TALKING TANGMERE

SPRING 2021 Tangmere Military Aviation Editorial Comment Museum Trust Company Ltd Welcome everybody to the Spring 2021 edition of Talking Tangmere. Patron: The Duke of Richmond and Gordon Hon President: Air Marshal Sir Graham Miller At the time of writing there is an outside chance of KBE the Museum opening in May! Yippee! came the cry Hon Life Vice-Presidents from 150 volunteers. Mr Alan Bower Mrs Sheila Shepherd Because of the pandemic and lock-downs the last edition was almost a year ago in April 2020 and was Past Presidents published on the web site. Well, we are back to the presses this time around! Squadron Leader Neville Duke DSO OBE DFC** AFC FRAeS This edition of the magazine covers a wide range of Mr DuncanS impson OBECEng FRAeS subjects. From the tributes to the late Group Captain FIMechE David Baron OBE to Jack Froelich and his exploits with the United States Air Force. Council of Trustees Mr Dudley Hooley (Chairman) In between there is a look at the World Air Speed Mr David Coxon Record which, this year, will be commemorated with th Mr Roger Jones a special 75 Anniversary exhibition. We have, also an introduction to our new Deputy Director, Ed Mr David Smith BA (Hons) Smith and to Jack Froelich. Mr Phil Stokes Mrs Brenda Thompson Plenty of other stories to come as we, hopefully, conclude another national lock-down. 2020 was not Officers of the company the best year the Museum has had but the volunteers Hon Treasurer: Mr Francis De Beer stepped up to the plate, and ensured that visitors would still enjoy the Museum, even at ‘safe Hon Secretary: Mrs Joyce Warren distances’. Office of the director Director:Mr David Coxon As editor I hope is that you will enjoy this issue, as much as you have other editions of the magazineand Deputy Director: Mr Ed Smith I look forward to bringing out the next one - post-Covid-19! Director’s Management Team Curator: Mr Charles Hutcheon Mike Bennett Education: Mr Richard Thomas Engineering: Mr Phil Stokes Estate: vacant in the care of Talking Tangmere e- mail Charles Hutcheon [email protected] Operations: Mr Richard Janczur Publicity: Mr Mike Bennett/Mr Joe Marsden Simulators and Projects: Mr Pete Pitman Treasurer: Mr Francis de Beer

Shop Management Mr Martin Brannigan Charity Commission Reg No: 299327. Company No: 2206865. Registered Office: Tangmere, near , WestS ussex PO20 2ES, England Telephone:0 1243 790090 Fax: 01243 789490 Engineers are working on the Spitfire Mk IX Website: www.tangmere-museum.org.uk simulator - look out for an opening date. The Honorary President’s Tale Men Plan, The Gods Laugh...

My final tale for Talking Tangmere from the 1973 display season as Gemini 2 covers the ‘join-up loop’ mentioned briefly in the previous edition. In essence, we flew directly towards each other from opposite ends of the display line, simultaneously crossing and breaking away from the crowd at the display centre. It was then my task to be back in close line astern formation by the time we had completed the subsequent loop. Once we had figured out how to prevent the cross-break being both dangerous and looking bad it became simple and safe, but the story behind figuring it out will remain under wraps for a long time still to come. The join-up loop, on the other hand, was very straight forward, apart from the competing elements of gravity and the meagre thrust emanating from the Jet Provost’s Viper engine. Coming out of the break with the Leader a matter of tens of yards ahead of me, all I needed to do was close the gap then settle into line astern. The Leader even helped me by throttling back a little to give me at least an evens chance of catching him, and as he began to pull up into the loop gravity helped me even more by slowing him further, and that proved to be the problem. Throughout the pre-season work-up, as soon as the Leader began to pull up he appeared to rush backwards towards me, prompting me to throttle back just as I too began my ascent ‘up the hill’. Inevitably, and only fractions of a second later, I would regret throttling back and the Leader would reach the top of the loop still well ahead of me, whereupon gravity plus the Viper would accelerate him back down the hill leaving me trailing, embarrassed, in his slipstream. I would then need to call for him to give me more power which frustrated his attempts to set us up for the next manoeuvre. Exasperated, he eventually threatened to set my left arm in plaster to prevent me throttling back, urging me to ‘be brave’ at the vital moment just before he pulled up. There is a close correlation between bravery and stupidity, but on the next practice sortie I was determined to get the join-up loop right, or at least more right than hitherto. The initial manoeuvres had gone well and, quietly confident, I came out of the cross-break at a comfortable speed and at full power. Gritting my teeth I willed myself to ignore the on-rush of the Leaders jet pipe, although I did notice how quiet it suddenly became as the Leader sped rapidly backwards over the top of my cockpit and his entire aircraft disappeared from my view. Craning my head up and to the right I could just see the landing light on the nose of his aircraft appearing between the head boxes of the ejection seats – I had stabilised several yards ahead of and just below him. As he pulled up I followed, albeit from ahead, and tried very hard to slide backwards into the correct position. Despite hauling back on the throttle I reached the downward side of the loop still slightly ahead whereupon gravity began to accelerate me even further ahead. There I stayed, desperately uncomfortable and very conscious that the ground was getting ever closer though I dared not even glance at it. I was however mildly comforted by the knowledge that my Leader could neither see, nor was he aware of, the pickle I had got myself into. The next manoeuvre gave me the chance to get back to the right place and, as many might say, stop clowning around. Walking into the debrief the Team Manager, our supervisor and Boss who observed each practice with a gimlet eye, gave me a questioning look but said nothing. During the debrief, when we got to the join-up loop the Leader simply said how pleased he was that I had stopped complaining about needing more power so assumed the join-up had gone okay. I stole a glance towards the Manager, his face was completely passive, so I simply agreed. I learned a lot during the 1973 display season but, like life in general, mostly from things that did not quite work out the way I had expected. I never got airborne without a plan, albeit very one- The Gemini Team 1973 dimensional in the early part of my flying career, but if the old Gemini 2 - Fg Off ‘Dusty’ Miller (standing 2nd le�) adage bears even a grain of truth, I provided the Gods with many Gemini 1 - Flt Lt Bob Thomson (standing 2nd right) a chuckle and a few hearty belly-laughs along the way.

Page 3 Group Captain David Baron OBE - Cold War Fighter Pilot It is with greats adness that theTangmereMilitary Aviation Museum announces the death of its Chairman, GroupCaptain DavidB aron OBE on2 4 December 2020.

Flt Lt Baron’sNo4FTSGnatinthebarrier at RAF Valley in 1966 followingb rake failure on landing Pilot Officer Baron receiveshis wings, at RAFSw inderbyinAugust 1962 In 1968/69 David underwentt he first RAF conversion course on to the McDonnellDo uglas Phantom FGR2atRAFConingsby, Lincolnshire. David’s flying career began when he joinedthe RAF He then spent thenext three years as a pilot and as a young officer cadet in 1960. After being instructorin No 6, the RAF’s first Phantom commissioned as a pilot officerhe underwent pilot equippedsquadron. As the decade changed, David training on the piston-engined ProvostT 1 and the was posted as an instructor and flightexam iner Vampire T11jet trainer. tothe Phantom Operational Conversion Unita nd After operational conversiontraining on the Hawker on promotion tosqu adron leader in19 72 was Hunter jet fighter,he commenced his first posted onathree-year exchange tourtothe USAF operational tour inAde n, seeing action during the F4Pha ntom Central Instructors’ School atLuke Radfancampaign withNo8Squadron. Air Force Base in Arizona.

