Townend, Len (Oral history)

British aircraft assistant served with 51 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1943; served as engine flight mechanic and engine fitter at Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, GB, 1943-1944; NCO served as engine fitter with Transport Command, RAF in Egypt, 1944-1947; served with 24 VIP Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1947-1948; based during Berlin Airlift at RAF Lubeck, Germany, 1947-1948; served with 5357 Aircraft Construction Wing in Germany, 1947-1949; served with 1st Sqdn, RAF in Germany, 1950-1951; served with Flying Training Schools in GB, 1951; served as aircraft fitter at Navigational Training School and Flying Training Schools in GB, 1951-1956; served with Maintenance Unit in Cyprus, 1956; served with Flying Training School in GB, 1956-1958; served as launch crew on Thor Inter-continental Ballistic Missile with 77 Sqdn at Tuddenham, GB, 1958-1961; served as chief missile technician at Thor ICBM Headquarters, Feltwell, GB, 1961-1964; served with Central Servicing Development Establishment, GB, 1964-1966

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Melton Mowbray, 1924-1942: family background and social circumstances; education; Boy Scouts activities; review of various jobs, 1938; work as baker, 1938-1942; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; period with Air Training Corps, 1939-1942, including learning Morese code as trainee wireless operator, drill and flights in aircraft; effects of war on work in bakery; food rationing and keeping pigs; issue of gas masks; improvised air raid shelter under stairs; effects of German air raids; fire watching; food rationing; volunteering for RAF, 8/1942; medical. REEL 2 Period at Recruit Reception Centre, RAF, Cardington, 12/1942: reception; story of assignment for training as engine flight mechanic; kitting out; reactions to lecture on homosexuality; personal cleanliness and hair cut. Recollections of period at Recruit Training Centre, Blackpool, 12/1942-1/1943: hotel billets; effects of vaccinations; basic training; swimming; weapons training; PT and presence of Corporal Stanley Matthews; shortened course due to prior ATC experience; story of getting drunk at Winter Gardens; drinking and smoking habits; relationship with recruits and instructors. Recollections of period as aircraft assistant working on Handley Page Halifax with 51 Sqdn, RAF at Snaith, 1/1943-3/1943: reception and view of Halifax exploding on runway; hut accommodation; food rations; role cleaning engines and changing oil; guard duties; role guiding aircraft onto runway; reaction to cleaning bodies out of damaged Halifax. REEL 3 Continues: frequency of crashes on non-operational flights die to inadequacy of pilot training and role retrieving body parts; modifications to Handley Page Halifax including removal of upper middle turret and installing armour plating on engines; opinion of Merlin and Packard engines; relationship with civilians. Recollections of training as flight mechanics at No 2 School of Technical Training, Locking, 3/1943-8/1943: learning to use tools and making test pieces; theoretical and practical engine training; method of swinging propeller to start engine; aircraft handling and refuelling techniques; final examinations and passing out as aircraftsman 1st class; first girlfriend. Recollections of period as engine flight mechanic at Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Hednesburg, 8/1943-12/1943: reactions to posting; training as air gunner and acting as cook during flights in Sunderland Flying Boat; role checking engines as part of daily aircraft inspections; changing engines; importance of detecting oil and fuel leaks; engine check runs; nature of Short Scion and quarter scale Shetland used to check hull shapes; Supermarine Spitfire Float plane version; story of Short Scion ditching in sea. REEL 4 Continues: story of guard duty; flitting flotation gear wheels to Sunderland to allow it to be brought ashore; opinion of various engines; story of playing bagpipes; hotel billets at Rhu. Period on engine fitter course at No 1 School of Technical Training, Halton, 12/1943-3/1944: reaction to increased disciplinary standards; food rations; nature of course. Period as fitter at MAEE, Hednesford, 3/1944-9/1944: story of going AWOL and subsequent