Interview with John Bewick

British officer trained as pilot with Royal Air Force in GB and Canada, 1956-1958; trained as pilot with 738 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Goldcrest, Royal Naval Air Station, Brawdy and 736 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at No 74 Operational Flying School, HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1959; served as pilot with 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Centaur in Far East and Indian Ocean, 1959-1960; served with Station Flight, HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1960-1961; served as Projector Sight Officer and Flight Deck Officer aboard HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters and Far East, 1961-1963; served as pilot with 849 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious in GB coastal waters, Far East and at HMS Goldcrest, Royal Naval Air Station Brawdy, GB, 1964-1967

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1938-1955: family; education; membership of Air Force Section of Officer Training Corps at school. Aspects of training as pilot with Royal Air Force in GB and Canada, 1956-1958: applying for pilot training with Royal Air Force during National Service; pattern of training in GB and Canada; character of De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk; opinion of Lockheed T-33 trainer; contrast between flying propeller driven and jet aircraft; use of range to navigate; visit to course by Douglas Bader; relations between instructors and pupils; origins of students on course; characteristics of Lockheed T-33 trainer; effects of flying with cold; end of National Service; opinion of training; return to civilian life; attempt to enlist in University of St Andrews Air Squadron; reasons for leaving University of St Andrews. Aspects of flying training with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1959: applying to join Fleet Air Arm; indoctrination period at HMS Goldcrest, Royal Naval Air Station Brawdy; opinion of training on De Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.22 with 738 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; Mirror Assisted Dummy Deck Landings (MADDLs) with 736 Naval Air Sqdn at No 74 Operational Flying School, HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of Hawker Sea Hawk; bomb and rocket firing training. Recollections of period as pilot with 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Centaur in Far East and Indian Ocean, 1959-1960: joining squadron in Hong Kong, 15/11/1959; first take off using catapult from HMS Centaur; problems making first landing on aircraft carrier; move to Indian Ocean; terrain operated in over Aden, Aden Protectorate; battle formation flown; character of Operation Damon against tribesmen in Aden, Aden Protectorate, 12/4/1960-14/4/1960; reaction to bombing operations; contrast in leadership in Fleet Air Arm and Royal Navy with reference to squadron leader Commander D T 'Paddy' McKeown and Captain Horace Law; secondary roles as safety equipment and transport officer. Aspects of period as pilot with Station Flight, HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1960-1961: target towing role; method of approaching flying target. REEL 3 Continues: problem dealing with Indian pilots; flying courier flights; flying De Havilland DH.104 Dove and Percival Sea Prince; injury to back during sports morning and amusing reaction of station medical staff; effects of injury to back. Recollections of period as Projector Sight Officer and Flight Deck Officer aboard HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters and Far East, 1961-1963: role as Projector Sight Officer; problems of communication; work as Projector Sight Officer; incident of De Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen near miss on landing on flight deck; crash of Fairey Gannet flown by Lieutenant David Pickles into his projector sight position; Flight Deck Officer duties; incidents illustrating dangers of working on flight deck; accident during replenishment at sea; arrangements of arrester wires on flight deck; second hand story of loss of commanding officer of 803 Naval Air Sqdn, Lieutenant Commander John 'Des' Russell in Supermarine Scimitar F Mk.1 (XD240) overboard from HMS Victorious during demonstration in English Channel, 25/9/1958. REEL 4 Continues: barrier on flight deck. Recollections of period as pilot with 849 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious in GB coastal waters, Far East and at HMS Goldcrest Royal Naval Air Station, Brawdy, GB, 1964-1967: opinion of courier version of Fairey Gannet; character of Fairey Gannet; free take off in Fairey Gannet without use of catapult; duties as courier pilot; ability to choose wires; landing on board American aircraft carrier USS Bennington; opinion of United States Navy pilots' inability to perform deck landings on aircraft carriers; character of HMS Victorious; story of dealing with death of petty officer on board carrier; married life; radar flights in Fairey Gannet to monitor Indonesian flights during Indonesian Confrontation; wire pulling exercise; incident of finding aircraft carrier in fog off Scotland; role as Simulator Officer at HMS Goldcrest, Royal Naval Air Station Brawdy; reasons for leaving Fleet Air Arm. REEL 5 Continues: prior recollection of Bill Bedford landing Hawker P.1127 on flight deck of HMS Ark Royal; experimental free take off in Fairey Gannet AS.4 from deck of HMS Victorious; attitude to having served with Fleet Air Arm, 1959-1967.