A Very Unusual Air War

by Gill Griffin

  27 February: AFDU’s first co-operation with American pilots and aircraft. We found it necessary to use the Spitfire Mk XII in order to match the speed of the B25 Mitchells. (The B25 was known in the RAF as the Mitchell.) It was my first all-day stay at an American base over lunchtime: grilled pork chops with ‘Jello’ and peanut butter all on the same plate, followed by lashings of ice cream. Lovely! The jello and peanut butter were new to me; I liked the jello, which made a nice change from apple sauce, but had reservations about the peanut butter.

  Summary for: February 1943 1 Spitfire Vb 8–10

  Unit: AFDU. Duxford 2 Spitfire IX −45

  Date: 1/3/43 3 Spitfire XII 8–15

  Signature: H.l. Thorne 4 Mustang IA −40

  5 Mustang X 3–50

  6 Thunder bolt 1–25

  7 Stinson 4–00

  8 Tiger Moth 2–25

  9 Oxford −50 (2nd pilot)

  Monthly total: 30 hours 20 minutes

  E. Smith Squadron leader

  O/C. Flying AFDU

  YEAR 1943 AIRCRAFT Pilot or 1st Pilot 2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass. DUTY (Including Results and Remarks) Flying Time Passenger

  MONTH DATE Type No. Dual Solo

  March 1st Mustang 1A 442 Self Speed trials −30

  3rd Spitfire Vb P Self To Ridgewell −15

  Spitfire Vb P Self To base −15

  4th Tiger Moth AF1 Self To Cranfield −30

  Tiger Moth AF1 Self To base −40

  Spitfire Vb 169 Self Air test −30

  5th Mustang 1A 442 Self Speed trials −35

  Master Mk III 8839 Self Local flying −40

  6th Spitfire XII EN223 Self Escort to an enemy aircraft of 1426 Flight 1–00

  Master 8839 Self F/Lt Anderson Circuits and bumps −25

  7th Mustang 1A FZ442 Self Speed runs −30

  8th Spitfire Vb 4064 Self Cine camera and guns −35

  Spitfire Vb 4064 Self Flight cancelled 00

  Spitfire XII AF2 Self Air test −15

  9th Tiger Moth AF1 Self LAC Sigrist Searchlight calibration 1–15

  10th Mosquito 666 W/Co Finlay Self Air test −30

  11th Master III 8839 Self F/Lt Cook Circuits and bumps −10

  Master III 8839 Self F/Lt Cook Circuits and bumps −5

  12th Master III 8839 Self S/Ldr Aldis Circuits and bumps −35

  Spitfire Vb P Self Air test −10

  Master III 8839 Self S/Ldr Circuits and bumps −15

  Master III 8839 Self S/Ldr Circuits and bumps −20

  Master III 8839 Self S/Ldr Circuits and bumps −10

  Spitfire Vb 4064 Self Air test −10

  Avro Anson ? S/Ldr Smith Self Experience on type −25

  23rd Spitfire XII EN223 Self To Wittering −15

  5 March: When the original Mk I Mustang went through its speed trials in this country, the top speed was recorded as 380mph at 1,000ft. In one of my test flights in Mustang X FZ107 (in early 1944) at the same height, I recorded 448mph. This made it the fastest operational aircraft in the world at that time. In a later flight I achieved an indicated speed of 455mph at ground level.

  The Master III was similar to the Mk I, which I flew for my SFTS training at Hullavington except that it was powered by an American Pratt and Whitney Wasp. The same engine was used in the US Harvard trainer, consequently the Master Mk III sounded like, and was often mistaken for, a Harvard.

  6 March: 1426 Flight was a unit within AFDU but operated as a detached, independent unit, based at nearby Colley Weston airfield. They flew, to my knowledge, a number of German machines including a Heinkel III, a Messerschmitt 110, a Henshall 126, an ME109 and a JU 88. Some time later they also acquired a Focke Wulf FW 190 A3. If their flight plan took them into the sensitive area of the southeast of England, it was necessary to provide a Spitfire escort. On this flight it was the Heinkel III that we escorted to somewhere in 11 Group.

  10 March: Although I made several flights in a Mosquito, I have always regretted that I did not actually fly it solo. On this flight, the wing commander allowed me to take the controls, but as I did not carry out the take-off and landing, I could only claim this and subsequent flights as 2nd pilot. A great pity as the Mossie was such a lovely and successful aircraft.

