Flying Machines
of 24 – Grumman Goose
It's the turn of the Grumman Goose in this issue and as always we
would like to hear from any of the members or anyone else who reads
this, probably via the web who has experience of this particular aircraft..
The Squadron only flew one serial of those types between Jan 1943
to Jan 1944, namely MV993.
Grumman Goose
The Grumman G-21 Goose amphibious flying boat was designed as a ten-seat
"commuter" plane for businessmen in the Long Island area.
The Goose was Grumman's first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined
aircraft and its first aircraft to enter commercial airline service.
During World War II, the Goose became an effective transport for the
US military and Coast Guard, as well as serving with many other air
forces. During hostilities, the Goose took on an increasing number
of combat and training roles. In postwar use, the adaptable little
transport continued in use.
Design and development
In 1937, the Grumman Model G-21 was designed as a light amphibian
transport. The typical Grumman rugged construction was matched to
an all-metal, high-winged monoplane powered by two 450-horsepower
Pratt and Whitney Wasp Jr. nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines
mounted on the leading edge of high-set wings. The deep fuselage served
also as a hull and was equipped with hand-cranked retractable landing
gear. The versatile fuselage provided generous interior space and
allowed fitting for either a a transport or luxury airliner role.
Having an amphibious configuration also allowed the G-21 to go just
about anywhere.
Operational service
Envisioned as corporate or private "flying yachts" for Manhattan
millionaires, initial production models normally carried two-three
passengers and had a bar and small toilet installed. As well as being
marketed to small air carriers, the G-21 was also promoted as a military
transport. In 1938, the US Army Air Force purchased the type as the
OA-9 (later, in the war years, examples bought from civilian owners
were designated the OA-13A) the US Navy variants were called the JRF.
The amphibian was soon adopted by the Coast Guard and, during World
War II, it also served with the RCAF in transport, reconnaissance,
rescue and training roles and for air-sea rescue duties by the RAF.
It was while serving with the RAF that it received the name "Goose".
Returning to civilian service after the war, the Goose found use from
the wilderness of Alaska to the sunny climes of Catalina.
A total of 345 were built, with about 60 still airworthy today, some
of them in modified forms, such as the Turbo-Goose.
General characteristics
" Crew: two
" Length: 38 ft 4 in (11.7 m)
" Wingspan: 49 ft (14.9 m)
" Height: 12 ft (3.7 m)
" Wing area: 375 ft² (34.8 m²)
" Empty weight: 5,571 lb (2,527 kg)
" Loaded weight: 7,200 lb (3,273 kg)
" Max takeoff weight: 8,200 lb (3,720 kg)
" Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior SB-2 air-cooled
radials, 450 hp (340 kW) each
Performance
" Maximum speed: 184 mph (296 km/h)
" Range: 1,050 mi (1,690 km)
" Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
" Rate of climb: 1,240 ft/min (380 m/min)
" Wing loading: 21.9 lb/ft² (106.9 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb (0.18 kW/kg)
Armament
" 2 x .50-cal machine guns
2 x 250-lb depth charges
Affectionately
nicknamed "Goose," the G-21 was Grumman's first monoplane
to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and its first aircraft to
enter commercial airline service. This remarkably versatile amphibian
has served for over fifty years in a variety of roles that have confirmed
the strength and durability of its original design.
The inspiration for the G-21 came from a syndicate of ten wealthy
New York businessmen and aviators led by Wilton Lloyd-Smith who were
seeking a replacement for the Loening Air Yacht they used to commute
from their Long Island homes to their offices in Manhattan. In 1936
they approached Grover Loening, who declined but suggested that the
syndicate contact the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, for
which Loening consulted and which he had helped finance. Leroy Grumman
accepted and immediately went to work with designer and company cofounder
William Schwendler, as well as hydrodynamicist Ralston Stalb to build
the new G-21 amphibian air yacht.'
The outline of the new design emerged quickly, revealing a stubby
yet graceful aircraft. Constructed of 24ST AlcIad aluminium, the G-21
was an all-metal, high-winged monoplane powered by two 450-horsepower
Pratt and Whitney Wasp Jr. nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines
mounted on the leading edge of the high-set wings. The deep fuselage
served also as a hull and was equipped with hand-cranked retractable
landing gear. Inside the cabin was room for four to six passengers
and a flight crew of two. Depending on the level of comfort desired
by the individual customer, the G-21 could be fitted with a galley
and a lavatory. Floats were suspended beneath each wing and a conventional
cruciform tail section installed.
On May 29, 1937, the G-21 completed its first test flight, piloted
by Robert L. Hall and Bud Gillies from Grumman's Bethpage, New York,
factory. Flight trials went smoothly and after a lengthening of the
hull step to improve the aircraft's performance on the water, the
aircraft was readied for production. The performance of the G-21 was
praiseworthy for its time and rivalled commercial airliners in service.
With a cruising speed of 290 kilometres per hour (180 miles per hour),
the G-21 possessed a range of 1,300 kilometres (800 miles).
On July 3, just five weeks after its maiden fright, the first of twelve
G-21s ordered was delivered to its initial customers, Wilton Lloyd-Smith
and department store heir Marshall Field Ill. Soon other wealthy owners
were enjoying the exemplary flight characteristics and handling of
the G-21 Goose. Among those customers were financiers Henry H. Morgan
and E. Roland Harriman, C. W. Deeds of United Aircraft, Colonel McCormick
of the Chicago Tribune, Boris Sergievsky, test pilot for Sikorsky
Aircraft, and Britain's Lord Beaverbrook. In addition, two were purchased
by Asiatic Petroleum. Soon these aircraft were modified to G-21A standards
with Wasp Jr. SB-2 engines, an increase in certificated gross weight
from 7,500 to 8,000 pounds, and a slightly modified hull to reduce
water spray.
The popularity of the G-21 spread as its versatility became well-known
throughout the aviation community. Soon orders came in to Grumman
from airlines, the military, and foreign customers, impressed by the
G-21 's potential. Lloyd Aereo Boliviano (LAB) was the first airline
to purchase the G-21 but did not put it into service. KNILM, the Dutch
East Indies subsidiary of KLM, acquired two G-21's and operated them
from 1940 until early 1942 when the last one was shot down by the
invading Japanese. The coming of World War II prevented the adoption
of the Goose on a wider scale by airlines until after the cessation
of hostilities.
In 1938, the Royal Canadian Air Force was the first military service
to recognize the abilities of the Goose when it ordered one in June
of that year, followed soon by orders from the U.S. Army and Navy,
as well as the Peruvian Air Force and the Portuguese Navy. During
World War II, the Army was the first to order a substantial quantity,
operating 26 as OA-9s and OA-13s. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard operated
169 "Gooses" designated as JRFs in utility, transport, and
antisubmarine duty. In total, the air forces and navies of eleven
nations have flown the Goose. France flew at least fifteen in combat
in Indochina where several JRFs were armed with bombs and machine
guns. A total of 345 G-21s were produced by October 1945 when production
ended.
While most of the G-21s were quickly phased out of military service
after World War II, the Goose renewed its career as an airliner in
earnest. Uniquely adapted for travel in virtually any environment,
the Goose saw widespread service with small airlines in the Caribbean,
California, and Alaska. Among those flying the G-21 were Reeve Aleutian
Airways, Alaska Coastal Airlines, Chalk's Flying Service, and Mackey
Airlines. Antilles Air Boats was particularly noted for flying the
Goose around the Caribbean from their base in St. Croix in the Virgin
lslands. Avalon Air Transport (later Catalina Airlines) competed for
a while with Catalina Seaplanes, connecting southern California with
Catalina Island.
The Goose still flies today, in its original form and also modified
with turboprop engines for increased performance. For over fifty years
the rugged and versatile G-21 has performed its daily tasks providing
much needed service carrying passengers and freight throughout the
world.
Foot note - a
search on the web has MV993 listed as capsizing on 2nd Sep 1945 at
Calshot operating for the Met Comms Flt.
Sources:
1. Putnams Aircraft of the RAF p367
2. Wikipedia
3. Smithsonian Museum
Operational
Aircraft used in the Great War by 24 Squadron.
Simon
Batchelor very kindly offered to put together an article on his passion,
i.e. the history of XXIV aircraft. So read on for a bit more detail
of the trials and tribulations of operating such aircraft in those days.
After
working up to operational status over the winter of 1915/1916 the squadron
was posted to France.
The
initial equipment was the Airco DH2, and 12 of these machines set off
on the 7th February 1916 to St. Omer in northern France, only 10 managing
the channel crossing. The remainder of the squadron complement proceeding
via Southampton, Le Harve, Rouen and Abbeville. On the 10th February
the squadron moved into its permanent base at Bertangles, near Amiens,
and started operations immediately as the first dedicated Scout or Fighter
squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.
Almost
3 years to the day on February 11th 1919 the remains of the squadron
returned as a Cadre to London Colney. In that time three major types
formed the equipment, the DH2, the DH5 and the SE5A, and the role changed
from Fighter to Ground Attack and then back again. 297 enemy aircraft
(including observation balloons) were destroyed , 2277no. 25lb bombs
were dropped , and 100,572 rounds were fired at ground targets . In
addition 360 reconnaissance flights were made, these being noted as
such in the History of 24 Squadron published after WWI, and many more
patrols were carried out without resulting in contact with the enemy.