Fg Off Baron replaces the ejec�on seat safetypininhis No 8 Squadron Hunter a�er a sortie over the Radfan

Returning to England in 1965 he completedthe Central Flying School Course, following which he wasp ostedtoRAF Valley, Angleseyforathree-year Group Captain Baron before his final tour instructing . Phantom flight in 1992 at RAF Akro�ri

Page 4 David returned to the UK in 1975 and after A three-year tour at HQ British Forces Cyprus completing the RAF Staff College Course was followed as Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations. appointedtoatwo-year Air Staff tour after which David retired from the RAF in February1 996 he returned to flying asawingcom mander, the aftero ver 35 years int he service with 3,500 ‘boss’ of No 14 Squadron from June 1980 until fast-jet flyingh ours outof 4,200 total in his July 1983 operating the Jaguar GR1 in the strike/ log book. attack role atRAF Bruggen in Germany.

WingCo mmander Baron, OC No 14 Squadron, with his pilots at RAF Bruggen in1 982 Group Captain Baron as reviewing officer at the RAF School of Training,S winderby, 1988 On returning to the UK David wasap pointed OBE (Military Division) in the 1984 New Year’s Honours List and in the following In2000 David and his wife Vivienne movedtothe year was promoted Group Captain,andappointed Chichester area and he was soon involved with Head of the Long-Term Planning Branch the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, taking at HQ Allied ForcesCe ntral Europe in on responsibility for the aircraft collection. In the Netherlands. Two years later he took 2003hebecame a Trustee of theMuseum and in overcommandofRAFChurch Fenton, Yorkshire. 2006, its Chairman. During his 14-year stewardship, the Museum went fromstreng th to strength to become one of the most successful aviation museums in thecountry. He will be greatly missedbytheMuseum’s trustees and the all-volunteerworkforce at Tangmere.

Group Captain Baron hands over command of David Baron givesaninterview to Radio Sussex RAFChurch Fenton in August 1989 on the workof the museum in April 2018

Page 5 RAF Memories of David Baron

Dusty Miller

I hold lasting respect and very fond memories of David, mostly from his time commanding No 14 Squadron at Bruggen in the early 1980s. It was a remarkably happy unit under David’s leadership, a unit that worked and played hard. I shall never forget the sincere warmth of his welcome when I joined as one of his flight commanders and he went on to guide and mentor my sometimes faltering footsteps as I grew into my new responsibilities. He was a terrific example of calm under pressure: standing out in my memory were the two occasions when 14 Squadron lost Jaguars, the first being shot down by a Phantom and the second having suffered an uncontained engine fire – on both occasions the pilot survived unharmed, but both were times when composure could easily have cracked, but not David. He was a terrific example to us all and I was delighted that his leadership and success in command was subsequently recognised with the award of the very well deserved OBE.

Chris McCairns

Our paths first crossed in the autumn of 1970 when Flight Lieutenant David Baron was on his third tour as a pilot on 6 (Phantom) Squadron at RAF Coningsby and I was a mere student on the OCU awaiting my first tour. Fast forward ten years and I was now on my third tour, this time as a flight commander back on 14 (Jaguar) Squadron at Bruggen. When I heard that the now David Baron was to be posted in as my Boss, I was delighted to say the least. I was not disappointed as he turned out to be a superb Boss to work for. He had a huge calming influence on proceedings and a wicked sense of humour. He did not micro-manage, gave his pilots their head, but was always there with advice and support when needed. We all loved him for it.

Paul Constable

One of the great things about becoming a volunteer at Tangmere was to find that David Baron was the chairman. We had served together on several occasions throughout our air force careers and now here we were again on the same unit. I first met David when he arrived as a very junior pilot on No 8 Squadron inAden. He was one of the youngest of the Hunter pilots serving on the RADFAN campaign. After 8 Squadron our routes diverged until 1971 when we were both, once again, on the same base, RAF Coningsby. I joined No 6 (Phantom) Squadron as David was leaving, posted to join the staff of the OCU. Five years later when I finished my extended time on the squadron I was posted to The Defence Operational Analysis Establishment and when I arrived there who was I relieving? Yes, David, so another week together. Being posted to RAF Germany to return to flying almost brought us together again but David went to Jaguars and I went to fly Harriers. We both knew each other for a long time but it was not until being together at the Museum that we finally could ‘catch up’.

Page 6 Fastest in the World - From Tangmere

On the 7th November 1945, at Herne Bay, Kent, Group Captain Hugh Wilson set a new air speed of 606.38 mph (0.79 mach) in a Gloster Meteor F Mk IV. His aircraft was powered by two standard River Class Derwent V, centrifugal engines. The following year, in a bid to promote Britain's technical and engineering capabilities, the RAF decided to improve on this speed if it was at all possible. Group Captain E.M. Donaldson was appointed to lead the specially formed High Speed Flight (HSF) in May 1946. He was allowed to hand-pick his team of pilots and engineers and he selected just two pilots: Sqn Ldr Bill Waterton and Flt Lt Neville Duke, both highly experienced pilots. Two members of his ground-crew deferred their discharges from the RAF to stay on the HSF team.

Two specially adapted Meteor Mk IV aircraft, EE549 and EE550, were prepared for the task and were referred to as ‘Star’ Meteors. They had River Class Derwent V engines fitted but the turbine blades were modified to use a material designed to operate at an exhaust gas temperature up to 850oC. The engines were deregulated and that allowed them to be run at 18,200 rpm. However, for safety’s sake, the manufacturer limited their maximum run time at those levels to just 18 minutes. As an additional safety factor, the RAF further limited their use at maximum rpm to 13 minutes at a time.

To lighten the aircraft, the flaps, airbrake mechanism, radio and some fuel tanks were removed. The now inoperative airbrakes were sealed flush with the skin and the engines’ air intakes were enlarged to allow a greater airflow into the engine. At this stage, ejection seats were still in the experimental phase and consequently, were not available and in an emergency, pilots would have had great difficulty escaping in time.

Problems with High Speed Flight High speed flight brings with it a set of problems which must be overcome in order to be able to fly successfully and safely. A flying aircraft generates shock waves which travel outwards from the source at the speed of sound, that is approximately 767mph. The record-breaking Meteor Mk IV, EE549 The HSF was aiming to achieve a speed of 623 mph (1002.62Km/h or 0.81Mach) thus breaking the 1,000 Km/h barrier. Accordingly, the aircraft would reach transonic speeds in which the shock waves in front of the aircraft get closer together and start to form a barrier in front of the aircraft and supersonic airflows over the wings form shock waves which have a compressing action on the underlying structures. The temperature of these shock waves soar and drag increases behind the shock waves. The boundary layer (a layer of air immediately in contact with the aircraft’s skin) may separate from the aircraft skin and cause buffeting, that is turbulent air from the boundary layer hitting the tail plane assembly and creating severe vibration in the airframe. The Meteor’s airframe was not designed to withstand the high compressibility stress levels that are produced by the shock waves and the RAF, lacking understanding of the effects, looked to Donaldson to provide answers!

The Attempt on the Air Speed Record RAF Tangmere was selected as the base from which attempts would be made. The High Speed Flight was given 3 standard Meteor IV 'Hacks' with which to practice and these were used to establish the route between Littlehampton and Rustington that the aircraft would fly in their record attempts and the method that would be used in the trials. Each record attempt would require 4 runs over a straight 3 kilometre course. Average speed would count, not max speed and the first attempt date was set for 1stAugust 1946. It needed a hot, still day - no wind of any significance.

The trials began on 1st July 1946 and the HSF pilots started by familiarising themselves with the approach run and identifying the turning points. During the trials, a number of engineering and design problems arose including:

• Neville Duke lost his port engine whilst flying one of the Star Meteors at 580 mph. Rivet heads had broken off and in turn, broke parts off the compressor blades. These particles were then ingested into the engine, travelled through to the turbine blades at the back and broke them. Duke managed to land safely back at Tangmere. A new type of seal was fitted to prevent further intrusions into the engines. Donaldson stated that many rivets from other parts of the airframe, lost their heads during each trial run. • Owing to the friction of the air on the aircraft skin and the build-up of a shock wave over the cockpit, temperatures rose to a high degree. The standard Meteor canopy had to be replaced with a stronger steel structure which enclosed a small, toughened-perspex, front windscreen and canopy. This modification restricted the pilot’s sideways view of wings which then prevented pilots having advanced warning of any catastrophic failure that might occur. Note that American aircrews in their equivalent HSF wore crash helmets and special flying suits whereas RAF crews flew in shirt sleeves. Flying in shirt sleeves was for comfort as the temperature in the cockpit rose dramatically as shock waves passed over it.

