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Home , De Havilland Sea Vixen, De Havilland Vampire, John Derry, RAF Tangmere, Stanley Vincent, Vickers Valiant

The

Logbook

Magazine of the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum

Autumn 2008

RAF Tangmere, 1929-1930 • Most Secret Lancaster Swallows and Vampires • Spitfire Squadron VCS-7 The Red Albatross Editorial 2,000 French maquisards, and conducted herself with great gallantry. She was Reginald Byron recommended for the Military Cross, but since this award was not open to This issue marks the first anniversary of women, she was offered the MBE (Civil the new Tangmere Logbook. The response Division) but turned it down, saying from our readers has been very posi- that she had done nothing remotely tive, and I should like to thank every- “civil”, but did accept a military MBE one who has offered comments, sent in that was offered in its place. letters, contributed articles or artwork, She campaigned tirelessly for the or suggested topics and themes for fu- equal treatment of women in military ture editions. awards, and after a long battle eventu- By now, most of our readers will ally succeeded in embarrassing the RAF know that Nick Berryman, past Chair- into rectifying the unjust criteria for the man of the Museum and wartime RAF award of the parachutist’s qualification pilot, died in June. Nick’s last letter to badge, the effect of which was that very the magazine, sent in shortly before his few women had ever received it despite death, appears on page 23. Nick’s de- their wartime drops into enemy- votion to the work of the Museum over occupied territory. In 2006, the RAF many years, warm friendship, and presented parachutist’s wings to her in sense of humour will be greatly missed a special ceremony at her home near by all who knew him. As editor, I re- Blois, 63 years after her drop into gret that Nick did not see the article . about Squadron VCS-7 — stationed at Diana Barnato Walker was one of Lee-on-Solent, a place he knew well. I the great women pilots. She was the had intended to show the article to him only British woman on record to fly in draft form; I am sure he would have over the Channel into occupied Europe enjoyed reading it and would have had during the Second World War. Volun- comments to make. Nonetheless, teering for service with the Air Trans- Nick’s inspiration will continue to live port Auxiliary in September 1939, she on in future editions of the Tangmere delivered 260 Spitfires from factories to Logbook in a planned series of articles RAF airfields between 1942 and 1945. about the wartime British Flying Train- She was quietly proud of the fact that ing Schools, based on his experiences she managed to land each and every and that of many other young men who one, whatever the weather and lacking volunteered as trainee pilots during the any radio equipment, without so much Second World War. as a scratch. She also flew Avengers, The year has also seen the passing of Beaufighters, Hurricanes, Mosquitoes, two notable servicewomen of the Sec- Corsairs, Mustangs, Typhoons, Wel- ond World War whom some of our lingtons and Mitchells among many Friends will have known personally, other single- and twin-engined types. and most of us will have known about: After the war, she took a commercial Pearl Witherington Cornioley, and pilot’s licence and on weekends flew as Diana Barnato Walker. a pilot-instructor with the Women‘s In 1943, Pearl Witherington para- Junior Air Corps. On 26 August 1963 chuted into German-occupied France as she became the first British woman to an SOE courier. When the leader of her break the , from the cap- group was caught by the Gestapo, she tain’s seat taking RAF Lightning XM took over the organisation of a band of 996 to Mach 1.65.

2 The Tangmere Logbook The Tangmere Logbook Magazine of the Tangmere Military AviationMuseum Autumn 2008

Editorial 2 Reginald Byron Notes from My Logbook 4 Part 3 of an autobiographical memoir, Tangmere, 1929-1930 Air Marshal Sir Anthony Selway, KCB DFC Most Secret 10 The Air Transport Auxiliary ferries very special Lancasters Lettice Curtis Swallows, Vampires, and a Black Day at Farnborough 12 The development of the jet fighters, the achievement of supersonic speed, and the tragedy at the 1952 Air Display Mike Stanton and Mike Jones The U. S. Navy Spitfire Squadron 16 The story of the 57-day life of Squadron VCS-7 Ron Jones with Robert J. Adams The Red Albatross 20 An aerial encounter with von Richthofen in 1917 Air Vice Marshal Stanley Vincent, CB DFC AFC From the Director 22 A German widow’s wishes are honoured after 68 years Alan Bower Letters, Notes, and Queries 22 Hands across the Atlantic, Nick Berryman: In Memoriam, The flight sergeant’s bicycle, Adventures of a fighter plotter, The AOC’s inspection, Dan-Air remembered, More on the Argosy mishap, Our eagle-eyed readers spot the Hornet, and Photo Quiz

Published by the Society of Friends of the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, Tangmere, near , PO20 2ES, Edited by Dr Reginald Byron, who may be contacted care of the Museum at the above postal address, or by e-mail at [email protected] Copyright © 2008 by the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum Trust Company All rights reserved. Charity Commission registration number 299327. ISSN 1756-0039

Notes from My Logbook

Part 3 of an autobiographical memoir, Royal Air Force Tangmere, 1929-1930

Air Marshal Sir Anthony Selway, KCB DFC

Dowding, the AOC All through March we were busy doing interceptions and other exercises to prepare for the annual air battle which was planned by our AOC, Air Vice Marshal Dowding. This was the Dowding who was to become the hero of the . It can never be said that Dowding was not qualified for that wreath of laurels as during the ten years before the battle he had studied intensively all the problems connected with the defence of Britain. At the end of March the squadron was detached to Hornchurch and we found our- selves for some days afterwards up at 15,000 feet endeavouring to intercept a squadron of Horsleys, one of the of the day, although it was actually designed to be a torpedo . My logbook merely says that it was very cold and that we flew home

4 The Tangmere Logbook

in wet and misty conditions. There was possible and get into formation with no form of heating in our aircraft as our our leader, Grenfell, engines were air-cooled radials so we and follow him into battle. No radio of had to rely on the woolly boots and course, just a few hand signals mainly leather coats to keep us from freezing. given with two fingers and a waggle of Dowding came down to Tangmere wings now and again. On our first the next day for one of his inspections alert my engine failed to start and they and these inspections were very tough all went off without me. I managed to indeed. He was a very solemn man and get my aircraft started after a time and not prone to any laughter or light con- then set off to try and find them. With versation. He took an intense interest in a bit of luck and some intelligent guess- everything that we told him and all that work I spotted them at 15,000 feet over went on during the day. Even in those where they should be and I sidled qui- days he was known as “Stuffy” Dow- etly up into my position, rather to the ding and he had to be treated with con- surprise of Vincent when he turned his siderable caution. He kept an eye on head! our morals and habits as well. At that And once again one cannot help time, and especially among the fighter drawing a parallel with 1940, still ten boys, there was a tendency to drink too years away, when the fighter defences much — especially at lunchtime — and of the country were still commanded this was a legacy from the 1914-18 war by Dowding and pilots still waited in when drinking and flying were some- their cockpits for the call to action. what synonymous, perhaps owing to the casualty rate. There were quite a On tour again number of “after lunch” crashes. Dow- At the end of May an opportunity came ding wrote a famous letter which was to to go off with Girlie Leech once again be seen by all officers, the best remem- on one of our round tours. Leech had bered phrase in which was “A glass of exerted his considerable borrowing greeting may be excusable but a repeti- talents and had come up with an tion is seldom warranted.” Throughout Sports Avian which was Avro’s reply the officers’ messes of Fighting Area to the . Why it was (which is what we were called before called a Sports Avian defeated us as we the coming of Fighter Command) one could not detect anything about it could hear thirsty officers offering each which made it either more or less other “glasses of greeting”, followed by “sporting” in our eyes. But off we set “repetitions”. Junior officers have never anyway to Farnborough, Heston been known for their reverence for au- (which now lies under the thority. runways of Heathrow) and then to

Bristol for the Air Pageant which they Practising for war were having at the new airport there. Come May and war was declared be- And then we went on to Yate and tween Air Defence Great Britain and then Bristol again and then on to Ham- Wessex Bombing Area and off we went ble, near Southampton, where we ran in squadron formation to our “War Sta- out of petrol at the exact moment of tion”, Biggin Hill. And having arrived landing. As Girlie Leech afterwards re- there we spent most of the time sitting marked, “We are always taught to fly in our cockpits waiting for the call to to our limits to test ourselves as fighter arms. The call to arms was a klaxon pilots — well, that was flying to the hooter which went off to indicate that limit of our fuel — rather well-judged we should get off the ground as fast as don’t you think?”