The
cost of these efforts were 24 pilots were killed in action, 17 were
killed in flying accidents, 3 more were listed as missing in late 1918,
and 19 wounded. 13 more were taken as prisoners of war, of which 3 were
wounded. The high number killed in accidents illustrates the dangerous
nature of flying in the early days, as there were many more accidents,
which resulted in injuries if not in fatalities.
The
Aircraft
Airco DH2
The prototype of the aeroplane was designed by Geoffrey De Havilland
and made is first flight on the 1st June 1915, in appearance it resembled
a scaled down DH1A, an earlier type operated as a training craft by
24 squadron. It was a single seat pusher biplane powered by a variety
of Gnome, Le Rhone and Clerget rotary engines, giving a top speed of
93mph. This was relatively high for 1915, and it also had a higher rate
of climb, and better manoeuvrability than the enemies Fokker monoplanes.
These had been causing very high casualties in the spotter aircraft
operated by the RFC, since the "Fokker Scourge" days of 1915.
The
DH2 was chosen as the sole initial operational equipment of 24 Squadron,
but individual aircraft were allocated to squadrons already operating
in France on a trial basis. So they were not the first operators, but
they were the first as a wholly equipped unit. Early use in France resulted
in 2 deaths caused by failure to recover from a spin. Techniques for
recovery were not taught to service pilots during training at that time,
and worries developed about the safety of the aircraft. 24 Squadron's
commander, Major Lanoe Hawker, demonstrated spin recovery to his pilots
and then explained the technique, and losses were much reduced, at least
to that cause.
Sadly
the Gnome 100hp monosoupape engines had tendency to shear tappet rods,
which reduced power or sent metal flying into the airframe. Either result
would cause problems, but they also were prone to cylinder loss. In
a rotary engine where the whole engine spins around a stationary crankshaft
the loss of a cylinder could cause major airframe damage and subsequent
loss of life. This problem was never resolved and various other engines
were tried to remedy the situation. Another change tried in order to
improve performance was the use of a RAF FE2 blade propeller, this gave
a marginal improvement. Some new production machines with Clerget engines
were fitted with 4 blade propellers as standard.
The
introduction of 24 Squadron and its DH2's, together with later fighter
squadrons 29 & 32, much reduced the aerial supremacy established
by the German Air Force's Fokker monoplanes during 1915. The "Fokkers"
key advantage had lain in it's forward facing machine gun armament,
which by using interrupter gear fired bullets through the propeller
arc. Thus the whole aircraft could be aimed at the opponent, and marksmanship
was therefore improved. The British designers had yet to perfect interrupter
gear of their own and a simple solution was to have a rear facing pusher
engine, so that the bullets did not have pass through the propeller.
Initial
flights by 24 squadron had included escort of spotter aircraft and "line"
patrols, there were encounters with enemy aircraft but none were shot
down. This was attributed to poor gunnery so the squadron had an aircraft
shape cut into the chalk subsoil on the airfield at Bertangles for practice
purposes. How much use this would be must be debatable but it does show
initiative. There were also problems with bracing the Lewis machine
gun against recoil, and 24 Squadron introduced a clamp, in spite of
official approval of a movable mounting.
The
DH2's introduction, together with tactics developed by 24 Squadron helped
to wrest air superiority from the Germans during the summer of 1916.
They responded by introducing "Flying Circuses" were large
numbers of aircraft were concentrated together. The circus moved from
base to base so as to meet threats as they appeared, and were able to
combat local air superiority.
The
German air force introduced the Albatros D1 during September 1916 and
this new aircraft had superior performance to the DH2, and it also carried
two machine guns ensuring that the De Haviland's period of ascendancy
was to come to a rapid end. Nevertheless 24 Squadron had one notable
success on the 28th October 1916 when, in a dog fight, C flights aircraft
caused Hptm Oswald Boelcke the famous Ace & commander of Jasta 2
to collide with another aircraft.
Boelcke
was succeeded by Manfred von Richtofen, the "Red Baron" who
was responsible for many 24 squadron losses, most notably Major Lanoe
Hawker VC. After a running battle between the two on the 23rd November
1916, which lasted 45 minutes, Hawker was shot down. Upon examination
of his downed aircraft the only one bullet had struck the DH2, which
had hit Major Hawker in the head!
24 Squadron carried on with the DH2 until May 1917, against more and
more superior enemy machines, in that time 44 aircraft were destroyed.
Three
Aces shot down 5 or more E/A using 24 Squadron DH2's
Capt Alan M Wilkinson
2nd Lt Eric C Pashley
2nd Lt Kelvin Crawford
Trial Aircraft
While
researching 24 squadron aircraft over the last few years a number of
unusual aircraft have appeared in various records. However I think that
I may have solved a small riddle, from information in the 1919 book
"A History of 24 Squadron", (reprinted by the Naval and Military
Press). The writer notes five "attached" officers from the
18th June 1916, and two of these, 2nd Lt Bayetto and 2nd Lt Prothero,
are also in the combat records.
On
July 1st 2nd Lt Bayetto forced an enemy aircraft to land whilst flying
a Morane Type N Bullet monoplane. A photograph showing Morane serial
A178 in a line up of DH2s is on the wall in 24 Squadrons current offices,
and I had often wondered why it was there.
On
July 2nd Lt Prothero caused an enemy aircaft to crash while flying a
Bristol Scout D serial 5557, I am still looking for a picture of this
aircraft, so any help would be gratefully received.
A
Bristol Scout C serial 5308 was attached to 24 Squadron on the 27th
May 1916, this aircraft was later used by 2nd Lt Prothero, to shoot
down another EA whilst he was with 4 Squadron.
Another
researcher has listed a Royal Aircraft Factory FE8 with 24 Squadron,
a few of these single seat pusher engine scouts were sent to operational
squadrons for trials in the summer of 1916, so it may be that one was
tried. However I have yet to unearth a serial or other reference so
this will have to remain a "possible".
Airco DH5
Whilst
24 Squadron was reaching its first anniversary, the prototype of the
DH5 appeared at Hendon. Its roots were in Geoffrey De Haviland's initial
ideas for a fighting scout aircraft, which predated the DH2. Namely
a tractor engine aircraft with fixed forward firing armament and the
best possible view.
The
development of effective interrupter gear enabled these thoughts to
crystallise in the DH5, a single bay biplane with 110hp Le Rhone rotary
engine, and a single Vickers gun. The most pronounced feature was the
back stagger of its upper wing, which was mounted behind the lower wing.
This meant the pilot was positioned ahead of the upper wing leading
edge, giving an excellent view ahead both above and ahead of the line
of flight.
The aircraft's Vickers gun was mounted off set to port because the chambers
had a right hand feed at that time, and this off-setting enabled the
largest possible magazine to be installed. Tests of the prototype carried
out at home, and in France (possibly by 24 Squadron pilots) resulted
in good reports and 400 were ordered on the 15th January 1917.
Early
deliveries came some 10 weeks later but introduction into service was
delayed. Both vibration problems, and the need to improve the interrupter
gear, held things up. Engine bearers were strengthened, as was the cowling,
which helped with the vibration. Originally the interrupter gear specified
was the Kauper design, a mechanical system. However as insufficient
quantities were available the Constantinesco CC hydraulic operated system
was fitted. The refining of this system took some time and the 24 Squadrons
first DH5 was delivered on May 1st 1917.
Welcome
though this new type was, it should be remembered that the same month
the Sopwith Camel (the most sucessful fighter of WWI) entered service,
the and next month the SE5 arrived in France with 56 Squadron. So it
was already outdated in terms of armament and performance when introduced.
The German fighter aircraft were already mounting 2 guns, and the back
stagger meant the view rearward was non-existent. In a "Dog Fight"
this was a real problem, but added to this, the DH5 was a poor performer
at altitude.
Some
of 24 Squadron's achieved success flying their new mounts, on the 25th
May Lt S. Cockerell flying A9363 shot down an Albatros DIII, which was
following a colleague 2nd Lt H W Woollett . Later 2nd Lt Woollett himself
was credited with three victories including two on the 23rd July 1917.
A New Zealander, Captain Bernard P G Beanlands, is credited with 6 victories
flying the DH 5, by Mick Davis in his book "Airco The Aircraft
Manufacturing Company", published by Crowood in 2001. As such he
was the only "ace" who achieved this status flying DH5s with
24 Squadron.
Given
the vulnerability of the DH5 in combat, another role was needed, the
Ypres Offensive of late summer 1917 brought the planned use of aircraft
in a ground attack role. 32 Squadrons DH5s were initially involved from
the 31st July in attacking German troop concentrations with their machine
guns. 24 Squadron joined in from mid -August, by which time 32 squadron
were also using 20lb bombs carried on under fuselage racks. 24 Squadron
continued in the ground attack and ground attack support role, flying
as escort to the aircraft actually carrying out the attacks. This included
action during the German counter attack after the battle of Cambrai,
where the British Army had used tanks for the first time. As 1917 was
drawing to a close the DH5 operational role was also coming to an end.
The SE5a was issued to squadrons flying the DH5 and as described in
"A History of 24 Squadron", on Christmas day 1917 24 Squadron
received the "Best of all Christmas presents", a new aeroplane
the SE5a.