Page 7 Other physical difficulties arose from the compressibility issue. At low level, severe buffeting shook the wings, aircraft controls stiffened up and made the aircraft extremely hard to fly. Donaldson managed to fly at a speed of 626 mph on 14thAugust, but at 3,000 ft, the lowest altitude that the aircraft could fly without buffeting. On 23rdAugust, he flew for two minutes at 1,000ft achieving a speed of 619 mph.

Finally, satisfied with the trials progress, Donaldson announced that an attempt would be made on 24th August. However, on the night of 23rd August, ground-crew discovered massive internal twisting and buckling of the main spar and fuselage ribs which in a further high speed flight, would have caused the total destruction of the aircraft. Both Star meteors were flown back to the manufacturer's for repair and strengthening. On their return to Tangmere, the air brakes were sealed closed and all gaps smoothed down to give unimpeded airflow. As the aircraft no longer had either air brakes or flaps, speed had to be burned off before landing by flying wider circuits

The weather cooled off towards the end of August but on 7th September 1946, the air temperature rose to 14oC (57.2oF). It was now or never and Donaldson ordered the operation to go ahead at 18.00hrs. Donaldson decided to make the attempt himself to show he was not gutless! He might have been thought of as being selfish, but he didn't want to be thought of as gutless. Two Mosquito night fighters took off to patrol the course at 1,000ft to ensure Fédération Aéronautique International regulations were not breeched. Two caravans containing cameras were linked to the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, where the results were analysed in the Laboratory. This analysis took 6 hours to complete.

The Meteors had a nine-mile run into the timed section between Kingston Gorse and Rustington. Between the two caravans containing the measuring and recording equipment was a measured distance of 3 kilometres. Token Air-Sea Rescue launches were set out alongside the course, but had any pilot hit the sea at a speed greater than 30 mph, he would not have survived. To save fuel, Star Meteor EE549 was towed to the end of the runway and fuel tanks were topped up. Donaldson sat in the cockpit in shirt sleeves. He didn’t bother to wear a flying helmet as there wasn't a radio. After starting the engines, he took off, turned left just south of Chichester, and straightened up over Pagham Harbour. He flew the Meteor at just 10 feet (3.048m) above the sea, travelling at 600 mph with 9 miles to run. As he opened the throttles to maximum, speed increased and the aircraft shook violently, his vision blurred and the controls locked up. The aircraft’s centre of lift shot back and Bill Waterton flies EE528, one of the HSF’s ‘hack’ Meteors used for Donaldson had to use both hands on the stick to keep the prac�ce runs, along the course for a photo shoot. In the background nose up. He experienced the same effects on next three are the balloons used to mark the start and finish points of the runs. On completion of his attempt, Donaldson closed measured 3 Km sec�on and the measuring and recording equipment. the aircraft’s throttles and burnt off speed whilst circling RAF Tangmere. His total flight time was just 13 minutes.

Sqn Ldr Waterton took off in Star Meteor, EE550, and made 5 runs along the course. His aircraft developed a pull to the left and his runs were made with him struggling to trim the Meteor whilst holding the stick with both hands. Donaldson's average speed was 615.78 mph (990.79Kph) and the record stood until 19th June 1947 when Colonel Albert Boyd, USAF, flying a Lockheed XP-80R Shooting Star, broke the record at a speed of 623.85 mph. Donaldson actually achieved 623.45 mph during one of his runs and this was recognised by FAI as being the first time that the 1,000kph barrier had been broken. Donaldson was given a certificate by the FAI in recognition of the event. The Royal Aero Club also gave him a certificate in acknowledgement. The official results were announced by Air Marshal Sir James Robb: Donaldson had averaged 616 mph (0.803 Mach) and Waterton 614 mph (0.8 Mach).

Further attempts were made on 23rd September 1946, with a total of twenty-nine runs being made; Donaldson made 15 runs. During one set of runs, the rudder's mass balance, a 28.5 lb (12.7kg) lead weight, broke off owing to the vibration. The vibration was so severe that it shook Donaldson's feet off the rudder pedals. He completed the required set of four runs but later investigation showed that the rudder was damaged and piece of metal had broken off the starboard jet pipe.

Later, on the 27th September 1946, Sir James Robb phoned and told Donaldson that no more attempts were to be made. Both of the Star Meteors and their engines were worn out and were to be sent to their respective manufacturers for refurbishment. It was later discovered that the leading edges of the engine intakes were starting to crumble owing to pressures caused by the shock waves. Also on that day, it was announced in the press that the High-Speed Trials Unit had been closed down. Donaldson and Waterton were both awarded bars to their AFCs.

Richard Taylor

Page 8 Teddy Donaldson Buried at Tangmere ‘Teddy’ Donaldson was one of three brothers who served with the RAF during the Second World War, all three, as squadron commanders, were awarded the DSO ; John during the Norway campaign, ‘Teddy’ during the and Arthur during the Battle for Malta.

In early 1937 Flight Lieutenant Edward (‘Teddy’) Mortlock Donaldson was tasked with reforming No 72 Squadron at RAF Tangmere with Gloster Gladiators. This he did but when the squadron moved to Church Fenton he remained at Tangmere as a flight commander in No 1 Squadron where he immediately set about forming a formation aerobatic team consisting of four Hawker Fury aircraft. From No1 Squadron he moved to the Central Flying School and having qualified as an instructor he returned to operational flying with No 151 Squadron. When the squadron re-equipped with Hurricanes he was promoted to squadron leader and appointed as commanding officer. His short operational career in the Second World War resulted in 5 confirmed victories with one shared, 3 unconfirmed and one enemy aircraft damaged. Immediately after the war the RAF decided to recapture the World Airspeed Record(see the story earlier in this magazine, with grateful thanks to Richard Taylor - Editor) After his illustrious air force career and having been promoted air commodore, Teddy Donaldson became the air correspondent for the Daily Telegraph for many years. He died on 6 June 1992 in the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar and was buried at St Andrew’s Church, Tangmere in an area of the churchyard reserved for British and German airmen. Father Mark Gilbert, the rector of Tangmere and Oving churches conducted the service during which an address was given by Wing Commander Harry Harrison. One of the lessons was read by the Air Commodore’s nephew, Dr Mark Donaldson. Other members of the family who attended included nieces Ms Alison Donaldson and Mrs Sally Rudman, his companion of recent years, Mrs Elizabeth Pack and his grandson Mr Simon Howell. Among the congregation at the funeral were Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Hayr, representing the Board, Group Captain Frank Carey, Wing Commander Pat Hancock, Honorary Secretary of the Fighter Association and Nick Berryman, Chairman of the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum. The Museum will be holding in the cinema a temporary exhibition from 1 September, 2021 to mark the 75th anniversary of the RAF High Speed Flight’s attempt on the World Airspeed Record attempt from RAF Tangmere in 1946.

Page 9 Jack Froelich’s Vietnam Story

Museum volunteer Jack Froelich was born inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania and served in the USAF during the Vietnam War flying Caribous and then KC135 tankers. After a spell as a flying instructor and air taxi operator, he became an airline pilot first with Saudia - where he met his Chichester-born wife - and then Korean Air. Here he tells the fascinating story of his time in Vietnam with “The Hustlers”.

