Read A Very Unusual Air War Online

Authors: Gill Griffin

A Very Unusual Air War (36 page)

3 November
: I always enjoyed a trip in a Master; it was so easy to fly.

Flying Officer Walker, with Flying Officer Hugh Godefroy (Canadian) and I were regular members of the Detached Affiliation Flight. F/O Walker had quite a reputation with the WAAFs; it was said he took out a different one every night.

5 November
: These fuel consumption tests were of the new Negative G carburettor.

I believe a ‘new’ engine had been fitted on the 190; one taken from another lost 190 that was damaged on landing.

The engine cutting involved deliberate mishandling of the throttle control while applying Negative G.

7 November
: For fuel consumption tests the aircraft was fitted with a Kent Flow-meter by the Kent Company at Luton. The test would be at varying heights and throttle settings. From the longer duration of this flight I assume that this one was at a higher altitude.

24 November
: Another visit to the old Squadron, back in 11 Group after their rest. They were now flying Spitfire IXs and could meet the dreaded 190s on better than even terms. Consequently, they were much happier but only two or three pilots were from the ‘old lot’. Where did that Auster I come from? I assume I borrowed it from one of the army co-op units at Dunsfold, another first flight in the logbook.

30 November
: I was really glad to be back at base after my longest period of detachment, from November 18th to November 30th. It was 12 days of hard going. The Mustang and Boston boys really kept me busy despite some days of doubtful weather.

Summary for:- November 1943
1. Master
−25
Unit:- AFDU Wittering
2. Oxford
−55
Date:- 5/12/43
3. Spitfire IX
2–20
Signature:- H.L. Thorne
4. Spitfire VIII
−25
5. Spitfire XII
−35
6. Spitfire V
−20
7. FW190
9–05
8. Auster
1–40
 
Signed
T.S. Wade
S/Ldr
O/C Flying AFDU
YEAR
1943
AIRCRAFT
Pilot or 1st Pilot
2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass.
DUTY (Including Results and Remarks)
Flying Time
Passengerw
MONTH
DATE
Type
No.
Dual
Solo
December
1st
FW 190
PM679
Self
 
To Wittering
 
−40
 
 
10th
FW 190
PM679
Self
 
Air test
 
−15
 
 
11th
Oxford
V3791
Self
F/Lt Aalpoel
BAT practice
 
1–00
 
 
31st
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Experience on type
 
1–00
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 899 hours 25 mins
3–30
9–15
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60–00
826–40
16–15

1 December
: I am puzzled by this entry. The previous day, November 30th, my logbook shows a return to Wittering and again today, December 1st. The flying times are the same, so it appears that there must be a missing entry. Gremlins again!

11 December
: This marked a spell of very bad/severe weather so a spell of blind landing practice was sensible. In the event, I spent the following ten days as a guest of Rolls-Royce at Hucknall on an engine-handling course. This was followed by a week’s leave, which Estelle, Gill and I spent in Redditch with her family and friends. We were very welcome as we were well loaded with pheasants and partridges!

31 December
: I had flown the Mustang III and the Mustang X back in August. I believe they were basically the same version, the Mk X being the type converted by Rolls-Royce in England and the Mk III the final American-produced machine, with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines produced under licence by Packard and Ford. The modifications changed a fairly ordinary fighter into the world-beater it became. My flight on December 31st marked the start of major trials in which I was heavily involved. FZ107 was actually delivered to AFDU four days earlier, on December 26th.

Summary for:- December 1943
1. FW190
−55
Unit:- AFDU Wittering
2. Oxford
1–00
Date:- 1/1/44
3. Mustang III
1–00
Signature:- H.L. Thorne
 
Signed
T.S. Wade
S/Ldr
O/C Flying AFDU

So ended 1943, an eventful year for me, flying many new types and thoroughly enjoying flying the Focke Wulf FW190. By the end of the year its reputation as a killing machine (the Germans called it the Würger, the Butcher Bird, or shrike) had become somewhat tarnished. Later Marks of the Messerschmitt ME109 were now a more formidable proposition. Spitfire IXs, XIIs, VIIIs, XVIs and the XIVs, now strongly supported by the Mustang, were more than a match for the best the Luftwaffe could muster.