The
Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a
This single bay, tractor engine fighter was designed around the 150hp
Hispano Suiza V8 inline engine. This engine, designed by Marc Birkigt,
had been first built and tested in Spain in 1915. The French had fitted
one to a Spad 7C and this demonstrated that it could be used in fighting
aircraft. The designer H P Folland, later the designer for the Gloster
Aircraft Co and founder of his own company, had overall design responsibility.
The aircraft was ordered with a 150hp engine as the SE5, and some were
delivered to operational squadrons. However the development of a 200hp
version of the Hispano Suiza led to its installation in an improved
version, the definitive SE5a.
A number of squadrons were using the SE5 before 24 squadron including
nos.56, 60, 87 92 and 93 squadrons. The first aircraft B8262 a SE5a,
delivered to 24 Squadron, only lasted a month before an accident during
practice aerobatics killed the pilot 2nd Lt R G M McRae. More aircraft
were delivered over the next 2 months, and time was spent practising
and generally working up with the new machines.
On the 26th February 1918 the 24 Squadron diarist reports a real red
letter day, 7 Fokker triplanes and a Pfalz were brought down, the last
being captured and displayed in London later. After this effort Maj.General
Trenchard, the RFC chief, visited the Squadron. Eight days later this
score was surpassed, when on the 6th March 8 enemy aircraft were destroyed.
On the 14th March 24 Squadron pilots Capt. Brown and Lts. Nolan and
Richardson carried out a bombing attack on and enemy occupied Airfield
Mont d'Origny, believed to be the first bombing attack by SE5a
Later
in March the original SE5a models were replaced by, new SE5a model,
powered by Wolsesey Viper engines. This engine was a more developed
version of the original Hispano Suiza and its better reliability was
much appreciated. Between the 30th December 1917 and the 28th March,
24 Squadron moved airfield five times as the front fluctuated back and
forth, following the German offensive of early 1918 and the counter
attack that followed. These movements meant open air servicing or at
best tented hangers through the winter months with the added pressure
of an uncertain war position. Some of the airfields used were used by
both the Allies, and the Germans at different times. The 1919 history
refers to an Airfield at Capy, which was occupied on September 8th 1918.
This had been one of Manfred von Richthofen's aerodromes, and still
had notices, with his signature, warning of the danger posed by the
gun butts.
During
the German spring advance the squadron had operated in a ground attack
role. Attacking columns of troops with bombs and machine gun fire. However
the air to air fighting continued, whilst flying the SE5a, 24 Squadron
had a further 29 pilots who became "Aces". Two, William Lambert
with 18 and Hilbert Blair with 6, were Americans . One Andrew Cowper
with 19 was Australian, three were New Zealanders, Conway Farrell 7,
George Foster 7, and George Johnson 5. The remainder were British, the
highest score coming from Tom Hazell with 23 confirmed victories. These
came between the 24th June and the 18th October 1918, when he was promoted
and left the squadron. His tally included three shot down on the 8th
of August, when he also had an indecisive combat i.e. an unconfirmed
victory. He survived the Great War, or at least was still alive when
the history of 1919 was published.
The
other aces can be found on the website www.theaerodrome.com, so I won't
repeat them here. Finally I will salute all of them, together with all
the other Officers and Men who served and fought with 24 Squadron in
the Great War.
__________________________________
MARCH
8TH, 1945
THE DUKE OF GLOUCETER'S PROCTOR
THE Percival Proctor IV chosen for the use of the Duke of Gloucester
and his staff in Australia is a four-seater version of the Proctor used
in large numbers by the R.A.F. for wireless training and communications
purposes. It is a direct descendant of the Percival Gull and Vega Gull,
well known in Australia before the war, and in the hands of Miss, Jean
Batten, of, New Zealand, and Mr. H. F. Broadbent, of Australia, these
aircraft broke the England-Australia or Australia-England record four
times.
Dual control is fitted. A compact wireless transmitting and receiving
set is stowed under the seat and is operated by the pilot by means of
push-button controls On a panel at his side. A complete set of blind
flying instruments is installed, and the aircraft is fully equipped
for night flying, with landing lamps in the leading edge of each wing,
and cabin lights which can be dimmed or brightened as required. Ventilation
is provided by an adjustable fresh-air inlet, and sliding windows and
sun-blinds can be pulled across the top windows in sunny weather. Variations
from standard include the addition of some soundproofing and extra upholstery,
while the two back seats can be replaced by a single large adjustable
armchair if required. The engine is the well-known De Havilland Gipsy
Queen type of 210 h.p. which, as installed in the Proctor, is fully
approved for service under tropical summer conditions.
As
previously recorded, the Duke of Gloucester has at his disposal in Australia
a flight of three aircraft, of which the Proctor is the smallest. For
long journeys over the Commonwealth, the Duke will use the specially
equipped (but otherwise standard) Avro York, Endeavour, described and-
illustrated in .colour in Flight, February 22nd. In between these two
extremes, the. Governor-General's flight also includes an Avro Anson.
The post-war programme of Percival Aircraft, Limited, will comprise
aircraft ranging from small training types up to a light 12- to i4-seater
transport, and will include a civil version of the Proctor IV.
A
tale of two VE DAYS
John L Mitchell flew with Mr and Mrs Churchill
on many wartime missions and was in Moscow when hostilities came to
an end.
You
could say I was lucky, certainly privileged, to be on duty in Moscow
over May and June 1945 and so lived through two VE Days, ours and that
of the Russians, But perhaps I had better explain what I was doing in
the Soviet capital just then, as a Squadron Leader in the RAF on flying
duty with a Transport Squadron.
Two
years before, in May of 1943, I had been selected for duty in the crew
of the Prime Minister's dedicated aircraft. Hitherto, Mr Churchill's
earlier long-distance war-time flights, to Moscow and Adana, and to
Cairo and Casablanca had been made in an American Liberator aircraft,
only partially converted from its bomber role, with no personal comforts
whatever. It was flown by a mixed crew of American, British and Canadians,
under an American captain and was based in Montreal. This made the planning
of tours difficult and getting the aircraft to a state of immediate
readiness near London expensive.
At
the time I joined this all-RAF crew, a specially-built Avro York aircraft
had become available. It was a passenger/freight carrying cousin of
the Lancaster bomber. This was fitted out with a private suite for the
PM, sleeping arrangements for up to 10 passengers in reasonable comfort,
a large saloon-cum-Conference Room, with proper toilets and a Galley.
It was captained by an RAF Wing Commander with pre-war experience with
Imperial Airways who was then commanding No 24 Squadron and was based
at Northolt, situated between London and Chequers, the PM's country
home. I was the Navigator.
In
June 1941, much to Moscow's surprise, the Nazis invaded Russia. From
the moment they became victims of this unprovoked aggression, Mrs Churchill
had set to work to raise funds for the Russian Red Cross to relieve
the suffering civilians, just as vigorously as her husband was organising
military aid, along with the Americans, for Stalin's armed forces.
Mrs Churchill in Russia
By Christmas 1941, Mrs Churchill had raised £1 million and by
1945 she had sent £7 million to be spent on hospitals and medical
supplies for the war victims, particularly the children. In recognition
of this work, Mrs Churchill was invited to visit Russia in the spring
of 1945 to tour some of the places where the money had been spent. Her
travels would take her to Leningrad, Stalingrad, the Caucasus, the Crimea
and many places between.
Thus
it was that we flew Mrs Churchill and her party to Moscow, via Cairo,
arriving there on 2 April. The Avro York aircraft had by this time been
replaced by an American Douglas Skymaster (C 54B) aircraft. The Skymaster
had a much greater range and interior capacity than the York, so was
very suitable for long-range VIP flying.
The
Soviet authorities took Mrs Churchill on her travels by train and car;
a tour lasting some five weeks, whilst we returned to the UK almost
immediately, for the Prime Minister liked to have his aircraft at its
Northolt base, ready for his own use. President Roosevelt was gravely
ill at this time and a transatlantic trip was in the offing.
Returning
to Russia to collect Mrs Churchill on 6 May (the PM did not, in the
event, go to his friend's funeral) we were able to spend four days in
Moscow before her scheduled departure on 11 May. Little did we know
that the German surrender was about to be signed in Rheims, though things
were moving that way before we left London.
I
recall the main feature of our own VE Day was a request from the British
Embassy that we should be present to hear Mr Churchill broadcast the
historic announcement that the fighting was at an end in Western Europe.
This was followed by a very moving Service of Thanksgiving held in the
Residence. It was conducted by an RNVR Padre who was visiting from the
British Naval HQ at Murmansk, where our Arctic convoys docked with urgently
needed tanks, aircraft and war material of all sorts from the UK and
US. The convoys were maintained at enormous cost in ships and seamen,
mainly of the Merchant Navy, and were not properly appreciated by the
Soviets.
Impassioned
appeal
The Service was inter-denominational and I recall that the Dean of Canterbury
(The Red Dean) was present in the course of a visit to Russia on his
own account. Many members of Allied Missions were present, including
M Edouard Herriot, the great French statesman, and his wife who had
only recently been released from German captivity. He told us that the
last time he had heard Mr Churchill's voice was in the spring of 1940
at Tours, when he had made an impassioned appeal, but in vain, for the
French Government not to surrender to the Nazi forces over-running France,
but to continue the struggle from French possessions overseas. M Herriot
had wept then in defeat, now he was weeping unashamedly, for joy.