  11 March: This short flight was caused by a fault in the aircraft, which was corrected and off we went again.

  12 March: S/Ldr Aldis was obviously quite expert and as he did not need any more instruction was sent straight off solo.

  In the Avro Anson, this time it was me who was under instruction. A quick whip round and a couple of landings and S/Ldr Ted Smith passed me proficient to take the ‘Annie’ solo. Some of my older readers may remember motor cars with starting handles (and a few broken wrists). The Anson was a pre-war wood and canvas aeroplane, used by Coastal Command for reconnaissance and for twin-engine training at SFTS. The engines were started by inserting a starting handle in the appropriate hole at the side of the engine cowling and with a few turns to get the prop revolving, hopefully, to start the engine. The undercarriage was retracted and lowered by a hand-winding wheel on the floor behind the pilot and I remember that it took quite a few turns to get the wheels up or down.

  6

  DEVELOPMENT FLIGHT AFDU,

  RAF WITTERING

  It had become obvious that Duxford had become badly overcrowded. Several USAAF squadrons including P47 (Thunderbolts), P38 (Lightnings) and P51 (Mustangs) with all their support units had moved in. It was decided that AFDU and NAFDU would be moved 30–35 miles north, to Wittering, near Stamford in Lincolnshire, while 1426 Enemy Aircraft Flight would be moved to Colley Weston, at the western end of the Wittering complex. The move started around 20th March and, apart from some machines undergoing maintenance in the hangars, was complete by the end of the month.

  YEAR 1943 AIRCRAFT Pilot or 1st Pilot 2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass. DUTY (Including Results and Remarks) Flying Time Passenger

  MONTH DATE Type No. Dual Solo

  March 23rd Boston ? F/Lt Clive Self To Duxford −15

  24th Mustang 1A 442 Self To Wittering −25

  Boston ? S/Ldr Murray Self To Duxford via Grandsen Lodge −25

  Mustang X 107 Self To Wittering −25

  Boston ? F/Lt Clive Self To Duxford via Gransden Lodge −25

  27th Spitfire Vb AFX Self To Duxford −15

  Spitfire Vb AFX Self Co-op Lancaster −45

  Spitfire Vb AFX Self To Wittering −25

  28th Spitfire Vb AFX Self To Duxford −20

  Spitfire Vb AFX Self Co-op Lancaster 1–10

  Spitfire Vb AFX Self To Wittering −40

  29th Spitfire Vb AFX Self To Duxford −20

  Spitfire Vb AFX Self Co-op Lancaster −50

  Spitfire Vb AFX Self To Wittering −15

  Spitfire Vb AFE Self To Colley Weston −10

  30th Mustang 1A 442 Self To Duxford −20

  Mustang 1A 442 Self Co-op Lancaster 1–00

  Mustang 1A 442 Self To Wittering −20

  31st Mustang 1A 442 Self To Duxford −20

  Mustang 1A 442 Self Co-op Lancaster 1–20

  Mustang 1A 442 Self To Wittering −45

  GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 705 hours 25 minutes 3–30 8–25

  60–0 633–30 10.25

  31 March:

  Summary for:- March 1943 1 Spitfire II & V 7–05

  Unit:- AFDU Wittering 2 Spitfire XII 1–30

  Date:- 2/3/43 3 Mustang IA & X 6–30

  Signature:- H.L. Thorne 4 Master III 2–40

  5 Tiger Moth 2–25

  6 Anson −25

  7 Boston Passenger 1–05

  8 Mosquito −30

  Total for month: 20 hours 35 minutes

  Signed: J.H. Hallowes S/Ldr

  O/C Flying AFDU

  Squadron Leader Jim Hallowes was one of the aces who shot down many enemy aircraft in the Battle of Britain. He started off as a Sergeant Pilot in the battles over France and was awarded a DFM. Returning to England, he took part in the July and August battles an
d was awarded a bar to his DFM. Subsequently, he was commissioned and given rapid promotion when, as a Squadron Leader, he was awarded a DFC. When the war ended he was credited with 22 enemy aircraft destroyed. During his brief spell as O/C Flying at AFDU we found him a quiet unassuming man, one of the nicest with whom I served.

  During this month we completed the move to Wittering with almost all personnel and aircraft there by the 23rd. Prior to that date, with many regrets, we gave notice to Guy and Ynez of the move. Our eight months at College Farm had considerably widened our education. Living there was very close to the high society of which we could previously only dream. Guy and his family were part of the landed gentry of Cambridge and Lincolnshire and Ynez, through her father, moved freely in London society.

