Description
Object description
British civilian worked as motor mechanic in Ireland, 1911-1914; engine fitter and NCO served as observer/gunner with 1 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and France, 10/1914-10/1916; NCO trained as pilot with Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1916/1917; served as flying instructor with 24 Training Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Netheravon in GB, 1917-1918
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as motor mechanic in Ireland, 1911-1914: work as steward during aviation meeting at Leopardstown Racecourse, Kingstown, 1911 including method of manually holding back aircraft when revving up prior to take off and types of aircraft displayed; story of meeting Jimmy Radley at Connemara, 1912. Recollections of training as engine fitter with Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Farnborough, GB, 8/1914-10/1914: problems in securing enlistment as mechanic with Royal Flying Corps at Brunswick Park Recruiting Office, Dublin, Ireland, 8/1914; journey to station; reception; disciplinary and technical NCOs; trade test; question of Irish recruitment, republicanism and unionism.
REEL 2 Continues: relations with ex-Guards drill instructors; puttees; bedding; pay rates; returning civilian clothes home; station establishment; status of Royal Flying Corps. Recollections of period as engine fitter with 1 Sqdn Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Brooklands Aerodrome, GB, 10/1914-11/1914: presence of civilian manufacturers; proximity of nearby sewage farm; failure to get Sikorski aircraft to fly; absence of structured work; accidents caused by using grounded Bleriot XI 'Penguin' for training pilots; comparison of car and aircraft engines.
REEL 3 Continues: familiarisation with rotary engines; levels of engineering inexperience amongst NCOs; lack of formal training; salvaging propeller from crashed aircraft; situation; driving duties; relations with drill instructor; punishment drill squad; relations with Major John Salmond. Recollections of period as engine fitter with 1 Sqdn Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Netheravon, GB, 11/1914-2/1915: unit organisation and posting to C Flight.
REEL 4 Continues: daily routine duties; cleaning hangers; pre-war flying restrictions; incidents of engines damaged by earwigs in petrol carburettor; problem with castor oil freezing in engines; story of establishing airfield for C Flight at Royal Flying Corps Station Worthy Down whilst giving familiarisation flights above cavalry and infantry units; altitude ceiling test with aircraft carrying 500lb bomb; story of rejection by Major Charles Longcroft as pilot for dangerous stunting.
REEL 5 Continues: difficulty in learning to fly as other ranks or NCO; relations between NCO pilot and officer observer when flying; inoculations; question of desertion from units designated for home service. Aspects of journey from Royal Flying Corps Station Netheravon, GB to Royal Flying Corps Station Saint-Omer, France, 2/1915: lorry convoy to Avonmouth, GB; cancellation of sailing due to submarine threat; crossing English Channel aboard SS Balmoral Castle from Southampton, GB to Rouen, France; overnight billets; rations. Recollections of period as engine fitter and NCO with 1 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Saint-Omer, France, 2/1915-10/1916: canvas hangers.
REEL 6 Continues: relations as engine fitter with pilot and further role flying as observer/gunner; methods of changing and maintaining rotary engines; basic aircraft maintenance; problems with Le Rhone Engine; method of strengthening Morane-Saulnier Type L undercarriage; nature of air war, 1915; method of tapering bracing wires to streamline Avro aircraft.
REEL 7 Continues: first flights with Captain Cyril Newall and development of skills in observing and recording German artillery fire; question of unofficial status as observer; air combat as observer armed with rifle, 2/1915-4/1915, including limited effective range, two inconclusive combats over Ypres, Belgium and manoeuvring for best position; effects of introduction of Lewis Gun, 4/1915 including pilot's gun fixed to fuselage angled to miss propeller, difficulty for observer in firing hand held or mounted Lewis Gun, initial unreliability.
REEL 8 Continues: initial lack of instruction, necessity of firing warming bursts prior to reduction in oiling, dumping faulty American ammunition, appointment of armourer to maintain guns and check ammunition standards, development of top plane Lewis Gun fitting for Morane-Saulnier Type L by Sergeant Fitzgerald and method of aiming aircraft at target; infrequency of close quarter air combat; repairing aircraft bullet damage; role as observer; method of artillery observation including prior liaison with artillery unit, wireless equipment, use of white ground sheets to acknowledge aircraft signals and clock code ranging system.
REEL 9 Continues: method of artillery observation including clock code ranging systems; failed attempts to observe for railway gun; bomb racks and fusing bombs; success of aircraft firing rockets in downing German observation balloons over Ypres, Belgium; story of shooting down of German observation balloon which had broken away and floated across British front line. Aspects of flying training as NCO with Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1916-1917: dual control flying in Maurice MF.11 Farman Shorthorn; question of advantage of previous flying experience as observer. Aspects of period as flying instructor with 24 Training Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Netheravon, GB, 1917-1918: question of adequacy of flying experience; instructing method; pupils' difficulties in landing and flying level.