The
following day, 9 May, was the Russian VE Day, with spectacular fireworks,
for they were not represented at the Rheims ceremony but had to wait
24 hours before Marshal Zhukov, in Berlin, signed the documents ratifying
the German surrender.
At
the insistence of members of the British Information Services (BIS)
of the Embassy (they used to publish a very limited circulation newsletter
in English entitled The British Ally - its purpose was to promulgate
the message that the British had been fighting the Germans since September
1939), some of us were urged to take a walk-about to be seen on the
streets of Moscow in RAF uniform. This proved easier said than done
for there were vast crowds everywhere, milling about all cheering and
happy with relief that the battlefield killing was over. With no warning,
at one moment in Red Square, the natural centre of gravity of the city,
two of us were seized and hoisted shoulder-high before being literally
tossed into the air and safely caught again by strong hands. It was
a local gesture, we learned, of approval and goodwill! This occurred
after we were identified as 'Equipage Churchill', and not the dreaded
Luftwaffe, for we wore similar greyish-blue uniforms, my own being far
from new.
Caviar
for breakfast
I found this all quite alarming, the flight into the air from the arms
of these lusty, cheering folk of both sexes, as well as an incipient
agoraphobia - the sheer numbers of people in all directions. The crowds
pressed in on us from all sides, keen to see a foreigner and a flyer:
There seemed no escape from this mass of friendly humanity. But we eventually
made our way to the safety of the edge of the crowd and continued our
guided walk-about to one or two incredibly scruffy drinking dives that
could not be compared in any way with our idea of a pub. There we had
to swallow toasts in low-grade vodka, drunk out of jam jars and cut
off bottles; tumblers were unknown amid the appalling privations of
war-time Moscow.
We survived this second ordeal and finally reached the calm of our hotel,
the Savoy - not then an Intourist establishment but one made comfortable
for us in every way. In fact, we were incredibly spoilt, with caviar
and smoked salmon even for breakfast (served with vodka, of course),
whilst outside the shabby citizenry pressed their envious noses to the
windows. It seemed a bit unnecessary to us to be so generous. After
all, we were used to war-time rations in the UK but not to their suffering.
This was sheer luxury, and a very kind gesture by the Soviet Government.
On
Thursday 10 May we were spoilt again, basking in the reflected glory
of Mrs Churchill, when we were given tickets to attend a special gala
performance of Swan Lake at the Bolshoi Theatre, miraculously restored
from bomb damage sustained early in the war. The part of Odette/Odile
was danced by the Premier Ballerina Semenova and when she took the final
curtain she graciously turned the applause towards the former Royal
Box (resplendent with the Soviet coat-of-arms) and the whole audience
applauded Mrs Churchill, who was escorted by Molotov, the Russian Foreign
Minister
Bottle of Scotch
We left for home the following day, flying nonstop to Malta by way of
the Crimea, loaded with presents - including a giant portrait of Stalin
for Prime Minister Churchill. Included in our freight were some boxes
of supplies for the Soviet Embassy in London, which we had been asked
to take back. When these reached Northolt, they were loaded along with
all the other baggage and taken to 10 Downing Street. Members of the
Secretariat were surprised to find these unaccounted boxes and upon
opening them, decided in short order to distribute the 'goodies' which
they contained around the staff. What a kind gesture, must have thought
the staff at No 10 as they dived into tins of caviar and other luxuries.
Some hours later, a call from the Soviet Embassy in London enquired
if some of their expected freight had been mis-delivered. Too late!
It had been quickly consumed! There followed abject apologies and compensation
in the form of bottles of Scotch, for the consignment was meant for
some diplomatic celebration of their own!
We
landed in Malta, where the Governor pressed Mrs Churchill to stop over
for a rest, but after re-fuelling and time to pick up the weather forecast
for the UK, we were off again. She was anxious to get back and we continued
overnight to London, reaching our home-base at Northolt at 7am on a
fine spring morning. The PM was there to greet his wife, in privacy
on board, and welcome her home from such a successful goodwill tour.
As
well as her extensive travelling within the Soviet Union, Mrs Churchill
had flown over 8,000 miles in four hops - two out and two back. A fine
achievement for a not-so-young lady who charmed everyone she met.
Air
Commodore J L Mitchell RAF (retd) is a csma member who lives at Lymington
Hants. This article is from the csma magazine.
____________________________
Betty Archbell has sent us a collection of press cuttings and pictures
circa 1945 of XXIV on VIP duties with the Queen Mother's first flight
and of Jack (not Jock) Hannah helping her off the aircraft and meeting
up again 40 years on. We also have a cutting about the Duke of Gloucester's
Percival Proctor, listed as one of the aircraft types flown by XXIV.
Recalling the days of the elite pathfinders
Forty years on Jack Hannah meets up again with the Queen Mother
WHEN JACK HANNAH, the Northern circulation manager for TNL, met the
Queen Mother last month at the annual dinner of the RAF Pathfinders
Association they recalled their first meeting - when the Queen Mother,
who was then the Queen, made her first-ever flight in a plane and Mr
Hannah was a member of the crew.
Mr
Hannah said: "Her memory of that flight 40 years ago was exceptionally
clear. I was a member of 24 Squadron which was based at Hendon and our
job was to fly VIPs to conferences and events at home and abroad.
"The
King and Queen went by sea to Jersey and we flew them on to Guernsey
and then back to England. It was shortly after the Channel Islands had
been liberated.
"We
knew it was the Queen's first flight, but she showed no signs of nervousness
and both she and the King came up to the front of the plane and chatted
away to us."
Mr
Hannah has since kept the pictures we reproduce here of him standing
by the steps of the plane to help the Royal couple disembark once they
had landed back in the UK after a later flight took the King, Queen
and Princess Elizabeth to Long Kesh in Northern Ireland - the only time
the three have flown together.
Mr
Hannah was among the 120 former members of the elite Pathfinder force
who gathered at RAF Wyton near Huntingdon for the annual reunion dinner
which was presided over by the most famous Pathfinder of all - Don Bennet
is now the patron of the Association.
Mr
Hannah, who was a radio operator in the war and finished up with the
rank of Flight Lieutenant, joined one of the first of the Pathfinder
squadrons. They had one of the most dangerous jobs of all RAF Squadrons
- going in first and marking the targets for the main force.
He was with 97 Squadron and he stayed with them from March, 1943, until
October of that year by which time he had completed the full 45 operational
missions.
Few
survivors
"The
usual routine," he said, "was for a crew to do 30 missions
and then have a long break before going back and completing the final
15. In our case we did the 30 missions, and then had just a three-week
leave and went straight back to complete the final 15."
Very
few completed the full tour of operations and, in fact, Mr Hannah's
crew had their narrowest escape on the last mission.
He
recalled: "It was on October 22 1943. We were visual marking, laying
down yellow as the priority target. It was a cloudy night and we had
had to drop about 12,000 ft. I was in the astrodome maintaining a lookout
and everything was coming up at us - dustbin lids, tracers, shells,
searchlights. You name it. Suddenly it went quiet and we found a German
fighter was on our tail.
The
next thing we knew was a Mosquito roared across the top of us. He had
seen we were in trouble and came to our assistance. "When we arrived
back at base we discovered how narrow an escape we had had - the whole
of the tail plane of our Lancaster bomber had been shot away."
They had survived - and Mr Hannah admits they had quite a party in the
mess afterwards.
"We
had had a sweep beforehand," he said, "to see who would be
the first crew to complete the 45 operations. We won, but quite a few
crews went missing on their 42nd or 43rd missions.
"We didn't change our crew once throughout and we all kept in touch
afterwards. Our pilot was Doug Jones, who unfortunately died a couple
of years ago. In fact, out of the seven members of that crew there are
now only to left - myself and the engineer.
Close
knit
"We
were a very close knit group. We never allowed our feelings to show
to each other however nervous or frightened we may have been."
Mr
Hannah took pan in humbug raids all over Europe, including the big ones
on Berlin, Hamburg and the Ruhr - which the crews christened 'Happy
Valley' because of the large amount of flak they encountered there.
He
went on: "Whenever we came away from Berlin I will always remember
our tail gunner. There was so much flak with the tracers, and shells,
plus our own flares and bombs being dropped together with the searchlights
flicking at us.
"As we left oar tail gunner used to say: 'It is with genuine regret
we say farewell to this panorama of Oriental splendour'."
Some
of the most famous names in the RAF were members of the Pathfinders
Squadron at one time or another.
Two
of the pilots who went on the famous Dambusters Raid - McCarthy and
Munro - were among them and flew with 97 Squadron when Mr 'Hannah was
a member.
Mr Hannah was awarded the DFC for his tour of operations. In fact, all
members of his crew were decorated in one way or another.
He
said: "When I went to the reunion dinner I have never seen so many
hank ribbons and medals. My DFC was veil down the list."
Superstition
He
said that although nobody showed their real feelings each member of
the crew of his Lancaster had his own superstition. "I don't think
I washed my white jersey once," he said.
Having completed his 45 operational trips Mr Hannah applied to join
his brother, who was also a radio operator and stationed at Hendon.
He
was successful and joined 24 Squadron at Hendon. Over the next couple
of years he was on aircraft that transported VIPs all over the world
- he went to conferences at Yalta, Moscow and later, when the war was
over, he was on the regular run to Nuremburg taking British prosecutors
to and from the Nuremburg trials.
"We
had the opportunity of sitting in on many of the sessions of the trials,"
he said, "and watching the top Nazis in the dock."
