Interview with Alan John Leahy

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Description

Object description

British naval airman trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm with Naval Air Stations Grosse Ile, Pensacola and Jacksonville in United States of America, 1944-1945; midshipman served as pilot with 738 and 1853 Naval Air Sqdns at Naval Air Station Brunswick, United States of America, 1945; officer served as pilot with No 4 Ferry Pool, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Nuthatch, Royal Naval Air Station Anthorn, GB, 1945-1946; served with No 2 Ferry Pool, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Blackcap, Royal Naval Air Station Stretton, GB, 1946-1947; served with 811 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 5/1947-7/1947; served with 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Implacable in Mediterranean, 1947-1949; served with 767 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1949; attended Air Weapons Officer Course with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1949-1950; served as Air Weapons Officer with Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1950-1952; served with 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Glory in Mediterranean, Far East and off Korean Peninsula, 1952-1953; served with 800 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Ark Royal in Mediterranean, 1954-1955; commanded 738 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1956-1958; served as officer aboard HMS Zest in GB coastal waters and Scandinavia, 2/1958-9/1958; student with Royal Air Force College Cranwell, GB, 1958-1959; attended Commanding Officers Course at HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1959; commanded 803 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Victorious in Mediterranean, 1959-1960; commanded 700 Z and 809 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1961-1963; served as Commander Air aboard HMS Hermes in Far East and Persian Gulf, 1963-1964; served as staff officer with Flag Officer Naval Flying Training Staff at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1964-1966; various appointments with Royal Navy in GB, 1966-1977

