Songer, Richard (Oral history)

British artificer trained at HMS Fisguard in GB, 1949-1950; served with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1950; cadet served at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1950-1952; served as midshipman aboard HMS Eagle and HMS Ulysses in GB coastal waters, 1952; officer trained with Royal Naval Engineering College, HMS Thunderer, Keyham, GB and aboard HMS Birmingham off Korea, 1952-1954; trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1954-1956; served with 804 Sqdn at Royal Naval Air Station, Ford, GB and aboard HMS Albion during world tour, 1957-1958; served with Maintenance Test Pilots School, Royal Naval Air Station, Abbotsinch, GB, 1958-1959

REEL 1 Background in Kenton, Middx, 1933-1948: family circumstances; education; delivery of Fairey Firefly to school, 1942; father's membership of Auxiliary Fire Service; recreational activities during Second World War; V1 landing on park; reasons for failure of eleven plus; making models from balsa wood; visits to cinema. Aspects of enlistment and training as artificer with Royal Navy at HMS Fisguard, Plymouth in GB, 1949: reasons for enlistment; selection for training as artificer; arrival at HMS Fisguard; condition of training equipment; lack of recreational activities; discipline; membership of model aeroplane club; reasons for choosing to become of aeronautical engineer; attitude to working in ships' boiler rooms; cheering the arrival of HMS Amethyst. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as aircraft artificer at Royal Naval Air Station Abroath, 1950: training; types of aircraft worked on; first flight. Aspects of period of training as cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, 1950-1952: background to selection for commissioning on special entry at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; character of Dartmouth training; reaction to not being awarded prize; flight in De Havilland Dominie; training on HMS Devonshire at sea. Period as midshipman aboard HMS Eagle and HMS Ulysses in GB coastal waters, 1952: continuation training as midshipman aboard HMS Eagle; character of captain aboard HMS Ulysses; recreational activities; rescuing pilot of Supermarine Attacker; watching aircraft landings from 'Goofers Gallery' on board HMS Eagle; problems of landing on decks in piston engine aircraft; opinion of Hawker Sea Fury and Fleet Air Arm pilots; status of midshipmen. REEL 3 Continues: nature of special sea duties; contrast in attitude of Fleet Air Arm pilots and carriers crew to duties; disposal of damaged aircraft; importance of the carrier not making smoke in flying operations; duties on board. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Naval Engineering College, HMS Thunderer, Keyham, Plymouth and in HMS Birmingham off Korea, 1952-1954: commissioning as engineering officer; appointment to HMS Thunderer; pattern of training; character of mess; year engineering training aboard HMS Birmingham off Korea; nature of duties off Korea; attitude to shelling of Korea; ashore in Korea, Japan and Egypt. REEL 4 Continues: problems with theoretical aspects of course; volunteering and selection to become engineer/test pilots. Recollections of period as flying training with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1954-1956: start of flying training on Percival Provost; accident during taxiing early in training; relations with instructors; trainee pilot who had landing accident and failed course; cockpit drill on Percival Provost; pattern of training prior to solo; reaction to soloing; night flying; use of basic flight simulator; further details of night flying. REEL 5 Continues: advanced training on De Havilland Vampire FB5 at RAF Valley; ease in flying jet as opposed to piston engined aircraft; opinion of initial training of duel controlled De Havilland Vampire T11; further details of contrast in flying piston and jet aircraft; first flight in De Havilland Vampire FB5; pattern of training; number of hours flown; instructors; dangers of spinning in De Havilland Vampire FB5; fatal accidents of course; move to Naval Fighter Training School, Lossiemouth; training with Hawker Sea Hawk including rocket training; dangers of accidental firing of armaments on aircraft; gunsight in Hawker Sea Hawk; quality of instruction; need to work in harmony with aircraft; aircraft used during training; proposed role as maintenance test pilots; deck landing training; use of mirror landing aid for deck landings; presence of ejector seat in Hawker Sea Hawk; posting to 804 Sqdn at Royal Naval Air Station, Ford. REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of period as pilot with 804 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Ford and aboard HMS Albion in Mediterranean and on world tour, 1957: accommodation at Ford; formation flying; reaction to landing on board HMS Albion; character of HMS Albion and arrester wire system on board; accommodation on board; conversion of aircraft carrier to carrying troops; attitude towards Suez crisis; character of flight from GB to Malta; duties in Mediterranean and over Cyprus; passage through Suez Canal; background to decision to resign commission. REEL 7 Continues: senior officers' reaction to his resignation; continuing flying; loss of aircraft into sea; use of tropical flying suits; nature of Hawker Sea Hawk's air conditioning system; problems maintaining aircraft; landing on deck in rough weather; incident when he had to go round again after problems with arrester hook on landing; character of world tour; landing on American aircraft carriers; refuelling at sea; reception in Australia; polishing aircraft; flying in formation with Short Sunderlands in Singapore; return to GB. Aspects of period with Maintenance Test Pilot School at Royal Naval Air Station, Abbotsinch, 1958: posting to school; character of airfield; duties test flying aircraft. REEL 8 Continues: flying Boulton Paul Sea Balliol from airfield; preference for flying jet aircraft to piston engined aircraft; arrester gear on airfield; procedure for landing with engine failures; cockpit visibility during flying Hawker Sea Fury; characteristics of Westland Wyvern; three day warning of resignation taking affect, 10/1959; attitude to leaving Fleet Air Arm, 1959.