He is very proud of the DFC awarded to him in the war but says he regards
it more as a decoration for all his friends who did not make it.
"A
lot of them were shot down before they finished their tour of operations,"
he said.
Mr Hannah has been with THE SUNDAY TIMES for 33 years. He began as a
representative in Scotland and moved to Manchester in 1962.
More
recently he has been the Northern circulation manager for both papers.
He also devotes a lot of his time to voluntary work, and for the past
14 years has served on the committee of the Old Ben's Southport Centre
- an old people's home for former members of the distribution and retail
trade.
RECENT LOSSES
We have only been
informed of the following Association member passing away since the
last AGM.
Group Captain Mike
Watkins OBE was a pilot and Flight Commander Exec on the Squadron at
Lyneham from 1974 to 1975. Mike was a keen and enthusiastic Association
member and will be sadly missed.
Group Captain Mike
Hardy was a former OC of XXIV who flew Hercules between 1972 to 1974
while the Squadron was stationed at Lyneham. After flying for Cathay
Pacific, Mike retired to Hamble and the Association was represented
at his funeral in February 2007.
Dennis "Timber"
Wood flew on Yorks, Lancastrians and Dakotas as an Air Signaller with
the Squadron at Bassingbourn, Waterbeach and Oakington between 1947
till 1950 before eventually retiring to Scotland
Dave Croker had
many happy memories of XXIV when he worked on Hastings aircraft as an
Engine Mechanic at Colerne between 1957 till 1959.
-----------------
NEW MEMBERS
A total of 3 new
recruits have swelled the ranks and they are:-
" Geraint Swann-Price,
Honorary Member and brother of Rick Swann-Price, the co-pilot of XV216,
lost at Pisa
" Robin Cane,
ex pilot on Hastings at Colerne between 1966 to 1968 and now retired
in West Sussex
" Tim Wells,
ex pilot on Hercules at Lyneham at various times between 1975 to 2005
and now Captain on civil airlines.
-------------
24 Squadron visit
to Pisa Italy to Commemorate the 35th Anniversary of the loss of C-130K
XV 216 on 9 November 1971
On 9 November 1971,
24 Squadron suffered a tragic loss when a crew captained by Fit Lt Colin
Harrison were lost when their ' aircraft crashed into the sea off Pisa
in Italy with 46 Italian paratroopers on board. They were on detachment
at Pisa and had just taken off as number 6 in a formation of 9 aircraft.
It was early in the morning and there was un-forecast low cloud over
the sea. Shortly after Number 6 failed to check in on the radio the
second element lead reported an orange fireball on the sea. The 3rd
element stayed on the ground, whilst the rest of the stream returned
to base.
The crew members
were:
Captain: Flight Lieutenant Colin Harrison
Co-pilot: Flying Officer Rick Swann-Price
Navigator: Flying Officer Mike Fawcett
Air Engineer: Flight Sergeant Brian King
ALM: Sergeant Paul Fulford
PJI: Sergeant Ralph Lee
To honour this year's
35th Memorial of the crash, a delegation from 24 Squadron lead by OC
24, Wg Cdr Don Turnbull, travelled to Pisa to participate in the memorial
service. Also in attendance were Gp Capt Richard Bates, who was OC 24
Squadron at the time of the accident in 1971, and relatives of the crew
members. They were particularly pleased to see that the Squadron still
commemorates this event. In addition, a C-130J from 24 Squadron flew
into Pisa for the weekend as part of the Conversion Flight line training,
which meant there was a further 10 personnel to pay their respects to
the fallen airmen.
The day started
with a Church ceremony in the 187th Folgore Parachute Regiments' Barracks
with readings from the Colonel of the 187th, Colonel Aldo Mezzalana,
followed by a reading from Wg Cdr Mark Attrill representing the British
Embassy in Rome. The church was full of family members of the fallen
paratroopers and crews, as well as many paratroopers who were onboard
the other aircraft in the formation on 9 November 1971. After the service
we were transported to the Official memorial on a hill overlooking the
coast where the aircraft crashed. Here, even more people turned out
to watch the laying of the wreaths by OC 24 Squadron, Gp Capt Bates,
Wg Cdr Attrill and the 187th Folgore. A few words were spoken to the
large crowd, many of whom had stood outside the church in the rain to
be near to the service, to tell of the loss of life on that day, and
to remind everyone that the dead shall not be forgotten.
The final visit
was to the cemetery where the paratroopers are buried and where a large
marble Memorial to commemorates those that died in the crash had been
erected. During these speeches, the Italian Colonel gave a roll call
of the fallen, which was answered by a chorus of'presente'by all the
187th members. This was a particularly poignant tribute as the names
of the 24 Squadron crew were included as if they were one of their own.
After the ceremony, many of the paras that were on that sortie wanted
to talk to us and thank us for coming to their memorial. They were very
genuine people and were pleased that we had made the effort to visit
the memorial service. We later returned to the barracks to pick up our
cars and retire for the day only to find that a large lunch had been
prepared in true Italian style, with many courses and plenty of wine
and pasta. The Italians were truly fantastic hosts and they could not
have done any more for us. Many of the family members who were accompanying
us were moved by how well we were hosted and how delicately the Italians
supported the families of the fallen crew.
By Sqn Ldr Rich
Waller - Lyneham Globe Spring 2007
----------------
24 Squadron say
a 'fair dinkum' farewell to 'Crooksie' 12 Dec 06
Flight Lieutenant
Michael 'Crooksie' Crooks from the Royal Australian Air Force put up
with a fair amount of light hearted banter about his antipodean origins
during his two year exchange tour at RAF Lyneham. But his work with
the Hercules flying 24 Squadron, proved to be invaluable and earned
him an enormous amount of respect and popularity too.
He was made to attend
an Exchange Officers Conversion Course and "learn to speak the
Queen's English" before he was let loose on low level tactical
flights in Hercules planes. But once 'Crooksie' had mastered the differences
between the Australian and UK RAFs, his experience in tactical flying
came into its own.
'Crooksie' was a
Tactical Air Transport (Tac AT) instructor in the Royal Australian Air
force (RAAF). When he joined 24 Squadron in September 2004 the Squadron
were just starting to explore the Tac AT environment and it soon became
apparent that 'Crooksie' would have a lot to offer the C130J Hercules
fleet flown by the Squadron.
Tactical Air Transport
basically means flying in more difficult than usual situations, with
an emphasis on low level flying. The Hercules planes may need to be
flown at night, land on unprepared air strips, carry out air-drops in
humanitarian aid situations where there are no-air strips, and carry
out aerial delivery of equipment and troops to theatres.
'Crooksie' took
to the Squadron's Tac AT environment like an Australian Olympic swimmer
takes to the podium and was soon passing on words of wisdom to UK Tac
instructors. And within five weeks he was in Afghanistan as the captain
of 24 Squadron's Tac crew. He spent over two months there but, being
a typical Aussie, he needed some time off! Well, a week's paternity
leave to be with his wife Sonia during the birth of their daughter Emily.
""Any
trepidation we may have had with respect to being the only Australian
exchange aircrew on the camp was soon dispelled as we were made to feel
extremely welcome from the outset.""
Flight Lieutenant Michael 'Crooksie' Crooks, Royal Australian Air Force
During his short
time at RAF Lyneham 'Crooksie' proved to be a well liked, hard working
individual who in addition to spending two months in Iraq and two and
a half months in Afghanistan, took part in various exercises with the
French Air Force. They had even more trouble understanding him!
One of his biggest
contributions to the C130J Hercules Wing was the Tactical simulator
trips that he introduced, providing many realistic operational type
missions to train and test our crews. Flight Lieutenant Crooks said
of his stay at Lyneham:
"Any trepidation
we may have had with respect to being the only Australian exchange aircrew
on the camp was soon dispelled as we were made to feel extremely welcome
from the outset. Once we were settled in the Officers' Married Quarter
and on completion of the exchange pilot's conversion course I was fortunate
enough to be given the opportunity of a low level course. This has given
me plenty of time to get used to your quaint weather around the UK low
flying system."
RAF Lyneham are
clearly sorry to see him go, saying that he has been somewhat of a British
talisman since his arrival (the Australians lost the Ashes and the majority
of their rugby games), and he's taken quite a bit of stick. They are
just sorry that he'll be back home by the time this Ashes test will
have finished?!
"I have thoroughly
enjoyed flying with the RAF," 'Crooksie' continued. "It has
been a busy period over the last two and half years and I am both glad
and proud to have been part of a strong unit throughout this period.
We have made the most of this fantastic opportunity given to us and
the birth of both of my children, Emily and Hayden, amalgamated with
the wonderful experiences gained from serving with the RAF, in particular
24 Squadron, have given us many wonderful memories to take back to Australia.
We would like to express our gratitude to 24 Squadron for all their
help over the last two-and-a-half years and there will always be a welcome
for any of them to come and watch the rest of the Ashes at my place!!"
Flight Lieutenant
Crooks was presented with his Iraq and Afghanistan General Service Medal
in the Officers' Mess before he went back down under. Both of these
were earned while serving with the RAF on 24 Squadron.
All on 24 Squadron
would like to pass on their sincere thanks and gratitude to both Michael
and Sonia for all their help during their time here and would like to
emphasize that there'll always be a welcome for them on 24 Squadron.
