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| Place |
Date |
Time |
Summary of Events COMPILING OFFICER__Fg. Off. A. R. Thomson_________ |
REF. TO APPENDICES |
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| JEVER |
1.5.56 |
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Quite a good start to the month. Although only a pair were available for 1st.
detail, 7 aircraft became serviceable for the afternoon. The Commander in Chief
visited the Station and spent some time in the Squadron discussing the Hunter. The
Wing did a flypast to commemorate this visit, in which the Squadron aircraft took part.
Flt. Lt. Goodwin also gave his aerobatic display and was later informed that he had
been chosen by the C in C to be the official 2TAF Hunter solo aerobatic
representative at several forthcoming air shows. |
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2.5.56 |
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Although only half a day's flying was put in, with sports in the afternoon, some
12 hours were flown, consisting mainly of HLB exercises, and one in which four pilots
started to practice formation aerobatics. |
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3.5.56 |
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With 8 night flying details, about 24 hours were logged. One pilot did a landing
away x-cty and the rest of the details were HLB and cine exercises. |
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4.5.56 |
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Six aircraft were serviceable for the day and some 23hrs were put in. Trials for
DS landings in manual control with poor weather were carried by three pilots.
Slowly a standard pattern is being evolved, for landings under these circumstances. |
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5.5.56 |
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Aircraft being prepared for the detachment to Etain, and only a couple of air-tests
were flown. Some of the key personal in the ground-crew will probably have to work
over the weekend to ready the aircraft for this trip. |
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6.5.56 |
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Stand-down. Ground-crew servicing aircraft for Etain. |
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7.5.56 |
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Eight aircraft took off at 0920hrs for Etain. Two serviceable aircraft were left for
4 pilots, of whom one was required to ferry a 4 Squadron aircraft to Sylt. |
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| ETAIN |
7.5.56 |
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Staging at Wahn, the aircraft reached Etain at 1130hrs. One member would not start, so a
pair followed later. A T11 was also taken. |
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| JEVER |
8.5.56 |
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Two aircraft serviceable and 9 syllabus trips were flown. Flt. Lt. Denison is the
liaison officer with the detachment of 563 PR Squadron, USAF, who have brought their
F86's to Jever. |
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| ETAIN |
8.5.56 |
|
Only about 5 hours were flown, but most pilots carried out a sector recce in the
afternoon. Flt.Lt. Goodwin gave his aerobatic display, which was warmly welcomed by
the Americans. There was some trouble with equipment early on, but this gradually
sorted itself out. The C.O. visited the GCI unit at Metz. |
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| JEVER |
9.5.56 |
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Half day for sports and only 5:50hrs were flown, again on syllabus work. |
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| ETAIN |
9.5.56 |
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HLB sorties, with a few QGH's and GCA's to check the Etain equipment, were the main
product of the day, giving 14hrs flying time. Two pilots visited the GCI at Metz and
were very impressed with the equipment they saw there. |
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| JEVER |
10.5.56 |
|
One of the American Flight Commanders was converted onto the Hunter today and was
highly delighted with it. With only one aircraft serviceable, this meant that only 4
trips were flown, as the pilot had to have thorough briefings between flights. |
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| ETAIN |
10.5.56 |
|
A 'four' flew all day with several syllabus trips as well. Two trips done under
local GCI control were quite successful. The T11 gave rides to several Americans in
return for trips in their T33's. Altogether, 14:40hrs were put in. |
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| JEVER |
11.5.56 |
|
Only 7 trips were flown, with two American pilots having two flights each. The
Americans have proved themselves to be very popular, with the two who have flown
the Hunter the envy of the rest! Flt. Lt. Denison had a trip in an F86. |
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| ETAIN |
11.5.56 |
|
Bad weather stopped flying until after lunch, when a few P.I.'s under G.C.I. control were
carried out. All eight aircraft did a flypast at 1700hrs when the Americans lower their
flag. Other local air-bases were also over-flown. |
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| JEVER |
12.5.56 |
|
Stand-down. |
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| ETAIN |
12.5.56 |
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No flying today, as the ground=crew were getting the aircraft ready for the return
to Jever on Monday and packing the ground equipment away. |
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| JEVER |
13.5.56 |
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Stand-down. |
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| ETAIN |
13.5.56 |
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Stand-down. |
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| JEVER |
14.5.56 |
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The aircraft returned from Etain in the morning. HLB and nine exercises were flown
for the rest of the day. |
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15.5.56 |
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During the day 15hrs was put in, mainly on cine and syllabus trips. Nearly 7hrs
night-flying was done, the emphasis here being on cross-country exercises. |
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16.5.56 |
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Flying ceased today at 1230hrs to enable repairs to be done to the runway, and only
5hrs were logged. |
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17.5.56 |
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A fairly good day's flying giving some 18hrs flying time. More progress was made
with the trials for DSL's in manual control. |
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18.5.56 |
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Stand-down in the morning. The Squadron did Battle Flight in the afternoon and three
weather checks were the only resulting flying. |
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19.5.56 |
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Stand-down. |
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20.5.56 |
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Stand-down. |
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21.5.56 |
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Battle Flight in the morning, with again only three weather checks to carry out.
