A Very Unusual Air War
Page 18
MONTH DATE Type No. Dual Solo
August 1st Avro Anson ? Self 2 ‘Erks’ Air test −30
3rd FW 190 PM679 Self Air experience −30
6th Oxford BG549 F/Lt Sewell Self To Newmarket −40
Oxford BG549 F/Lt Sewell Self To Hornchurch −30
Oxford BG549 F/Lt Sewell Self To White Waltham −15
Oxford BG549 F/Lt Sewell Self To Langley −15
Oxford BG549 Self To base 1–00
7th Hurricane KX581 Self Compass test 1–05
8th Spitfire Vb AF8 Self Compass test −45
9th Phoenix 2891 Self F/O Borham To White Waltham 1–00
Phoenix 2891 Self F/O Borham To Langley −15
Typhoon EK290 Self To base −35
10th Spitfire VIII JF299 Self To test new shape canopy known as the ‘Tear Drop’ −35
12th FW 190 PM679 Self Advanced handling −25
Mustang X AM203 Self Gun sight trial −25
Mustang III AM107 Self Gun sight trial −55
13th FW 190 PM679 Self Handling. Gun-post beat up −25
15th FW 190 PM679 Self To North Weald −40
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fight versus Spitfire Mk IX −30
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fights versus Spitfire Mk IX −30
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fights versus Mosquitos −40
16th FW 190 PM679 Self To Biggin Hill −30
17th FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fights v. the Biggin Squadron’s Spitfires. Landed at Northolt −45
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fight v. Spitfire IXs. Landed 21.00 hrs on flarepath −25
18th FW 190 PM679 Self To Hornchurch −30
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fight v. Spitfire IXs −25
19th FW 190 PM679 Self To Kenley −20
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fights and beat up −30
20th FW 190 PM679 Self To Tangmere −30
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fights and beat up −35
21st FW 190 PM679 Self To Ibsley −30
Oxford V6791 Self To Westcott via Tangmere 1–10
Oxford V6791 Self To Ibsley 1–10
22nd FW 190 PM679 Self To Exeter −40
FW 190 PM679 Self Beat-up −30
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fights and beat-up −30
23rd FW 190 PM679 Self To Portreath −40
24th FW 190 PM679 Self To Colerne −45
FW 190 PM679 Self To Wittering −50
29th Oxford V6791 Self BAT (Blind approach trainng) 1–10
30th Mustang III AM107 Self Air test −10
Oxford V6791 F/Lt Meredith Self BAT 1–00
Oxford V6791 W/O ? Self BAT 1–00
31st Spitfire Vb AF8 Self Cine film −45
Spitfire Vb AF8 Self Cine film −35
Spitfire Vb AF8 Self Cine film −30
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE: 855 hours 35 mins 3–30 9–15
60–00 782–50 15–00
1 August: My first flight in an Anson, another pre-war, wood and fabric, twin-engine aircraft. There was no question of my being given any instruction or a conversion course; I was just told to get in and fly it. The two members of ground staff must have had supreme confidence in my ability as they came along for the ride.
3 August: The German pilot, Uffz Heinz Ehrhardt, when landing at Manston, had not been kind enough to bring with him a set of Pilot’s Notes for the FW190. I was dependent on the few instructions Susie had given me prior to being posted away. As many things were different, I spent three days studying the 190, the movement of the controls and particularly checking the radio and oxygen systems before making my first flight. This delay caused a severe brush with Squadron Leader Dyson, who was under pressure from Air Ministry to get going on the programme, in particular the visits to our fighter bases in the south of England. In the event, and being extremely careful, I made my maiden flight with no problems at all.
6 August: These flights were to attend the court of enquiry into our Mosquito crash.
Sadly, that day I had to leave Susie to take up the first part of his move to non-flying duties; it was with great regret and a real sense of loss that I waved goodbye.