  Estelle was pregnant in October 1942. I had carried out the Wing Commander’s order! It had taken a little longer than expected but in time to spare Estelle from having to take on some form of war work. So Estelle and I had to move to other accommodation near to the airfield at Wittering. We had not been able to find anything suitable before the move and, despite the expense, had to stay for two or three weeks at the George Hotel in the middle of Stamford. We were beginning to get a bit desperate when we were lucky in being given the name of Mr Fred Walker, a retired bank manager.

  With his wife, Dolly, Fred lived at Chain Cottage, in the village of Easton-on-the-Hill, about two miles south of Stamford and just outside Colley Weston, Wittering’s satellite airfield. For us, this was an ideal situation. Chain Cottage was an old L-shaped place with outbuildings and a large, well-kept walled garden. For a cosy little sitting room, a kitchen and work room on the ground floor, with a bedroom and use of a bathroom, we paid the princely sum of £1.00 per week. Estelle was by then seven months pregnant and the Walkers, both in their seventies, had doubts about the addition of a newborn baby to their household but agreed to give it a whirl. In the event, they came to be very happy about it and Fred in particular made a fuss of baby Gill as if she was his own granddaughter. We spent two very happy years with Fred and Dolly, until March 1945.

  YEAR 1943 AIRCRAFT Pilot or 1st Pilot 2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass. DUTY (Including Results and Remarks) Flying Time Passenger

  MONTH DATE Type No. Dual Solo

  April 1st Spitfire Vb X Self To Duxford −20

  Spitfire Vb X Self Co-op Lancaster and return 1–20

  3rd Mustang X 107 Self Army co-operation 1–20

  Spitfire XII EN223 Self Army co-operation −55

  Spitfire XII EN223 Self Army co-operation −25

  Spitfire Vb 4064 Self Angle of dive test −25

  4th Spitfire Vb X Self Colley-Weston to Wittering −10

  5th Spitfire XII EN230 Self Scramble −50

  6th Spitfire XII EN230 Self Duxford to Wittering −25

  Boston ? S/Ldr Murray Self To Duxford −20

  8th Spitfire IX 860 Self Local flying −15

  9th Typhoon 622 Self To Duxford −25

  Typhoon 622 Self To base at Wittering −25

  10th Typhoon 622 Self Handling −45

  11th Typhoon 622 Self Handling 1–10

  Typhoon 622 Self Dog fighting v. Mosquito −35

  12th Mosquito 666 F/O Corser Self Speed runs 1–00

  13th Heston Phoenix ? Self To Foulsham −45

  Phoenix ? Self F/O Corser To Duxford −55

  Phoenix ? Self F/O Corser To base −40

  14th Spitfire Vb AD318 Self To Feltwell −25

  Spitfire Vb AD318 Self To Wittering −35

  17th Spitfire IX JK860 Self To Duxford. Fuel consumption test at 14,000ft 1–00

  Spitfire IX JK860 Self To base and repeat the above test 1–00

  Spitfire IX JK860 Self Consumption test at 17,000ft 1–20

  18th Spitfire IX AF10 Self Operational scramble to 25,000ft −40

  Spitfire IX AF10 Self Air test 1–05

  Spitfire IX JK860 Self Consumption test 1–05

  20th Spitfire IX JK860 Self Operational scramble to 28,000feet. Landed at Coltishall 1–05

  Spitfire IX JK860 Self Operation. I was scrambled direct from Coltishall but had to abort as my oxygen bottle had not been replaced. −40

  Spitfire IX JK860 Self To Ibsley at 35,000 feet −45

  Spitfire IX JK860 Self To base at 35,000 feet −50

  22nd Spitfire Vc AF6 Self Harness test −20

  24th Spitfire Vc AF6 Self To Duxford −25

  Spitfire Vc AF6 Self Camera work −20

  Spitfire XII EN230 Self Camera work −25

  Spitfire XII EN230 Self Camera work −25

  Mosquito 666 F/O Corser Self To base −30

  26th Oxford BG549 Self F/Lt Sewell To Martlesham Heath −45

  Oxford BG549 Self F/Lt Sewell To base 1–00

  28th Heston Phoenix ? Self F/Lt Simms To Duxford −35

  H. Phoenix ? Self F/Lt Simms To base −45

  GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 733 hours 10 minutes 3–30 8–25

  60–00 661–15 12–15

  4 April: A bit of a leg pull here: Colley Weston and Wittering were one and the same, the latter to the east alongside the A1 main road and the former to the west about three miles away. Seeing the need for an emergency runway the Commanding Officer at Wittering cleared the land between the two airfields, creating an enormous ‘dumbbell’ some three and half miles long. It was mainly used by bombers in trouble, particularly the American B17 Flying Fortresses that had been damaged in the daylight raids of 1943–45.