Autumn 2008 5 What I did to the Gipsy Moth opposite stick and to make the aircraft do the same thing to the right. On Monday the second of May I re- A rocking motion is slowly set up and ceived another lesson in airmanship by juggling with the controls from side which was expensive and, although it to side you could get a good impres- did me no harm, it was in an odd way sion of a falling leaf. to be of benefit to me. Dudley and Marsh, two friends of ours, had flown It all went very well and I was in to Tangmere in a Gypsy Moth which pretty pleased with myself, concentrat- belonged to the Hamble Aero Club. ing my mind entirely on the nose of the These two had been at Hamble when I aircraft and keeping the thing rocking. had had the crash landing in the Martlet Questions of height were blithely ig- there a little earlier in the year. We took nored. And suddenly there was a them up to the Mess and gave them a shout from Freddie in front (who had drink and lunch and after that they said, been watching the ground) alerted me “Would you like to have a go in our to the fact that the tennis court, which I Moth?” Well of course in those days could see with each rock to the left, had and I suppose in these days too, you grown to an alarming size and that it always said “Yes” if you were offered was time to cease this thing and go into an aeroplane to fly and that is what I normal flight. Alas! Too late! I opened said. So Freddie Wightman and I went the throttle and the engine responded down with them to the tarmac to see the with a loud bang and we continued to Moth. But as it was a Sunday and the fall like a leaf right down into the Vic- flight offices were all locked up, we arage Garden in Tangmere village. could not get to our flying clothing and helmets, so we said we would just fly as we were. We arranged that Freddie was to take off and do the first part of the flight and he would then wave his arms (he was in the front cockpit) and I would take over and land it. Well we took off and flew round the aerodrome for a bit and Freddie did some loops and rolls and other aerobat- ics and then he waved his arms and I took over. Of course it went without question that I had to do something even more exciting than Freddie and, as There was a slithering and a sliding I could see some of our squadron and a crashing noise and much of the watching us from the tennis court down aircraft seemed to wrap itself round us. below, I thought I would do a “Falling As the noise subsided we found our- Leaf”. This requires a bit of height so I selves astride a fence and a gate in the climbed up before starting my display. village lane. The back of the aircraft The Falling Leaf is done by slowing up was broken and Freddie was one side the aircraft and keeping the nose up to of the fence and I was on the other. the horizon with the engine ticking over The eerie silence was broken by a voice until the point of the stall is nearly from in front of me. “You bloody fool!” reached. Then, left stick and rudder he shouted. Then there was the noise together rather violently until the lurch made in our rapid evacuation of the to the left (actually the beginning of a wreckage in case it went up in flames. spin) commences when you apply hard We got out and ran some yards from it

6 The Tangmere Logbook

and as we heard the sound of running of life. I believe that from that moment feet from down the lane we withdrew I began to have a more healthy respect further away and tried to look as if we for flying near the ground and it was a had nothing to do with it. A crowd lesson I never forgot. gathered round the wreckage shouting “Get them out!” and other cries of alarm Shooting practice as they saw the two cockpits were On the 9th of June the time came for empty. Freddie and I joined the out- No. 1 Squadron to go to Sutton Bridge skirts of this little crowd and — as we armament practice camp for our annual said afterwards — we also found our- live shooting practices. Sutton Bridge selves shouting “Get them out!” But is situated on the edge of the Wash in inevitably all became known and the Lincolnshire, not far from King’s Lynn. arrival of my Flight Commander and The targets were all set up in a line at a others in tennis clothes put an end to 45 degree slope along the shore and the speculation as to what it was all about method was to fly the Siskin to a posi- and the day ended in reprimands, re- tion about l,000 feet above them and crimination and a good deal of ill-will come down in a dive straight at the all round. allotted white target firing the two for- There was of course no possible ex- ward firing Vickers machine guns in cuse for it except my own inexperience bursts as you went, and pulling out of and overconfidence for I had done a the dive just above the target. Range total of 294 flying hours at that time and marking personnel then counted the it was always said that a new pilot was holes in the target — if any — and tele- most likely to kill himself during his phoned the scores back to the Range first 500 hours. In point of fact I had Officer. been saved by my own inexperience for Well the thirteen aircraft of the had I opened the throttle more slowly squadron set off in formation and we the engine would have come on fully all arrived at this rather dreary wooden and we would have gone into a dive hutted camp and got settled into our which would have ended with a nasty accommodation for the next two crash into the hard ground. With no weeks. As was the custom, on the first engine we continued falling like a leaf night and as it subsequently turned and the impact was comparatively out, on each and every night, we all slight. went off to the local pubs that night and found ourselves in the very nice little town of King’s Lynn. On this oc- casion we were accompanied by our Squadron Leader Eustace Grenfell, whom we feared and respected at Tangmere as a rather forbidding man. However we soon found that married officers, as soon as they left the bosoms of their homes, begin to remember the delights of bachelorhood and to enjoy a tankard or two with the boys. In fact The Club sent me a bill later on for a we found to our astonishment that Eus- £800 but as my total resources at that tace Grenfell was great fun on a party time were practically nil, I sent them a and he also showed us that he had not cheque for £8 which surprisingly forgotten how to shoot. His war ex- enough they accepted as one of the facts perience had taught him that a fighter

Autumn 2008 7 pilot was quite useless unless he could that on this particular area the grass shoot well with his front guns and he had not been cut and when I landed it never tired of telling us this. And this wound itself round the axle of the un- fact was a point in my favour — a point dercarriage and, in spite of my efforts which I badly needed at that particular to prevent it, we went up onto the nose time — as I found to my surprise that I and over onto my back. A sort of for- had got the knack of doing this. After a ward somersault or ground loop as it week I got used to the shooting and was called. came back one morning with a score of The impact was quite severe and the 198 out of 200 which established me as rudder was smashed allowing the squadron top scorer. And to prove it edges of the open cockpit to settle was not a fluke, I did it again the fol- down onto mother earth so that the top lowing morning. Allowing for the fact of my head was touching the offending that on each shoot I had had two dud grass and there was a gap of only a few rounds, I had in fact also scored two inches through which I struggled out. “possibles”. Thus I became my CO’s It is quite remarkable what a small blue-eyed boy and could do no wrong. space you can get through if you are A bit of a change from the doghouse to sufficiently alarmed and prepared to which I was becoming accustomed. put some effort into it. This was an- noying to me as it was my favourite Siskin and I had spent many hours at Tangmere carefully calibrating the guns to a very exact point in front of the nose and I am sure that the shoot- ing success I had was due to this care.

