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The US Navy Spitfire Squadron The Tangmere 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 France. 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 sound barrier, 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, Royal Air Force 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 de Havilland 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 Chichester, West Sussex PO20 2ES, England 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 Battle of Britain. 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 bombers of the day, although it was actually designed to be a torpedo bomber. 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, Squadron 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 Avro tion is seldom warranted.” Throughout Sports Avian which was Avro’s reply the officers’ messes of Fighting Area to the de Havilland Moth. 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 concrete thority. runways of Heathrow) and then to Bristol for the Air Pageant which they Practising for war were having at the new airport there.
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