During the Vietnam war I served in the USAF as a pilot on the De Havilland Canada C-7A Caribou,based at Cam Ranh Bay, a major US Air base located about halfway down the South Vietnamese coast on a peninsula jutting out into the South China Sea. Access to the base was quite limited from the mainland, so we enjoyed a relatively quiet time when at “home”, with only the occasional rocket attack to disturb our sleep. I was assigned to the 457th Tactical Airlift Squadron, “The Hustlers” whose patch featured a winged caribou. Cam Ranh Bay (CRB) was headquarters of the 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing which commanded the six Caribou squadrons serving in country. Two (457th and 458th) were based at CRB, two at Vung Tau, southeast of Saigon, and two at Phu Cat, east of Pleiku. There was also a squadron of Caribous operated by the Royal Australian Air Force based at Vung Tau (No. 35 Squadron)

The primary mission of the 457th was support of US Army units throughout II Corps, performing passenger and cargo missions as necessary at a variety of airfields ranging from the major bases such as Bien Hoa and Ton Son Nhut to fire-bases and temporary airfields in forward areas. Our secondary mission was support of 5th Special Forces, operating two aircraft out of our mission site at Pleiku Air Base and operating into the “A” team camps scattered throughout the mountainous Central Highlands of Vietnam.

The flying in support of the Special Forces (SF) was challenging and fraught with danger, both in the air (from ground fire) and on the ground (from mortar and rocket attacks). Throughout the year, we received outstanding support from the Green Berets. This took the form of security when on the ground, hospitality (shown by the many invitations to lunch at the camps we served) and living accommodation at Pleiku. While based there during our operations, we lived with the Special Forces in their compound just off the Western end of the runway. In contrast to the normal USAF accommodation, which was at least air conditioned, the SF compound consisted of old French barracks left over from the colonial period. They had no glass in the windows, were draughty and damp, but at the end of a long day of upwards of 8 sorties of flying, served us just fine. The only issue we had was that during the monsoon season there was no way to dry anything out. We hung light bulbs in our lockers to try to keep our flight suits dry, to no avail. One smelt of mildew for the entire month. The leather on our flying boots turned green and mouldy too. Still we at least had a roof over our heads.Another difference between us and the otherAir Force personnel was that if the base was attacked, those of us at the SF compound were assigned a section of the perimeter wall and expected to respond by manning it whereas our counterparts on the USAF side all retired to the bunkers and shelters.

There were only two occasions when I was roused out of a sound sleep and rushed to the wall with my M-16, but luckily no ground attack occurred, just a few mortar shells and the odd rocket. It could get spectacular though, as there was a detachment of AC-47 gunships at Pleiku and watching the old Gooney bird circling a target with all three mini-guns spewing tracers into the night was quite a sight. Our section of the wall was near a guard tower armed with a .50 Cal Browning machine gun and the sight and sound of that pumping rounds out into the night also got the adrenaline pumping. I honestly don’t know if anyone, airborne or on the ground, ever actually hit any targets, but as we were never overrun, I suppose it doesn’t matter a great deal.

Quite a few our our sorties involved air-dropping supplies to the “A” Team camps in the mountains. Air drops were normally scheduled when either the runway condition (Muddy) or security situation precluded landing at a given camp. Cargoes that we dropped included pallets of ammunition, food and such, or our most interesting loads; livestock and / or poultry.

That sounds simple, but dropping cows on parachutes was actually quite complex. Each cow occupied its own pallet, with a wooden frame around the animal. On the top of this arrangement were two Cargo parachutes, attached by straps to the static line that ran the length of the cargo compartment. We dropped at a height of 300’AGL at 110 knots. We would ask the ground troops to pop a smoke grenade then make a run in and drop at our best guess depending on the wind. After the load left the aircraft, we would make a tight turn to have a look at the progress of the load and mentally make any corrections to the drop point in order to improve the accuracy. Everything was done by eye, with no aids and we got quite good at it. When dropping cows, the load master would release the locks on the pallet while we approached the drop and when the green light illuminated, he would give the pallet a kick or shove. At the same

Page 10 time, we would increase the pitch and add some power, which helped the load slide effortlessly out the rear cargo door. The Caribou was configured, in this case, with two.

The departure of the beast would often be accompanied with a loud MOO and wide eyes. It may sound like animal cruelty, but we never lost a cow. The chutes resulted in a gentle descent and landing. Although the cows were intended as breeding stock, they often ended up on that evening’s dinner table as the Montagnard’s were not really disposed to a long term existence at one location. We also dropped pallets of live chickens as well. On one instance, at a camp in the mountains, the pallet broke apart with the opening shock of the parachute and as we turned to check out the accuracy of he drop, all we could see was a huge flock of white chickens flapping madly as they descended into the trees. The closest they ever got to actually flying, I imagine.

The worst part of dropping or carrying cows was having to clean out the cargo compartment afterwards, often without the benefit of a garden hose. We all took turns with this rather unpleasant chore. We would also occasionally drop troops, but this was usually for training as the army preferred to use helicopters for actual combat insertions. On one such practice drop of ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) troops, one of the soldiers got fouled in the static line and was dragged helplessly behind the aircraft. As luck would have it, I was in the rear of the aircraft, photographing the drop. A “hung trooper” situation, as it was known, is nothing to laugh about as there are many factors that could cause the death of the unfortunate soldier. He could be cut loose, but we had no way of knowing if he was conscious, so did not consider that to be an option. The one thing we were desperately hoping for was that he would recognise his situation and extricate himself from the tangled static line and pull his ripcord. The last thing you ever want to do is have to land with him dangling behind the aircraft, as this would invariably mean a fatal injury. We attempted to communicate with the trooper, but he was hung upside down and couldn’t see us. It is far too noisy to attempt calling to him, so there is a set of standard hand signals, but as he couldn’t see us they weren’t much use either. In this case, after about five minutes, he managed to free himself and successfully deploy his chute, though he was now quite far from the drop zone.

As the year (1968) drew to a close, we decided it would be a good idea to show our appreciation to the Green Berets for all the excellent treatment we had been receiving throughout the year. With the encouragement of the Wing Commander, crews and maintenance personnel of the 457 TAS and 458 TAS decided to show their appreciation to the Special Forces. To this end, we decorated two aircraft, one from each squadron, in a Christmas scheme. Aircraft Nos. 63-9760 and 62-4159 were selected for the holiday make - over. I was Hung trooper. Note the Sta�c line passing involved right from the start and pitched in with a couple of other under his arm, preven�ng him from clearing squadron pilots to paint the nose of 760 with a Santa Claus face. the aircra� and deploying his chute. Merry Christmas” and “Santa Bou” were also inscribed on the side of the aircraft. My squadron did up the inside of each aircraft with a fireplace, complete with stockings. Both Squadrons had a whip-round to provide brandy, champagne, candy, and toys. On Christmas Day, we took the aircraft to Special Forces camps at Buon Blech, Duc Co, Plei Me, and Plei Dejereng. On these missions, one of our Flight Engineers dressed up as Santa and handed out gifts and candy to the Special Forces personnel and Montagnard children as well as eggnog produced by the Cam Ranh Bay milk plant. These missions were a rousing success and brought all of us a great deal of satisfaction.

These missions received media coverage in the US at the time, but were overshadowed to some extent by the first release of POW’s from their incarceration in the “Hanoi Hilton.” The Santa-Bou Programme was continued every year until the US handed over the Caribous to the South Vietnamese Air Force in the 70s.

My own tour in country went on until March 1969, but the work we did that Christmas stands out as a high point.

Page 11 Jean Moulin’s Flights From Tangmere

Before theS econd World War Jean Moulin became the youngest prefét (prefect) inFr ance in Aveyron. Whenw ar broke out he remained in post after the Germans overran France but in November 1940, the Vichy government ordered all prefects tod ismiss leftw ing electedm ayors of towns and villages. When Moulin refused, he was himself removed from office. He then went to live near Avignon and joined the French Resistance.

InVichy controlledFrance the Resistance wascomposed ofd ifferent groupswho sharedt he same goals and all of the same problems: alack ofm oney, nom eans of communicating with London and a dearth of equipment. Moulindecidedtovisit de Gaulle in London and lobby him on thesei ssues.

