Description
Object description
British naval airman trained as pilot with HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, No 29 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Luton and No 1 Service Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Netheravon in GB, 1940-1941; officer served as pilot with No 1 Naval Air Fighter School at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, 1941; served as pilot with 882 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Illustrious in Atlantic, 7/1941-5/1942; served with 882 Naval Air Sqdn aboard HMS Archer in Atlantic and US, 5/1942-8/1942; served with 894 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in US, GB and aboard HMS Illustrious in Mediterranean and Italy, 8/1942-12/1943; served as instructor with No 1 Naval Air Fighter School, HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1/1944-10/1944; commanded 809 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Stalker in Mediterranean, 11/1944-3/1945; served as Chief Flying Instructor at HMS Vairi, Royal Naval Air Station Cochin, India, 1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1920-1939: family; education; degree of interest in aviation; anticipation of Second World War. Aspects of enlistment in Fleet Air Arm, 1939: decision to join Fleet Air Arm; character of selection process; emphasis on sport and physical fitness; attitude of family to his joining Fleet Air Arm. Aspects of period as naval airman at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, GB, 1940: adjusting to naval training; drill; memories of Chief Petty Officer Wilmott; accommodation; degree of contact with officers; learning ranks; process of going on leave. Aspects of period of flying training with No 24 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Luton, GB, 1940: character of instructors; familiarisation with controls of Miles Magister; first familiarisation flight; use of Gosport Tubes to communicate with instructor; making a gentle turn.
REEL 2 Continues: taking off and importance of wind; landing aircraft; spinning aircraft; character of Miles Magister; soloing aircraft; intensification of training after soloing; forced landing training; navigation and cross-country exercises; aerobatics; lack of training in meteorology; keenness of trainee pilots; reasons for failing course; final examination; flying clothing worn; reasons for accident in training; cadets problems with landing aircraft. Aspects of period of intermediate flying training at No 1 Service Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Netheravon, 1940-1941: familiarisation flight in Fairey Battle T; opinion of Fairey Battle T.
REEL 3 Continues: flying Gloster Gladiator; pattern of instruction; character of blind and night flying; flying Hawker biplanes; selection for fighter pilot training; accidents caused by overconfidence amongst pilots; treatment of failed cadets; degree of ground instruction on armaments; reaction to receiving wings and commissioning. Aspects of period as pilot with No 1 Naval Air Fighter School at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1941: character of airfield; formation flying; contrast between British and American designed aircraft; winding up undercarriage on Grumman Martlet Mk I; character of Grumman Marlet/Wildcat.
REEL 4 Continues: dogfighting and aerobatics; performing loops and rolls; gaining confidence in skills; character of Fairey Fulmar; accommodation; visiting public houses; ground instruction in aircraft recognition; degree on confidence on leaving school; air gunnery training; methods of attacking drogues; fighter pilot skills; reasons for flying accidents; low-level flying; number of hours flown on joining squadron. Aspects of period as pilot with 882 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Illustrious in North Atlantic, 7/1941-5/1942: character of commanding officers; discipline; organisation of squadron; character of HMS Merlin, Royal Naval Air Station Donbristle.
REEL 5 Continues: squadron training; embarkation aboard HMS Illustrious, 5/1942; characteristics of individual aircraft; accommodation on board; proposed role of squadron; reasons for secondment in South Africa, 5/1942. Aspects of operations as pilot with 882 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Archer in North Atlantic and United States of America, 5/1942-9/1942: character of escort carrier; role protecting Fairey Swordfish; problems with escort carrier's engines; escorting HMT Queen Mary in Fairey Swordfish out of New York Harbour, United States of America; opinion of Fairey Swordfish. Aspects of period as pilot with 894 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in United States of America and GB, 1942-1943: appointment to squadron at Naval Air Station Norfolk, 8/1942; role of senior pilot; deck landings on Lake Michigan; length of time needed to make squadron operational; relations with American personnel; voyage aboard HMS Battler from United States of America to GB; contrast in flying in United States of America and Scotland; conversion to Supermarine Seafire L Mk IIc.
REEL 6 Continues: problems landing Supermarine Seafire L Mk IIc on aircraft carriers; practising Assisted Deck Landings (ADLs); role of batsman. Aspects of operations as pilot with 894 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Illustrious in Mediterranean and Italy, 7/1943-12/1943: embarkation aboard HMS Illustrious, 7/1943; number of Supermarine Seafire Mk L IIcs damaged during operations at Salerno, Italy, 9/1943; operating from airstrip at Salerno, Italy, 9/1943; ground support operations at Salerno, Italy, 9/1943; lack of German Air Force activity; shooting down by squadron member of two American North American P-51 Mustangs; problems landing Supermarine Seafire L Mk IIc on escort carriers; return to GB, 12/1943. Aspects of period as flying instructor at No 1 Naval Air Fighter School, HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1/1944-10/1944: appointment to school as instructor; rumours that accompanied introduction of Vought Corsair; story of how he managed to get his wife drafted to station.
REEL 7 Continues: incident of pupil crash landing Grumman Martlet; incident when pupil hit tree and had to force land; nature of training as instructor. Aspects of operations commanding 809 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Stalker in Mediterranean, 11/1944-3/1945: background to appointment to squadron; role of commanding officer; age and background of pilots; working conditions for squadron ground crew; accommodation; relations with Captain Leonard Sinker; time taken to get aircraft on board ship; background to disagreement with Captain Leonard Sinker; leaving squadron in Egypt, 3/1945. Aspects of period as Chief Flying Instructor at HMS Vairi, Royal Naval Air Station Cochin, India, 1945: need to check newly assembled aircraft; flying conditions; impressions of Grumman Hellcat FB Mk II; types of accidents witnessed; flying of aircraft out to aircraft carriers; use of Indian servants; climate.
REEL 8 Continues: outcome of court of inquiry; reasons for not staying in Fleet Air Arm; demobilisation and return to civilian life in GB, early 1946. Reflections on period with Fleet Air Arm: story of crash landing Grumman Martlet on airfield; incidents flying Supermarine Seafire Mk IIc at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton; story of taking his wife for first flight at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton; attitude to having served with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War.
