Interview with Charles Geoffrey Hyde

British naval airman trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm at United States Navy Naval Air Stations Grosse Ile, Pensacola and Miami in United States of America, 9/1941-6/1942; officer served as pilot with Fleet Air Arm with Naval Air Gunnery School, HMS Vulture, Royal Naval Air Station St Merryn, GB, 8/1942-9/1942; served with 898 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and United States of America, 10/1942-2/1943; served with 790 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 4/1943-4/1944; served with 1770 Naval Air Sqdn, HMS Tern, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Twatt, GB, 4/1944-3/1945; attended Test Pilots Course at HMS Kestrel, Royal Naval Air Station Worthy Down, GB, 3/1945; served as test and maintenance pilot with No 1 Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard, Fleet Air Arm, Brisbane, Australia, 6/1945-3/1946

REEL 1 Background in Wool, GB, 1921-1939: family; education; early interest in aviation. Aspects of period as civilian in Wool, GB, 1939-1941: changes in agriculture; sight of German Air Force raid during Battle of Britain, 1940. Aspects of enlistment with Fleet Air Arm, 1941: medical; selection process at HMS St Vincent, Gosport; call-up to Fleet Air Arm, 7/1941. Aspects of training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB, 7/1941-8/1941: climbing mast; ground instruction; adjusting to service life; character of Chief Petty Officer Wilmott; daily routine; discipline; character of New Zealand recruits; accommodation; allocation to training in United States of America. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Louis Pasteur from GB to Canada , 9/1941: seasickness. REEL 2 Continues: amusing story about latrines. Aspects of period in transit in Canada, 1941: initial accommodation; relations with Canadians. Aspects of flying training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Station Grosse Ile, United States of America, 9/1941-12/1941: relations with civilians in Detroit; ground instruction; character of Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 aircraft; stalling aircraft; cockpit controls; use of voice tube for communication; taking off and turning aircraft; approach for landings; judging height during landing; getting out of a spin; inverted spinning; soloing, 10/1941; hearing news of Pearl Harbor, 7/12/1941. Aspects of flying training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Station Pensacola, United States of America, 12/1941-4/1942: status of Fleet Air Arm personnel under United States Navy control; daily flying routine with Training Sqdn 1; looping aircraft; landing in circle; forced landing practice. REEL 3 Continues: problems with slow rolling; move to Training Sqdn 2; formation flying; pattern of training with Training Sqdn 2; move to Training Sqdn 3, instrument flying in North American Harvard; story of display of radar using instrument flying at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton, GB, 1944; aircraft checks; commissioning at end of course. Aspects of advanced flying training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Station Miami, United States of America, 4/1942-6/1942: story of meeting Martha Mills; night flying in North American Harvards; character of Brewster F2A Buffalo; gunnery practice in North American Harvard; cross-country navigation; experience diving Brewster F2A Buffalo; loss of John Canter; reasons for loss of two recruits from course; commissioning 4/7/1942. REEL 4 Continues: large formation flying; hospitality of American civilians during leave in New York; voyage aboard SS Laetitia from United States of America to GB, 7/1942. Aspects of period as pilot with Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Gunnery School, HMS Vulture, Royal Naval Air Station St Merryn, GB, 8/1942-9/1942: conversion to Fairey Fulmar; night flying course at HMS Heron Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton; flying Grumman Martlet; contrast between American and British designed naval aircraft; problems flying Grumman Martlet after drinking; drinking after end of course at HMS Vulture, Royal Naval Air Station St Merryn. Aspects of period as pilot with 898 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and US, 10/1942-2/1943: lack of flying in GB; 21st Birthday celebrations; voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary from GB to United States of America; Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landings (ADDLs) at Naval Air Station Quonset Point; accident during first deck landing in Grumman Wildcat aboard USS Charger; reaction to having to leave the squadron. REEL 5 Continues: return to GB, 3/1943. Aspects of period as pilot with 790 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 4/1943-4/1944: character of Fairey Barracuda; amusing story of instrument flying in Fairey Fulmar; use of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF); story of display of radar using instrument flying at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, 1944; effect of delayed stress; delivering birthday cake to wren; psychological state. Aspects of period as pilot with 1770 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Tern, Royal Naval Air Station Twatt, Orkney Islands, GB, 4/1944-3/1945: appointment to squadron; character of airfield; flying Douglas Boston; radar calibration work; large scale practice attacks on fleet; incident of flying Hawker Hurricane in bad weather; characteristics of Douglas Boston; flying Bristol Blenheim; incidents that occurred flying Douglas Boston. REEL 6 Continues: reputation of Vought Corsair; relations with Women's Royal Naval Service personnel on airfield; target towing in Miles Martinet; leaving station, 3/1945. Aspects of period as pilot on Test Pilots Course at HMS Kestrel, Royal Naval Air Station Worthy Down in GB, 3/1945: posting to course; training at test and maintainance pilot; flying Vought Corsair and Supermarine Seafire Mk IIIc; contrast in flying Grumman Hellcat and Vought Corsair; familiarisation with aircraft. Aspects of period as test and maintenance pilot with No 1 Transportable Aircraft Maintenance Yard, Fleet Air Arm at Brisbane, Australia, 1945-1946: test flying Supermarine Seafires; forced landing in Vought Corsair; individual aircraft characteristics; skills as pilot; social activities and meeting future wife in Toowoomba, 8/1945. REEL 7 Continues: reaction to end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; memories of Commander William 'Willie' Segrave; winding down off station; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1945; return to GB, 3/1946; attitude to having served with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War.