Stand-down in the afternoon. |
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22.5.56 |
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A 'four' were off at 0830hrs and five aircraft were available all day. During the
morning some air/sea firing was carried out. Eight night cross-country trips were also
flown, making the total for the day 25:55hrs. |
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23.5.56 |
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Several P.I.'s were flown in the morning, but there was no flying in the afternoon
due to repairs being carried out on the runway. |
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24.5.56 |
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A good day's flying resulted in a total of 22hrs being logged. A rehearsal for the
fly-past which will be put on for the visit of the Press tomorrow was done in the
afternoon. |
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25.5.56 |
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The Press arrived today and the Squadron took part in the flypast for them. Flt.Lt.
Goodwin also gave his aerobatic display. Some P.I.'s were carried in the morning. |
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26.5.56 |
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No flying today. |
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27.5.56 |
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Stand-down. |
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28.5.56 |
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A very good day's flying was put in, giving 35hrs flying time. HLB, P.I.'s and cross-
countries were the main exercises and the average availability of aircraft was seven.
Only 7½hrs remain to reach the target. |
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29.5.56 |
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The target was reached after two details and only air-tests and the odd syllabus
trip are now being flown. The pilots are engaged in bringing up to date the cine
assessing, which appears to have somewhat accumulated. |
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30.5.56 |
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Very little flying done today. Some of the pilots practiced dinghy drill in the
morning and the afternoon was a general sports one. |
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31.5.56 |
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Only air-tests today. The ground-crew are busy with preparing the aircraft for next
month's flying. |
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9.5.56
13.5.56
16.5.56
17.5.56
18.5.56
25.5.56
28.5.56 |
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PERSONNEL
Fg.Off's Faulkes and Fewell left for U.K. leave.'
Flt. Lt. Denison and Fg.Off. Thomson went to Sundern for P.C. boards.
Fg.Off's Barraclough and Maish returned from U.K. leave.
Fg.Off. Craig went to Sundern for P.C. board.
Fg.Off. Thomson left for 10 days Continental leave.
Fg.Off. Dutton arrived today, after sailing the Commanding Officer's yacht from U.K.
Fg.Off. Thomson returned from leave.
At the end of the month the operational ratings of the following pilots was changed
as shown.
Fg.Off's Faulkes and Fewell - 'B' .
Fg.Off. Thomson, Misselbrook, Baines, Brewer, Henderson - 'C'.
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Aircraft
Hunter
Vampire
T33
Sabre F86
Prentice |
F Mk. 4
T.11 |
FLYING HOURS SQUADRON STRENGTH
Hrs. Mins. Sorties Officers 17
355 10 450 S.N.C.O's(Aircrew) 1
21 35 25 S.N.C.O's 8
2 35 3 Corporals 14
2 30 2 A.C's 45
3 05 6 Total 85
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signed NCPBuddin Sqn Ldr
(N.C.P.BUDDIN)
Squadron Leader,
Officer Commanding,
No. 118 Squadron.
Royal Air Force. |
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