Steiner. Dragon Rapide G-AKDW is definitely going down the path towards airworthiness. “This is being carried out by skilled ex-de Havilland personnel; it’s under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority. Unfortunately the public are not allowed in the shed, although they can see progress through the glass windows,” he continued. “The building has been modified so the team can raise the fuselage,

which is well under way, in order to put the wing stubs on. The wings and other components are all in crates, ready to be covered, which is the next stage. We’re holding back on that at present due to the finances involved.” Ralph owns a replica DH.88 Comet, not currently visible to visitors but definitely an exciting prospect for the future. “The fuselage has been refurbished up to a certain point and the wings and engines are under cover in the car park. I am looking for somebody to take this on as a project, and I will be prepared to help out with sponsorship for that.

Mosquito TT.35 TA634, which is due for a repaint soon.

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FROM THE WORKSHOP DE HAVILLAND HERITAGE

Considerable work has gone into overhauling the Comet’s structure – a necessary step before rebuilding the cockpit.

We’ve got to wave the flag for de Havilland, one of the greatest aircraft companies in the world” “It is a full-scale ground-running replica built in Australia, which was used for film work. We want to complete it as G-ACSP Black Magic. It will be a fantastic exhibit when we get it put together again, because we will be able to taxi it at venues where it would be permitted.” [Not all sites can accommodate moving aircraft, due to operational or health and safety reasons – ED] A major project is the fuselage of jetliner Comet 1A F-BGNX. Ralph elaborated: “This is progressing beautifully. They’ve got all the trim and seats put in to the first class section, they’ve lined the interior and all the seats will be re-trimmed. On one side we will have the original layout and on the other a story-board telling the story of the Comet’s development.”

Going under cover Away from specific aircraft, but vital to their preservation, DHAHC is focusing attention on the future of its site. “We have got to cater for future generations. Their

expectations are great, they’re changing the whole time, and we have to keep up to scratch with them. That means upcoming mums and dads with young children will be under cover in a warm, climatically-controlled environment. “At the moment, we’ve got a lot of items outside. We’re now going through the planning procedure for a new hangar, which should house all the aircraft with the exception of the Heron, and will be connected to the other buildings so that it’s all dry and pleasant. [The Heron’s large wingspan means it is too big to practically fit inside the new building – ED] “We’ve been at this for nearly two years and the planning application will be coming to a head shortly. We’ll see what happens. At the moment we’ve got no major outside funding whatsoever – we’re doing it all ourselves. We promote the museum for filming, documentaries, fashion shoots and so on, all of which brings in valuable funds, and which I’m busy marketing.”

The new building and other improvements will: “Enable us to open up for about 360 days in the year, which is very important. There will also be a café, and a new reference library. This will all be run along very different lines to what we have been doing at the moment, and we will need full-time staff. In the new building we will be able to hold reunions, birthday parties, luncheons, dinner dances – whatever we can hire the hangar space out for. “We’ve also had some fantastic donations from covenants and

legacies from former de Havilland people and other enthusiasts. Any donations that come in can be ring-fenced for the new main hangar or for the Mosquito prototype restoration. “The story is most important. We’ve got to wave the flag for de Havilland, one of the greatest aircraft companies in the world. What it contributed to aviation, as far as I’m concerned, was second to none.” Who could disagree? This, certainly, is a tale worth telling. www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk

Volunteers are making excellent progress restoring Mosquito FB.VI TA122. On the right is the Mossie prototype. ALL PHOTO BY DARREN HARBAR

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TRIBUTE DAMBUSTERS

SALUTING THE IMAGES AND MEMORIES OF EVENTS STAGED IN HONOUR OF THE 1943 DAMS RAIDS

Above

Avro Lancaster B.I PA474 flying over Derwent Reservoir on May 17. PHIL WHALLEY

On May 16 and 17, a series of events took place across the UK to mark the 70th anniversary of the famous Dambusters raid. In 1943, Avro Lancaster bombers from Scampton, Lincs-based 617 Squadron successfully breached two German dams and damaged a third using the innovative Upkeep ‘bouncing bomb’. Aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight undertook several flypasts, including one over the dam on Derwent Reservoir in Derbyshire, one of the locations used by the original crews for practice. The historic aircraft were accompanied by

