Amor, Geoffrey (Oral history)

British NCO and officer served as pilot with 616 and 263 Squadrons RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1946

REEL 1: Background in Hampshire, 1922-1938; reason for joining RAF, 1938. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 1938-1940: description of training as airframe fitter at RAF Halton; daily routine; basic training; posted to RAF Gosport, 6/1940; description of duties servicing various types of aircraft; memory of German air attacks; story of applying for air crew and induction at Air Crew Reception Centre at Lord's cricket ground, London; posted to Initial Training Wing, RAF Paignton; basic training; sporting activities; posted to Elementary Flying Training School; flying training on Tiger Moth; story of first solo flight; posted to Heaton Park, Manchester. Aspects of training with RAF in USA, 1940-1943; posted to No 4 British Flying Training School, Phoenix, Arizona; description of training on Harvard; social life and recreational activities; rationing. Recollections of operations with 616 Sqdn RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1946: description of flying Spitfire Mk V11; question of signing Official Secrets Act before flying Meteor jet fighter; further comments on flying Spitfire Mk VII. REEL 2 Continues: posted to RAF Manston; description of airfield; story of ME 109s;conversion to Meteors, 7/1944; question of secrecy about Meteor; description of flying Meteor; problem of acceleration and climbing; high fuel consumption at low level; zoom climb; speed; problem with nose wheel; accidents and recovering crashed aircraft; problem of engines blowing up; air brakes; use of dummy propellers to hide jet engines; V1 patrols; posted to RAF Colerne, 1/1945; problem with compressor; posted to Melsbroek, Brussels and nature of duties including locating German jets; question of being restricted to rear of lines due to secrecy of Meteor; problem of being mistaken for German aircraft; memory of sergeant's mess; question of different rations for air and ground crew; pay; commissioned, 5/1945; 616 Sqdn RAF reformed as 263 Sqdn RAF; story of post-war command of 75 Sqdn Royal New Zealand Air Force in New Zealand, 1956. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of post-war period in Germany, 1945-1946: daily life and living conditions; memory of flying captured German aircraft; question of fraternization with Germans and Russians; nature of flying and ceremonial duties; problem of fuel shortages. Further comments on flying Meteor.