Moulin reached Lisbon on 12September andw as taken by theB ritish to Londonwhere hem et de Gaulle on 25 October. As much as the Resistancen eeded helpfrom London, de Gaulle needed the Resistanceto giveh im political power when negotiating with the allied leadership. On the nightof2January 1942, Moulin parachuted back intoF rance. Hew as very knowledgeable in art and was abletotravel around France acting asanartdealer.A ftera yearof negotiation Moulinsucceeded in forminginJanuary 1943t he Mouvements Unisdela Résistance, recognising de Gaulle asl eader and agreeing tom erge their paramilitary branches to form the ArméeSecrète.

Moulin was flown back to RAF Tangmere on 14 February 1943i n a 161 Squadron Lysander pick-up operationwhere twoaircraft landed and one actedasreserve. Ten days later Moulin, with new instructions that he was the solerepresentativeofdeGaulle and Resistance leader acrossall France, was flownoutof Tangmere byS quadronL eader Hugh Verity ina161 Squadron Lysander.

Unfortunately,impenetrable fog over the landing ground nearTours forcedV erity to abort the mission. On his returntoTangmere, he found theairfield blanketed by fogandrealising Moulin did not havea parachute decided to attemptalanding. On hist welfth attempt he believed he was over the runway and decided to land. The Lysanderw as thirty feet too high and crashed to theg round but fortunately neitherV erity nor Moulin where injured. Iti s saidtheMoulin thanked Verity saying,“ Thank you for a very agreeable flight”.

A monthl ater, on then ightof19/20M arch, Moulin was successfully flown out ofTangmere toF rance by John Bridger,a nother pick-up pilot. They landed north of Roanne, nearMelay. This operation, named Serene II, is now commemorated by ahandso me red granite monumentw hichw asu nveiled in March 1990. Amongst the2,000 guests was Hugh Verity.

A secret meeting of representativesofall the Resistance groups acrossFrance took place inlateM ay 1943inthe Rue du Four, Paris which resulted in the successful formation of the Conseil National de Resistance(CNR) whichwas soon recognisedby the Allies. However, on 21 June 1943M oulin was arrested at a meeting with fellow Resistance leaders atahousei nCaluire, a suburb of Lyon. Hew as sent to Montluc Prison in Lyon and interrogated and torturedbythe head of Gestapo,K laus Barbie.A fter further interrogation in Paris, during which he gave nothing away, he wasplaced on a trainto Germany. On this journey hed ied from his injuries sustained either duringtortureorin asuicide attempt.

John Bridger, after his tourw ith 161, was posted tofly Halifaxes withB omber Command. He was killed after thewarinanaircraftaccidentwhen an Avro Tudor,on thew ay toAustralia, crashed intoMountA rarat Turkey.

Page 12 Battle of Britain Hero -Tim Elkington

With the 80thAnniversary of the Battle of Britainlast year I thought it was appropriate, as Editor, to mention some of whof lew from Tangmere.Before joining the Museum I was, and still am, a member of a number ofSpit fire, Hurricane and Battle of Britain Facebook pages. They have taughtme a lot and I continue to learn. Some of those lessons come from agentleman by the name of Paul Davies. Paul has met and interviewed moreof The Few than I have had the chance to meet. Here, for you, is thef irst part of two items about Tim Elkington. Name - John Francis Durham Elkington; Nickname - Tim Born - 23 December 1920; Died - Friday 1 February 2019. Years of RAF Service - 1939–1975 ; Rank - Wing Commander Units - 1 Squadron, 601 Squadron, 134 Squadron, 539 Squadron, 197 Squadron Campaigns - Battle of Britain, Russia and World War IIf ighter pilot. Wing Commander John Durham "Tim" Elkington was one of the Few, a Battle of Britain Hawker Hurricanef ighter pilot with 1 Squadron in 1940. It has been a great honour to share his thoughts and remembrances of flying in the Battle of Britain, of his friends who died in the war, of his fighting inRussia, and hisperiod flying the Typhoon.Timhadafullwar, and was one of thef ighter pilots lucky enough to survive The Battle of Britain and theSecond World War.

Tim was sent to Bedford School where young men were taught to lead without being arrogant, to be outgoingand to take part in many sports and other activities. By the time he was nineteen the First World War hadbegun. He entered Cranwell as a Flight Cadet in 1939 and carried out his elementary flying training at 9 EFTS,RAF Ansty, from October 1939 to April 1940 and after which he went to Cranwell for Intermediate and AdvancedTraining.

Granted a Permanent commission on 14 July 1940. Tim joined No.1 Squadron at RAF Northolt. They weresubsequently moved to RAF Tangmere on 31 May 1940, remaining there until 8September of that year. During his time at Tangmere he shot down a Bf109 on 15 August 1940 but was himself shot down and wounded on the 16 August whilef lying Hurricane P3173. Ordered off to patrol Portsmouth, he wasf lying in Flight Sergeant Fred Berry’sSection when they met a large force of German aircraft. Tim’s plane was hit by acannon shot in the wing fuel tank which exploded and burst intof lames. By chance Tim's mother wasbelow this area of the combat and witnessed this, surely aunique occurrence in wartime. Tim bailed out over the Channel, soon losing consciousness. Sgt. Berry followed him and with his slipstreamblew Tim Elkington on to land near West Wittering, thereby saving his life, for hewould have drowned otherwise, or died of shock or exposure. Sgt. Berry, sadly was killed in action before Tim ever got a chance to thank his friend. Tim told Paul Daviesit was the greatest regret in his Tim Elkington (standing) with life - not being able to thank him for saving his life. Every year on the (l-r) Paul Farnes and Geoffrey Wellum anniversary of his being shot down, and Fred Berry's death, Paul Davies has posted tributes of this story on Tim's behalf. Tim was taken to the Royal West Sussex Hospital at Chichester. His aircraftcrashed and burnt out at Manor Farm, Chidham. After leaving hospital he was then put on sick leave and sent to convalesce. It was whilst this was happening that Fred Berry waskilled and so Tim was unable to thank him. After this break in his service he was posted to 55 OTU as aninstructor. A few months later, having survived the Battle of Britain with only one unfortunate incident, Hewas enjoying life with 601 Squadron at Manston involved with interception patrols, search and rescue escortand later, sweeps over France. Too good to last: in July 1941 came a posting ‘overseas’!

Page 13 Flight Lieutenant Jack F. Overton

Jack F Overton enlisted with the RAF as a trainee Pilot Officer in November 1941 and joined 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron inNovember 1942 as a flyingff o icer from 41 OTU, RAF Old Sarum,Wiltshire.

As a flight lieutenant, Jack carried out 78 operations with 613 Squadron,f irstly in Mustang Is and then in Mosquito FB MkVI's. He was killed onNovember 30, 1944 aged 26 and is buried in Cambrai CommunalCemetery, Northern France.

Jack was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, the only Englishman in 613 Squadron to receive the honour,and the DFC posthumously “in recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of airoperations.”

An example of his coolness was shown when he nursed his Mosquito back to RAF Tangmere, where hecrash landed and he and his navigatorF/O Alan ‘Lofty’ Eyles emerged unscathed. On March 11, 1944, F/Lt Overton took off from RAF Lasham, Hampshire in Mosquito FB Mk VI HP928 on a nightf lying dead reckoning cross-countryexercise. Jack recalled the event that day in his diary:

“Another shaky ‘do’. Nightfl ying D.R.(Dead Reckoning) crosscountry. Lofty lost me second time round & we went into Southampton balloon barrage at 1500 feet. Climbedup to 7000 feet to get a fix & found ‘G’ had alsopackedup. Thiswasfollowedbythewirelessalsogoingu/s– transmitting but not receiving. Got homings to nearest aerodrome by the searchlights, & found that theundercarriage could not lock down, so had to do a crash landing at side of runway. Came down O.K,undercarriage collapsed, skidded along for 140 yards & went slap into a couple of petrol bowsers – 400 gals.in each. Luckily, for some reason, neither punctured so did not catchfi re. Swung round thro’180°, rippedstarboard prop off, knocked nose of kite off, broke fuselage in half – neither of us scratched. Getting a bitworried about Lofty’s navigation as this is the third time running we have gone astray.” (Crash picture below- Editor)

Jack married Margaret ‘Peggy’ Weldrick from Dewsbury, Yorkshire on June 1, 1944 but the honeymoon in Devon had to be cut short when he was recalled for D-Day. His younger brother, Guy, an able seaman in the Royal Navy, was due to be best man at the wedding but Navy leave had been cancelled in preparation For Operation Neptune.

