Smith, Irving Stanley (Oral history)

New Zealand officer served as pilot with and commanded 151 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 7/1940-3/1943 including Battle of Britain, 7/1940-10/1940; served as staff officer with Headquarters, Fighter Command at RAF Bentley Priory, Stanmore, GB, 3/1943-9/1943; served as staff officer with No 2 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF at Bylaugh Hall, GB, 9/1943-1/1944; commanded 487 (RNZAF) Sqdn, No 140 Wing, No 2 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB, 1/1944-9/1944

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as pilot with 151 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF during Battle of Britain, 7/1940-10/1940: limited degree of radar control; characteristics of Hawker Hurricane Mk I including defects and coping with them in combat; first attack on Messerschmitt Bf 109; changeover of squadron personnel during battle; daily routine; shift system worked with 56 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Southend; inadequacy of catering arrangements for pilots; sight and size of German Air Force bomber formations; head on attacks; scattering of German bomber formation by seven Hawker Hurricane squadrons over Chelmsford, 8/1940; successes against German aircraft, 8/1940. REEL 2 Continues: employing new attack tactic against Dornier Do 17 formation, 31/8/1940; engineer officer's detection of damage to his Hawker Hurricane after combat, 31/8/1940; performance of German Air Force during battle; damage to his aircraft during combat with Messerschmitt Bf 109 over Deal, 8/1940; attitude towards Germans; arrangements for training New Zealand personnel with Royal Air Force; social life in London; importance of leadership by example; training up new squadron personnel at RAF Digby, 9/1940-10/1940. Recollections of operations as pilot and commanding 151 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 11/1941-3/1943: reaction to issue of Lack of Moral Fibre (LMF) regulations; shooting down of Heinkel He 111 over Skegness, 10/5/1941. REEL 3 Continues: problems of redeployment as night fighting squadron using Hawker Hurricanes; objections to being re-equipped with Boulton Paul Defiant; move to RAF Wittering, 12/1940; development of night fighting techniques under Group Captain Basil Embry, Richard Atcherley and Jack Adams; problems of aircraft recognition at night; character of Flight Lieutenant Richard Stevens; membership of club to inform medical personnel of Royal Air Force flying requirements; two physical attributes essential for pilots; protection of east coast convoys from aerial torpedo attacks, 1941; flying low over sea; failure of Douglas Havoc Turbinlite system for night fighting with Hawker Hurricane; unofficial use of Supermarine Spitfires for night interception, early 1942; characteristics of flying De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito equipped with AI (Airborne Interception) equipment, 4/1942. REEL 4 Continues: problems with early De Havilland DH.98 Mosquitoe and Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk XXI Engine; request to start intruder operations, 1/1943. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, Fighter Command, RAF Bentley Priory, Stanmore, GB, 3/1943-9/1943: duties; attitude to work; planning for invasion of Europe. Aspects of period as staff officer with No 2 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF at Bylaugh Hall, GB, 9/1943-1/1944: duties; use of knowledge of German strategy and tactics; development of tactics. Recollections of operations commanding 487 (RNZAF) Sqdn, No 140 Wing, No 2 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB, 1/1944-9/1944: attacks on German V1 Flying Bomb sites; preparations for Operation Jericho the raid on Amiens Prison, France, 2/1944; weather conditions and problems of taking off and flying in formation; non-appearance of fighter escort; approach path; description of attack and importance of precise timing; escorting wounded section leader's aircraft back to GB; damage to his aircraft and squadron aircraft; Group Captain Percy Pickard's role in operation; his inspection of the damage to prison walls on post-war visit to Amiens, France, 1948. REEL 5 Continues: objective of raid on the Amiens Prison, France; requirements of low level precision bombing; selection of personnel for raid; reprisal raid on Waffen-SS unit in Brittany, France; attack on German armoured division at Poitiers, France, 8/1944; raids to deprive German forces of sleep; lack of German fighter opposition; effectiveness of German anti-aircraft fire; vulnerability of wooden De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito to damage; abortive bombing raid flown below anti-aircraft level; second bombing raid using Oboe on Le Havre, France; German anti-aircraft opposition to attacks on German V1 Flying Bomb sites near Dieppe, France.