two Panavia Tornado GR.4s from the present-day 617 Squadron. On May 15, Lancaster B.I PA474 had flown over the Dambusters Memorial at Woodhall Spa, Lincs. A service at Lincoln Cathedral was attended by two of the three surviving airmen who took part in Operation Chastise, 94-year-old Sqn Ldr Les Munro and 91-year-old Sqn Ldr George ‘Johnny’ Johnson. Both men were also present at a second ceremony, held at Scampton, from which another poignant flypast was staged. Of the 133 airmen that took off on the Dambusters raid, 56 did not return. Barnes Wallis, inventor

of the bouncing bomb, was said to be devastated when he heard how many men had been lost. His daughter, Mary Stopes-Roe, who attended the Scampton service, described him as “a man of peace” who had acted out of a sense of duty to his country. The raid achieved its strategic aims, causing significant damage to German production and boosting British morale. However, it should also be remembered that over 1,600 people died as a direct result. Wg Cdr Guy Gibson, just 24 when he led the operation, was awarded the Victory Cross in recognition of his efforts.

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“The raid achieved its strategic aims, causing significant damage to German production and boosting British morale”

E

The Lancaster overflies the Woodhall Spa memorial on May 15. PHIL WHALLEY

BBMF’s Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX PM631 over Derwent Reservoir. SCOTT RATHBONE

Panavia Tornado GR.4 ZA412 in special Dambusters tail markings. SCOTT RATHBONE

Sqn Ldr George ‘Johnny’ Johnson arriving at the Lincoln Cathedral service. SEAN STRANGE

The towers of Lincoln Cathedral with the Lancaster high overhead. SEAN STRANGE

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RECOVERY DORNIER DO 17

The Dornier breaks the surface of the water at around 6.30pm on June 10.

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The Dornier Do 17Z-2 being recovered on June 10.

The Kraken Wakes The RAF Museum has successfully recovered a unique Dornier Do 17 bomber from the English Channel. Steve Beebee reports

A

t around 6.30pm on Monday, June 10, a team led by the Royal Air Force Museum successfully lifted the world’s only surviving Dornier Do 17 bomber from the sea bed. Encrusted with barnacles, coral and marine life, the Battle of Britain-era aircraft was recovered in otherwise remarkable condition from waters off the Kent coast and towed to Ramsgate on a barge. It has since been taken to the RAF Museum’s site at Cosford, Shropshire, where it will undergo an intensive conservation process that will probably last between two and four years. It is likely that the Dornier will be preserved in ‘as found’ condition – rather than being restored and rebuilt – and will eventually be displayed at RAF Museum Hendon. A previous attempt to raise the machine on June 3 had to be aborted due to a sudden increase in wind speed. An initial plan

Dornier Do 17Z-2 5K+AR of III/KG 3, based at St Trond, Belgium in August 1940. PETE WEST-2013

to construct a cage around the Dornier was abandoned due to time delays, and instead specialist lifting equipment was attached to the strongest parts of the airframe, raising it in one piece from its resting place 50ft (15m) below the surface. Its two Bramo Fafnir 323P1 radial engines had already become separated from the wings and were recovered on June 11. The machine is strongly believed to be Do 17Z-2 5K+AR (werke nr 1160) of 7 Staffel, III/KG 3, based in 1940 at St Trond, Belgium. On August 26 of that year it was participating in raids on British airfields (probably Hornchurch and Debden in Essex) along with other bombers from KG 3 and KG 2. While flying over cloud, the aircraft became detached from the formation and was attacked by Boulton Paul Defiants of Hornchurch-based 264 Squadron. At around 1.40pm, having suffered hits to the cockpit and engines,

wounded pilot Fw Willi Effmert attempted to bring the bomber down on Goodwin Sands, but instead hit the water. Wireless operator Uffz Helmut Reinhardt and bombardier Gefr Heinz Huhn perished in the crash-landing – their bodies were subsequently washed ashore and buried (Reinhardt in the Netherlands, Huhn in the UK), while Effmert and observer Fw Herman Ritzel survived and spent the rest of the war as PoWs in Canada. Having come to rest in an inverted position (suggesting that it may have flipped over on impact), the Do 17 remained underwater 3.7 miles off the Kent coast for over 70 years. In September 2008 divers discovered it lying on a chalk bed with a small field of debris around it. Sonar scans by the RAF Museum, Wessex Archaeology and the Port of London Authority subsequently confirmed that it was an example of the so-called August 2013 FLYPAST 109

