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| Place |
Date |
Time |
Summary of Events COMPILING OFFICER__Fg. Off. A. F. Brewer_________ |
REF. TO APPENDICES |
| |
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 |
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| SYLT |
1.3.57 |
|
A good days flying in which a total of 24½ hours were flown. Fg.Off. P.F. Hunwick
produced the outstanding shoot of the day with 67% in a squadron daily average of 22.8%.
This brought the progressive average up to 22.5%. |
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| |
2.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
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| |
3.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
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| |
4.3.57 |
|
A rather poor day with regard to effective sorties. The squadron only managed to achieve
a total of 16 effective sorties due mainly to weather being bad and flags being shot
away or damaged. However, the daily average achieved, 23.5$, brought the progressive
average up to 22.6%. |
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| |
5.3.57 |
|
A very poor day with regard to scores. The final daily average was only 18.1%. We
don't know why, but everybody seems to have lost their touch at the same time. The
hours achieved were good, i.e. 25 hours, but the progressive average dropped to 21.4%. |
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| |
6.3.57 |
|
After another bad period of scores in the morning it was realised that the aircraft
harmonisation and gunsights must need checking, and therefore flying was stopped in
order to do this. The firing during the morning brought the squadron average to 21.2%.
Only one pilot, Flt.Lt. D.F. Denison, produced a creditable score with 48%. |
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| |
7.3.57 |
|
Bad weather washed out any thoughts of flying for today, therefore the harmonisation and
gunsights were checked and double checked to get them absolutely 'on'. |
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| |
8.3.57 |
|
Once again the weather clamped and the pilots spent the morning at films and the
afternoon on sports. |
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| |
9.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
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| |
10.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
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| |
11.3.57 |
|
The scores today were much better, a final daily average of 22.4% being achieved. The
weather started off well but the ranges went out just after mid-day and after two,
not very startling, sorties at 25,000 feet, flying was stopped. |
|
| SYLT |
12.3.57 |
|
A rather variable day, there were some very good scores and some very bad scores,
unfortunately the bad having more effect than the good. The final daily average was
18.6% to bring the progressive average to 21%. A total of 22½ hours were flown. |
|
| |
13.3.57 |
|
The squadron experimented with firing at 25,000 feet today, alternate flags being at
that height. Contrary to expectations, some good scores were produced. The P.A.I.'s
at Sylt were unable to give any help with regard to a firing pattern etc., but scores
like 38% by Flt. Lt. Goodwin and 34% by Fg. Off. W.B. Maish were among those
produced. |
|
| |
14.3.57 |
|
The weather clamped down at about 10.30 hours and only 5 effective sorties were carried
out. This is the final days firing at the flag and the final averages are; low level
24.2%, medium level 20.7%, and high level 10.7%. The first two are both new records and
the high level has never been done before in Hunters. |
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| |
15.3.57 |
|
It was intended to carry out the 'double re-arm' and 'glider shoot' exercise today but
in typical Sylt fashion it poured with rain all day, and we can only hope that tomorrow
will bring forth some good weather. |
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| |
16.3.57 |
|
Two gliders were put up for the squadron to shoot at today. The first one was so well
peppered that it fell to pieces just after the last plane had left, and the second one
was effectively blown apart by Flt. Lt. Goodwin on his last burst. The re-arm
and turn rounds were speedily carried out in the good time of 14 mins. 21 secs. and
12 mins. 20 secs. |
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| |
17.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
|
| |
18.3.57 |
|
The squadron flew back to Jever today, overflying Sylt in close formation in a gesture
of farewell and thanks for a very successful detachment. It is good to be back at
'base' again but with a tremendous influx of new faces over the past 6 weeks, we tend
to feel almost like strangers in our own mess. Flt. Lt. K.J. Goodwin flew back to Sylt
in the afternoon to give a solo aerobatic display. |
|
| JEVER |
19.3.57 |
|
Bad weather coupled with the fact that none of the ground crew had arrived from Sylt
meant that no flying was done today. |
|
| |
20.3.57 |
|
The only flying carried out today was an air test and 2 Vampire trips. |
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| |
21.3.57 |
|
It was hoped to start off full flying again this morning but the effort of trying to
unpack the equipment and keep the aircraft serviceable, proved to be too much and we
stopped flying after mid-day. However, a concerted effort by the ground crew
brought 6 aircraft serviceable for night flying and a full programme was carried out,
a total of 16 sorties being flown. |
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| |
22.3.57 |
|
The weather was foggy up until 11.00 hours but good serviceability enabled a total of
18 hours to be flown, mainly on cine and solo trips. |
|
| |
23.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
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| |
24.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
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| |
25.3.57 |
|
Low cloud and bad visibility all day prevented any thought of flying. A full ground
training programme was carried out. |
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| |
26.3.57 |
|
The weather was bad until 10.30 hours, but after that it cleared rapidly and the
squadron was able to get some high level battle 'fours' into the air. a total of 20
hours were flown on high level battle and cine. |
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| |
27.3.57 |
|
The normal Wednesday sports afternoon restricted flying to just half a day but good
serviceability enabled 13 hours to be flown on high level battle and cine. |
|
| |
28.3.57 |
|
The weather started off in 'Amber' conditions and only pairs were flown at first.
However, it cleared at 11.00 hours and 'fours' were once again the order of the day.
Several F.100's were met in the air today and they didn't get the best of things by
any means. Night flying was started but, contrary to the forecast, the weather clamped
and only 4 sorties were flown. |
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| |
29.3.57 |
|
It was decide to concentrate on 'syllabus' trips today, i.e. aerobatics etc.. A total
of 19 hours were flown to bring the monthly total up to exactly 287 hours, the new
target under the economy rules. |
|
| |
30.3.57 |
|
'Amber' conditions prevailed and 16 pairs sorties were flown on cine during the morning. |
|
| |
31.3.57 |
|
Stand-down. |
|
| |
15/16/17 |
/18.3.57 |
PERSONNEL
Fg.Off. K.C. Lawn, Fg.Off. D. Henderson, Fg.Off. P.W. Baines attended
Service Aircraft Recognition Competition in London as one of the official
2nd. A.T.A.F. teams. |
|
| |
Aircraft
Hunter
Hunter
Vampire
Vampire.
\Meteor |
Day
Night
Day
Night
Day |
FLYING HOURS
Hrs. Mins. Sorties
285 10 448
10 15 16
48 20 81
3 40 8
5 55 6
signedNCPBUDDINSqnLdr
(N.C.P. BUDDIN)
Squadron Leader,
Officer Commanding,
No. 118 Squadron.
Royal Air Force.
118 Sqn Aircrew. March 1957
Back row L to R: Stanford Howard, Peter Jones, Pat King, Don Henderson, Peter Baines, Ginger Dutton,
Bill Brewer, Keith Gray, Pete Hunwick, John Lakeman
Front row: Al Gleadon, John Ward, Dickie Barraclough, Denny Denison, CO Norman Buddin, Ken Goodwin
Keith Lawn, Bill Maish, Thommy Thomson. Sabre - Peter Baines's Alsatian. (Thanks Bill Maish).
118 Sqn Air and Ground crews. March 1957.
L to R Front Row Aircrew: Pete Jones, Pat King, Stanford Howard, Don Henderson, Peter Baines
Al Gleadon, John Ward, Dickie Barraclough, Denny Denison, CO Norman Buddin, Ken Goodwin
Keith Lawn, Bill Maish, Thommy Thomson, Ginger Dutton, Bill Brewer, Keith Gray, Pete Hunwick
John Lakeman, Sabre - Peter Baines's Alsatian. lying in front (Thanks Bill Maish) |
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