Incidentally, it was on this day that I received a letter from the Hamble Aero Club enclosing a bill for the enormous sum of a £800 to which I have referred earlier. Not one of my better days. But this happy phase was not to last It was by now time for the squadron very long and the doors of the dog- to fly back to base but the night before house once more opened for me. Com- we were due to depart a great storm ing back from shooting, I decided to blew up and, in spite of our combined land on the far corner of Sutton Bridge efforts, all the hangars were blown airfield and came down for a nicely down. I should explain that these were judged landing which all went very Besseneau hangars and consisted of well but for the fact that I had not seen canvas stretched and fastened onto

8 The Tangmere Logbook

heavy wooden timber supports. They !” he would say. But for him to were semi-permanent and had been stand up with us at the bar and quaff designed for use in Flanders in 1914-18. beer from six till ten p.m. seemed to be The hangars went up in the air and fell what he had wanted to do all his life. back onto the Siskins, breaking the He had, I am ashamed to say, a rather backs of some of them and damaging better head for beer than some of us. most of the others. However there were It is interesting to recall that very enough left for us to fly back to Tang- many years later — 1961 to be precise mere the next day, the wreckage going — I was dining in Tokyo with the Japa- by train. nese Chief of Defence Staff, General Genda, during a visit I was making to Japan as part of my official duties as Commander in Chief of the Air Force in . General Genda held a dinner party for me and my wife, who was accompanying me, and during it he told me he was one of the planners of the attack on Pearl Harbor. When I asked him if he had ever heard of Kobayashi he said he was one of his friends and that he had taken part in that attack. Small world, you might say. A note tells me that we flew back in I have always admired that air at- civilian clothes as our uniforms were tack on Pearl Harbor as a brilliant and sopping wet. Such is life at camp! daring operation of aircraft attacking When we got back there wasn’t any- ships in harbour and I am sorry for the thing new except that Heber- Percy had Japanese who took part in it for the done another parachute jump for some odium they incurred from the whole reason or another. He thus became the world as a result. We are given to un- station expert on parachuting. derstand that the attacking force be- lieved that war would have been de- Lieutenant Kobayashi clared before they arrived at their tar- get but it was not so. The Americans In July there was an interesting arrival were not aware that war had been de- in the person of Lieutenant Kobayashi clared and were at stand down and of the Japanese Air Force. He was to be thus the whole affair was a walk-over attached to us for a week or two and we and a tragedy for the USA. gathered that he was studying our fighter system. He had had during his brief stay in England a crash of some — Part 4 follows in the next issue of sort and he bore the marks of burning The Tangmere Logbook on his face, leaving a white area where, fortunately, he had been wearing his goggles at the time. He was a very nice chap and a good pilot, easy to get along We thank Mr David Selway, Sir Anthony with. Apart from his flying duties he Selway’s son, for making a gift to the Mu- used to come out with us to the pubs in seum of this previously unpublished auto- the evening and was quite fascinated by biographical memoir and the accompany- ing photographs from his father’s albums. these evenings. “Not velly much like in

Autumn 2008 9 Most Secret Midlands and the bulk of the Lanc squadrons in Lincolnshire. This meant The Air Transport Auxiliary ferries that it was relatively rare for them to very special Lancasters come on our books at White Waltham and when they did, there was always a

certain amount of competition for them Lettice Curtis in spite of the fact that it was likely to mean a one-way trip up north. In April 1943, however, two did come my way: one from Llandow to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds and the other from Col- erne to Wickenby. In May, however, the southern ferry pools at Aston Down and White Waltham came by two rather special deliveries: one from Bos- combe Down and the other from Farn- borough and both to 617 Squadron at Scampton.

Hugh Bergel, the Commanding Of- Once a pilot had done a conversion ficer of the ferry pool at Aston Down, course on any one four-engined type, was at the airfield one Sunday, the only and had made a specified minimum pilot not out on a job, when Ferry Con- number of deliveries, it was only neces- trol rang with a Priority I movement of sary to do what we called a “stooge” a Lancaster from Boscombe Down to trip in order to progress to a further Scampton. Hugh had no option but to four-engined type. This consisted of take it, and arrived at Boscombe Down doing a delivery trip with a qualified to find that ED825/G was far from be- ferry pilot, having a good look round ing a standard aircraft. The the cockpit, generally watching what doors had been removed and the went on from the second pilot’s seat bomb-bay itself faired over giving the and possibly taking the controls in the aircraft, to use his words, the look of a air. Lancasters were so easy to fly that gutted fish. From about the centre of pilots were not even required to do this what had been the there preliminary trip. They had little ten- hung a pair of hefty metal arms set dency to swing on take-off, had a sim- athwartships at the end of which was a ple and well-designed cockpit layout, small wheel. A driving belt ran from were no heavier on the controls than, the starboard wheel to a pulley at- say, the Wellington, and most important tached to a hydraulic motor which was of all, were very easy to land because, bolted to the cabin floor, and a notice in unlike the Halifax or Stirling, they flew the cockpit drew attention to a master and landed without significant change hydraulic cock which, it said, MUST be of attitude. Under ferrying conditions, turned off in flight. Strictly speaking, the stalling speed with undercarriage Hugh recalls, one engine was unserv- and flaps down was as low as 85 mph iceable since it would not run at full (74 kts). Even a simple engine failure at throttle with the fuel booster pump off, the weights we flew them caused little but he did not feel that this warranted inconvenience since it was possible to turning down a priority movement. maintain height at climbing power with When they arrived at Scampton two engines out on one side! they were somewhat surprised to see a The Lanc factories were all in the large number of similar Lancasters

10 The Tangmere Logbook

parked around the perimeter, some car- of the significance of either the destina- rying in their metal arms objects which tion or the squadron to which the air- they presumed were , of about craft was allotted and for this reason the size and shape of the front wheel of the non-standard aspects of this ma- a steam-roller. Hugh walked across to chine failed to register on my mind. take a closer look but was immediately There was, however, one aspect of the intercepted by an RAF officer who told trip which did impress me. The day him that what he was seeing was very was a hazy one and we found our des- secret, adding that he himself had stum- tination by flying to Lincoln — distin- bled on it and as a result had been con- guishable by its cathedral — and fol- fined to camp for the past eleven weeks. lowing the Fosseway north to the first Hugh turned quickly and retreated in airfield (of four!) on the left-hand side the direction from which he had come. on the way towards Brough. Scampton While going home he pondered over at the time was a grass airfield, albeit a what he had seen. He did not, however, large one, lacking on this day anyway have to wait long for the answer. The even the conventional air traffic control following evening it was announced caravan. On arrival, therefore, without over the radio that the Moehne and a radio, the drill was to fly over the Eder Dams had been breached in a very control tower, note the direction of the special bombing operation. Although landing Tee in the signals square out- the base was not mentioned, it was side the tower, and to select accord- stated that the raid had been carried out ingly what one hoped was the appro- by No. 617 Squadron, the one to which priate landing run. Whilst we were he had delivered ED825/G. doing this, and at the same time con- History tells how twenty 617 Squad- centrating on not losing ourselves in ron “specials” were prepared for the the haze, we became acutely aware that raid and how, a few days before, one of we were by no means alone in the cir- these went unserviceable. It does not cuit and as we landed other Lancasters take much imagination to suppose that appeared on the landing area to left ED825/G from Boscombe Down had and to right in a competent but dis- been seen as a possible replacement and tinctly carefree manner. No. 617 hence the priority. In the event, it had Squadron, to whom we had delivered probably arrived too late to be checked this secret and specially modified air- out and, in any case, it was not, as we craft, was of course the squadron re- have seen, fully serviceable. There are sponsible for the bombing of the Moe- no available records to show whether hne and Eder dams. Two days before any of the specially modified aircraft our arrival the King and Queen had used in the raid were in fact delivered visited the station to congratulate the to Scampton by ATA pilots but I myself, surviving crews and the high morale of a little later, came by one of the three this corps d’elite was at the time at its “special” prototypes. peak. It is interesting that something of This aircraft, ED817/G, which was at this spirit had somehow communicated Farnborough, had been loaned to Vick- itself without words, even to visitors ers for dropping trials in connection like us! with the design of the dam-breaching We are grateful to Miss Curtis for allowing bombs. Now after the successful com- us to print edited extracts from her book, pletion of the raid it was returning to The Forgotten Pilots: A Story of the Air Trans- port Auxiliary, 1939-45 (1971), and to Red 617 Squadron. Although by now the Kite Books for permitting us to print ex- story of the raids was common knowl- cerpts from Lettice Curtis: Her Autobiography edge, I was nevertheless totally ignorant (2004).