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RECOVERY DORNIER DO 17

“The RAF Museum felt that it had an obligation to try to save this tangible reminder of those critical weeks in the summer of 1940” Main picture

The Dornier fuselage being sprayed as part of the preservation process at Cosford. STEVE JOHNSON

Above

The Do 17 touching down at Cosford on June 15. ALL COPYRIGHT THE TRUSTEES OF THE RAF MUSEUM UNLESS NOTED

Flying Pencil, a type previously believed to be ‘extinct’. In 2010, the museum confirmed that it had begun a three-year project to recover the aircraft. A grant of over £345,000 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund has supported the work, though the total cost is likely to be around £600,000.

Triumph

RAF Museum Director General Peter Dye told FlyPast: “The RAF Museum felt that it had an obligation to try to save this tangible reminder of those critical weeks in the summer of 1940. However, we also recognised that good intentions were not enough. We needed a safe and reliable way to recover the aircraft from the open sea at a depth of over 50ft. We also needed to develop ways of

preserving the aircraft once it had emerged. Finally, we had to attract public support and find sponsors willing to fund this ambitious project. All of this took time in the face of numerous obstacles. “We are obviously delighted with progress so far, but we should take a moment to remember those individuals and organisations, including The National Heritage Memorial Fund, EADS, Wargaming.net, 328 Support Services, the Port of London Authority, Imperial College, the Friends of the RAF Museum and the RAF Museum American Foundation without whom there would have been no project.” A number of items, including the starboard tailplane, tailwheel assembly and the bomb bay doors are missing from the aircraft, and sadly at least two of the original

six 7.92mm MG 15 machine guns have been removed during unauthorised dives. Both the main undercarriage units remain in place and are retracted, with the tyres still apparently inflated. Now receiving attention from experts at Cosford’s award-winning Michael Beetham Conservation Centre (MBCC), the Do 17 has been placed in two hydration tunnels and soaked in citric acid and sodium hydroxide, a technique developed alongside scientists at London’s Imperial College. The treatment will counter corrosion, removing encrustation and chloride from the aluminium frame. Visitors interested in viewing the aircraft are strongly advised to check the museum’s website or telephone 01902 376200 for the latest information. www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford

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DUTY

F UR DECADES OF

AIRCREW WG CDR FRANK WOOLLEY

BARRY M MARSDEN CONCLUDES A TWO-PART FEATURE ON AN ILLUSTRIOUS DERBYSHIRE FAMILY

Above

Frank piloting Audax K3714 over Iraq in 1941. Bottom right

Frank at the controls of a Vincent – the type he went to war in.

F

rank Geoffrey Woolley, the only son of Air Cdre Frank Woolley, was born in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, in June 1922. Both Woolleys proudly wore the ribbon of the Distinguished Flying Cross before they reached the age of 20. (See part one in the July issue for details of Air Cdre Frank Woolley’s service career.) From his early days, young Frank Geoffrey Woolley was ‘indoctrinated’ into military life – a local newspaper scribe noting: “They live and talk in air force terms in the Woolley household.” It was presumably understood that he would follow in his father’s footsteps. He was earmarked for the RAF College Cranwell, but it closed at the outbreak of World War Two and, desperate to learn to fly, he became tired of ‘stooging around’ waiting to volunteer. He wrote to his father who was serving in the RAF in Singapore, asking permission to join him by working his passage to the Far East, where he could begin his instruction. Frank senior sent

him a cheque to subsidise the voyage. His father, a senior officer at this point, undertook Frank’s ab initio training in an Avro Tutor of the Singapore Flying Club. Young Woolley, a natural airman, duly gained his pilot’s licence and was posted to 4 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit at Kallang, Singapore, in July 1940. In September he was granted one of the six places allotted by the Air Ministry to Malayan pilot licence holders for further training in Iraq. He joined 4 Flying Service Training School at Habbaniya, south-east of Baghdad, where he polished his skills and worked so hard at ground subjects that he was awarded a distinction.