15 August: This was the start of a ten-day tour of fighter stations in the southeast part of Britain, from which most of the attacks on the Germans in France and Belgium were launched. It was my first demonstration of the 190’s capabilities in mock combat. I merely threw the 190 around, particularly demonstrating its wonderful rolling performance, while the Spitfire pilots took turns to attack. I hardly had time to draw breath before they had me up for a repeat performance. It was the same when I was on the ground; all the boys wanted to examine the 190 at close quarters and have their turn to sit in the cockpit.
17 August: I continued to play with them the next morning before going on to land at Biggin Hill. This was one of the most famous Battle of Britain airfields and this was my first visit there.
The Polish Wing of three Squadrons was based at Northolt. Well known for their undying hatred of the Germans, they were all eager to have a go at the 190. I just hoped they would all remember that it was just an exercise and not for real.
The Polish chaps kept me going until it was dark, so I performed a night landing, with some trepidation but no trouble. On one of these mock combats one of the Spits developed engine trouble and peeled off streaming black smoke. I had a momentary fear that the Poles would think I had shot it down and, being notoriously trigger happy, take a shot at me. Their Group Captain was flying with them and kept them under control.
18 August: When flying the Focke Wulf I always had a Spitfire escort, usually two aircraft. At Hornchurch, as I arrived in the circuit, the resident Squadron was returning from a sweep. The Squadron Leader, seeing a FW190 in the circuit, gave me a bad moment when he started an attack, only stopping at the last minute when he saw that my wheels and flaps were down. A clean pair of pants was required! After that, when flying in 11-Group airspace (the S.E. corner of England), I had a 4-Spit escort.
19 August: The FW190, with its high wing loading, had a landing touch-down speed of 100/110 mph, compared to a Spit’s 80/85 mph, and usually a longer landing run. It was left to my discretion whether I went into airfields such as Kenley with a short runway. As most of my operational flying was from Kenley, I felt that I had to make the attempt and, in the event, had no trouble.
At Kenley, my old station with 602 Squadron, I could not resist doing an aerobatic beat-up at low level as part of my demonstration. Show off! I wonder whether any of my WAAF friends were there to see it.
20 August: Having spent some time in the Tangmere sector whilst serving with 41 Squadron, I treated them to a display of low aerobatics as well. The FW190 had a phenomenal rate of roll and my party trick was to dive from 1,000 feet, pull back the stick to almost vertical, apply full throttle and perform a series of climbing rolls, left then right, until the speed dropped to near stall. 8½ rolls was my record and onlookers were always impressed.
I spent that night in the Tangmere Officers’ Mess and witnessed one of the war’s tragedies: late evening, we heard a large aircraft, which turned out to be a four-engined Halifax, circling the airfield in an attempt to land but obviously in trouble, with two engines badly damaged. The pilot made two abortive attempts to land, managing to stagger round again. At the third try he touched the runway, swung violently to port, stalled and pancaked on to two of the hangars. What we did not know was that a tannoy message had gone out ordering all personnel to evacuate the airfield as the Halifax still had an unexploded 4,000 lb. bomb on board. The Officers’ Mess tannoy system had failed and we had not heard the message, so we streamed to the scene of the crash, where the Halifax and two hangars were burning furiously. Only the tail-gunner was still alive, trapped in the turret; we could do nothing to help as he burned to death. Meanwhile, a young corporal of the crash crew had enlisted our help and two Spitfires were pushed clear and saved. Two others and five Typhoons were destroyed.
The crew of the Halifax all perished in the blaze. The following morning th
ey could only be found by rows of buttons and belt buckles. That young corporal showed great bravery and should have received a medal. The information about the bomb proved to be false.
21 August: I sneaked a trip to Westcott for a quick visit to Mother, Gwen and family at Poletrees.
22 August: These ‘beat-ups’, low-level dives on the airfield, were authorised to show off the fantastic rate of roll of the 190. Thrills galore!
23 August: Portreath was a very small grass airfield, sloping up from the cliffs on the north coast of Cornwall, an approach from the sea to the upward-sloping field. To make matters worse, I had been fired on by members of a coastal defence ack-ack battery who had apparently not been warned of a visiting enemy aircraft. As usual (Deo Volente) they missed. Despite the problems I decided to have a go and landed safely.