Autumn 2008 11

Swallows, Vampires, and a Black Day at Farnborough

Mike Stanton Mike Jones

Two of the Museum’s volunteers describe the development of the de Havilland jet fighters, the achievement of supersonic speed, and the tragedy at the 1952 Air Display

Mike Stanton writes: was the hot ship of its day but never saw action, unlike its other pioneering The jet prototype de Havilland Vam- brother, the Meteor, which did see ac- pire, with its twin-boom tail, first flew tion in the latter days of WW2. in 1943 under the guidance of company An early prototype, TG278, was test pilot Jnr. It heavily modified for high altitude trials was powered by a Goblin 1 en- in 1948 with a test Ghost engine, a spe- gine designed by Major F. B. Halford, cial cockpit canopy and extended wing producing 2,700 lbs of thrust. Although tips for greater control in the thinner the concept was not new, it upper atmosphere. The main cockpit was, with the radically new jet engine, section was constructed of bonded ply still very experimental at the time. Se- and balsa wood, but the remainder was cret wartime trials continued until 1944 all metal. The trials were to be flown when production orders were placed by “Cat’s Eyes” John Cunningham, one for an initial batch of 120 aircraft; this of the great de Havilland test pilots of was later increased to 300 units. Having the day. Weight saving became an ob- a top speed of 500 mph, the Vampire session even to the extent that the paint

12 The Tangmere Logbook

was stripped from the body to save pre- tics of the design with an even greater cious ounces. The aircraft looked de- sweep on the wings (45 degrees) and a cidedly second-hand in this bare con- boosted Goblin 3 engine producing figuration but still went on to achieve a 3,300 lbs. of thrust. The aircraft first world height record. On 23rd March flew in 1946 and on September 7th ex- 1948, John Cunningham set a new mark ceeded the current air speed record of of 59,446 feet. The Vampire was used 616 mph held by the . by many air forces throughout the With the intention of officially demon- world as a fighter, trainer and strike strating the Swallow’s speed, the com- aircraft and was produced in many dif- pany planned to take the aircraft to the ferent countries. Now mainly museum official course on the south coast be- pieces, there are examples still flying tween Bognor Regis and Worthing. today. They would base themselves at RAF The Gloster Aircraft Company were Tangmere for the attempt as had the also experimenting with the pioneering RAF High Speed Flight with their Me- jets, having paved the way with their teors. While practising high speed runs E28/39 that first flew in 1941. On the over the Thames Estuary on 27th Sep- drawing board was a proposed Meteor tember, shocked eyewitnesses heard F4 in 1946 that also had the extended and saw the aircraft disintegrate and wing plus an extended tail span for high break into several large pieces that fell altitude experiments. This was known into mud flats. Test pilot Geoffrey de as Project 203, but never got off the Havilland Jnr was killed in the incident drawing board. that was blamed on the huge loads and During 1945, with WW2 drawing to control problems the airframe experi- a close, de Havilland commenced de- enced at speeds up to Mach 0.9, almost sign work on a new single-seater, tail- the speed of sound. By some strange less research aircraft, the DH.108, or quirk of fate, the official RAF High “Swallow”. This aircraft was built to Speed Flight at Tangmere for the Me- investigate swept-wing problems with a teor attempts was disbanded the day view to applying this research to the before this fatal crash. Comet passenger jet airliner and other modifications applicable to possibilities that swept wings pre- the DH.108 design were incorporated sented. Only three aircraft were built, and tested on a standard Vampire, but all three had the existing basic TG281. A new nose shape, a new can- Vampire fuselage modified to take the opy and lowered seat being the more radically new swept-back wings (ini- visible changes. The results of these tially 43 degrees). These wings were tests persuaded the company that a constructed of bonded ply and balsa third DH.108, VW120, could be built. It wood like the cockpit section. The first was to be powered by a Goblin 4, the aircraft, TG283, was converted in 1946 most powerful engine tried yet in these to test the problems of swept wings at aircraft, (3,750 lbs. thrust). Test flown low speeds using the new wing and no by John Cunningham, who had taken tail. It was powered by the Goblin 2 over the role of Chief Test Pilot after engine that produced 3,000 lbs of thrust. the death of Geoffrey de Havilland, This aircraft was lost in an accident dur- VW120 had its in 1947. ing stall tests in landing trials in 1948, Speed testing and record-breaking fol- killing its pilot Squadron Leader George lowed with setting an in- Genders. ternational closed circuit speed record TG306, the second prototype, was of 605.23 mph in 1948. Later, John built to test the high speed characteris- Derry wrote his name in British avia-

Autumn 2008 13 tion history by becoming the first pilot and injuring many more. in the UK unofficially to exceed the De Havilland had had extensive ex- speed of sound on September 9th, 1948 perience in building and testing jet air- while in a dive from 40,000 to 30,000 craft with the Vampire and the Venom. feet in this aircraft. Severe handling The swept-wing experimental DH.108 difficulties meant he was virtually out “Swallow”, flown by John Derry, was of control when this happened in the the first British aircraft to exceed the dive and the cockpit camera had used speed of sound. The DH.110 was built up all its film so it was sadly not re- by de Havilland to Specification F4/48 corded officially. Further testing was that called for a twin-engine all- carried out by Farnborough, but tragi- weather aircraft carrying pilot and ra- cally VW120 crashed in similar circum- dar operator, capable of a climb to stances to the second prototype. It 45,000 ft in 10 minutes. As in the broke up in mid air in 1950, killing its Venom, the pilot and operator test pilot, Squadron Leader Stuart Mul- were seated side by side, but in the ler-Rowland. DH.110 the pilot sat in the cockpit off- This was a sad end to the last of set to port and the radar operator these three innovative aircraft that con- slightly to the rear in an enclosed tributed greatly to supersonic and high “black hole” cockpit. The prototype, speed flight research for the future, but WG236, made its maiden flight, flown a type that had caused great loss of pilot by John Cunningham, on September life during its short career. John Derry 26th, 1951 followed by the second pro- and his test observer Tony Richards totype WG240 in July 1952. would both lose their lives during a September 6th, 1952 was a Public similar aircraft break-up disaster during Day at the Farnborough Air Display. It a public display at Farnborough in 1952 was a warm and sunny day with in the second prototype DH.110, the Sea 100,000 people in the crowd, many of Vixen. them on the hillside to the south of the aerodrome that was to figure so promi- nently in the subsequent events. On display for the public were the and Bristol Britannia turbo- prop airliners, and the new then being developed: the new Comet airliner and the and bombers; all were doing for the crowds. The DH.110 was also scheduled to give an aerial display. There were two prototypes: WG240, painted black, and WG236, painted silver. WG240 was meant to Mike Jones writes: fly on that day but there was a techni- cal problem with it and WG236, piloted The aviation industry and the public by John Derry with Tony Richards as were profoundly shocked at the acci- observer, gave the display instead. In dent at Farnborough on Saturday, Sep- the 1950s, breaking the “sound barrier” tember 6th, 1952 when the DH.110, with its accompanying double boom flown by John Derry, disintegrated at was still a novelty and John Derry high speed and the debris flew into the climbed away from the airfield to crowd of spectators killing 31 people 40,000 feet, pointed the aircraft at Farn-

