Interview with John Samuel Fay

Sound: © IWM (34023)

217844592
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
678530529
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1249288354
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
808662536
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Description

Object description

British naval airman trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1940-1941; officer served as pilot with 832 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 12/1941-6/1942; served with 841 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at RAF Manston, GB, 7/1942; served with 832 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious in Mediterranean, United States of America and Pacific, 8/1942-8/1943; served with Joint Royal Navy/Royal Air Force Helicopter Unit in GB, 1944-1945; civilian pilot with British European Airways Helicopter Experiment Unit in GB, 1947-1951; test pilot with Westland Aircraft Ltd in GB, 1952-1968

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Brazil, New Zealand and GB, 1921-1939: family; education; hearing declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of training as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1940-1941: enlistment and prior military training with Officer Training Corps at school; initial training at HMS St Vincent, Gosport; flying training at No 29 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Luton; voyage from GB to Canada; pattern of flying training in Canada; instructors; instrument flying; return to GB; contrast between Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore; torpedo training at Naval Air Torpedo School, HMS Jackdaw, Royal Naval Air Station Crail; deck landing training. Recollections of operations as pilot with 832 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious in GB coastal waters and Arctic, 12/1941-6/1942: first deck landing on board, 12/1941; technique for landing on board aircraft carrier. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of Blackburn Skua; joining aircraft carrier and squadron; character of HMS Victorious; operating in Arctic; demarcation of crew roles in Fairey Albacore; use of depth charges; reaction to formation flying at night; question of gulf between training and actual experience; restrictions on flying in Arctic; conditions on board aircraft carrier. Aspects of operations as pilot with 832 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm abaord HMS Victorious in Mediterranean, 8/1942-11/1942: move to Mediterranean to participation in Operation Pedestal, 8/1942; sight of HMS Eagle sinking, 11/8/1942; bombing of aircraft carrier during Operation Pedestal, 8/1942; gratitude of Maltese people. Aspects of operations as pilot with 832 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious in US and Pacific, 12/1942-8/1943: move to Hawaii, Hawaii Territory, 1/1943; conversion to Grumman Avenger; operating from USS Saratoga. REEL 3 Continues: crashing over deck on USS Saratoga; return to GB to join Royal Navy Service Trials Unit. Aspects of operations as pilot with 841 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at RAF Manston, GB, 7/1942: technique for attacking German Navy E-boats; sinking of ship on mine after interception; opinion of radios and operating from RAF Manston. Aspects of period as pilot with Joint Royal Navy/RAF Helicopter Unit in GB, 1944-1945: training in autorotation; opinion of Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly; attitude towards flying helicopters; use of floats; helicopter radar calibration work. Aspects of period as civilian helicopter pilot with British European Airways Helicopter Experiment Unit in GB, 1947-1951: running night mail services; passenger trials. Aspects of period as test pilot with Westland Aircraft Ltd in GB, 1952-1968: role as helicopter instructor; types of helicopters used for instruction; opinion of Westland Whirlwind Helicopter; test pilot work; incident of engine failure; introduction of power controls. REEL 4 Continues: discovery of problem with rotor; degree to which helicopters tested; demonstration tour of Spain and Portugal; helicopter display; difference between helicopters and autogyros. Attitude to service with Fleet Air Arm.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), 1945-1989 (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Fay, John Samuel (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2014-03-25
Dimensions: whole: Duration 120, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 34023

Object associations

Our collections information

We have over 1.7 million object records online, and we are adding to this all the time. Our records are never finished. Sometimes we discover new information that changes what we know about an object, such as who made it or used it. Sometimes we change how an object is interpreted. We sometimes make mistakes in our spelling, transcription or categorisation, or miss information out of our records.

Read more about our collections and the information we hold. Developing our collections information

If you have concerns about the language in this record, or you have information to improve it, please share your feedback.

We receive a lot of comments and can't respond to each one, but we do read them all and will respond where we can.

Interview with John Samuel Fay

Description

Object description

Content description

Object Details

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Associated places

Associated subjects

Associated themes

Our collections information

Related content

HMS Belfast at 80