Wing Commander Turnbull,
Officer Commanding 24 Squadron, (left)
celebrating with Flight Lieutenant Crooks
[Picture: Richard Ellis]
----------------
We do seem to have
quite a lively bit of snail and e-mail traffic on issues featured in the
Newsletter and long may it continue. So for your interest and comments,
read on.
A letter from Peter
Donovan who has been doing research on the history of the former Royal
Flying Corps aerodrome at Hounslow Heath sent in a potted history which
is quite illuminating about those very early days.
24 Squadron Formed
Hounslow, 1 September, 1915, then 7th February, 1916 to St. Omer
The squadron was
formed with a cadre of 17 Squadron personnel. One officer, Captain A.
G. Moore, MC, four NCO's and eighty men. The squadron was required to
train men for service on the Western Front. Prior to their own departure,
they provided men for the establishment of 27 Squadron. 24 Squadron
also trained instructors for night flying instruction, using Avro 504
aeroplanes. When qualified these instructors would then instruct pilots
to operate anti- Zeppelin patrols in the Defence of London. 24 Squadron
also had a responsibility for the night flying at Hainault Farm, Sutton's
Farm, and Wimbledon. Captain Moore was replaced as Squadron Commander
at the end of September, 1915, by Major Lanoe Hawker. He had no flight
commanders and of the six machines on charge to the squadron, just one
was serviceable.
A mixture of aeroplane
types had been used by the Squadron, until the 10th January, 1916, when
the De Havilland DH2 arrived. At the end of January, the Squadron was
fully equipped with the DH2. Avro 504A. B.E.2c. Bleriot XI. Bristol
Scout. Caudron GUI. Curtis JN4.Maurice Farman S. 11 Shorthorn. Maurice
Farman S.7 Longhorn. Maurice Farman. Martinsyde SI. Vickers Gunbus.
Airco DH.2 Curtiss JN/3 Caudron G.III. Avro 504. BE2c Bleriot XI Bristol
Scout Longhom Shorthorn Vickers FB5 DH2
John Care who lives
near Northampton sent us a few photos of when he was stationed at Bassingbourn
in 1948. As he mentions, film was in short supply and he was lucky to
have a camera at all.
Greetings to you
all at 24 Squadron,
You may remember that I contacted you last October with reference to
an unusual badge on a photograph of a Hastings aircraft. At the time
I told you that I was having a model of the aircraft made and promised
you a photo of it when complete. The model arrived last Saturday and
I have attached a photo to give you some idea of how realistic it is.
If you would like more detailed pictures, please let me know and I will
do my best, (bearing in mind that I am not a photographer!). If you
let me have a postal address, I will put them on a CDROM.
The aircraft selected for the model is a Hastings C Mk2 from 36 Squadron
with the registration WJ334. Although I am told that the aircraft at
RAF Colerne were not designated to particular squadrons, photographs
show that they did bear the squadron numbers in a small diamond on the
tail and also in badge form on each side of the cockpit.
I selected WJ334
purely because it was identified as having completed its flying time
before being scrapped and, hence was not the subject of any known accident
or other incident. It would have been terrible to model an airframe
that was later revealed to have been involved in a tragic accident.
The wingspan of the model is approx. 18 inches, (46 cm) and it is constructed
from wood. The quality is first class and the price a very reasonable
£89.99 including p&p.
Manufacturing time
is around 13 weeks. If you or any of your contacts are interested in
this model, or one of any other aircraft type, you can contact the model
making company direct. The address is: Nice Airplanes Ltd. PO Box 8256,
Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 9AP.
The man to contact
is Martin Weir via e-mail on niceairplanes@hotmail.co.uk Martin tells
me that they will make both military and civil aircraft models with
the customer's selected livery and are holding that price for the time
being. So, if anyone wants a Hastings model with a different registration
number or squadron, it would not be a problem. I hope you find this
of interest.
Best wishes
Peter de Frere
Thornbury, near Bristol.
Dear Sir,
As an ex-Squadron member in 1949/50, I have just been reading the official
Squadron history in both your web pages and that of Lyneham and I find
that both contain the same error. Perhaps you will permit me to explain.
Wg Cdr Pat Lombard was the CO when I joined its Dakota flight as a navigator
on 1 Feb 49. It was then, of course, No 24(C) Squadron based at Bassingbourn
with crews from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa on exchange.
(The Canadians did not fully participate but had a crew and aircraft
based there for the use of their High Commission staff) Pat Lombard
left for Hong Kong around the end of 1949 (He signed my log book for
December) and was replaced by Charles Read (popularly known as cunim)
who signed up my January 1950 summary. The point I wish to make is that
he was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force, not the RAF, and
in fact later became its head. Thus it was he and not Major Robbs of
the South African Air Force who becme the first non-RAF Squadron Commander.
Furthermore both versions of the history list Wg Cdr C F Read among
Squadron Commanders without adding RAAF to his name.
After serving on the Squadron under Charles Read, I then went to Australia
on an exchange posting to find myself on the same Squadron as those
Australians who had been with me at Bassingbourn!!
I should be grateful if you could also pass this information to the
Squadron's current historian as I do not know how to get in touch with
him.
Yours sincerely
Basil Lofthouse (Wg Cdr Ret'd)
From Wiltshire Gazette
and Herald 9 Nov 2006
School closure shocks
town
SUPPORTERS of Burton
Hill School in Malmesbury have spoken of their shock at news of its
closure. Carnival committee chairman and town councillor John Lawton
has been one of many supporters of the school.
He said: "My
worry will be that the children have not got somewhere better to go.
"If mainstream education can support their needs then great, but
my fear is a specialist unit is there because specialist needs are hard
to care for in mainstream education.
"As a valued community facility, it will be much missed. "It
will be a shame to see it go, because it's such a long-standing feature
of the community."
Town clerk Phil
Rice has volunteered at the school's summer fete for the last 15 years.
He said: "I think it's really very sad and I feel for every-body
concerned, because it's more than a school, it's a way of life, and
I'm particularly sad for the children."
Town councillor
Ray Sanderson said he was devastated.
"I think it's just terrible," he said. "I knew their
building needed modernising, but I was under the impression they were
either going to build a new school on the same site, or share with the
hospital."
Centred around a Victorian country house, the narrow corridors and shared
bedrooms have made it a less-than-ideal site for such a school.
The school relies heavily on funding and donations from local groups
and individuals.
Burton Hill constantly requires money to support its students.
The money goes towards a range of items, such as touch screen computers
and speech machines.
The school has been consistently supported by people in the town since
it opened and is one of the carnival's main beneficiaries.
Funds from this year's event will be distributed at next week's AGM,
with Burton Hill again expected to receive a substantial sum.
Last month, a concert featuring the Thamesdown Ladies Choir and the
Swindon Pegasus Brass Band was held in aid of the school at Malmesbury
Abbey.
A sporting dinner,
featuring football legend Mike Summerbee, is being held in the town
hall tonight.
Principal Harry Dicks will inform those attending of the closure, but
the school still requires funding to operate next year.
By Gordon Simpson
?
Fact file
" BURTON Hilt School will have been a part of Malmesbury's his
tory for 50 years when it closes next summer.
" The Shaftesbury Society, which runs the school, purchased the
site, opposite the town's hospital, for £11,000 in the 1940s.
" Their school, which was originally for up to 50 handicapped girls,
opened on May 1,1947, and became co-educational in 1961.
" Its first major purchase came in 1964, when a hydrotherapy pool
was built for £10,500.
" The swimming pool is still a major part of its facilities today.
" The school can cater for up to 41 pupils with severe mental and
physical disabilities.
" Many of the students live in resi-dential accommodation on the
site, giving them 24-hour care.
" Most are reliant on electric wheelchairs or able-bodied support
for mobility. The school employs about 100 members of staff, although
a number of these are supply teachers, or come from agencies.
" It employs a range of physiotherapists, speech and language therapists,
a music therapist and occupational therapist. it The school carried
out a review at the start of the year into upgrading its dilapidated
buildings.
" The Shaftesbury Society, a Christian charity that operates two
schools and two colleges nation wide, employs a number of fundraising
workers.
FRIENDS FROM RAF
SADDENED AT LOSS
SERVICE personnel
from RAF Lyneham have presented Burton Hill School with a donation of
nearly £3,000.
Deputy principal
Alice Langtree received one cheque for £2,200, raised by Sgt Ozzy
Hicks, who completed October's Great North Run.
A second, for £730, was also handed over. That money was raised
at Lyneham's fundraising activities staged at the school's summer fete
in June.
Previous donations from the squadron have bought two touch-screen monitors
for students.
Volunteers also provided refreshments and entertainment at the school's
Christmas party last year, with Sgt Hicks replacing his flying suit
with a Santa costume. During April and June, members of the squadron
refurbished the school's 70-metre sensory path through the grounds.
Wing Commander Don
Turnbull said: "Our support to Burton Hill is a very worthwhile
cause and we are honoured to be involved in supporting them. We are
very sad to hear of the imminent closure and will continue our services
to them."
Fundraising coordinator
Sarah Davis thanked the personnel for their efforts to raise vital funds.
?GIVING: 24 Squadron
from RAF Lyneham present cheques to Burton Hill School.
John
Mitchell's account of his VIP flying with the Prime Minister, Winston
Churchill in 1943 continues in this tenth instalment.