14 The Tangmere Logbook

borough and broke in in the air and assumed that later he a dive producing the characteristic dou- would be working on the wreckage. ble boom at the airfield. The crowd As always, all the debris and wreckage could see him descending from height were installed in a hanger and the and then he turned the DH.110 towards painstaking work of reconstruction be- the crowd intending to fly over them. gan. Since the accident had taken place Instead, as he approached the crowd in in front of thousands of people, Fred a turn to port, the aircraft disintegrated. Jones had statements and photos to Debris from the plane, including the work from, but it was only when he two engines, ploughed into the crowd printed off a movie film of the event on the hillside, one engine hitting the that he was able to reconstruct the spectators and the other landing in the events leading up to the accident. Af- car park. The cockpit, with John and ter rebuilding the aircraft on a jig, and Tony inside, hit the spectators near the much painstaking work, the fault was runway. According to contemporary traced to the starboard wing. John accounts, there was no panic and very Derry was in a gentle turn to port as he soon the ambulances arrived to take approached the crowd on that Satur- care of the injured and the dead. day. He intended to bank away to star- The final death toll was 31 with board and climb away and he applied many others injured. An account by a starboard to bank to the right, Halton apprentice recalled that his at the same time he pitched up to climb group formed a cordon around the site, away. The combination of the two in- and when they left very much later to troduced a twisting force to the wing return home by coach, they were further which exceeded the limitations of the delayed because their coach driver was aircraft skin and caused the wing to amongst the dead. If such an event separate outboard of the integral fuel happened in today’s Health and Safety tank. The consequent rolling moment environment, the display would have caused the other wing to separate, and been curtailed, but on that day Neville as the fuselage pitched up violently the Duke was scheduled to fly the Hawker rest of the aircraft broke up. There Hunter as he had been doing all week. were two prototypes and WG240, It was decided to continue with the Air which had originally been scheduled to Display and recalls in his fly that day, had boundary wing fences book that the Aerodrome Controller fitted to the wing at the point where cautioned him to keep clear of the separation on WG236 took place. It wreckage at the side of the runway and may be that the stiffening of the wing asked, “Are you going to climb and do a where the fences were fitted prevented bang?” He climbed up to 43,000 ft then the other prototype suffering a similar dived at the airfield making a double fate. The aircraft was modified follow- boom; he then continued his display ing the accident by having a reinforced with low-level, high-speed flypasts and wing and an all-flying and a victory roll at low level in front of the went into service in the as crowd. This was Neville Duke’s tribute the , as dis- to a fellow test pilot, and a colleague, played at the Museum. who had just died in the DH.110. The investigator who was appointed Photo credits: our leading photograph, by Charles Brown, is a rarity. VW120 and to oversee the investigation was Fred TG278 are shown together; each established Jones (no relation to me) who coinciden- a world record. Charles Brown Collection, tally was working in his garden and RAF Museum, file 6235-8. WG236 (small saw the DH.110 in the distance break up photo), public domain image. —Ed.

Autumn 2008 15 An RNVR aviator gives seven American colleagues a cricket lesson at Seafield Park, near Lee-on-Solent airfield, 1944. Note that the U.S. Navy pilots are wearing RAF flying boots. Note also that the seven Americans are wearing four different styles of uniform: the Ensign on the left is in “Suntans”, the Lieuten- ant next to him is in a forest-green aviator’s uniform with black rings on the sleeves, the Lieutenant (j.g.) at the back behind him is wearing a standard blue service uniform with gold sleeve-rings, and the two men in the centre of the picture as well as the man being instructed at bat are wearing short blue jackets but none of these three is wearing the same combination of insignia and headgear. — Ed.

The U. S. Navy Spitfire Squadron

The story of the 57-day life of Squadron VCS-7

Ron Jones Gosport Aviation Society assisted by and with photographs from the personal collection of Robert J. Adams, Ensign, USNR (Ret.)

In the early part of 1944 as the Allied battleships and cruisers, Curtiss Sea- invasion of Normandy fast approached, gulls and Vought-Sikorsky Kingfishers, the planners of Operation Neptune, would be no match if intercepted by which covered the maritime participa- fighters, their commanders tion, decided that additional artillery decided that the aviators concerned spotters were required to direct the would fly Spitfires! large number of bombardment ships Seventeen pilots from the battleships scheduled to attack targets on the USS Nevada, USS Texas, USS Arkansas French coast. A request was made to and the heavy cruisers USS Quincy, USS the to help out, and Augusta and USS Tuscaloosa were or- the result was something unique in the dered to catapult off their ships and fly annals of U. S. Navy history. Realising to Lee-on-Solent, , where that the 200-mph scout-observation their aircraft were slipped and parked floatplanes carried on the American in open storage at the rear of blister

16 The Tangmere Logbook

hangers on the northeast side of the France, as far as the outskirts of Paris, Royal Naval Air Station, HMS Daedalus. led by their instructors. The enlisted men spent the first few days at Middle Wallop under instruction from USAAF ground crews, and then took over the maintenance of the squadron’s aircraft. At the end of May the squadron was deemed sufficiently trained to be opera- tional, and on May 28th flew to RNAS Lee-on-Solent to become part of 3rd Naval Fighter Wing, Royal Navy. At the same time, Lt. Calland became Ex- ecutive Officer and Lt. Cdr. Denton, of the USS Quincy, was appointed squad- ron CO. Based at Lee-on-Solent, the

A Curtiss Seagull drops a message to the USS newly formed 3rd Naval Fighter Wing Augusta (CA31) during an action in the North was commanded by Lt. Cdr. “Buster’ African campaign, 1942. American battleships Hallet, RN, and consisted of Fleet Air and cruisers normally carried four aircraft, Arm Squadrons 808, 885, 886 and 897 launched from catapults. The aircraft put down flying Seafire L111 aircraft; RAF squad- on the sea and were hois ted aboard by cranes. Official U. S. Navy photograph. — Ed. rons 26 and 63 flying Spitfire VBs; and for part of D-Day only, No. 2 Squadron RAF with Mustang Mk Is. These pilots, followed by 40 enlisted men from the ships, were assigned to form a new squadron, VCS-7, under the command of Lt. H. W. Calland, USNR, from the USS Nevada. Training was to be carried out at RAF Middle Wallop by pilots of U. S. Army Air Force 67th Re- connaissance Group, 9th Tactical Air Force, who were equipped with Spit- fires. Twenty-five Spitfire VBs were made available by the RAF for VCS-7, and flight training commenced at the beginning of May, covering defensive U. S. Navy aviation machinist’s mates, under tactics, aerobatics, navigation, forma- the supervision of a Chief Petty Officer (in tion flying and spotting procedures. peaked cap), prepare a Spitfire for service at Lee. Intensive training continued over Note the blitzed hangars in the background. the following weeks, including spotting exercises involving practice shoots on All the Spitfire and Seafire aircraft artillery ranges in the south of England. had their wing tips removed (clipped) It was decided that the in order to achieve maximum manoeu- method of spotting using the “clocking” vrability at the altitude necessary for system (north is 12 o’clock) would be accurate spotting, which proved to be used in preference to the U. S. Navy 1,500 to 2,000 feet due to general method (up-down-left-right) to indicate weather conditions prevailing at the the fall of shot. As a bonus for their time. The aircraft carried 35-gallon rapid conversion from floatplanes to belly tanks which were dropped on ar- single-seater fighters, on May 24th the riving over enemy lines, and the aver- squadron flew a sweep over northern age sortie lasted 1.9 hours.

Autumn 2008 17 Enemy air operations were reported to be slight, as was flak, although four of the squadron’s aircraft were attacked by Me109s and FW190s. Lee-on-Solent was reported to have been the busiest airfield in the country on June 6th. From D-Day+4, the Allied forces had advanced far enough to put the major- ity of targets beyond the ships’ range, but spotting for targets on the flanks and tactical reconnaissance missions continued to be undertaken until, fol- Pilots of VCS-7 are briefed by British intelli- lowing the bombardment of Cherbourg gence, artillery, and air o perations officers before on June 26th, the squadron was dis- a spotting mission over the Normandy beach- banded, the pilots collecting their float- heads. Ensign Adams is second from left. planes and returning to their parent

ships. During their period of opera- Pilots flew in pairs with one carrying tions, VCS-7 had carried out 191 sorties, out the spotting whilst his number two representing 7% of total spotters and acted as escort, staying above and 10% of total missions from Lee. Follow- slightly behind, weaving across his tail. ing the disbandment of VCS-7, an offi- VCS-7 pilots were kept together until cial report by Rear Admiral Alan G. D-Day when all pilots and aircraft on Kirk, USN, Commander Western Naval the base were pooled, pilots flying Spit- Task Force, gave a glowing report on fire or Seafire aircraft according to the squadron’s achievement and on the availability. Excellent radio contact was excellent qualities of the Spitfire. maintained with the bombardment ships, and it was found that many of the targets briefed on D-Day had been soon neutralised, so a good percentage of sorties flown were on tactical recon- naissance, and pilots were free to carry out attacks on ground targets of oppor- tunity. On D-Day morning, the pilots arriving at the aircraft found that all had been rapidly painted with black and white bands on wings and rear fu- selage to aid identification. Lt. Robert Doyle, USNR, and his wingman The first flight from Lee-on-Solent Ensign John Mudge, USNR , shake hands after on D-Day took off at 05.30 when two their safe return from a spotting mission over Seafires from 808 Squadron cooperated France. with the battleship HMS Ramillies. A total of 435 sorties were carried out be- While based at Lee, the U. S. Navy tween dawn and dusk on D-Day, VCS-7 aircrew were billeted in a large house being heavily involved. Unfortunately that was used, until requisitioned by the squadron lost one pilot: Lt. R. M. the Admiralty, as a private school Barclay, Senior Aviator, USS Tuscaloosa, known as Seafield Park at Hill Head failed to return and his wingman re- approximately a mile from the airfield. turned to base with his aileron controls They were all very impressed by the and right wing well shot up by flak. treatment provided by the Royal Navy