Jack later named four Mosquito's ‘Peggy: Peggy III wasshot down on 14 January 1944 while over France on operations against V-1 rocket sites; both crew, F/LtJoseph G. Oliver (pilot) and Sgt. Harry Williams(navigator) managed to survive the crash and, with thehelp of French civilians, were sheltered and thenmanaged to get back to England; F/Lt Oliver rejoined613 Squadron but was killed in af lying accident nearRAF Swanton Morley, Norfolk on 28 July 1944. P eggyIV crashed on 2 February 1944 near RAF Hatfield,Hertfordshire; the pilot, F/Lt Raymond E. Knight, wasf lying solo and survived.

In November 1944 the Squadrons of 138 Wing moved to Northern France: Cambrai-Epinoy airfield, which had been liberated from the Germans the previousSeptember. Jack flew to the airfield on 30 November. That same day, 3 years and 1 day after joiningthe RAF, he was killed in a road accident. He was a passenger in a car driving on a cobbled road to 138 Wingnear Cambrai. The car skidded, overturned and Jack was killed instantly.

Page 14 Bill Walker Joins the Goldfish Club In 1959 Bill Walker, a former Museum trustee and DDM, was a young midshipman observer in No 849 Naval Air Squadron flying Douglas Skyraiders fromHMS Victorious in the Airborne Early Warning role. They were crewed by a pilot and two observers and Bill’s role, as the junior observer, was navigation. At 0530 on 22 September 1959 Bill was in the first aircraft launched fromVictorious , flagship of a task force taking part in a large NATO exercise in the North Atlantic. The Skyraider’s task was to direct ground- attack Supermarine Scimitars on to a bombing range on the Norwegian coast. Bill’s aircraft had full drop tanks for a sortie length of seven and a half hours and after many hours directing the Scimitars onto their target Bill gave his pilot a southerly heading back south for ‘Mother’. Confident of pickingVictorious up very soon on the Skyraider’s magnificent radar Bill began to think of a large meal and hot bath. But it was not to be. When they arrived atVictorious’ predicted position there were no escorts and no carrier and an eerie silence on the radio. There was also nothing on the ‘YE’ beacon, a rudimentary but usually totally reliable homing device. A hasty search proved futile and after about half an hour, Bill’s pilot announced that they had enough fuel to investigate just one more radar contact and if it wasn’t the carrier they would have to ditch in the sea alongside it. The radar blip turned out to be a Russian trawler. Fuel gauges on zero, Bill’s pilot warned, “Stand by to ditch”. The ditching was successful (no mean feat in such an aircraft) and the crew boarded their dinghies and tied themselves together. The Skyraider sank, leaving two drop tanks bobbing around on the surface. A big swell was running and when they bobbed up to the top of the waves they had the comforting sight of the Russian trawler coming towards them. But then it turned away, heading for the horizon. After what seemed a lifetime the Russian hove into view and manoeuvred alongside and the crew threw down ropes. This was of course during the middle of the Cold War but to Bill and his crew politics surely would not be a factor in their rescue. This was the case until they arrived on the trawler’s deck when they were faced by a grim- looking Russian pointing a large pistol at them. “American?” he growled. They replied, “Who us? No we are English”. The effect was magical. The Russian’s face split into a broad grin and he put away his gun. “Ha, English – Vodka!” The whole Russian crew were extremely kind even offering them use of the captain’s own quarters. Apparently, the reason they did not come immediately to assist them was that they had to report to Moscow the ditching of an American aircraft and to obtain official permission to save the crew. After twenty four hours on board the trawler they were transferred to its depot ship and two days later, were reclaimed by the frigate HMS Urchin. During their time on the depot ship they were offered two books in English to read, one a ghastly political novel and the other, the appropriately titled ‘Three Men in a Boat’! The subsequent Board of Enquiry found that although they were briefed that the Task Force would be advancing north at twenty knots during our sortie, the force actually sailed west at fifteen knots and nobody had thought to inform them. Bill, as navigator was off the hook! Later in the month the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Charles Lamb, sent a letter to the Soviet Ambassador in London, expressing gratitude to the crew of the Russian trawler. Bill remained in the Fleet Air Arm, later flying as an observer in Blackburn Buccaneers. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Main source – ‘Fly Navy – the view from the cockpit 1945-2000’edited by Charles Manning and published by Leo Cooper in 2000 Picture -A week before Bill joined the Goldfish Club - HMS Victorious in the Solent with 4 AEW Skyraiders on deck and Scimitars ranged near the carriers island.

Page 15 TT Flight Line Readers’ Letters

This is Your (readers) letters column, which allows you to express your views and any ideasyou may have fort he Friends and “Talking Tangmere”.

Let us have your letters and get TANGMERE TALKING

‘A Piece of My History’ I have written before in Talking Tangmere of the people we meet in the museum. On one Friday in late August I was talking to a gentleman in the reception area, asking if he was enjoying his visit. He said : ‘You have a piece of my history here.’

Upon asking what that piece was he told me about the bomb in the Battle of Britain Hall. He was quite frail so I took his arm and we walked to the location.

Standing there in the Hall he showed me the bomb that did not go off. On 27th December 1940 this particular German bomb crashed through the roof of the Odeon Cinema in London. Mr Redlington gave a colourful description of the events of that evening, giving thanks that he remained alive! But the adults were most put out at having no cinema for the four days it took to disarm the bomb!

An Old Friend and a New Home For some years the cold war Lockheed T33A could be seen outside at Tangmere Military Aviation Museum. But now she has a new home, The Bentwaters Cold War Museum.. This picture and story from Graham Haynes at Bentwaters tells us more about T-33A 51-9252 , nowf ully assembled following itsarrival at the Bentwaters Cold WarMuseum. The Bentwaters Cold War Museum has received LockheedT -33A 51-9252f rom theT angmere Military Aviation Museum.The Shooting Star represents an important addition tot he Suffolk museum, increasing its collection of types that fleww ith the US Air Force from the Bentwaters and Woodbridge ‘twin bases’ to two, the other being Fairchild A-10AT hunderbolt II 80-0219 which was received in 2016.

Constructed at Burbank, California in1951 , this T-33s erved firstly with the USAF and then with Groupement Ecole 314 of France’s Armée de l’Air at Tours, coded 314-UY. � Storeda t RAF Sculthorpe and then loaned by the USAF to Tangmere in1990 , the air-frame arrived at Bentwaters in July 2019 andwas reassembled the following day. A fullrestoration will be carried outover time.The colour scheme appliedw ill reflectthat of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing in the early 1960s, when the unitoperated T-33s from Bentwatersas second-line support aircraft alongsidei ts front-line McDonnell F-101 Voodoos

Page 16 A Tangmere Hawker Fury Flies Again

On 6 August 2012 a Hawker Fury Mk1 (K 5674)inNo43 Squadronmarkings flew forthe second time from Goodwood airfield since being restored by Retrotec Ltd to flyingcondition. Theaircraft, owned by the Historic AircraftC ollection Ltd, hadm ade itsf irst flighta week before on30July.

K 5674 was the personal aircraft of Flying Officer (later AirChiefMarshal)F rederick Rosier when he served at RAFTangmere withNo43Squadron for three yearsbefore the Second World War. David Rosier, his son,w as present to see the aircraftfly again and brought along his father’s log book which he handed over to the pilot, Flight Lieutenant CharlieB rown, to take with him on the one hour test flight.A number of members of the Museum were present to see this historic occasion and, after returningtotheM useum, were able to see K5674 flying overhead, some73years since a Hawker Fury flew from RAFTangmere.