SHAKEY DO

The 18-year-old was commissioned in the RAF as a pilot officer on March 29, 1941 and posted to 244 Squadron at Shaibah near Basra, an area where his father had served more than a decade earlier. No.244

was a general-purpose unit with Vickers Vincents, variants of the torpedo-carrying Vildebeest. These archaic beasts were clumsylooking biplanes with a 650hp Pegasus radial driving a huge two-blade wooden airscrew which dragged the aeroplane along at a top speed of 140mph. The one bonus of these airborne dinosaurs was the superb view enjoyed by the pilot as he bumbled across the landscape. Woolley went into action far sooner than he thought, and not against the Axis but the Iraqis. A pro-German government had been established in Baghdad, and to protect treaty rights Britain landed a brigade of troops from India on April 18, under General Wavell. The Iraqis responded by besieging the RAF base at Habbaniya, but the British held command of the air and, by concentrated attacks, forced the enemy to retreat. Wavell followed up by launching an assault on the capital which fell on May 30, effectively ending the conflict. Woolley flew his first operation on May 2, a two-plane sortie to

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Frank and his father, Singapore, 1940.

“His father, a senior officer at this point, undertook Frank’s ab initio training in an Avro Tutor of the Singapore Flying Club. Young Woolley, a natural airman, duly gained his pilot’s licence...”

bomb the railway line south-west of Ur, around 100 miles from his Shaibah base. He piloted Vincent K4732 carrying four 250lb bombs, with LAC Howard as his observer. To judge from his logbook the raid was completely routine, with no clue that this was when he gained his first DFC. This was entirely in keeping with Woolley’s taciturn character and his belief he was just a man doing a job. As the Vincent crews sighted the railway line they noticed a stationary armoured train loaded with troops, and manoeuvred to release their bombs on this opportune target. As they pulled out of their runs, Frank’s companion, K6365, piloted by Flt Lt G B Haywood, lurched away, either struck by ground fire or, as other accounts suggest, damaged by the blast of its own bombs. It staggered along with its engine gradually dying and smashed into the ground not far from the tracks it had been targeting. Circling the wreckage, Woolley made the decision to land and put K4732 down nearby. He and Howard hastily dragged the crew out, administered rudimentary first aid and stowed them in the fuselage. Suddenly bullets began whistling around the Vincent as Iraqi soldiers appeared in the distance. To his

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AIRCREW WG CDR FRANK WOOLLEY

“With the enemy only a few hundred yards away, he revved up the Pegasus while Howard deterred the advancing soldiers with bursts from his Lewis gun” dismay Frank found the wheels were stuck in the soft sand. With the enemy only a few hundred yards away, he revved up the Pegasus while Howard deterred the advancing soldiers with bursts from his Lewis gun. The huge propeller whipped up a miniature sandstorm, aided by the pilot’s action in swinging K4732 from side to side by means of the large rudder. Bemused Iraqis, engulfed by the stinging sandblasts, watched in frustration as the ponderous machine taxied onto a stretch of firmer ground. Heart in mouth, Woolley opened the throttle and the lumbering Vincent slowly came unstuck and climbed away. He returned his wounded

colleagues to Shaibah, doubtless saving their lives. The only comment in his logbook was the pencilled phrase “shakey do”, in its way one of the classic one-liners in RAF history!