VIP'S AND OTHER
STRANGE PASSENGERS
4th April 1944. We were alerted to leave the UK at night for a non-stop
flight in 'Ascalon' to Algiers to bring back General Sir Harold Alexander
to the UK for urgent consultations. The January landings at Anzio had
not been exploited by the US General Mark Clark with the speed and initiative
that the PM had hoped. Thereafter, German resistance had built up rapidly.
It was to be a long hard slog for the Allied Forces up the peninsular
of Italy. Meanwhile, planning for D-Day was going ahead rapidly and
the whole future of operations in the Mediterranean was under discussion
both in London and Washington. We took off empty, under Squadron Leader
Bill Fraser's command this time and with a new co-pilot from No 24 Squadron
(Flight Lieutenant Stokes). We had no passengers but a load of half
a ton of diplomatic bags and Service mail. At 10,000 feet all the way
we had the stars for astro-navigation until dawn in the vicinity of
Alboran Isle. Thereafter, it was literally down hill all the way for
the last couple of hours to land at Maison Blanche with the sun well
up.
On flights such as these with uninterrupted 'access' to the stars in
reasonable comfort (that is, without being encumbered by an oxygen mask)
gave me a great feeling of navigational satisfaction - almost a thrill
which never diminished, for no one can 'jam' the heavens. Jock Gallacher,
(our wireless operator) could sometimes give me enormous help. Radio
silence was compulsory except in dire emergency, and for certain ordained
communications with Area Control Authorities on nearing destination,
for identification and to pass on estimated time of arrival. Ground
radio beacons, mainly for shipping and sometimes, certain German beacons
(given to us at briefing, from intelligence sources) did exist which
enabled us (that is, Jock) to operate passively and thereby extract
relative bearings from these beacons with our own on-board D/F equipment.
Jock had come to our crew from Coastal Command with wide trans-oceanic
experience and was indeed an ace operator.
6th April 1944. We stayed the night at Algiers and left the following
morning with our passengers for the short two and a half hour flight
to Gibraltar, getting there in time for lunch on the ground. In addition
to 'Alex' they were Brigadier Airey (his Chief of Staff), Lieutenant
Colonel Beckett and his ADC Captain Clarke - a short passenger list,
so that everyone was comfortable - not least the chef and steward whose
duties were obviously less onerous than when we had the 'Owner' on board.
8th April 1944. We had stopped in Gibraltar two nights where our VIP
passengers had business and then left for the UK shortly before midnight
GMT for the short run home of seven hours.
18th April 1944. Nine days later we took General Alexander back to Algiers,
accompanied by Mr Duncan Sandys, plus the Staff Officers. Bill Fraser
was in charge once again but with another change of co-pilot, this time
a new man Flight Lieutenant Stephen Cliff - newly arrived from the Ferry
Pool in Dorval, Montreal. Leaving at 2300 hours local time, we felt
the run to Algiers was becoming almost a habit - the Night Sleeper Service
to Algiers - 10 hours non-stop, although on this occasion it was only
nine and a half hours.
We were under orders to fetch Field Marshal Smuts from Cairo and to
bring him to the UK for the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference.
So after a night on the ground at Maison Blanche, sleeping in the aircraft
I seem to remember, and, no doubt, enjoying VIP rations for supper,
we left early on the 20th April for the eight and a half hour flight
to Cairo West, carrying Service mail and diplomatic bags only. For such
flights as these, without the Prime Minister and flying only what one
might call ordinary VIPs, 'Dad' Collins would hand over the command
of the York to Bill Fraser. Collins was later to be posted away from
24 Squadron on his expiry of his tour of command in August 1944.
We reached Cairo West before dark and went off to a hotel down town
for five days; dare I call it 'leave'? We were forewarned for a take
off on 26th April to return to the UK via Algiers and Gibraltar.
Having flown the Field Marshal before (in October 1943) we could look
forward to a passenger of gentlemanly, predictable ways - one always
appreciative of the service he got in 'Ascalon'. This is not to say
that other VIP passengers were ungentlemanly - indeed, no one could
be more gentlemanly than General Alexander, but perhaps Janny Smuts
had that common touch. It was on our return to Northolt from this particular
flight that our VIP having been 'greeted' at Northolt by the appropriate
dignitaries and then despatched in his car to central London, returned
to the tarmac 10 minutes later - remembering that he had forgotten to
thank the pilot, Bill Fraser, personally! Few would take the trouble
to do this. Our passengers on this occasion, in addition to the Field
Marshal, were Sir Godfrey Huggins, the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia
and their respective staffs totalling five, including 'Young Janny'
his father's ADC and now a major.
26th April 1944. This time we did have a minor technical problem which
delayed us three hours. We had taken off from Cairo at 0830 hours local
time with a good Met forecast and a light tail wind to begin with, for
the daylight flight to Algiers and had just climbed to our normal cruising
altitude of 10,000 feet when the port inner engine indicated an excessive
oil temperature. Whilst all other indications suggested that this engine
was functioning normally, the Captain decided to throttle back this
engine temporarily and see if its temperature would settle down; but
it did not and we had no option but to feather it and return to Cairo
West to diagnose the trouble on the ground. We were but 15 minutes away
and came back reluctantly, jettisoning fuel over the desert to reduce
our landing weight to permitted limits. For about an hour the engine
was too hot to touch, but Jack Payne, our Engineer, had a pretty shrewd
idea that it was only the oil temperature gauge transmitter unit that
was sticking. Once the 'machinery' was cool enough to be handled Jack
quickly changed the offending item and we were off again at 1130 hours
local, our VIP accepting the delay with his customary equanimity.
This time we had no hitches - though of course, the ground temperature
on take off was much higher. We preferred early morning take offs (or
late at night) for liquid-cooled engines, such as the Merlins, become
extremely hot whilst ground running or when taxiing for long periods
in the heat of the Middle East. We therefore climbed slowly: the outside
air temperature even at 5,000 feet was still +25 C. As we flew West
across the desert towards the Gulf of Sirte and over the coast of Tripolitania,
the air temperature decreased and we inevitably began to loose our tail
wind component as we met the cooler airstream from the Western Mediterranean.
It was a nine hour flight to Algiers with no further incident. We remained
overnight with the intention of leaving Maison Blanche the following
afternoon for Gibraltar. We were then to continue by night to the UK
along our usual routes.
27th April 1944.
Algiers to Gibraltar, a short flight of two and a half hours with our
passengers for the Commonwealth Prime Minister's Conference in London,
still taking precautions to avoid overflying shipping convoys in the
Mediterranean, even though the York had now been in service for just
a year.
27th/28th April
1944. An uneventful flight in good 'astro' weather and with a lower
headwind component forecast we made it in eight hours exactly. Standing
operating procedures ordained that we broke W/T silence for identification
purposes approximately one hour out from Northolt as we flew on the
ENE course up the Bristol Channel towards Hartland Point. The control
authority, located at Gloucester, would be given our ETA for Northolt
and would acknowledge, confirming our position by D/F bearings, thus
providing the UK radar screen with positive identification. We knew
we were sufficiently secure from marauding German night fighters, but
one had no wish to be shot down by our own Spitfires as a dawn raider.
At Northolt the Polish Spitfire Wing had disappeared to be relocated
on advanced airstrips nearer the Channel Coast. In their place, No 34
Wing of the 2nd TAP had moved in to be our neighbours, but as they were
a mobile outfit they were living mainly in tented accommodation around
the south and west perimeter of the aerodrome. This Wing consisted of
three PR Squadrons, one of Spitfires and one of Mosquitoes, for short
and long range daylight reconnaissance respectively, and one of Wellingtons
for night photography. Clearly, the invasion of the Continent was getting
nearer. In the York Flight we had first news from No 10 that the Skymaster
was now a certainty. It was expected to be delivered to Northolt in
June.
More obvious preparations for the Invasion of Continental Europe were
proceeding apace all over the South of England. Bones of contention
continued with the Americans over the proposed landings in the South
of France, with the PM still hankering after a Balkan Expedition (though
this had long since been discarded by the Combined COS). Wrangles were
becoming almost worse with the Free French government in exile in Algiers,
not least over the government of liberated Metropolitan France, post
Invasion - to which de Gaulle had long felt he was the natural hen-.
Much has been written about the various strands of the Resistance Movement
which were by no means united. The PM had decided the time had come
to bring General de Gaulle to London to explain to him just how things
stood, as the Invasion date was clearly getting nearer.
1st June 1944. We left Northolt for Algiers at 2200 hours, empty for
the non-stop flight to Algiers with Bill Fraser in command; Stephen
Cliff as co-pilot. As usual, when travelling empty we took only diplomatic
and official mail. It was a comfortable run at 10,000 feet. So through
the Straits and into Algiers (Maison Blanche) for a good breakfast provided
on board the aircraft by Jock Duncan, after we had landed. A second
York, from 511 Squadron Lyneham was provided, for the remainder of de
Gaulle's party.