punishment; question of getting married. Voyage aboard Devonshire to Port Said, Egypt, 9/1944-10/1944: issue of solar topees; conditions on ship. Recollections of period as fitter with Maintenance Unit, RAF at EL Balaah, 10/1944-11/1944: nature of desert base; tent accommodation; food rations and case of theft by cooks. Recollections of period at No 10 Staging Post, Transport Command, RAF, 11/1944-9/1945: role servicing aircraft on long distance flights; reactions to work load; recreational nights out in Cairo; visits to Pyramids. REEL 5 Continues: varying nature of workload; acclimatisation to climate including abandonment of toppee, issue of salt tablets and use of chattis; diarrhoea attacks; relationship with Egyptian civilians; latrines; absence of women on camp; VE Day, 8/5/1945. Period at No 113 Staging Post and Engineering Section, Headquarters, Transport Command, Almaza, 9/1945-9/1946: secondment to BAOC staging post and training for civilian fitter licence in preparation for demobilisation; introduction of power plants on Douglas DC3 Dakota and duties on move into power plant bay at HQ, TC. Recollections of period with Maintenance Unit, RAF, Kabrit, 9/1946-2/1947: duties as corporal; prior strike over demobilisation arrangements whilst at Almaza, ca 9/1945, including ignorance of points system, question of role of Communist agitators and their use of camp newspaper, role of driver ringleader in calling strike, refusal to work, response of authorities and end of strike. REEL 6 Continues: lifestyle. Voyage aboard Devonshire to GB, 2/1947. Demobilisation, 3/1947: demobilisation suit; question of remaining in RAF. Period in Melton Mowbray, 3/1947-6/1947: reactions to return to work at bakery and civilian lifestyle; work as car mechanic; enlistment as regular under bounty scheme into RAF, 6/1947. Recollections of period as engine fitter with 24 VIP Sqdn, RAF at Bassingbourne, 6/1947-4/1948: unit role transporting VIPs; duties servicing aircraft and flying wit support aircraft during VIP flights; stories illustrating pinion of Montgomery and Tedder; flight with support aircraft to Germany; responsibility for aircraft transporting senior politicians; nature of Lancastrian aircraft. Recollections of period during Berlin air lift based at RAF Lubeck, Germany, 4/1947-7/1948: emergency nature of posting; awareness of situation; air corridors; process of loading, refuelling and servicing aircraft on air lift; nature of support services; civilian contracted aircraft involved in airlift; reactions to visit by Atlee; attitude to politicians; improvement in organisation of airlift; barrack accommodation; food rations. REEL 7 Continues: heated work areas in winter; motorised battery aircraft starters; canteen breaks; question of Soviet threat; relationship with German civilians and workers; rest camps on Baltic coast. Recollections of period with 5357 Aircraft Construction Wing at Sundern and Butzswirlerhof, 7/1947-10/1949: construction of Wildenrath airfield; role running MT and plant section staffed by German workers; learning to drive bulldozers and knocking down trees; accommodation in hotel billets; relationship with army personnel during period in camp; quality of German mechanics. Recollections of period as engine fitter working on De Havilland Vampire with 1st Sqdn, RAF at Guttersloh, 10/1950-3/1951: reception; nature of De Havilland Vampire including problems starting engines, accidents practicing ground attacks and accidental firing of rockets; story of accidentally starting De Havilland Vampire engine in hangar and subsequent reprimand; VIP visits and demonstration of Vampire capabilities; story illustrating relationship with RAF Regt; OR and corporals' messes; visits to Hamburg. Period at Flying Training School South Cernay, 3/1951-5/1951: reactions to posting; increased discipline. REEL 8 Period on aircraft fitters course at Technical Training School, St Athlan, 5/1951-10/1951: role of aircraft fitters; repair of wooden and metal airframes; riveting techniques; aircraft hydraulics and tyres; nature of metal fatigue and stress corrosion; method of detecting cracks in metal using dye and inspecting glue joints; use of knowledge gained from analysis of aircraft accidents; method of adjusting tension and balancing aircraft controls; use of pneumatic systems; welding and brazing; educational courses