BIPLANES TO SPITFIRES

No.244 Squadron continued to support British forces in the Middle East and by late August was overflying Iran, which the British and Soviets occupied on the 25th to forestall a possible Axis coup. By this time Frank was an acting flying officer and perhaps at the time the youngest flight commander in the RAF. On the 26th he was

Above left

A youthful Frank poses in front of a Hawker Audax at Habbaniya, Iraq, in April 1941. Above

Frank Woolley junior as a flying officer, Iraq, 1941. Below

Frank, third from left, with 132 Squadron, 1943.

wounded in the leg when his aircraft, serial number K6366, was shot at in error by an RAF Hawker Hurricane of 261 Squadron. The Vincent forcelanded ten miles south of its target and was set on fire by its crew. Woolley and his observer, Sgt Featherstone, were rescued. After hospitalisation in Basra, Frank rejoined 244, serving with the unit until April 1942. He took some overdue leave during which he visited his father in Ceylon; then in the autumn of 1942 he returned to England. He trained as a fighter pilot at 57 Operational Training Unit at Hawarden near Chester. He flew Spitfires with the OTU, and by early December felt very much at home in the fighter, with his air-firing average being the highest on the course.

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ANOTHER ‘SHAKEY DO’

Frank was then posted to 132 Squadron, flying Spitfire Vs from Martlesham Heath in Suffolk. He developed that affinity with his aircraft (J-for-Johnnie for most of the summer) that many fighter pilots enjoyed. He wrote to his father: “Whenever I am away from the squadron I worry like hell what I am missing and what is happening to my kite. It is amazing to think how one can have so much affection for an inanimate thing like an aircraft.” In August he went on a fighter leaders’ course at the School of Tactics, Charmy Down, Somerset, reporting another ‘shakey do’ on the 17th while flying a Spitfire: “My motor clapped-out 15 miles over the wet. I just managed to stagger back to the shore and force-land on an aerodrome [Fairwood Common] which was very conveniently there.” He returned to 132 but on November 1 was posted as ‘B’ Flight commander to 602 Squadron, flying Spitfire IXs. Frank had a narrow escape early in the new year while flying MH972 Above

Flt Lt Woolley in the autumn of 1943. Left

In full flying gear, Woolley poses in the ‘office’ of Spitfire IX MH486 ‘Ethel Marsden’ in mid-1943. The fighter was paid for by a Lancashire mill owner, who named it after his wife.

O-for-Oboe, acting as high cover to Hurricanes attacking Ligescourt in northern France. He was hit in the engine by ground fire, one round tearing a hole in his Merlin’s magneto casing. Fortunately he was able to nurse his machine home. From January 18, 1944 a short sojourn to Skeabrae in the frozen Orkneys was 602’s lot, and ‘B’ Flight were even less pleased when they were shunted even further north to the Shetlands. Here they lost their Spitfire IXs and reverted to LF.Vs – “cropped, clipped and clapped”, as Frank described them in his logbook.

SPITFIRE DIVE-BOMBERS On March 13 the unit regained its Mk.IXs and deployed to Llanbedr in Wales for an intensive

spell at the armament practice camp in preparation for dive and level fighter-bombing, which involved fitting racks for single 500-pounders. In March, No.602 moved to Detling in Kent and on April 18 carried out its first dive-bombing mission, delivering 500-pounders through intensive flak at a V-1 flying-bomb site in France. Throughout the late spring and early summer of 1944, Flt Lt Woolley piloted Spitfire ML307 V-for-Victor in an exhausting schedule. On May 2 eleven Spitfires of 602 attacked the 39-arch Merville railway viaduct between Paris and Le Havre, diving from 10,000ft to release their bombs at 3,000ft, hurtling through heavy flak and scoring two hits.

On the 10th, Frank opened fire on a German aircraft for the first time in 18 months of combat flying. Escorting US Ninth Air Force Martin Marauders, the formation was attacked by ten Focke-Wulf Fw 190s. The Derbyshire flier said he “had three squirts at one”, adding: “Range too great. [Enemy aircraft] could apparently out-run and outclimb us.” On the 30th, with invasion imminent, radar stations were bombed and strafed. One raid, on a site near Arromanches in the Normandy area, destroyed the complex and inflicted some 200 casualties. On D-Day, Frank flew ML307 over the bay of the Seine and the Cherbourg peninsula, covering the American

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AIRCREW WG CDR FRANK WOOLLEY Top right

Griffon-powered 350 Squadron Spitfire XIV ‘Elizabeth X’ at Warmwell in March 1945.

FRANK’S RARE BIRDS

Below

Frank, second from left, with fellow pilots of 602 Squadron in front of a Spitfire IX in early 1944.