24 August: The short flight to Colerne included displays at both airfields and demonstrating the 190 to resident Mosquito squadrons.
The return ended two weeks on detachment with intensive flying activity. Wherever I went, the Focke Wulf aroused great interest, so I was kept busy even when on the ground. Everyone wanted to sit in the cockpit and have his (or her) questions answered. At one airfield, the station commander, a Group Captain who shall remain nameless, asked me to show him the taps so that he could fly the FW. I explained that I had no authority to allow anyone else to fly the machine as it was, at that time, the only airworthy version in Allied hands. He did not take kindly to a refusal from a mere Flight Lieutenant and pulled rank, saying I was under his command while on his station. I stuck to my guns and he eventually backed off. Back at Wittering I reported this occurrence and, to cover me in future, I was given a letter from the Ministry confirming the position.
I was glad to return to Wittering for a well-earned four-day rest for the aircraft and me. I also greatly appreciated the hardworking ground crew who kept the 190 in such good trim.
30 August: These were training flights in making blind approach and landings, using a variation of the American Lorenz system: all dots and dashes!
31 August: Back to routine test work. What an anti-climax this was after that fortnight with the 190.
Summary for:- August 1943 1. Anson −40
Unit:- AFDU Duxford 2. FW 190 12–35
Date:- 7/9/43 3. Oxford 8–10
Signature:- H.L.Thorne 4. Hurricane 1–05
5. Spitfire V 2–35
6. Phoenix 1–15
7. Typhoon −35
8. Spitfire VIII −35
9. Mustang III 1–05
10. Mustang X −25
Signed: R.A. Mitchell S/Ldr
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
September 1st Spitfire Vb AF8 Self Cine films −20
2nd Spitfire Vb AF8 Self Cine films 1–20
Spitfire IX AF10 Self Test harness −20
Spitfire IX JF359 Self Test harness and fuel injection pump −15
Spitfire XII EN222 Self Local air test −20
3rd FW 190 PM679 Self Local −15
4th FW 190 PM679 Self To Aston Down −40
FW 190 PM679 Self Low aerobatics and beat-up −20
5th FW 190 PM679 Self To Benson −20
FW 190 PM679 Self Trials at 26,000ft v. PRU Mosquitos −55
6th Spitfire XI PRU Self Local at Benson −35
FW 190 PM679 Self Benson to Coltishall −50
FW 190 PM679 Self To base −40
8th Spitfire XII EN222 Self Co-op Lancaster −50
Proctor 220 Self To Farnborough 1–00
Proctor 220 Self To base 1–10
12th Oxford BG549 S/Ldr Mitchell Self To Cranfield −50
Spitfire Vc AB169 Self To base −20
13th FW 190 PM679 Self Air test −20
Oxford BG549 S/Ldr Mitchell Self To Great Massingham −30
Spitfire Vb AF2 Self To base −30
14th FW 190 PM679 Self To Syerston −40
FW 190 PM679 Self Co-op Lancaster & return to base 1–15
15th FW 190 PM679 Self To Rednal −55
FW 190 PM679 Self Dog fight and demonstration −20
FW 190 PM679 Self Aerobatic demonstration −15
16th FW 190 PM679 Self To Hibaldstow −50
Oxford BG549 Self F/Sgt Helens To Wittering −40
17th Oxford BG549 Self F/Sgt Helens To Hibaldstow −40
19th FW 190 PM679 Self To Eshott 1–00
21st Oxford BG549 F/O Barr Self To Wittering −30
23rd Spitfire L2C Self Films at 3G −30
Seafire L2C Self Films at 3G −20
Hurricane IV Self Films at 3G −25
24th Hurricane IV Self Films at 3G −20
Oxford BG549 Self S/Ldr Hobhouse To Farnborough −50
Oxford BG549 Self S/Ldr Hobhouse To base −50
25th Boston F/O Gough Self To Eschott 1–15
26th FW 190 PM679 Self To base 1–05
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 880 hours 45 mins 3–30 9–15
60–00 808–00 16–15
2 September: I cannot remember much about the harness. Apart from light aircraft – Phoenix, Magister, etc. – we always wore a parachute that buckled at the front. The metal tags on the safety straps pushed into spring-loaded slots in a circular box. The straps were released by turning the front face of the box through 45° and striking it with the heel or palm of the hand.