Rosier was born in Wrexham in 1915 ande ntered theRAFon a short service commissionin 1935.A fter qualifyingasapilot, he spent three years atRAFT angmere withNo43Squadron flying the Hawker Fury and .

At the outbreakofwar,h e joined the newly formed No 229S quadron atD igby, Lincolnshire.On23May 1940, during the Battle of France, Rosier destroyed two Bf110s before being shot down near Arras; badly burned,hewas hospitalised. He re-joined No 229 Squadron three months latera nd flew in the last few weeks of theB attle of Britain during which he took over command of the squadron. In early 1941,the squadron embarked on HMS Furious, from whichit flew off to reach NorthAfricain time to support the captureofBenghazi.

Rosier was soon promoted to command one ofS ir Arthur Coningham’s Western Desert fighterwings. As a wing leaderhewas awarded the DSO.Henext spent a year as second-in-command of No 221 Group, directing all fighter operationsu ptoand including the BattleofEl Alamein. In early 1943, Rosier was back inEngland and, after staff posts, ended thewar on thecontinent as Group Captain (Operations) ofNo84 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force.

After returningtotheUK, Rosierattended the RAF Staff College, then commanded RAF Horsham St Faith, attended the US ArmedForces College in Virginiaand undertookaUSAFexchangep osting.F urther UK staff posts followed and in 1961, as anAi r Vice Marshal, he took over asA ir Officer Commanding Air ForcesMiddleE ast. Rosier next wenttoTransport Commandbutin 1961 returnedtoFighterC ommand as its last Commander-in-Chief. Hisl ast appointment before retiring from the RAF was as deputy Commander-in-ChiefAlliedF orces Central Europe.

Air ChiefMarshal Sir Frederick Rosier diedon10September 1998,a ged 82.

Page 17 47 Signatures – A Volunteer’s Search Tangmere Military Aviation Museum has a small exhibition dedicated to the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) who served the country so well during the Second World War. On display is a framed collection of signatures which was simply labelled “Signatures of Famous Female ATA Pilots” with no explanation of who these women were or where the signatures came from.

A natural curiosity eventually ensured that Debbie Randall would set out to identify who they were and how they came to be in the museum. This is just one story of the ATA that will be continued in following editions. In this edition we discover how Debbie set out on her search.

Good starting points were the signatures themselves. Using a digital camera (a Smartphone) I took several photographs of the signatures. These I cropped and digitally enhanced to separate each individual signature for identification; a total of 47 signatures were revealed. Each signature was then assigned an index number for tracking and an Excel spreadsheet set up to record details as they emerged. Eventually the spreadsheet was expanded to include all 168 women pilots, once it became apparent that some would be difficult to identify.

The ATA Museum Personnel Database in the Online Archive was very useful in setting this up. Now having a complete collection of signatures the right way up and enhanced in contrast and colour to assist reading, it was possible to the identification process.

Fortunately, most were easy to read and identify, assisted in many cases by having their country of origin – the ATA was truly international with pilots coming from around the World. Some signatures were more challenging to identify, two in particular, and identifying them all took a variety of methods which I will return to shortly.

To answer the questions of where the signatures came from and how they came to be at Tangmere, we looked at the museum records and database of artefacts donated to the museum, this was most illuminating. The records showed that the signatures were written onto a scarf which belonged to First Officer Beatrice Glanley 'Betty' Grant (later Mrs Hayman). The signatures were embroidered over by Betty's sister to highlight and preserve them and the scarf framed for display. The scarf along with Betty’s pilot logbooks and a few other items were donated to the museum by her son. We have Betty and her son to thank for this remarkable collection of ATA signatures, which it would turn out covers the whole story of the ATA from the first eight women pilots in January 1940 through to the last to fly, in 1946. Where and when the signatures were collected would take more research as these were not revealed in the museum records.

Returning to identifying the signatures, I now knew that I was looking for 47 of the 168 women pilots who served with the ATA, a relatively small group which should have made life quite easy. However, handwriting styles, maiden/married names and their preferred names rather than formal names would confuse things. Fortunately I had three excellent sources to reference; the book ‘Brief Glory: The Story of the Air Transport Auxiliary’ by E.C. Cheesman, the ATA Museum Online Archive and, a website called “The Ferry Pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary – a fleeting peace”, the latter extremely helpful for individual details and photographs. The book ‘Brief Glory’ has some very good Appendices, particularly C which is a complete alphabetical list of officially recognized ferry pilots and aircrew of the ATA. The other Appendices were also of interest for Commendations and honours.

The pictures on this page with the kind permission of volunteer Debbie Randall

Page 18 Buddy Refuelling-Sportof Knights!

Museum Deputy Director Ed Smith grew up in East Sussex and learnt to fly at Shoreham on an RAF Flying Scholarship. After service in the RAF as a fast jet pilot, including combat missions in Gulf War I on an exchange posting with the USAF, he became an airline pilot flying the Airbus. Here, he describes learning the black art of ‘buddy’ refuelling.

In the very earliest years of the service life of the Tornado GR1, every possible aspect of its potential employment was being explored. The multi-role capability of the MRCA was being tested by the hierarchy, often with a bit too much of a nostalgic glance backat the strategic (long range and heavyweap onl oad) capacity of theV ulcan. Meanwhile, the crews were training in it as a tactical aircraft torep lace the Buccaneer and Jaguar.

The threeU K-based squadrons did in fact carry elements of both rolesin their mission, with a nuclearstrikerole operated from their hardened bases (protected against nuclear and conventional attack) and a reinforcement tactical mission into Central Europe.

In two years, 1984an d 1985,617 Squadron and 27 Squadron respectively, based at RAF Marham in Norfolk, participatedi n theU S Strategic Air Command Bombing and Navigation Competition (aka GiantV oice), proving by taking sometrophies each time that theT ornado was morethan a match for SAC’sbest .However, having provedapoint, it must havebeen decided that Tornado should concentrate on the tactical mission. During this period, I was a pilot on 27 Squadron having converted from theP hantomFGR2 aftermy first productive Air Force ‘tour of duty’ on that type.

In November 1985, three weeks after we returned from our GV detachment in the USA, we received a tasking of a different type and at much shorter notice. Somewherei n MOD,it had been decided the Tornado should simulatealong-range tactical attack (attack indicating a conventional, non-nuclearmis sion) into enemy territory. This mission would involve air refuelling en route at night and lowa ltitude, from a Buccaneer operating as a ‘buddy’ tanker, a term given to similartypes cooperatingi natactical situation. Now, whileall the GV crews were well practised in day and night refuelling from Victors (the mainstayof the RAF’s AAR fleet at thet ime) none of our crews had recent experiencea gainst a Buccaneer and most had none. Following a clearancebythe Aircraft and Armament ExperimentalEstablishment in 1982, a one off and record-breaking trial flight (supported by Victors andBu ccaneers) had been flown from theU K to Cyprus and back non-stop, but this had not been repeated.

When mission training began we started witha daylight familiarisation refuelling with the Buccaneer at medium altitude. This felt like normal formationf lying but with the added interest of the controlledco llisionw ith the leader to complete a successful rendezvous. The crews quickly became familiar witht heview from the in-contact position, to be remembered for subsequent sorties.Wethen steppeddown to 2000 feet abovethe sea and found it to be quite turbulent but after each pilot took severala ttempts (and trying to avoid ‘chasing the basket’) we managed to connect. The final step, and afterathorough debrief to share experiences, wasto repea t the exercise at night andl ow level. On the night of my practice an areao vert he Irish Sea between Anglesey and the Isle of Man was forecast to have clear conditions and two Tornadoes from RAF Marham and a Buccaneer from Lossiemouth launched off for our rendezvous.