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Glasgow, GB, 1925-1943: family; education. Aspects of training as naval airman at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB, 1943: reasons for joining Fleet Air Arm on Y Scheme; selection for training in United States of America; memories of Chief Petty Officer Wilmott; character of recruits and instructors. Recollections of flying training as naval airman and midshipman with Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Stations Grosse Ile, Pensacola and Jacksonville in United States of America, 1944-1945: conditions on board HMT Queen Mary; start of flying training at Naval Air Station Grosse Ile; sequence of instruction; attitude towards flying; familiarisation flight and soloing; landing in circle; flying with instructor who was anti-English; opinion of training aircraft; move to Naval Air Station Pensacola. REEL 2 Continues: looping aircraft and spinning; snap rolls; character of Vultee SMV Valiant; formatting on other aircraft; order that all officers had to learn to drive cars; night flying and use of Link Trailer; instrument flying; importance of trusting instruments; weekly flying routine; helping fellow student pass Morse Code test; operational flying training on North American T-6 Texan; receiving wings and preference for fighter aircraft; move to Naval Air Station, Jacksonville. REEL 3 Continues: problems with size of Vought Corsair; initial problems United States Navy had with landing Vought Corsair; pattern of flying training with Vought Corsair; collision with pickup truck during night landing. Aspects of period as pilot with 738 and 1853 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Station Brunswick, United States Navy, 3/1945-7/1945: move to Naval Air Station Brunswick to join 738 Naval Air Sqdn; contrast between Fleet Air Arm and United States Navy formations; joining 1853 Naval Air Sqdn, 1/4/1945; incident of damaging aircraft on tree and subsequent interview with Dutch commanding officer Lieutenant Commander J R Schuiling. REEL 4 Continues: deck landings on USS Charger in Cheasepeake Bay; return to GB and attitude towards end of Second World War, 8/1945. Recollections of period as pilot with No 4 Ferry Pool, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Nuthatch, Royal Naval Air Station Anthorn, GB, 1945-1946: checking out on Boeing Traveller; start of ferry duties; opinion of Fairey Barracuda; amusing anecdote about Grumman Wildcat; story of flying De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito in poor weather; character of Blackburn Firebrand; contrast in flying twin and single engined aircraft. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Supermarine Seafire Mk III; ferrying crews in Avro Anson; story of problems starting Grumman Avenger. Aspects of period as pilot with No 2 Ferry Pool, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Blackcap, Royal Naval Air Station Stretton, GB, 1946-1947: opinion of De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; story of forced landing in Airspeed Oxford; friction with commanding officer; story of ferrying former American operated De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; amusing story of retrieving sweets from flying bag during flight in Avro Anson. REEL 6 Continues: attempts to fly poorly maintained aircraft; character of De Havilland DH.98 Sea Mosquito; flights in Supermarine Seafire; narrow escape from collision on airfield; pattern of flights in 1947; taking weekend clothing for leave in Blackburn Firebrand. Aspects of period as pilot with 811 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 5/1947-7/1947: appointment to squadron; car accident on leave and problems flying De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito with injuries; initial flights in De Havilland Sea DH.98 Mosquito; navigating at sea; story of pilot who made a mistake during sea navigation exercise. REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Implacable in Mediterranean, 1947-1949: appointment to squadron at HMS Peregrine, Royal Naval Air Station Ford; character of De Havilland DH.103 Sea Hornet; method of getting De Havilland DH.103 Sea Hornet into lift of HMS Implacable; problems with barrier; problems for married men; exercises in Mediterranean; performance of Blackburn Firebrand; air show display work; story of collision between Hawker Sea Furies at airshow; types of aerobatics performed; pattern of service. Aspects of period as pilot with 767 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1949: role of squadron in training batsmen. REEL 8 Continues: deck landing Supermarine Seafire and Fairey Firefly; move of squadron from HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth to HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton; flying De Havilland DH.89 Dominie. Aspects of period as Air Weapons Officer (AWO) with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1949-1950: attending Air Weapons Officer (AWO) Course; visits to sites to discover how to destroy targets. Aspects of period as Air Weapons Officer (AWO) with HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1950-1952: pattern of duties on leaving squadron; role of various squadrons; duties in charge of Fleet Air Arm Field Gun Team, 1952. Recollections of operations as pilot with 801 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Glory in Mediterranean, Far East and during Korean War, 8/1952-7/1953: taking car to Malta to join squadron, 8/1952; opinion of Hawker Sea Fury; deck landings in Mediterranean; problems with Rocket Assisted Take Off Gear (RATOG). REEL 9 Continues: story of ditching in Hawker Sea Fury after failed Rocket Assisted Take Off Gear (RATOG) take off; how leave was stopped in Mediterranean; bombing of jungle in Federation of Malaya on route to Hong Kong; briefing on proposed role in Korean War; bombardment spotting for USS Missouri; visit to 3rd Bn Royal Australian Regt in front line; close air support; importance of bombing a target; pre-dawn take offs; evasion of Chinese Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter aircraft. REEL 10 Continues: degree of threat from Chinese Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter aircraft; forced landing on beach after damage to wing; rota worked by aircraft carrier; dealing with hung up bombs; flight from South Korea to Japan; markings worn by squadron; repeat attacks on bridges; bombing railway tunnel; occasions when he spotted anti-aircraft fire; attacks on irrigation dams; incident when a mirror image appeared on aircraft carrier's radar; landing on; story illustrating dangers of flight deck. REEL 11 Continues: use of catapult; occasion when operation was aborted in thick fog; reliability of catapult; weather conditions off Korea; description of immersion suit and flying clothing worn; survival aids and dinghy; question of carrying personal weapon; air-sea rescue facilities available; terrain on Korean Peninsula; types of targets attacked in North Korea; attachment to Royal Netherlands Navy for Exercise Mariner on return to GB. REEL 12 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with 800 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Ark Royal, 1954-1955: appointment to squadron; incident when his engine failed at low-level; joining HMS Ark Royal; character of Hawker Sea Hawk. Aspects of period commanding 738 Naval Air Sqdn, HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1956-1958: duties and role of squadron; formation of aerobatic team and painting aircraft red; introduction of first smoke display; how Lieutenant Commander Dennis 'John' Kelly lost his life, 26/8/1957; story of flight past in front of Queen Elizabeth II; organisation of squadron. Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Zest in GB coastal waters and Scandinavia, 2/1958-9/1958: need to gain sea time; visit to Sweden; attending tactical course on return. Aspects of period as student with Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, GB, 1958-1959: joining course. REEL 13 Continues: amusing story of visit to Paris, France; usefulness of contact with officers from foreign services. Aspects of period attending Commanding Officers Course at HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station, Lossiemouth, GB, 1959: nature of course; sight of destroyed Avro Vulcan after crash on runway; opinion of Hawker Hunter. Aspects of period commanding 803 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Victorious in Mediterranean, 1959-1960: taking command of squadron, 12/1959; problems of Supermarine Scimitar leaking fuel; division of squadron to different aircraft carriers; loss of two aircraft; incident of pilot ejecting from Supermarine Scimitar. Aspects of period commanding 700Z and 809 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1961-1963: delay in receiving Blackburn Buccaneer; contrast between Blackburn Buccaneer and Supermarine Scimitar; nature of trials; display at Farnborough Air Show, 1962. Aspects of period as Commander Air aboard HMS Hermes in Far East and Gulf, 1963-1964: amusing story of meeting with Lieutenant Commander Jeremy Black on flight to Hong Kong. REEL 14 Continues: role of Commander Air; loss of De Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen; changes on aircraft carriers since service in Korea; problems with lack of wind in Persian Gulf; organisation of flying operations from aircraft carrier; amusing story of man being blown overboard. Aspects of period as staff officer with Flag Officer Naval Flying Training Staff at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1964-1966: role of staff; method of overcoming poor telephone system. Various appointments with Royal Navy in GB, 1966-1977: appointment to Ministry of Defence, London at time of carrier crisis, 1966; role as executive officer at HMS Daedelus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent; role as desk officer at Ministry of Defence dealing with introduction of British Aerospace Sea Harrier. REEL 15 Continues: pattern of appointments; question of inter-service rivalry over introduction of British Aerospace Sea Harrier; duties as Commodore Clyde in charge of submarine base at HMNB Faslane; attitude towards service with Fleet Air Arm.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Leahy, Alan John (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2010-05-05
Dimensions: whole: Duration 450, Number Of Items 15
Catalogue number: 32843

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Interview with Alan John Leahy

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