  5 April: At AFDU the operation machines, Spitfires, Mustangs etc. carried out their tasks fully armed and ready for action. I was about to take-off for a normal test flight when an enemy PRU JU86 was detected over the east coast. I was immediately ordered by control to attempt an interception but, seeing me climbing to intercept, the enemy pilot dived to pick up speed and went home.

  9 April: My first flight in a Hawker Typhoon (known as the ‘Tiffie’). The Typhoon was the successor to the Hurricane but was a very different aircraft. It was much larger and heavier, powered by a Napier Sabre liquid-cooled engine of over 2,000 HP. At lower levels it was faster than most of its contemporaries but not ideal for close dog-fighting. Heavily armed with four 20mm cannons and later one of the first to carry RPs (Rocket Projectiles), it was able to take considerable punishment and came into its own as a tank buster.

  12 April: On this flight I acted as observer taking down the instrument readings, leaving F/O Corser free to do the flying but, as stated earlier, I still regret that I did not fly a Mossie as first pilot.

  13 April: I got a treat for my 23rd birthday, to fly a new type, the little Phoenix four-seat high-wing passenger plane.

  As can be seen, for a few weeks we had frequent trips to Duxford to collect aircraft and maintenance personnel who were not able to move with the main group. We were sorry to lose the Americans, we enjoyed some of their mess treats and made many friends. Estelle and I had made one good friend in particular. One of the Squadron IOs (Intelligence Officers) was Captain Fergie Prince. He was a frequent visitor to College Farm, usually with a box of goodies for Estelle. In the main we got on well with those chaps, except on one or two occasions.

  The Red Lion hotel at Whittlesford was a favourite watering hole but it took some time for the ‘Yanks’ to get used to our licensing laws. One dark night in the late winter, the landlord called last orders at the usual time. One of the American pilots, a little chap, all of 5 foot nothing, was loath to drink up and had to be persuaded by his friends to leave. Out in the car park he showed his displeasure by drawing his revolver and firing several shots into the hotel wall. The civilian police were informed but failed to arrive before the Americans had returned to camp. The following morning a strong complaint was made by the police who demanded the name of the guilty officer. The American C/O called for the guilty party to own up and when he failed to do so all American flying personnel were confined to camp until further notice. Somewhat upset, some of his ‘friends’ took the law into their own hands; that evening they cau
ght him in the mess ante-room and stripped him naked. Before they could take further action, the youngster, enraged, stepped back, tripped on the large open fireplace and sat backwards on to the fire that burned therein. He suffered burns to his nether regions and spent some weeks in hospital. We never saw him again, so I assume he was posted back home in disgrace.

  There was also some trouble over gambling in the mess, caused by some RAF officers being foolish enough to get involved in high stakes poker. The American boys could, in the main, afford their losses but the Brits could not. The British C/O wisely put all gambling in the mess out of bounds to RAF personnel.

  17 April: As these tests were done at medium altitude, I assume that 860 was an LF (Low Flying) version of the Mk IX, when the two-stage supercharger would have cut in at 12 and 18,000 feet.

  18 April: Another crack at a PRU JU86. These Luftwaffe machines had specially tuned engines for high-altitude flight. I saw it far away to the south, but it was the boys from North Weald who shot it down. I like to think he was watching me and failed to see them climbing up to the south into the sun.

  20 April: As early as this, the Germans were expecting a repeat of the Dieppe raid and possibly a full-scale invasion attempt. Their PRU aircraft came over most days, flying at heights above 35,000 feet but they usually turned for home as soon as they saw RAF fighters climbing up to intercept. They would go into a shallow dive to pick up speed and were most difficult to catch. So this was another one that got away despite my battle climb at full throttle. As AFDU included the latest version of Spitfires and Mustangs, in the hope of one day achieving success, the unit maintained at all times a flight of two Spitfire Mk IXs, a Mustang X and later, a Spitfire Mk XIV. The latter aircraft, with its superb climbing speed, had a real chance of catching one of the JU88s.

  24 April: The Spitfire Vc had a slightly different wing, to take two 20mm cannons on each side. The installation was never really successful and was not liked by the pilots. Despite this, many Spitfires came out of the factories with the ‘C’ wing but the extra cannons were not fitted and the stub apertures were blanked off.