Jupe, Peter Gordon (Oral history)

British officer trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and US, 1942-1944; served with 1848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in US and GB, 1944-1945; served with 1834 Naval Air Sqdn, 1st Carrier Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 1945

REEL 1 Background in Freshfields and London, GB, 1924-1942: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and training with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1942-1943: volunteering and selection board; call-up to HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, 12/1942; reception on arrival; accommodation in huts; issue of naval uniform; heating of huts; attitude to training; story of drafting to HMS Reading after training at HMS St Vincent, Gosport; relations with crew and rivalry between Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm; drafting to Blackpool. Recollections of flying training in US, 1943-1944: voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from GB to US; initial impressions of US and Canada; character of US flying instructors at Naval Air Station Grosse Ile; pattern of flying training, 7/1943. REEL 2 Continues: problems with Boeing PT-17 Stearman ground looping; spinning aircraft; question of 'dipping' on course; contrast between US and British discipline; move to Naval Air Station Pensacola; flying Vultee Valiant and North American Harvard; two speed propellers; learning radio communications; American methods of instruction; formation flying; dive-bombing practice; American method of instructing pilots on one type of aircraft; character of Vought Corsair; landing Vought Corsair on aircraft carrier; taking off from an aircraft carrier. REEL 3 Continues: folding of Vought Corsair's wings; use of dive brakes; reasons for not flying at night. Aspects of period as pilot with 1848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in US and GB, 1944-1945: continuation training; US Navy's initial unwillingness to use Vought Corsair on aircraft carriers; story illustrating shortage of aircraft during aircraft carrier operations, 1945; low-level flying; practice deck landings and method of landing on aircraft carriers; role of batsman; deck landings on USS Charger, 8/1944; problems with weather after move to HMS Landrail, Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish and HMS Gannet, Royal Naval Air Station Eglinton, GB, 11/1944-1/1945; anticipation of move to Far East. Recollections of operations with 1834 Naval Air Sqdn, 1st Carrier Air Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious, 11th Aircraft Carrier Sqdn in Pacific, 3/1945-8/1945: voyage from GB to Australia aboard HMS Slinger; transfer to HMS Victorious, 2/1945. REEL 4 Continues: prior recollection of problems with aircraft throttle at Naval Air Station Jacksonville during training in US, 1943; joining squadron; aircraft and pilot complement aboard aircraft carrier; relations between pilots and ground crew; role of Commander Air aboard aircraft carrier; briefing and allocation of aircraft; joining US Navy's Fifth Fleet and role of British aircraft carriers off Sakashima Gunto Islands, Japan, 4/1945; method of attacking Japanese airfields; shooting down of Japanese reconnaissance aircraft; aircraft markings and threat of friendly fire; character of Operation Iceberg, 4/1945-6/1945; fatigue during Combat Air Patrols (CAPs); threat of Japanese anti-aircraft fire; Kamikaze attack on HMS Victorious. REEL 5 Continues: coming under command of US Navy's Third Fleet for operations against Japan; success of attack on Japanese airfield; award of Distinguished Service Cross (DSC); successful attack on Japanese bridge; damage to aircraft by anti-aircraft fire; attitude to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; amusing order to shoot down approaching Japanese aircraft; return to Sydney, Australia; duties on return to GB after 10/1945; reasons for not taking permanent commission; attitude to having served with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War.