Denham, Eric (Oral history)

British aircraftman trained with No 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, St John's Wood, London, No 11 Initial Training Wing, RAF, Scarborough and with No 4 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Brough in GB, 4/1942-10/1942; aircraftman trained as pilot with No 5 British Flying Training School, Clewiston, US, 1/1943-7/1943; NCO served with No 7 Personnel Reception Centre, RAF, Harrogate, GB, 9/1943-3/1944; trained with No 14 Advanced Flying Unit, RAF and 1512 (Beam Approach Training) Flight, RAF at RAF Banff, GB, 4/1944-9/1944; served as pilot with No 2 Air Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Dalcross, GB, 9/1944-11/1945; served with No 11 Air Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Andreas and RAF Jurby, Isle of Man, 11/1945-11/1947; served with No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Spitialgate, GB, 11/1947-3/1948; served with Central Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Leconfield, GB, 7/1948-3/1951; served as air traffic controller at RAF Digby, GB, 3/1951-10/1952; served with Central Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Leconfield, GB, 10/1952-10/1954; officer cadet with No 1 Officer Cadet Training Unit, RAF at RAF Jurby, Isle of Man, 11/1954-1/1955; officer trained on Jet Conversion Course with No 203 Advanced Flying School, RAF at RAF Driffield, GB, 2/1955-7/1955; trained on English Electric Canberra Conversion Course with No 231 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Bassingbourn, GB, 8/1955-9/1955; officer served as pilot with 101 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF Binbrook, GB, RAF Butterworth in Malaya and RAF Hal Far during landings st Suez, Egypt, 9/1955-12/1956; served with 9 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 12/1956-11/1957; trained with No 6 Avro Vulcan Conversion Course, RAF in GB, 11/1957-4/1958; pilot served with 101 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF Finningley, GB, 4/1958-2/1961; trained with No 230 Operational Conversion Unit, RAF at RAF Waddington, GB, 3/1961-4/1961; served with 27 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF Scampton, GB, 5/1961-8/1963; served as flight simulator instructor at RAF Coningsby, GB, 8/1963-5/1966; trained as pilot with Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1966-1967; served with 511 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1967-1971; served as instructor with Transport Command Operation Conversion Unit, Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1971-1973

REEL 1 Background in GB and India, 1922-1941: family; family moves due to father's military service with York and Lancaster Regt; period in India, 1934-1938; opinion of education received by Army Education Corps; living conditions in cantonments in India; employment with building contractors William Birch and Sons Ltd in York. Aspects of period as civilian in York, GB, 1939-1941: construction of road blocks by William Birch and Sons Ltd; memories of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training with RAF in GB, 1941-1942: question of not wanting to serve in army; volunteering for aircrew at No 3 Recruit Centre, RAF Padgate, 1941; termination of civilian employment during deferred call-up; induction at No 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, St John's Wood, London, 4/1942; training at No 11 Initial Training Wing, RAF, Scarborough, 4/1942-9/1942 including meteorological, Morse Code and navigation instruction; daily routine. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of training with No 4 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Brough in GB, 9/1942-10/1942: posting to grading school; familiarisation with De Havilland DH,82 Tiger Moth; flying De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; recovery from spin; taking off and landing De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; controls and communication with instructor; assessment of pupils; period in transit at Aircrew Dispersal Centre (ACDC), RAF at RAF Heaton Park, Manchester, GB, 0/1942-12/1942. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Andes from Gourock, GB to Halifax, Canada, 12/1942: embarkation; conditions and duties on board; period at RCAF Moncton, 12/1942-1/1943. Recollections of flying training as leading aircraftman with No 5 British Flying Training School, Clewiston, Florida, US, 1/1943-7/1/1943: character of train journey from Monkton, Canada to Clewiston, Florida, US; organisation of school; accommodation; familiarisation with Boeing PT-17A Stearman; making turns; taxiing aircraft; practising forced landings. REEL 3 Continues: need for awareness of surroundings during practice forced landings; Link Trainer sessions and instrument training; character of Boeing PT-17A Stearman; soloing aircraft; loss of trainee pilots; night flying; aerobatics practised including loops and slow rolls; navigation exercises; issue of log book; move onto advanced flying course; instructors; familiarisation on North American AT-6A Texan. REEL 4 Continues: signing for aircraft prior to flight; navigation training using Radio Range system; formation flying; pattern of advanced flying training course; receiving wings, 7/1943. Aspects of period as NCO with No 7 Personnel Reception Centre, RAF at RAF Harrogate, GB, 9/1943-3/1944: return voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from Canada to GB, 8/1943; question of assessment of flying skills; posting to No 7 Personnel Reception Centre, 9/1943-3/1944; courses taken; attitude towards period at Harrogate. Aspects of flying training as pilot with No 14 Advanced Flying Unit, RAF and 1512 (Beam Approach Training) Flight, RAF at RAF Banff, GB, 4/1944-9/1944: conversion to twin engined Airspeed Oxford; training on beam approach system; description of Airspeed Oxford. Aspects of period as pilot with No 2 Air Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Dalcross, GB, 9/1944-11/1945: posting as staff pilot; flying role during air gunner training sessions. REEL 5 Continues: use of Miles Martinet for drogue target towing; conversion onto Supermarine