18 The Tangmere Logbook

staff: tea with the morning call, and the The logbook of Ensign Robert J. Ad- bell-push in their rooms. “Ring for Ma- ams, USNR, from the heavy cruiser USS tron” was very tempting! Some were Augusta, records that he was forced to even coached in the game of cricket on belly land Spitfire EP183 at Middle Wal- the school sports field. For the enlisted lop on May 28th. Bob flew two sorties men life was somewhat less luxurious on D-Day totalling 4.5 hours, the sec- as they were billeted with the British ond of these being in Seafire NF511. He ground crews in the base barracks. achieved a first for a U. S. Navy pilot Food, or lack of it, was the main prob- when he was forced to make an emer- lem; extra rations had to be scrounged gency landing on one of the advanced from the U. S. Army stores at nearby landing strips in France; he got the Southampton. problem fixed and flew back to Lee. Altogether, Bob Adams flew a total of 13 operational sorties totalling 25.6 hours in Spitfires and Seafires and was awarded the U. S. Navy’s Distinguished Flying Cross for his courage and devo- tion to duty. Following the return of all the aviators in their float planes to their parent ships, Bob was involved in op- erations in the Mediterranean during the Allied landings in southern France, and was awarded the Navy Air Medal. After the war, he became an attorney- The ready room at Lee. British and American at-law in his home town of Lafayette, pilots await orders. Ensign Adams is sitting on Indiana, where he continues to live in the table, having a mug of tea. retirement.

A Vought-Sikorsky OS2U-3 Kingfisher is launched from the USS Quincy (CA71) in the Mediterranean, August 1944, in support of the Allied invasion of southern France. Official U. S. Navy photograph. —Ed.

Autumn 2008 19 The Red Albatross feet above the F.E.s when the first at- tack came in from astern where the Air Vice Marshal S. F. Vincent, F.E.s were blind; we dived down onto the attackers, who turned away. CB DFC AFC While we were climbing back to our

original protective position, the second Stanley Vincent (1897-1976) was No. 1 flight took the opportunity to make a (F) Squadron “A” Flight Commander at similar attack. The F.E.s took their Tangmere from 1928 to 1932 and is be- normal action and turned to face the lieved to be the only RAF pilot to have enemy with a clear field of fire and won victories in the air in both World support from each other to force the Wars in single-seat fighters Albatrosses to break off their attack. In this story, drawn from his autobiogra- The F.E.s would then quickly turn back phy, he recalls an aerial encounter with westwards and the whole procedure von Richthofen over France in 1917 would have to be repeated again and again. On this occasion I noticed one Alba- tross leave the others and go out to one flank and, turning to the west, gradu- ally circle round with the obvious in- tention of attacking the F.E.s in the rear while they were facing east and the main body of the enemy. Keeping my eye on this opportunist, I dived on him when he started to attack, but misjudg- ing our approaching speeds found my- self getting steeper and steeper in my dive, with my bullets obviously going behind him. Then I saw it was the Red Baron himself in his all-red fighter. I had thwarted his wily attack on the F.E.s, and we started a private and per- sonal battle, circling round, up and down, trying to get behind one an- other. I like to think I may have put a few Vincent as AOC 221 Group, Burma, 1944 holes in his aeroplane; he certainly put none in mine, though I heard his guns We were moved to Savy just behind firing. I don’t know how long this Arras to cover that offensive, as we had would have continued if Roderick Hill done previously on the Somme. While (later to become famous and reach high at Savy I could have achieved everlast- rank) hadn’t joined in. With the odds ing fame as the one who shot down of two to one, Richthofen dived away Richthofen, the Red Baron. We were and we returned to the circling, diving escorting half a dozen F.E.2Bs of No. 11 and climbing “mixture as before”. All Squadron back from a photographic our aircraft returned, but so too all the reconnaissance flight to Douai, when — enemy. This often happened when as usually happened at this time — we about two dozen or so were involved were attacked by Richthofen’s unit, in and our fighters had an escorting job to two flights. Our Nieuports were 1,000 do and could not leave it to go chasing

20 The Tangmere Logbook

after a lame duck or a singleton. was considered lost for certain (I had The cold is one of my chief recollec- also earlier on smashed my shaving- tions of our routine offensive patrols mirror). However, when I returned — from Savy, although we wore one or still living and not worried — I was two woollies, a leather coat, silk and asked by an agonised superstitious wool gloves, inside leather gauntlets, member to do his midday patrol, in silk and wool socks inside fur-lined exchange for “three next week”. My thigh-length boots, a woollen Balaclava safe return from this so impressed a helmet inside a leather one, and goggles second member of the squadron that he so that only the nose showed. Sitting in — also going through agonies of super- an open cockpit with only a thin fabric stition — asked exactly the same thing surround and no heat from the small for the dusk patrol! Again I went out air-cooled rotary engine, we steadily and back, and so had a promise of six froze into a state of numbness. This in return; I only asked, however, for lasted until coming down from some one patrol from each. fifteen thousand feet to the comparative I preferred escort duties to any other warmth of about three thousand feet, as I felt a sense of responsibility which where the pain was acute in the fingers was, thereby, a boost to one’s ego. On and toes when the blood thawed, and it many occasions we had telephone calls was almost agony to keep hands and from those escorted, thanking us for feet on the controls. doing the job. “Come and have a drink I found that “the heat of battle” was — you’ve just saved our lives” is a very not an idle phrase. However frozen pleasant message to receive. Some when starting a scrap, I found when it years after the war I was effusively was finished, after twenty-five or thirty thanked by an ex-B.E. pilot who had minutes, I would be perfectly warm all been attacked by some Albatross fight- over without having noticed the change ers and had pretty well given up all and consequent pain. I was not — and hope of survival when suddenly a am not — “brave”. I was thoroughly flight of Nieuports arrived from high scared beforehand and on one occasion above and chased the enemy away. He was physically sick on the way to the had found out afterward that I had led aeroplane, but when I started in a fight, that flight. the excitement and sense of competition made me almost enjoy it. I rejoiced at seeing an enemy aeroplane shot down Edited from Flying Fever, by Air Vice Mar- — it was only a thing, an object. But on shal S. F. Vincent, Jarrolds Publishers (Lon- don) Ltd., 1972, with the kind acknowl- one occasion when I shot an enemy edgement of Peter Vincent and Random two-seater off the tail of an F.E. in House UK Ltd. flames, I saw the observer jump out — no parachutes at that time — and I sud- Editor’s note: denly realised it was a personal affair Sir Anthony Selway, in Part 1 of Royal Air and the sight sickened me. Force Tangmere 1929-1930 [The Tangmere Our squadron, No. 60, shared Savy Logbook, Autumn 2007] described his Flight Commander, Stanley Vincent, as “. . . an aerodrome with No. 13 Squadron awfully nice chap. He was an ‘old man’, at (night-flying B.E.s). We were in the least 35, because he was wearing World 13th Wing under Colonel “Pip” Play- War ribbons, including an AFC. He was a fair, and twice while I was with the brilliant pilot and we learned more from squadron there was Friday the 13th. On him about what the Royal Air Force was all one of these days, before a dawn patrol, about than we had during the many long months at Cranwell.” I lit my cigarette third from a match, so I

