Martin, Richard Frewen (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with 73 Sqdn, No 67 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force, RAF in France, 9/1939-5/1940; served as instructor with No 6 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Sutton Bridge in GB, 5/1940-12/1940; served with 73 and 250 Sqdns, Air Headquarters Egypt, RAF in North Africa, 4/1941-9/1941; served with No 71 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Gordon's Tree in Sudan, 9/1941-3/1942; served with Test Flight, No 107 Maintenance Unit, RAF in Egypt, 4/1942-5/1943; served as accident investigation officer with No 9 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 6/1943-5/1944; served with Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945; trained with Empire Test Pilots Course at RAF Cranfield, GB, 1946; served as test pilot with Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, GB, 1947-1950; served as instructor at RAF Manby, GB, 1950-1952; civilian chief test pilot with Gloster Aircraft Coy Ltd in GB, 1953-1960; test pilot with A V Roe and Coy (AVRO) and Hawker Siddeley Aviation in GB, 1960-1967

REEL 1 Background to enlistment and training as officer with Royal Air Force in GB, 1937-1939: enlistment, 1937; move to RAF College, Cranwell; flying Hawker Fury during armament camps; Aspects of operations as pilot with 73 Sqdn, No 67 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force, RAF in France, 9/1939-5/1940: posting to squadron at RAF Digby, GB, 7/1939; conversion to Hawker Hurricane Mk I; characteristics of Hawker Hurricane Mk I; move to France, 9/1940; incident of suffering from lack of oxygen during pursuit of German bomber, 8/11/1939; internment in Luxembourg, 11/1939-12/1939; sight of shot up Fairey Battle on airfield, 5/1940; escape from Cherbourg, 5/1940; return to GB. Aspects of period of instructor at No 6 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Sutton Bridge, GB, 5/1940-12/1940: posting as instructor; duties; brief posting to 56 Sqdn. Aspects of journey from GB to Egypt, 1/1941-2/1941: voyage from aboard HMS Furious from GB to West Africa, 1/1941; flying Hawker Hurricanes off aircraft carrier at Takoradi, Gold Coast; flight across West Africa to Egypt. REEL 2 Continues: loss of member of flight. Aspects of operations as pilot with 73 Sqdn, No 204 Group, Air Headquarters Egypt, RAF in North Africa, 4/1941: background to joining squadron in Western Desert, 4/1941; operating from Tobruk, Libya; bailing out of aircraft after being shot down; flying out of Tobruk for hospitalisation. Aspects of operations as pilot with 250 Sqdn, Air Headquarters Egypt, RAF in North Africa, 7/1941-9/1941: joining squadron; characteristics of Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II and its successors. Aspects period as instructor with No 71 Operational Training Unit, RAF at Gordon's Tree, Sudan, 9/1941-3/1942: use of Vickers Wellesley; story of attempt to fly Curtiss Mohawk from Kenya to Aden Protectorate, 1/1942; activities in Aden. Aspects of period as pilot with Test Flight, No 107 Maintenance Unit, RAF in Egypt, 4/1942-5/1943: posting to unit; types of aircraft flown; test flying Consolidated Liberator; fitting of QF 6 Pounder Gun to Bristol Beaufighter; modifications to Martin Marauder. REEL 3 Continues: problems test flying Martin Marauder; return to GB. Aspects of period as accident investigation officer with No 9 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 6/1943-5/1944: posting to unit; duties; accidents with Merlin Engined Bristol Beaufighter; investigating air fire; staff duties at Advanced Landing Ground B-6, Coulombs, Normandy, France, 6/1944-7/1944. Recollections of period as pilot with Transport Command, RAF in GB and India, 1944-1945: conversion course at No 104 (Transport) Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Nutts Corner; flying characteristics of Short Stirling; brief posting to Canadian squadron; posting to India after VE Day, 5/1945; joining 52 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Dum Dum, India; routes flown; communications problems; visit to Shanghai, China; return to GB, 12/1945. Aspects of period on Empire Test Pilots Course at RAF Cranfield, GB, 1946: introduction to Gloster Meteor; syllabus of the course; reaction to first flight in Gloster Meteor. Recollections of period as test pilot with Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, GB, 1946-1950: joining Structural and Mechanical Engineering Flight then Aeroflight; flying prototype Westland W.34 Wyvern TF.1; question of loss of Avro Tudors; accident in cockpit whilst flying Avro Tudor Mk II; flying experimental Hawker P 1052; problems with Hawker P.1052; catapult launches; losses amongst test pilots; problems with control systems; use of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as flying laboratory; use of Avro Lancastrian for icing trials; flying experimental Gloster Meteor. REEL 5 Continues: reasons for death of test pilot Squadron Leader Peter Garner flying prototype Westland W.34 Wyvern TF.1, 15/10/1947; experimental work with rocket propelled aircraft. Aspects of period as test pilot with A V Roe and Coy (AVRO) and Hawker Siddeley Aviation in GB, 1960-1967: mishap during Blue Streak Missile trials in Singapore, Malaysia; opinion of Avro Vulcan; test flying Avro Vulcan; story of problems with electrics during trials with Avro Vulcan. Aspects of period as instructor at RAF Manby in GB, 1950-1952: role and duties; flight to Bermuda for Royal Navy officer's wedding in Avro Lincoln. Aspects of period as civilian chief test pilot with Gloster Aircraft Coy Ltd in GB, 1953-1960: joining company after leaving Royal Air Force; problems with speed of Gloster Javelin. REEL 6 Continues: spinning and stalling Gloster Javelin; opinion of De Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen; stalling of Armstrong Whitworth Argosy. Aspect of period as test pilot with A V Roe and Coy (AVRO) and Hawker Siddeley Aviation in GB, 1960-1967: developments of Avro Vulcan; reasons for leaving company. Aspects of period as pilot with Court Line and Air Malawi in GB and Malawi, 1968-1983: joining Court Line; opinion of Court Line; joining Air Malawi, 1980; interrogation by Malawi Police