Spitfire Mk VII; taking off in Supermarine Spitfire Mk VII; character of Supermarine Spitfire Mk VII; cine-camera work. Aspects of period as pilot with No 11 Air Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Andreas and RAF Jurby, Isle of Man, 11/1945-11/1947: posting to RAF Andreas; use of Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI; daily routine; move of school to RAF Jurby; character of Vickers Wellington Mk X; obtaining long service commission. Aspects of period as pilot with No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Spitialgate, GB, 11/1947-3/1948: posting to school; duties air testing aircraft. Aspects of period as pilot with Central Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Leconfield, GB, 7/1948-3/1951: duties training air gunnery instructors. REEL 6 Continues: flying Avro Lancaster; role of flight engineer. Aspects of period as air traffic controller at RAF Digby, GB, 3/1951-10/1952: work as air traffic controller; organisation at RAF Digby; need to keep up flying hours. Aspects of period as pilot with Central Gunnery School, RAF at RAF Leconfield, GB, 10/1952-10/1954: posting to Central Gunnery School; story of accidentally penetrating East German airspace during Operation Barrage in Germany, 12/3/1953; character of Avro Lincoln; flights to RAF stations in Germany; air-to-sea gunnery; applying for commission; RAF's move towards all commissioned aircrew. REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as officer cadet at No 1 Officer Cadet Training Unit, RAF at RAF Jurby, Isle of Man, 11/1954-1/1955: background of officer cadets; degree of knowledge of RAF law; field exercise at end of course. Aspects of training on Jet Conversion Course with No 203 Advanced Flying School, RAF at RAF Driffield, GB, 2/1955-7/1955: converting to jet aircraft on Gloster Meteor T.7; contrast between jet and piston engined aircraft; pattern of course. Aspects of training on English Electric Canberra Conversion Course with No 231 Operational Conversion Unit, RAF at RAF Bassingbourn, GB, 8/1955-9/1955: joining course, 8/1955; problems with English Electric Canberra tail plane; crew; crewing up. Recollections of operations as pilot with 101 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF Binbrook, GB, RAF Butterworth, Malaya and at RAF Hal Far, Malta during landings at Suez, Egypt, 9/1955-12/1956: commanding officer Squadron Leader Bernard 'Buddy' Moorcroft; squadron flying and instrument ratings; demarcation of crew roles; bombing exercises; detachment to RAF Butterworth, Malaya, 1956. REEL 8 Continues: flight from RAF Binbrook to RAF Butterworth, Malaya; bombing operations using English Electric Canberra B.6 in Malaya; return to RAF Binbrook, 8/1956; flight to RAF Luqa on Malta, 9/1956; build up for Operation Musketeer on Malta and move to RAF Hal Far, 10/1956; bombing Kabrit Air Base, Egypt, 31/10/1956; conditions in aircraft during long range bombing operation to Kasfareet Air Base, Egypt, 1/11/1956; character of bomb run; return to GB, 29/11/1956; disbandment of squadron during reorganisation of Bomber Command squadrons, 12/1956. Aspects of period as pilot with 9 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 11/1956-11/1957: posting to squadron; background to obtaining place on conversion course to Avro Vulcan; detachments to Malta; reasons for wanting to convert to Avro Vulcan. REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot on No 6 Avro Vulcan Conversion Course, RAF in GB, 11/1957-4/1958: description of Instrument Landing System; electrical system in Avro Vulcan; ground school; use of simulator during conversion course to Avro Vulcan; impressions of Avro Vulcan. Recollections of period as pilot with 101 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF Finningley, GB, 4/1958-2/1961: use of RBS radar equipment for practise bombing runs; question of problem of crew ejecting from Avro Vulcan; nature of electrical problem with Avro Vulcan B.1; overseas detachment to Nigeria; 'lone ranger' patrol to Kenya; public relations flights to Far East and US. REEL 10 Continues: planning for attacks in event of war; attitude to prospect of nuclear strikes; targeting; nature of exercises using dispersal airfields; nature of Quick Reaction Alerts (QRAs). Aspects of period as pilot on No 230 Operational Conversion Unit, RAF at RAF Waddington, GB, 3/1961-4/1961: improvements in Avro Vulcan B.2; converting to Avro Vulcan B.2. Recollections of period as pilot with 27 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF Scampton, GB, 5/1961-8/1963: pre-flight checks on aircraft; deploying parachute to slow aircraft on landing; effect of Cuban Missile Crisis on squadron commander, 10/1962; state of readiness during Cuban Missile Crisis, 10/1962; piloting Air Vice Marshal Patrick Dunn on overseas trip to US; witnessing failed launch of Thor Missile at Vandenberg Air Force Base in US. REEL 11 Continues: introduction of Blue Steel Missile; participation in Paris Air Show, 6/1963. Aspects of period as flight simulator instructor at RAF Coningsby, GB, 8/1963-5/1966: attitude towards instructional work; nature of simulator instructional work; attending sea survival course; secondary duties. Aspects of training with Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1966-1967: converting to Vickers Varsity and Bristol Britannia; attitude to converting to Bristol Britannia; participating in world trip at end of course; piloting Lieutenant General Sir John Mogg on retirement tour of Africa; division of duties between pilot and co-pilot. Aspects of period as pilot with 511 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1967-1971: squadron duties; 'Western Ranger' exercises to US and reinforcement exercises to Pacific. REEL 12 Continues: duration of tour; move to RAF Brize Norton, 1970; leaving squadron, 1971. Aspects of period as instructor with Transport Command Operational Conversion Unit, Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1971-1973: Periodical Refresher Training (PRT); converting new crews to Bristol Britannia; route checking; attitude to work; decision to retire from RAF, 9/1973; attitude towards career with RAF.