3rd June 1944. After
one night in Algiers we planned to return to the UK with our passengers
via Rabat. In addition to the General, these were Rt Hon Duff Cooper,
M Palewski who was, I believe General de Gaulle's Chief of Cabinet,
and a Lt Col Raphael - a sort of MA on Duff Cooper's staff. All were
therefore accommodated on board in some comfort. We left Rabat Sale
at 2200 hours local time the same evening with a good weather forecast
for the UK, the VIP's having had dinner on the ground. Visibility was
such that we could see the major coastal lighthouses along the Portuguese
and Spanish coasts until Cape Villano, for we were flying about 50 miles
offshore at 10,000 feet. Thereafter, across the Bay by astro and coasting
up the British Channel to identify Newport and Bristol, and so over
Farnborough to land at Northolt on schedule at 0600 local time. No courtesy
of a word to the crew, even second-hand from this passenger. We saw
no more of him after he left the aircraft and learnt later that he had
returned to Algiers in a York of 511 Squadron, Lyneham on June 16th
with a mixture of passengers and freight; sandwiches and coffee being
served this time! Thus our catering barometer indicated that the talks
had not gone well at No 10 and the PM had declined to provide his aircraft
for the return flight.Later in the month the York was brought to readiness
at Northolt in peculiar circumstances. It was to be prepared for departure
to North Africa but without us, its normal crew. Jack Payne was highly
indignant that any other engineer should handle 'his' engines. We were
all in the dark - although, looking back, our Captain 'Dad' Collins
must have known what was going on: but for us none of the usual pre-flight
conferences over route and timing had taken place, no information on
who would be the VIP - for it was clearly not the Prime Minister himself.
No special catering was laid on.
I suppose with the date of the Invasion almost on us we naturally did
not enquire too far. All I can remember was that a Lyneham crew from
511 Squadron was to fly the aircraft - acquaintances of ours, Flight
Lt 'Ozzie' Morris in command. On the day of departure (June 25th 1944)
we were firmly but politely told to keep away from the flight office
and tarmac at the departure time.
Only long after did I confirm that the PM's aircraft was used in a deception
plan code named 'COPPERHEAD' which was to show off 'Monty's Double'
in Gibraltar and Algiers to any Axis sympathizers or indeed, German
agents who might see his arrival, to dispel any idea in Hitler's mind
that the invasion of Northern France was about to take place with its
principal commander abroad. Furthermore, the idea was to lay stress
on the idea on invasion of Southern France. The PM had allowed 'Ascalon'
to be used by General Alexander and by Jumbo Wilson in the past: Northolt
would be the natural VIP departure point for this particular aircraft.
It had unmistakeable square windows and Bomber Command camouflage. All
other RAF Yorks, had round windows and a blue grey colour scheme. The
use of this unique aircraft was therefore to reinforce the idea that
the passenger was indeed the real Monty. Clifton James own story 'I
was Monty's Double' whilst giving a most elaborate account of his exploits,
does state that it was the PM's York 'Ascalon' that was used. This is
confirmed by Lord Ismay in his 'Memoirs'
1st July 1944. Evidently, there was still considerable acrimony between
the British and US Chiefs of Staff regarding the Italian campaign and
what was to be the policy after the capture of Rome. The Americans were
still terribly keen on a landing in the South of France, but the UK
were not prepared to support this policy at the cost of Alexander's
offensive against the Pisa-Rimini Line, where the Germans were in the
process of creating a strong defensive position for the coming winter.
The PM was even prepared to fly to Washington to put his case to the
President. One of the Boeing Clippers of BO AC was brought to readiness
for him. Our York 'Ascalon' was on standby to fetch Alex from Rome on
June 30th. In the event the PM did not go to the US but we left next
day for Italy. We were going to Rome but unfortunately we would see
nothing of the Holy City but its distant domes from the airfield, called
Ciampino. At that time it was nothing more than two adjacent fighter
strips joined together to make one long runway; now it is one of the
International Airports for Rome. We had two non-VIP passengers ex-UK:
a Captain Gibson and a Sergeant Rezincek. Not for us to enquire why
these two should be given passage in the PM's aircraft - they were dropped
off at Algiers, where we staged on the outward flight.
1st July 1944. Taking off from Northolt at 2115 local time we were to
buck a southwesterly headwind component all the way down the Iberian
coast. Our flight time to Maison Blanche was ten and a half hours.
After a two hour break for breakfast and clean up, plus onward flight
briefing we continued our journey to Rome empty. We were instructed
to approach the Italian coast, crossing from Palermo via Capri to Naples,
thence coastwise to Rome. Anti-aircraft defences off the western shores
of Italy were very touchy especially after their baptism from the GAP
glider bombs. These had sunk several large ships just off the coast.
We were warmly welcomed by the resident Thunderbolt Wing (P.47s) of
the 7th US Airforce. They had recently 'liberated' a local distillery
and had rapidly converted it to the production of a form of gin to drink
with the plentifully available Italian Vermouth. The label on the bottles
proclaimed 7th Airforce Gin - the more you drink the more you sin'.
We quickly realised that we were in Catch 22 country where the 7th Airforce
was clearly 'in business'.
Ciampino airfield was extremely primitive and we were warned not to
stray from the main buildings and roadways. Many German mines had not
yet been cleared. The accommodation being fairly basic we elected to
sleep on board - not least, for security reasons to guard the aircraft.
As we were to return to the UK immediately there was no question of
seeing the City. Furthermore, we learned that in future four-engined
passenger aircraft were not to proceed north of Naples, if they were
likely to require refuelling. The logistic problem of bringing fuel
forward to the fighting zone was difficult enough and it was therefore
crazy to fill up large aircraft which would then fly out with their
preciously acquired fuel. Thus on General Alexander's return five days
later, we dropped him off at Naples (Pomigliano) to our disappointment,
whence he proceeded north in his own Dakota.
3rd July 1944. July and August were going to be busy months, in contrast
to the two previous months. We left Ciampino at 0930 hours local with
the intention of continuing straight through to Northolt, via Algiers
and Gibraltar, weather permitting. We always enjoyed flying General
Alexander, an officer and gentleman in the best sense of the words.
He appreciated our efforts, especially those of the cabin crew and enjoyed
the comparative luxury and indeed the honour, of having the PM's aircraft
sent for him. In addition to the General our passengers were the Rt
Hon Harold MacMillan (his political representative), General Harding,
his ADC. The flight of Maison Blanche, rather bumpy at 6,000 feet and
there we dropped off Mr MacMillan and took on board (as a great favour
and without reference to No 10!) Air Vice Marshal Charles Medhurst who
was 'bumming a ride home'. We were on the ground no more than one hour
and forty-five minutes, sufficient for a quick check on the weather
and on any new operational data, before continuing to Gibraltar.
Airborne at 2230 hours local time: our passengers having dined at the
Convent with the Governor could have their nightcap airborne before
turning in. With the threat of German fighter interception becoming
less and less as the war turned more and more in our favour we could
afford to fly closer in to the Portuguese coast than in earlier days
(or rather nights) but we lost sight of the coastal lighthouses after
Cape Roca. We made our UK land-fall further south than usual at St Eval
in Cornwall, and so cut the corner of our usual back door route up to
Lundy Island and Hartland Point. From Taunton homeward we could see
the ground all the way along the track; so into Northolt at 0630 hours
on a bright sunny morning.
9th/10th July 1944. We had been forewarned that General Alexander would
return to his command in Italy after only a short stay in the UK - when
the issue of reinforcement of Allied troop strength in Italy must have
been resolved. The almost 'superfluous' invasion of Southern France,
which was largely unopposed, certainly drew off vital forces and landing
craft from the Italian campaign -which consequently was to become a
costly stalemate throughout the coming winter. We later realised too
that General Alexander must have been discussing a forthcoming Royal
flight to Italy.
We left Northolt at 2300 hours local with Bill Fraser in command, Stephen
Cliff as co-pilot and with Flying Officer Beveridge as Flight Engineer,
for Jack Payne was still on his C.54 Maintenance Course at the Douglas
factory at Santa Monica, California. We covered our 2,000 track miles
in a shade over 10 hours to Algiers: we had indeed become the night
Pullman service. Lots of radio bearings from Jock Gallacher to assist
my navigation, more radio beacons were coming back on the air as the
occupied areas of Europe were liberated. But we still could not fly
direct across France to eliminate this roundabout Atlantic - Gibraltar
route. Into Maison Blanche at 0700 hours local time, having breakfasted
our passengers on board.
10th July 1944. Two hours on the ground and then a further four hours
flying to Naples (Pomigliano) serving lunch en route to General Alexander
and his senior staff. These were as for the homebound journey plus Major
General King. In fine weather and daylight we had contact with the ground
all the way.
Pomigliano was a scruffy airfield, allocated to the RAF for transport
operations, on the south east outskirts of the city. It was an industrial
area and I believe the Fiat factory was located on the airfield, until
the RAF bombed it. The airfield Mess was even scruffier, in a block
of workers flats, I remember. But we stayed one night only and returned
to Gibraltar the next day empty.
llth/12th July 1944. We had been ordered to return to the UK without
delay as a VVIP trip was in the offing later in the month. With a load
of 1,000 Ibs of diplomatic and official mail only, we made a reasonably
fast flight without cutting too many corners: seven hours forty minutes
to Northolt from Gibraltar. We had flown some 60 odd hours in the past
eleven days, well over half of which was by night and so were quite
tired. Home for a day or two's leave. We were briefed that there was
another Royal Flight in the offing, this time there was for us less
secrecy and we were told it was to be to Italy via Rabat with none of
the diversions of our first such experience a year earlier.
Later in this (20-23rd July) the PM flew to the Bridgehead in Normandy
in a 24 Squadron Dakota, from Heston but returning to Northolt.