Frank’s combat claims contain several rare types, including a Messerschmitt Bf 108 communications monoplane (similar to the captured example pictured) and a Siebel Si 204 light transport. BOTH VIA AUTHOR

invasion beaches and viewing the huge armada. On the 15th the squadron landed in France for the first time, stopping at the Bazinville advanced landing ground (ALG). On June 24 the unit

transferred to ALG B9 at Creully and moved to B11 at Longues, home of 125 Wing, the following day. From this new base 602 embarked on a series of low-level sweeps, strafing enemy transport.

OPENING THE ACCOUNT

On the afternoon of July 2, Frank took part in his first real combat with the Luftwaffe. At 4pm six Spitfires of 602 were scrambled and sent to the southeast of Caen. Woolley commanded the formation and after levelling off at 7,000ft, just below a mass of nimbostratus, around 20 to 30 enemy aircraft broke through the clouds above them. On seeing the Spitfires, the German gaggle – long-nosed Fw 190Ds – jettisoned their auxiliary tanks and came down to attack. Frank led his section into a left-hand turn, diving before pulling up in a steep climbing spiral at full throttle, which led him straight into the whirling mass of the enemy. In the melee he loosed off several short bursts to no effect. Continuing to turn hard to counter the German tactics of dive and climb, he followed a single ’190 above him, pulling for the topmost cloud layer at 10,000ft. On reaching the clouds he levelled off behind his quarry, finding the layer transparent enough to identify the long-nosed outline clearly. At 400 yards Woolley steadied the luminous orange spot of his gunsight on the image in front, squeezing off a short burst. The ’190 began fishtailing in a slow weave, duly receiving a second burst which produced immediate strikes – a bright flash on the port side of the fuselage and a puff of black smoke on the nose cowling. The enemy fighter flicked violently over and disappeared under V-for-Victor’s nose. Woolley opened his account with a modest claim of one Fw 190D damaged and put in his logbook: “Hell of a scrap.” Frank’s time with 602 was almost over. On his last patrol, on the 4th, his Merlin spluttered to a stop ten miles south-east of Caen and he just managed to glide his faithful Victor back to base.

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PRESSING ON

Frank spent the rest of the year on the staff of the Fighter Leader School at Milfield, Northumberland. He left the unit in early January 1945, undertaking a short familiarisation course on the Griffon-powered Spitfire XIV. In late January he was appointed as OC ‘A’ Flight of the Mk.XVIequipped 41 Squadron at Volkel in Holland. To start with there was little contact with the Luftwaffe and

the range, tracer flashed by him from a fourth ’190 some 400 yards astern. As he chased the Fw round the circuit, intense flak opened up, speckling the air round the two fighters. Frank flinched as a shell smacked into his tailplane. He discovered later it was a 40mm round which blew off part of his rudder and partly jammed his elevators. Despite his unpromising position Frank pressed on grittily, aiming three short bursts at his target from 300 yards. Though he saw no hits the ’190 pulled up sharply in front of him and two objects fell away. He thought it was the fighter’s hood followed by the pilot baling out. The Spitfire flashed underneath the Fw which turned over and went down, possibly hit by its own flak. Frank could only claim a ‘probable’ while his No.2, Fg Off Gray, damaged a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter.

FIRST ‘KILL’

A candid shot of Frank taken in the closing days of the war.

The ’190 began fishtailing in a slow weave, duly receiving a second burst which produced immediate strikes – a bright flash on the port side of the fuselage and a puff of black smoke on the nose cowling the unit spent its time on armed recces, strafing enemy locomotives and transport. At 7.45am on the morning of St Valentine’s Day as Blue 1, flying RM791, Frank led two others in an armed patrol between Lingen and Osnabruck in Germany at 3,000ft. At 8.15am, one mile south of Rhein airfield – a hotbed of German light

flak – he saw 12 enemy aircraft wheeling in the circuit. Pulling round for a closer look he observed red flares arcing up from the ground, which warned the landing fighters that Allied planes were in the area. Woolley curved round behind a section of three Fw 190s circling the locality but, as he closed