Autumn 2008 21 From the Director significant donations to the church and the museum by the Scheuplein family. Alan Bower In the museum there is a display relat- ing to Alfons and a bench in the gar- dens dedicated to him. On one of the On Tuesday 13th August 1940 a visits, Lore, Anfons’s widow, made her German bomber, a Junkers Ju 88, was feelings known that when the time taking part in a raid on Andover. The came she wished her ashes to be in- raid was intercepted and attacked by terred in her husband’s grave. After Hawker Hurricanes of No. 257 Squad- consultation with the Commonwealth ron, which led to a Ju 88 crashing at Si- War Graves Commission, the local Par- dlesham, near Chichester. The three ish Council and Chichester Cathedral, members of the crew were killed and it was confirmed this was a unique re- their remains were later interred with quest: the first in this country. On 23rd military honours at St Andrew’s July 2008, Barbara (their daughter, who Church, Tangmere. was 10 months old when her father The captain of the aircraft was a died) made arrangements to come to slightly older airman, Hauptmann (Flt Tangmere with her mother’s ashes and Lt) Alfons Scheuplein. In Germany the Frau Lore Scheuplein’s wishes were only information the widow and her fulfilled after a special service in the two sons and daughter received was church. The service was led by Rector that her husband and the children’s fa- Bryan Marshall, who had been vicar at ther was posted missing. It was not un- Tangmere and had been part of the re- til 1941 through the Red Cross that she lationship that had developed between was informed of her husband’s death. the Scheuplein family and Tangmere. This is how it remained till after the War and its suffering is never a war. In 1946-47, the then vicar of St good thing but in this instance friend- Andrew’s felt that in the interest of re- ships and understanding have tran- building relationships between German scended time and distance. To me, a people and us that information about little time spent in the Tangmere the graves of German airmen in the Churchyard by our airmen’s and the churchyard should be sent to their rela- German airmen’s graves gives value tives. The RAF cooperated in this and and meaning to why we are all here as Tangmere aircraft took aerial pictures of volunteers. the graves. Through the war graves organisations of both countries these reached the relatives and at last they had firm information about their loved Letters, Notes, ones’ last resting place. and Queries Alfons Scheuplein’s widow made several trips to visit Tangmere and on The Editor welcomes your artwork, photo- one occasion she was kneeling at her graphs, letters, and contributions (long or husband’s grave when one of the foun- short) on any subject of interest to our read- ders of Tangmere Military Aviation ers. If you have a question about a military Museum (which was just being organ- aviation topic that you think another reader ized), Len Jepps, saw her and spoke to or one of our volunteers might be able to her. Len, who spoke German as a result answer, please send it to the Editor. The answer, or answers, will appear in the fol- of a long spell in a POW camp, made an lowing issue. Test-your-knowledge ques- introduction to the then vicar. A firm tions and photo quizzes are also welcome! relationship developed over the years, The Editor’s addresses (postal and e-mail) which led to friendships building and are given on Page 3.

22 The Tangmere Logbook

Hands across the Atlantic Nick Berryman: In Memoriam

It is generally understood that the Al- For one who saw us from on high whose flight encompassed swatches of sky, lied nations helped one another, fought whose rescues were so aptly told together and welcomed each other to In the Nick of Time his book so bold. their home countries — little, however, His love of laughter, fun and joy is known about flying training. In 1941, brought tears of mirth to man and boy. with the Battle of Britain won, the RAF His quest for artefacts of the past became very short of aircrew, and Eng- made the Museum alive at last. land overflown by enemy aircraft con- His legacy for Tangmere stands stantly was no place to train them. for all to see and share its plans, In 1940 and until December 1941 the its future laid for us tomorrow USA was not involved in the war, but a we salute his pride, his steps to follow. sympathetic agreement between Presi- — Johanna Thomas dent Roosevelt and the British Premier Winston Churchill resulted in the USA Never volunteer agreeing to train British aircrew as pi- lots and navigators. This also took During 1961, I was stationed at No. 2 place in and . Until Radio School, RAF Yatesbury, under- June 1941, the U. S. Army Air Corps going my Air Radar Fitter’s course, undertook to integrate British boys into course number ARF 271. It was during their own USAAC training scheme. this course that the advice “never vol- This was quite a shock to the British, unteer for anything” was impressed who were used to a very much more upon me and the other members of the disciplined but relaxed approach. course in a never-to-be-forgotten way when the following incident, which is On 7th December 1941, Pearl Harbor absolutely true, took place. was attacked by the Japanese and the One afternoon we were in a class- USA was at war. The British then room being instructed on the basics of opened seven British Flying Training radar by a corporal when the door Schools at Terrell, Texas; Lancaster, burst open and in came the squadron's California; Miami, Oklahoma; Mesa, admin. flight sergeant. “Who can ride Arizona; Clewiston, Florida; Ponca City, a bike?” he enquired. He was met by Oklahoma; and Sweetwater, Texas, silence, with the class members won- which in the main used American civil- dering what was coming next. He fol- ian pilots as instructors, overseen by lowed this with “Come on, someone Royal Air Force staff. Training was of must be able to ride a bike.” One in- approximately 180 flying hours. Those trepid airman put his arm up and said, not meeting the required standard were “I can, Flight.” At this, the flight ser- changed to navigator training. geant pounced upon him and said, With the USA at war, the civilian “Mine is outside and it’s got a puncture population was very hospitable to Brit- in the back tyre. Go and repair it.” ish cadets and great kindness and hos- The flight sergeant then left the pitality was shown to them, resulting in classroom closely followed by the air- long-term friendships which have en- man who was making all sorts of un- dured to this day, when it is perfectly printable mutterings and suggesting, normal for people to visit each other’s amongst other things, that the flight countries. This was certainly not the sergeant’s parents didn't have a mar- case in 1940! riage certificate when he was born. The — † Nick Berryman corporal was unsympathetic and

Autumn 2008 23 merely said, “You've been in the RAF had moved to Sussex in 1945, having long enough now to know that you been bombed out twice in Mitcham. So never volunteer for anything.” much for my ambition to travel. — John Hanmore During the early part of 1955, the old Pevensey Chain Home site was Adventures of a fighter plotter closed down and we moved into a During my National Service, from 1954 brand new Rotor site. The old site had to 1956, I was lucky enough to have been active in the Battle of Britain and been selected for the RAF rather than the replacement was coming into being the Army, so following my brother (a to cater for the improved then rear gunner), his wife (a WAAF), and being deployed in the . These my brother-in-law who flew as a navi- new types of radar could see far into gator. I had no idea as to which sort of Europe and demanded new methods of trade I would be following. I had ex- operation. The duties were split into pected to be drafted in as a cook or to two watches and the station was in the RAF Regiment as this is what I had overall control of others in the area in- been told would happen by people I cluding Poling, Truleigh Hill, Beachy knew who had been called up before Head, Fairlight, Rye and St Valery in me. I was therefore delighted to be of- France. Exercises were frequent, in- fered a choice of five trades and later cluding those held overnight which achieved my second option as a “Fight- were referred to as “Night Binds”. er Plotter”. My first one had been air There were American aircraft flying out traffic control; the other three were for of Manston and from airfields in France various clerical duties. and Germany which took on the role of My trade training took place at Mid- hostile aircraft in these exercises. There dle Wallop and I soon realised that the was great rivalry between the control- majority of plotters at that time were lers to see how many successful inter- WAAFs. Fortunately I passed the ex- cepts they could achieve. ams first time; many did not and had to I was fortunate in that I was very ac- stay on and be retrained. The next step tive moving from job to job so that, as was to state a preference for an overseas well as plotting, I spent time training as posting and in those days not a great a member of the station’s Guard of number of people had the opportunity Honour. As well as all the routine du- to travel so soon after the war. I was ties as a fighter plotter you were also keen to see a bit of the world. I put my chosen for other tasks such as Fire name down and in due course the post- Picket, Guard Duty and other fatigues ing list was pinned up. I eagerly so there was never a dull moment. searched as to where I was to be sent, One of the highlights for me was in wondering if it was going to be hot or 1956 when Wartling was closed down even dangerous. There it was: my new for maintenance. I was sent to RAF home was going to be RAF Wartling. Bawdsey in . The camp was Wartling? Where was this place? situated in the grounds of Bawdsey Nobody seemed to know where the sta- Manor. The house was begun in 1886 tion was so I finally asked higher au- by Sir Cuthbert Quilter and occupied a thority on behalf of about half a dozen stunning position high above the De- of the intake who were also posted to ben River with superb views. This is this mysterious place. The answer I was “the home of radar” as much of the given — near Pevensey Bay — was a early development work was carried surprise to me, since my home at that out here in the 1930s. The working time had been at Brighton! My parents routines were very similar but unlike

