Thorne, Peter Donald (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with 193 Sqdn, No 146 Wing, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1942-1943; served with 170 Sqdn, Army Co-Operation Command, RAF in GB, 1943; served as instructor with Training Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945; served as instructor at Central Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Leconfield, GB, 1945-1948; served as instructor with Middle East Armament Practice School, RAF at RAF Nicosia, Cyprus, 1948-1950; student with Empire Test Pilots School, Farnborough, GB, 1951-1952; served with A Sqdn, Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down, GB, 1952-1956; commanded Experimental Flying Department at Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, GB, 1965-1968; served as Defence Attaché with British Embassy in Moscow, Soviet Union, 1974-1978

REEL 1 Background in Eastbourne and Lowestoft, GB, 1923-1941: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Air Force in GB and Canada, 1941-1942: reasons for joining Royal Air Force, 3/1941; pattern of flying training in Canada and GB, 1941-1942. Aspects of operations as pilot with 193 Sqdn, No 146 Wing, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1942-1943: posting to 193 Sqdn, RAF, 1942; pattern of operations; question of quality of flying training in GB, 1941-1942; opinion of Hawker Hurricane; contrast between Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire; development of Supermarine Spitfire; characteristics of Hawker Typhoon; problems starting Hawker Typhoon; problems of loss of tail on Hawker Typhoon. Aspects of operations as pilot with 170 Sqdn, Army Co-operation Command, RAF in GB, 1943: characteristics of North American Mustang Mk IA; army co-operation work; character of squadron; attitude to serving in squadron. Aspects of period as instructor with Training Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945: attitude to becoming an instructor; problems with pilots trained in United States of America. REEL 2 Continues: instructional duties on Miles Master; performance of Miles Master. Aspects of period as pilot attack instructor at Central Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Leconfield in GB, 1945-1948: prior experience of flying Supermarine Spitfire; pattern of instruction; decision to stay in Royal Air Force at end of Second World War; award of Air Force Cross. Aspects of period as instructor with Middle East Armament Practise School, RAF at RAF Nicosia, Cyprus, 1948-1950: posting to school; types of aircraft flown; duties as instructor. Aspects of period with Empire Test Pilots School at Farnborough, GB, 1951-1952: selection for school; opinion of course; colleague's fatal accident in Hawker Sea Fury at Farnborough. Recollections of period as test pilot with A Sqdn, Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down, GB, 1952-1956: function of RAF test pilots; problems testing De Havilland DH.112 Venom NF. 2; testing of Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.12. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of North American F-86 Sabre; problems with North American F-100 Super Sabre; flying North American F-100 Super Sabre; opinion of Grumman F9F-6 Cougar; opinion of North American FJ-4 Fury; opinion of Vought F7U Cutlass; degree of knowledge of transonic flight; developments of second generation of jet aircraft; development of Supermarine Swift; problems with Supermarine Swift F.Mk 1; attempts to organise trials with Supermarine Swift; background to Supermarine Swift going into service with 56 Sqdn, RAF; problems with Supermarine Swift F.Mk 2. REEL 4 Continues: improvements with Supermarine Swift F.Mk 3; modifications to Supermarine Swift F.Mk 4; limitations of Supermarine Swift F.Mk 4; cancellation of Supermarine Swift production; low-level capability of Supermarine Swift FR.Mk 5; need for air brakes on Hawker Hunter; characteristics of early marks of Hawker Hunter; opinion of Hawker Hunter; preview handling on English Electric Lightning P1 prototype; problems with sonic booms. Aspects of period commanding Experimental Flying Department at Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough, GB, 1965-1968: duties; development work on blind landing systems at Royal Aircraft Establishment Bedford; development of take off directors and auto landing systems; development of 'fly by wire' systems; postings after leaving Farnborough. REEL 5 Continues: Various postings with Royal Air Force in GB, Iran and Afghanistan, 1974-1978: period as Air Attaché in Iran and Afghanistan; question of abilities of Iranians; attending course at Royal Navy; promotion to Air Commodore. Aspects of period as Defence Attaché with British Embassy in Moscow, Soviet Union, 1974-1978: posting to Moscow; travelling around Soviet Union with 'minders'; pressure of being spied on by Committee for State Security (KGB); entrapment attempts by Committee for State Security (KGB); attempts to spy on Soviet Air Force airfields from trains; need to maintain diplomatic balance. Story of firing nerve gas rockets at target at Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Porton Down. Question of best and worst experiences in Royal Air Force career.