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F540 Operations Record Book April 1957 NO 93 SQUADRON.
PRO Kew No. AIR27 Piece 2803 Microfilm Row1 Draws 52-71
Place Date Time SUMMARY OF EVENTS                           COMPILING OFFICER   Fg. Off. P. FAID.       REF. TO APPENDICES
         
R.A.F. Jever 1 Apr. 57 Fg.Off. A.W.E. Johnston left today for the R.R. Handling Course at Derby.   Three pilots of the Squadron visited R.A.F. Brockzetel and inspected the Flight Marshaller's cabin.
Fixes, we noticed are now checked against the radar display, making for greater accuracy
we hope.
 
  2nd   Today the aerobatic team (Sqn.Ldr. H. Minnis, Fg.Off. W.R. Clayton-Jones, Fg.Off. C.
Taylor
and Fg.Off. B.A.E. Sanderson) flew 4 sorties.   The last sortie was carried out
over the airfield, drawing favourable comments from the observers.
 
  3rd   The Squadron : with four aircraft serviceable made the most of the perfect weather.
The aerobatic team had two further practices.
 
  4th   20 sorties were flown today, the Squadron having an average of 5 aircraft serviceable.  
  5th   Three air to sea firing sorties were flown today.   Taking advantage of the Hunter 6's
properties, all four guns were fired simultaneously on each sortie.   A stoppage rate of
1260 rounds was achieved.
 
  6th   A Station Commanders Parade was held today.   After the parade the Station Commander
addressed the officers and airmen on the future of the 2nd T.A.F.   93 Squadron appears
to be unaffected.   Full details are due to be announced on the 8th April, 1957.
 
  8th        Today D.F.L.S.(including Flt. Lt. B. Watson) were intercepted by the squadron.
Fg. Off. A.J. Landon and Fg. Off. A.J. Clifton returned from leave.
     The Squadron flew 10 Night Flying Sorties.
 
  9th            The aerobatic team had a further practice today.   Flt. Lt. K. Goodwin of 118 followed this up with an individual aerobatic display in one of our Hunter 6's.
A guest night followed, in which Fg. Off. J.E. Pigdon was dined out.
 
  10th            After there morning's flying, the squadron assembled in Flying Wing H.Q. for a
briefing on EXERCISE SYNTHEX GUEST which was due to take place the following day.
 
  11th            Today the squadron flew 30 sorties on Exercise Synthex Guest, claiming 2 Canberras.
There was much cumuliform cloud throughout the day, making radar control rather
difficult.   As a result of this many of the interceptions did not have the
continuity that we would have liked.
 
  12th            Heavy snow showers caused four of our aircraft to be diverted to Oldenburg.
The weather cleared sufficiently in the afternoon to permit those aircraft to return.
 
  13th            6 cine sorties and one Instrument Rating Test made up the mornings flying.  
  15th            Today the Squadron concentrated on cine, 17 such sorties being flown.  
  16th            Lt. Col. A. Woodyard U.S.A.F. from Spangdahlen arrived here with 2 cameramen.
The purpose of the visit was to photograph the aerobatic team with the intention of
televising the finished product over their station network and possibly Radio Luxemburg.
 
  17th            The aerobatic team flew with an attendant Meteor 7 carrying the U.S.A.F.
Cameraman.   Also shots were taken from the runway of the formation take off.
Dependant upon the result of the competition on the 1st May, an invitation to their
open day was accepted.
 
  18th            The Squadron flew 22 sorties by 12.30 hours whereupon the station closed down
for the Easter Grant until 0740 hours on 23rd April.
 
  23rd            Refreshed by the Easter Grant, the squadron achieved 39 sorties by day and 14
by night making a grand total of 53 sorties, our best by far since re-equipping
with the Hunter Mk.6.
 
  24th            Today the C-in-C, Air Marshal the Earl of Bandon visited the station to say
farewell.   Flying ceased at 11.00 hours, whereupon the groundcrew were addressed
by the C-in-C, in 4 Squadron hangar, the S.N.C.O.s in the sergeant's Mess.   A formal
lunch was then held in the officer's Mess.

Farewell to the CinC Air Marshal The Earl of Bandon C.B. C.V.O. D.S.O. (who had then been assigned to F.E.A.F.), the "Abandoned Earl", Outside Officers' Mess on his way to his aircraft to depart- 24Apr57.   (Click to see 4 Sqn F540 report).
Decode: 1. Earl of Bandon, 2. Olaf Bergh, 3. Bush Barrey, 4. W/C Harrington, 5. W/C Woodward,
6. Dave Ferguson, 7. Bill Brewer, 8. Fred Dawson, 9. Pete Bradley, 10. Pete Barrow, 11. John Hawtin, 12. Gordon Talbot, 13. Paddy Minnis, 14. Unknown, 15. Paddy Hipperson, 16. Padre Fullerton.
(Thanks to Gladys Watsonand John Hawtin)   [Not from F540].
 
  25th            With 6 days to go before our aerobatic team compete at Gutersloh, two
polished performances were given over the airfield this morning.
 
  26th            The Squadron now is associated with 'B' Flight at R.A.F. Brockzetel.   As a
result of this association 'B' Flt. have arranged to hold a party for 93 Squadron
tomorrow 27th April.   Several P.I.'s were flown today to provide a talking point
tomorrow evening.
 
  27th            The Station Commander inspected the M.T. of all the Squadrons this morning.   As
a result volunteers were called for, who worked the whole weekend in preparation for
the Efficiency competition on Monday.   Flt. Sgt. J. O'Neill was the guest of all
at a small party in the crew room, marking his departure to the United Kingdom.
 
  29th            This morning the Station Commander inspected all Squadrons' M.T. followed by
the Group M.T.O. who inspected for the Efficiency Competition.   It was gathered
that in return for the hard work put in during the weekend,a very favourable
impression was given.
 
  30th            This morning before departing for the competition at Gutersloh, the aerobatic
team gave a display followed by an individual display by Flt. Lt. K. Goodwin.   On
arrival at Gutersloh the team gave a faultless practice display before their opponents
No. 20 Squadron.
 
                                                             FLYING HOURS
      Operational type                     Day                      Night                  Sorties
       Hunter Mk. 6                        303.25                   15.35                    503
      Training Types
       Vampire T.11                        55.15                     3.00                    65     
                                                     358.40                   18.35                   568   

 

 

 

16th
27th
PERSONNEL
Fg. Off. B.E. Hymans proceeded on leave to the U.K.
Fg. Off. P.F.L. Bradley and Lt. T.F.B. Young (R.N.) proceeding on Continental to Senelager for the
2 A.T.A.F. Shooting Cup.


OPERATIONAL
         Priority was given during the latter part of the month to formation aerobatic
practices in preparation for the competition on 1st May.   This resulted in the
team members getting more flying than the other pilots.   This was, however, the
"working up" period and I consider that in future the time spent on formation
aerobatics will not prejudice the training of the rest of the Squadron.
         Emphasis was also placed on cine practices with a resultant improvement in the general standard.
         The serviceability continues to be rather low with an average of about four
aircraft serviceable per day.
 
      Signed BWatson Flt.Lt.                                                                    
P.P.                                                                                        
(H. MINNIS.)                                                                     
Squadron Leader,                                                         
Officer Commanding                                                    
No. 93 Squadron.                                                          
 
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