24 The Tangmere Logbook

Wartling, Bawdsey had a large number I also remember being impressed by of WAAFs many of whom were kind a Bristol Brigand that was being used enough to help us lads with our ironing, as a navigational trainer, outside one of sewing, etc. the hangars, looming large over us Another highlight of 1956 was the with two huge Centaurus engines — secret World Speed Record attempt by the last of the breed before the jets, Peter Twiss in the Fairy Delta 2. War- such as Canberras, came along. tling was the radar station responsible — John Cassford for tracking the flight along the South Coast and at that time I had been sec- An unrepeatable experience onded to a radar cabin. The record at- In 1991, I spent most of the year work- tempt was made on 10th March and ing in Paris. The company I was em- was so hush-hush that a visiting Ameri- ployed by, Singer-Link-Miles, had been can officer had to be kept away from the bought by a French firm, Thomson- cabin during his visit. Of course there CSF, so together with some of my fel- was rivalry between the two nations at low draughtsmen I was sent to the this time. A record was indeed set, at French company's drawing office to 1,132 mph. What is not generally learn the way they produced their known is that Peter Twiss arranged for drawings using CAD. I thoroughly those involved in the attempt to have a enjoyed the work, living in an apart- souvenir ashtray to commemorate the ment on the left bank and going home event. But, being a non-smoker I de- most weekends, courtesy of Dan-Air, to clined the offer. What would it have “Gatport Airwick”. All too soon our made on E-bay today, I wonder? time was up, and we returned to work I left the RAF in November 1956, a in Lancing. few days after the Suez debacle and the However, in November 1994 my Hungarian revolution, having enjoyed supervisor asked me if I would be will- every minute of my service and having ing to go back to Paris for a few met good friends with whom I am still months. Apparently, the French draw- in contact today. ing office needed some assistance with — Geoff Seares a rush contract. Needless to say, it did-

n’t take me more than a micro-second The AOC’s Inspection, 1955 to give an affirmative answer! The ATC cadets of 1024 Squadron, San- In the period between my last visit down, Isle of Wight, paraded together and this one, poor Dan-Air had got into with hundreds of others from as far difficulties and been taken over by Brit- afield as Aldershot. We were mar- ish Airways. They took on most of the shalled into ranks of three and a padre Dan-Air staff as well as the aircraft, but struggled to be heard against the strong there was a cruel surprise waiting for southwesterly wind. Roman Catholics the staff on pay day. BA paid the Dan- and Jews fell out, leaving a handful of Air crews considerably less than they us to sing “Abide with Me”. paid their own people, even though But my abiding memory of that day they had the same ranks and qualifica- was a short flight in an Anson, and tions as BA staff. I felt quite upset looking out at the starboard wing about this and wrote a little limerick watching a bead of oil making its way about it. from the engine cowling to the trailing When I boarded the BA (ex-Dan- edge and being excited to be in the air. Air) Paris-bound 737, I asked if any of Another fifteen minutes to add to the the crew were ex-Dan-Air. The stew- flying log section of my pocket-book. ardess smiled and said, “Yes, sir, we all

Autumn 2008 25 are.” So I gave her a copy of my poem second engine. Unfortunately, the pilot and asked if she would be kind enough feathered a third. The aeroplane quick- to pass it to the flight crew if she found ly lost height and splashed down some a free moment. Later; when we were 300 yards short of the runway thresh- somewhere over the channel, she re- old — and there it sat, ignominiously turned and said the magic words, “The supported by mud topped by four feet Captain’s compliments, sir, would you of water. I gather that the crew’s es- mind joining him on the ?” cape drill was adjudged exemplary. What a treat! After 9/11, a truly unre- Following its recovery by sea to the peatable experience. The poem? I UK, I believe the aircraft was restored called it: “Dan-Air: An Appreciation”, to airworthiness and subsequently re- and it went like this: entered service. This would appear to I once rode the skies in a Dan-Air plane, be supported by Colin Cummings’s My life has since not been the same, excellent book Lost to Service which lists I looked down on a cloud, like a soft woolly fleece the date of the RAF’s first Argosy loss And experienced wonder and pleasure and peace. as 1968, four years after the incident in A 737 it was, it was, Built by Boeing and all because question. People are moving, all over the place, — David Baron At breathtaking speeds, the humans, race. But we are very sad today, Answers to Photo Quiz, Summer 2008 Because Dan-Air has gone·away, They were bought by British Airways We are sorry for the poor quality of the But not by altogether fair ways. second of our Quiz photographs, which — Phil Dansie depicted the constructors’ air show.

When it was scanned from its source Argosy mishap – can anyone help? (Action Stations, Vol. 8), the photograph Further to John Hanmore’s letter in the looked sufficiently sharp, but unfortu- Summer 2008 edition of The Tangmere nately lost definition when the maga- Logbook, I too was serving at RAF Khor- zine was printed. Nevertheless, two maksar, Aden, at the time of the Argosy eagle-eyed readers identified both Quiz mishap. At the time, I was a No. 8 photographs. Squadron pilot flying the Hunter and Number 1: John Land and John Cass- my colleagues and I took a close interest ford correctly state that the place is in this “ditching” of a perfectly service- Hendon; the aircraft in the foreground able four-engine transport aircraft. are Hawker Furies of No. 43 Squadron, What price the redundancy of four en- then based at Tangmere; the date is gines? 1931 or 1932 and the occasion is the I agree with John that the description annual RAF Air Display. of such an incident usually originates as Number 2: The date and place is a relatively factual account but, with the 1947 at Radlett, and the occasion is the passage of time, can become embel- Society of British Aircraft Constructors lished to the point of near fiction. Nev- Show. Both readers successfully identi- ertheless, I offer the following recollec- fied all ten of the aircraft mentioned the tion. original caption — a Desford, a Gemini, The Argosy crew was under test by a two Furies, an Auster, a Lancastrian, a Transport Command examiner at the Mosquito, an Anson, a Hornet, and a time. An approach to Khormaksar’s York. John Land, who was there and easterly runway was being carried out still possesses the original programme, with one engine closed down following went further, identifying three other a simulated emergency when, during aircraft! Well done both. the final stages, the examiner “failed” a — Ed.

26 The Tangmere Logbook

— Source withheld until next issue Photo Quiz (1) Where and approximately when was this picture taken? (2) Who is the pilot, and what later became of him? Clues: Note the constable’s white helmet and the initials “U. L. A. S.” beneath the RAF insignia on the pilot’s flying suit.

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Cover illustrations Front cover: Our cover photograph depicts the prototype TG278. This was the aircraft that set a new World Altitude Record of 59,446 feet on 23rd , piloted by John Cunningham. Crown Copyright image, reproduced under licence. Back cover: Original coloured pencil sketch, “Vincent v. Richthofen” by Museum artist Harry Bennett.

Autumn 2008 27