At the end of February, Frank was posted to command 350 (Belgian) Squadron at Eindhoven with Spitfire XIVs. His long-overdue first ‘kill’ came on March 13 while piloting NH686 V-for-Victor as Black 1, escorting 36 Marauders on a bombing raid. At 2.45pm the formation was at 20,000ft northeast of Hamm, Germany, with the bombers 4,000ft lower. Looking down through a cloud gap Woolley saw a cluster of black specks at 12,000ft heading in the opposite direction. Snapping out orders on the radio he rolled Victor

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AIRCREW WG CDR FRANK WOOLLEY Berlin and met up with unfamiliar aircraft. As they closed, red stars could be seen on the wings and fuselages. “It was a hell of an occasion,” Frank reported to his father; the RAF and the Red Army Air Force meeting for the first time over enemy territory. Next day Woolley met another unusual machine. He was leading Red Section on an armed recce over Pritzwalk in northern Germany in Tare at 7,000ft when an unidentified twin came into sight below. Approaching the stranger from above and behind, he recognised the twintailed aircraft as a Siebel Si 204, a five-seat light transport. Woolley’s victim rapidly succumbed as he bored in, flailing it with cannon and ‘pointfives’ as he closed to 50 yards. The struggling prey gave up the unequal contest, crashing and burning out in a nearby field.

FINAL ENCOUNTERS

Frank’s final ‘kill’ came on the last day of April over the Lauenberg-Elbe bridgehead in Germany at 2,000ft, with the CO once more leading Red Section in T-for-Tare. Just north of Lauenberg he spotted a short-nosed Fw 190 steering west 500ft above

Clockwise from above

Frank, on the left, with his two 130 Squadron flight commanders. Frank remained CO of 130 Squadron after the war. He is fifth from left, front row, in this line-up taken at Manston, Kent, in late 1945. In 1948, as a flight commander with 54 Squadron, Woolley toured the USA and Canada, flying Vampire IIIs at various airshows. In this view he leads a section in VT869 at Greenville, South Carolina. Frank with a Spitfire XIV at Volkel, Holland, 41 Squadron’s base in February 1945. ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE WOOLLEY FAMILY UNLESS NOTED

and plunged after the ‘bogies’. Breaking through, he identified a loose gaggle of single-engined fighters moving quickly a mile ahead. It took Frank two minutes at full throttle before he caught them up. Pulling alongside the outer machine, he identified it as a longnose Fw 190D and manoeuvred to get on its tail. The German pulled up and climbed hard to a layer of thin, wispy cloud above. Hanging on behind, Frank opened fire from dead astern at 100 yards. Bright flashes lit up the wing roots and fuselage of the ‘bandit’ as his shells and bullets struck home. The ’190 burst into flames as its fuel tanks exploded; chunks of debris broke away from the doomed fighter and Woolley had to take sharp evasive action to avoid whirling fragments. On April 10, Frank was posted again, this time to command 130 Squadron at Twente in the Netherlands. A fellow pilot recalled his new CO as “unassuming... a born leader and a brilliant tactician”. The unit moved to Celle in central Germany on the 17th, and Frank was delighted with his quarters at this former Luftwaffe base; he had the luxury of a sitting room and a bedroom with a superb divan.

UNFAMILIAR SHAPES

On the early morning of the 24th, Frank was leading Red Section in T-for-Tare. South of Wismar at 3,000ft he noticed a train and was descending to attack when his sharp eyes picked out an aircraft heading north-west at ground level. It was an inoffensive Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun which he chased round with increasing frustration as his agile opponent sought to escape. Finally he came in head-on and a snap burst was rewarded with several bright strikes. The ’108 pulled away to force-land in a nearby field, with the CO going down to finish it off. The whole section witnessed the hapless machine blazing on the ground and confirmed the victory. Later that day 130 was north of

him. Execution was swift; he caught up with the lone German near Winsen at 1.50pm. His aim was sure and shells and bullets raked his victim’s cockpit, chewing out debris from the port wing-root. With the pilot obviously dead, it plummeted into a swamp, breaking up in a spray of mud and dirty water. Frank was just getting into his stride with three victories in seven days, but he only met the Luftwaffe on one further occasion. On May 2, while prowling over Wittenburg-Schwerin the section chased eight Bf 109s and an Me 262. Later that day his fighter, H-for-How’s Griffon packed up in the circuit, necessitating an emergency landing. His final action came the next day when he strafed German mechanised