YEAR
1944
AIRCRAFT
Pilot or 1st Pilot
2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass.
DUTY (Including Results and Remarks)
Flying Time
Passenger
MONTH
DATE
Type
No.
Dual
Solo
January
1st
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Speed runs
 
−40
 
 
2nd
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Speed runs
 
−45
 
 
 
Oxford
V3791
Self
A/C Roscorla
To Romford & back to base
 
1–20
 
 
3rd
Proctor
DX220
Self
Cpl Mauker
To Luton
 
−30
 
 
 
Proctor
DX220
Self
Cpl Mauker
To base
 
−40
 
 
4th
Spitfire VII
BS229
Self
 
Dive break test
 
−55
 
 
 
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Climbs to 20,000ft
 
−35
 
 
5th
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Climbs and speed runs
 
−45
 
 
7th
Spitfire IX
BS552
Self
 
Comparative speeds and climbs
 
−35
 
 
 
Spitfire IX
BS552
Self
 
Comparative speeds and climbs
 
−55
 
 
8th
Spitfire V
AD318
Self
 
To Wescott, compass test
 
−35
 
 
 
Spitfire V
AD318
Self
 
To base
 
−35
 
 
9th
Proctor
DX220
Self
 
To Langley
 
1–00
 
 
 
Proctor
DX220
Self
 
To base
 
1–00
 
 
10th
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Rate of roll
 
−50
 
 
 
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Dives, climbs & turning circles
 
−40
 
 
18th
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Speed runs
 
−10
 
 
21st
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Speed runs
 
−45
 
 
 
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Fuel consumption test
 
1–10
 
 
22nd
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
To Cranfield and back
 
−35
 
 
23rd
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
To Cranfield
 
−25
 
 
 
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
To base
 
−25
 
 
 
Mustang III
FZ107
Self
 
Comparative turning circles
 
−30
 
 
 
Spitfire IX
JL359
Self
 
Comparative turning circles
 
−40
 
 
25th
Spitfire IX
BS582
Self
 
Air test
 
−30
 
 
 
Spitfire IX
JL359
Self
 
Fuel consumption test
 
−25
 
 
26th
FW 190
PM679
Self
 
Air test
 
−20
 
 
28th
Tempest
JN737
Self
 
Zoom climbs
 
−25
 
 
29th
Tempest
JN737
Self
 
Speed runs
 
−40
 
 
 
Tempest
JN737
Self
 
Operational climb
 
−45
 
 
30th
Spitfire IX
MH415
Self
 
Cutting
 
−20
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 920 hours 30 mins
3–30
9–15
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60–00
847–45
16–15

2 January
: This entry is unusual as we actually landed at Romford but it is recorded as a single flight. I have noticed that this happened on one or two occasions.

3 January
: Our ground crews really enjoyed a flight now and then.

4 January
: The Mk VII was basically a Mk VIII with a pressurised cabin for flying at high altitude. It had elongated wings and some had cabin heating. By this stage in the war there was very little need for high-altitude work and only a few were built.

7 January
: The last four flights would have taken place with the Spit IX and the Mustang III starting side by side or in formation so that direct comparisons could be made.

8 January
: An excuse to land at Westcott and scrounge a lift to Poletrees to see Mum, Gwen and family. Joe again took me back and I obtained a temporary pass for him. He was able to look inside ‘my’ Spit, then watch while I started the engine, taxied out and took off. Afterwards he was escorted out by the guardroom staff. It made his day and was good for many pints at the local Crooked Billet pub.

10 January
: These tests would have been made in conjunction with a Spit IX, probably flown by S/Ldr Wade (Wimpy). On the 23rd, I flew the Spit IX for the comparative turning circles.

21 January
: The speed runs were carried out at intervals of 2,000 feet with the throttle set to maximum cruising first, then at full throttle. On the first run at ground level, flying straight and level, I recorded an indicated speed of 455mph, my fastest so far. At such low level the impression of speed was terrific. I wonder what went wrong on the first flight – ten minutes would be just up and down; probably weather conditions were no good.

28 January
: My first flight in a Tempest I, the successor to the Hurricane and Typhoon. It was powered by a Napier Sabre engine of 2,400hp with a speed of nearly 450mph. Later versions had a Bristol Centaurus radial engine, first designated the Tempest II and later, the Fury. Its final top speed was nearly 500mph.

Other books

Between Friends by Amos Oz
Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger
La voz de las espadas by Joe Abercrombie
Eleanor by Johnny Worthen
The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard
Kiss and Cry by Ramona Lipson
Tsunami Blue by Gayle Ann Williams


readsbookonline.com Copyright 2016 - 2024