As I said earlier, Merlin-engined aircraft, the Spitfire, Hurricane and Defiant, suffered the disadvantage of loss of power under negative ‘G’ Various temporary expedients were tried and it took a long time to catch up with the Luftwaffe’s fuel injection system.
4 September: After visits to some of the 11 Group fighter stations made famous in the Battle of Britain, Command decided that the 190 should continue with demonstrations at OTUs, PR Units and some light bomber airfields.
5 September: Benson was a most interesting visit. The 190 evoked the usual interest from all personnel but here I had the pleasure and honour to meet Air Commodore Sir John Boothman, the AOC (Air Officer Commanding) PRU. He was a member of the pre-war Schneider Trophy team. He was most interested in the 190 and spent some time sitting in the cockpit while I explained things. He asked whether it would be possible to fly it during my visit but fully understood my position when I told him about the Air Ministry letter. As I was sure that an exception would be made, I suggested that his adjutant telephone the Air Ministry. Of course, there was no hesitation in granting his request.
I then had the pleasure of giving him further instruction and off he went, to return some time later and make a perfect landing. He thanked me most profusely and allowed me to fly any PRU aircraft of my choice. Again, I missed the chance to fly a Mossie but I did fly a PRU Mark XI Spitfire. With no guns and polished, it was a joy, reckoned to be so fast and able to fly so high that it could not be caught.
6 September: The end of another week on detachment.
8 September: Another first flight. The little Percival Proctor was a small 4-seater cabin plane, used for training and communications.
15 September: The Station Commander at RAF Rednal was Group Captain Richard Atcherley, one of identical twins, both Group Captains in the RAF. They were well known for their practical jokes, often at the expense of the gate guards. Richard, too, said he would like to fly the 190 but accepted my refusal with good grace. He survived the war but was lost some years later when crossing the Mediterranean flying a Meteor. Rednal was a fighter Operational Training Unit, so my dogfight would have been versus Harvards.
16 September: Oh dear! Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary and I was off on another week of detached duty. I managed to sneak back to Wittering in the Oxford and have a night at Easton with Estelle after all.
19 September: During this flight to Eshott the engine of the Focke Wulf started to run rougher than usual; compared with a Merlin, it always felt rough. D
espite the efforts of my ground crew, they failed to cure the trouble and the next flight in the Oxford to Wittering was to fetch an ignition harness that had been stripped from a crashed aircraft. This was fitted to PM679 but failed to effect any improvement. Rather than using a ‘Queen Mary’ road transport, which meant dismantling the 190. I volunteered to fly it back to Wittering a few days later, on the 26th, following a route and height which kept me within gliding distance of one of the many airfields on the route. Fortunately, the BMW 801 engine kept running and I landed safely and very relieved at Wittering. When the engine was dismantled, a hole the size of a half-crown (nearly 2 inches) was found in the crown of one of the pistons.
23 September: The L2C was actually a Seafire of the Fleet Air Arm, courtesy of NAFDU, and is correctly named in the second entry.
It was difficult and tiring to hold a 3G tight turn, hence the short flights.
25 September: F/O Gough was second in command of 1426 and he came with me to Escott to offer help with the 190 and fly as escort back to Wittering.
Summary for:- September 1943 1. Spitfire II & V 2–30
Unit:- AFDU Wittering 2. Spitfire IX −35
Date:- 15/10/43 3. Spitfire XI −35
Signature:- H.L. Thorne 4. Spitfire XII 1–10
5. Seafire L2C −50
6. FW190 10–40
7. Proctor 2–10
8. Hurricane −45
9. Oxford 5–55
10. Boston 1–15
Signed: S.H. Dyson S/Ldr
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
October 8th Oxford V3791 Self 1 passenger To Duxford −30
Oxford V3791 Self 1 passenger To Farnborough −45