The Buccaneer crew established a racetrack pattern about 35 miles long at 2000 feet and at a speed of280 knots; the best speed for a stable hose and basket and a speed at which both aircraft can manoeuvre comfortably.The three crews were using all their flying skills to thelimi t. The Buccaneer crew had tof ly as accuratelyand the pilot as smoothly asthey could. The leadTo rnado navigator, using theg round mapping radar as ani ntercept radar and searching through ‘ground clutter’ on his picture, guided the lead pilot on an intercept from 500 feet abovethe tanker.

Page 19 Thel ead pilot hadto fly the manoeuvres toa llow theN o 2 pilot tof ormate with him (in a loose echelon position at about 50me tresd istance) while his navigator monitored his pilot andt he formation. The Buccaneer crew kept us updated on their progress around their racetrack and with some deft useo f air intercept techniquest heTo rnadoss oon arrivedi n thevi cinity of thevery poorly lit (as we discovered) Buccaneer. Once we had achieved avisu alcontact the fun began.

The Buccaneer had anti-collision lights of course, which are goodf or seeing it at a distance but becomeabright distraction close up and are best switched off. Rearward facing lights consisted of the whitet aillight and blue formation lights on the wingtips and atop the fin. These latter were unreliable and likely tobe unavailable. The only ‘lighting’ on the basket consistedo f aring of photo- luminescent strips around the peripheral canvas rim.

In our formation the Buccaneer pilot cleared the first Tornado to goastern and, having extended the probe with its own and essential floodlight shining forward acrossthe tip and into the blackness ahead, the Tornado moved carefully aft, down and left toes tablish in the‘ waiting’ position. Throughout any formation flying the only concern is relativemovement; the speed ofbo th aircraft through the air is not so important. We watched from our now close echelon position onthe Buccaneer’swing as No1juggled withaconstantly moving basket to achieve contact.

Myexper iencewasto prove similar. behind the Buccaneer the basket was barely visible initially; I hadto get awfullyc losetoill uminate it. The hose drumismounted undert he Buccaneer’sstarboard wing and so theformating aircraft is aligned almost directly behindt he jet exhaust on that side, adding to the turbulence. Thet echnique, as ever with air refuelling, is tof ocus on flying in relation to referencesont het anker, not try and‘ stab’ at the basket with the probe. The navigator now provides extremelyhelpful commentary.After aligning the probe with the basket, allowing for the known tendencyfor the basket tom ove away when hit by the Tornado’s bow wave,I nudgedt he throttles forward to establish2-3 kts overtake straight ahead. Both aircraft were bouncing around in the turbulent air and out of theco rner of my eye I could see the outline of the basket movingin a random fashion at the end of thehose .AllIcould do was move the aircraft forward while listening tomy navigator's commentary which by thist ime had a good element of directive instruction. “Comeup, steady, forward. Missed, 9 o’clock.” Atwhich point I throttled back until the probe was clear of the basket, took a deep breath and startedagain. “Forward, steady, steady,IN, forward.” With contact achieved I then had to continue forward( the hose drum taking in the slack) to ensure ag ood connection of probe to receptacle and then holdthis close astern position. The hosei s short but is prone,like any, to oscillate and which if it can develop, becomes a dangerous whip that can take off thet ip of the probe and potentiallyc ause debris togo down an engine.

The process of achieving a connection took at least fiveminutes and, although notessen tial, we wantedto remain connected for 3 or 4 minutesto take on fuel.T he precise formationf lying continued then as the Buccaneer made his gentle turn at the end of the racetrack andI wasgl ad when the refuel was complete. Whilestraight and level, I carefully reversed’ down the natural trail line for the hose and pulled the probe clear of the basket. With words of thanks to the very patient andt rusting Buccaneer crew we in the Tornado formation made our way hometo Marham.

This initial training exercise was deemed successful, but I suspect the report back through Group headquarters explained the challenges. We never practised it again andt he idea of using the Tornadoas a very long-range bomber where it would require covert, low level tanking seems to have been abandoned. Not untilGulf War 1 would such extensive use of tankers for dailyop erations be employedand here, crews found the challenge of medium altitudet anking at night in cloudwas sufficient to gett he adrenaline pumping toi ts limits.

Ed Smith Copyright

Page 20 It allstarted ona Thursday 6th December 1979…

A Canberra Story

A simple transit in a CanberraTT1 8 from St Mawgant o Naples.T he transit was uneventful apart from falling out of the Airway and gettingvectors from French Air Traffic Control because the twoNavigators couldn’t agree which way to turn to regain the centreline.

As we approached Napoli thevisi bility was given as 5km in haze so we elected for radarco ntrol and descended below safety altitude avoiding Vesuvius. As we were settled at 1500ft downwindt he controller said ‘Welosing power, shutting down, you go away, goodbye’. Somewhat surprised I initiated a climb and turn away from the volcano while wel ooked at our options. We elected tod ivert to Deccimomanou our specified alternate and some furious calculations were carriedout in the back.

At this point avoice said ‘hey we back you tryagain?’ so we placed ourselves in their hands forradar vectors to ano ffset ILS approach. The airfield is in themi ddle of an industrial estate, visibility was poor and the airfield lights were not on(re member the power failure)! At 500ft he said ‘you gonnal and?’ to which I replied that I couldn’t see the runway, his response was ‘OK you carryon ’ Atdec ision height I sawt he runway in my10 o’clock and withacall of ‘landing’ I did a dirty dart onto the ground.

We were handledbythe US Navy and the following morning ourstartercrew was a 6’ 6”ma telot,the start was uneventful but then it came to closing the door. The door is closedfr om the outside BUT this aircraft was just back from a major and the door was a tight fit.In order to help, our jolly matelot put his shoulder into itand after 30mi nutes we still hadn’t closed. We finally worked out that because of his height, as he pushed hestraightenedt he door and preventedit engaging, oncewegot himto stoop allwas well.Wetaxied just in time tos top them cancelling our clearance.Ismiled as I held for take-off asI saw anI talian aircraft comingin from the same positionas I had the day beforea nd performing the samedive to land.

Wetook off straight into a flock of birds, we didn’t appear toha ve a strike and all indications were normal so we set off for Cyprus. On landing the ground crew pointed out asmearon the nose. Wehadt wochoices: spend several hours filling in paperworkor washi t off andg o to the bar…wellthere didn’tappear to beany damage!

Story and picture courtesy Joe Marsden Page 21 Roses - a Donation The Museum is always grateful for donations received,. This year we are pleased to received potted roses from Apuldram Roses. Apuldram is highly appropriate as it was one of the Advanced Landing Ground, attached to Tangmere during the Second World War. We thank Apuldram Roses for their very kind donation for our Memorial Garden.

FUTURE EDITIONS OF “TALKING TANGMERE.” Help to keep YOUR MAGAZINE talking! FRIENDS, please do not forget that the magazine depends on articles and storiess ubmitted by members, Friends and others and so if you have an interesting story to tell or photow hich you feelwo uld beofinterest for the magazine readers then why not jot it downa nds end it to the editor for consideration for a future edition of “Talking Tangmere”.Any stories or thaty ou have will be gratefully received and considered for inclusion in future magazines. Any comments or suggestions fort hef uture issues ofT T will be much appreciated. Please forward any stories, pictures, cartoons etc,bypost ore .mail to :- The Editor, Talking Tangmere Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Tangmere, Near Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 2ES, England E- mail: [email protected]

Page 22 THE TANGMERE MUSEUM SHOP *Great News* A Bigger, Brighter, Fresher new look to the refurbished shop, with more space and new Tangmere Branded Lines, the shop now offers something for everybody. ****Large selection of scale models and kits for all ages***

Hoodies, Fleeces, T shirts, Hats

Selection of Books

Gifts and Toys for Kids

Our famous Tangmere Bear

Housewares The Magazine of the Society of Friends of Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Tangmere, West Sussex, PO20 2ES Tel: 01243 790090 - Fax 01243 789490 Web Site: www.tangmere-museum.org.uk