throughout RAF career; tests and qualification as aircraft fitter. Period as aircraft fitter at Navigational Training School, Litchfield, 10/1951-10/1952: working on Vickers Wellington; necessity for training role with fitters; petrol fire accident; promotion to sergeant and consequent loss of posting to Queen's Flight; role in charge of flight line; relationship with ORs and officers; nature of Vickers Valetta; nature of sergeants' mess and formal dinner. REEL 9 Continues: review of prior recreational glider training at Butzsielerhof and Guttesloh. Period at Navigational Training School, Langford Lodge and Bishops Court, Northern Ireland, 10/1952-3/1953. Period at Flying Training Unit, Clunto, 3/1953-4/1953: servicing role on flight line; opinion of Prentice and Harvard Trainers; relationship with Irish civilians including marriage of Catholic and question of IRA activity. Period at Flying Training School, Feltwell, 6/1954-10/1956: opinion of Provost Trainer; duties; married quarters. Period based at Maintenance Unit at Nicosia, Cyprus, 10/1956-12/1956: initial mobilisation due to Suez Crisis; lack of role following end of crisis; state of morale; posting to MU; duties; collection of crashed aircraft; threat of EOKA bombs and close escape from bomb on Lightning. REEL 10 Continues: searches for bombs; question of visits to Nicosia; opinion of Sten gun; efforts to secure return to GB; flight back to GB. Period at FTS, Feltwell, 2/1956-8/1958. Recollections of training on Thor Inter-continental Ballistic Missile with US Air Force, Tucson, US, 8/1958-12/1958: volunteering for posting; selection of senior NCOs and prior trade test; effects of Soviet Sputnik launch; nature of course attached to Douglas Aircraft Company; nature of rocket engine; servicing role and handling fuels system; gyroscope guidance system; hydraulic system; opinion of and relationship with US personnel; visit to Thor missile sight at Vandenberg. Recollections of period as missile maintenance technician with launch control crew with Thor ICBM with 77 Sqdn at Tuddenham, 12/1958-1/1961: role of Buff Lodges; background to keeping married quarters at Feltwell; presence of three Thor and composition of launch crew; housing of Thor on launch mounting in shelter; role missile maintenance technician and nature of routine checks; liquid oxygen fuel supplied by British Oxygen Company. REEL 11 Continues: routine checks on Thor; question of evaporation of liquid oxygen fuel; air conditioning unit use to maintain optimum temperature in Thor missile shelter; review of practice automated launch sequence launch of Thor missile and US control of warhead; case of contaminated fuel and consequent return of missile to US; learning from technical manual; demonstration by anti-war protestors. Period as chief missile technician at Thor ICBM Headquarters, Feltwell, 1/1961-10/1964: training role for all Thor units in GB; eradicating flaws in launch procedure to improve speed; writing manual for maintenance and launch teams; practice Thor launches to eradicate faults; attitude to nuclear weapons; taking Thor missile launch crew to test fire at Vandenberg, US, 9/1961, including voyage out, training from USAAF, practice launches, US control of process, method of firing missile and tracking signals from missile; methods of reducing time of launch; strategic background to Thor deployment. REEL 12 Continues: success of training team; question of Soviet threat; final preparations prior to launch during Cuba crisis, 1963, including nature of Launch Control Centre, question of command structure, role of US authentication officer in arming warhead and reactions to stand down; disbandment of Thor units on introduction of Atlas ICBM but US; temporary administrative duties. Recollections of period as research officer with Central Servicing Development Establishment, Swanton Morley, 10/1964-1/1966: role of unit in developing service procedures for new aircraft; review of role writing servicing manuals for various functions on aircraft; background to leaving RAF, 1/1966. Post-service career: reactions to leaving RAF and question of acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; review of career as technical writer writing service manuals for various aircraft and tanks for Production Engineering Research Association, 1966-1990; membership of RAF Association.