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“...Frank took part in a goodwill tour of Canada and the USA in the first-ever crossing of the Atlantic by jets – six Vampires led by two Mosquito ‘navigators’.” transport on a sortie in the Rendlesberg-Kiel locality. No.130 had maintained a hot pace under Woolley’s leadership: during April, 42 enemy aircraft were destroyed along with more than 300 vehicles at the low cost of four Spitfires and one pilot. In July, Frank was awarded a bar to his DFC. The citation described him as: “A determined and courageous leader, whose ability and skill have been reflected in the success achieved by those serving under him.”

BOUND FOR HIGH COMMAND

Like his father, Woolley decided to make the RAF his post-war career, remaining the CO of 130 Squadron until July 1946. He was appointed to a permanent commission as a flight lieutenant and received a Mentioned-in-Despatches. Frank was with HQ 11 Group until December 1947, during which time he converted onto de Havilland Vampire Is. Later that year he became a flight commander with

Vampire-equipped 54 Squadron, led by Frank Howell, and later by Bobby Oxspring. While with this unit, Frank took part in a goodwill tour of Canada and the USA in the first-ever crossing of the Atlantic by jets – six Vampires led by two Mosquito ‘navigators’. Local press accounts referred to them as “the slickest airborne ambassadors of goodwill you’ll ever have a look-see at”. Woolley was awarded the King’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air on January 1, 1949. He left 54 Squadron in January 1949 and was promoted to Squadron Leader in July after completing a course at the Empire Flying School, Hullavington, Wiltshire. He then took command of the Bomber Command Examining Flight before moving on to an Air Ministry posting in 1951, followed by courses at the RAF Staff College and 209 Advanced Flying School, Weston Zoyland, Somerset. He married in 1952 and his wife Margaret presented him

with two sons, Jonathan and Philip. He was posted as Wg Cdr in March 1954 to 123 Wing in West Germany and was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1956. There followed three years as an instructor before he went on a course to the RAF Flying College at Manby, Lincolnshire. Frank was killed in a flying accident on November 28, 1959. At midday Canberra B.2 WH669 took off from Strubby, Lincolnshire, for Malta, with Frank acting as navigator. The pilot, Sqn Ldr P H Walker, climbed to 1,500ft when he felt himself losing control and ordered the other two crew to eject. Wg Cdr C E Ness, sitting next to Woolley, saw him eject first, clearing cleanly at a safe height. Ejecting aircrew had to operate their own parachutes as no automatic opening mechanism was then in place. Sadly Frank broke his right arm as he left the doomed aircraft, and the pain and shock of his injury prevented him from using his arm to pull the ripcord. His body was found in a field, with the unopened parachute still strapped in place. The two other crewmen both ejected safely. It seems likely that Frank Woolley was, like his father, marked for high command and would doubtless have achieved ‘Air’ rank. This unconquerable fighting man, noted son of a noted father, exemplified the finest traditions of Britain’s youngest fighting service.

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FINALS STARFIGHTER Lockheed Starfighter F-104A 56-778 was recently placed on static display at the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa, Idaho, US. It is scheduled to be painted in the markings it wore when first delivered to the 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Built in 1958, it flew with the USAF from Hamilton Air Force Base in California, before serving in Taiwan and Jordan. The jet was retired from service in 1977 and returned to the US in 1990. It was acquired by its current owner earlier this year and transported to Nampa on a flatbed truck. www.warhawkairmuseum.org TONY SPEAR-WARHAWK AIR MUSEUM

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In the September issue we tell of de Havilland Mosquito bombing raids to the heart of Hitler’s Germany, and look at the combat career of an Italian pilot during the invasion of Greece. Next month’s Spotlight shines on the incredible Douglas Skyraider, with stories from Korea and the Vietnam War. This issue is in the UK shops on August 1 – or turn to page 94 for our latest money-saving offers. * Overseas deliveries are likely to be after this date.

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