|
|
| Place |
Date |
Time |
SUMMARY OF EVENTS COMPILING OFFICER PLT.OFF. M.A.F. RYAN |
REF. TO APPENDICES |
| |
|
|
 |
|
| |
AUGUST 1958 |
|
OPERATIONS |
|
| |
|
|
While the flying hours for August are the lowest this year it is not unexpected.
The low serviceability this month is a result of the accumulation of minor servicings
plus the fact that one aircraft was Cat.3, one is detached to Laarbruch for modifications
and one was with the 2 T.A.F. Gunnery Team. Every effort has been made to clear the
backlog of minors prior to our A.P.S. attachment next month.
Of the 20 flying days 5 were spent on Battle Flight and there was no flying in the
last week of the month because of preparation for Sylt.
A towing Meteor from Sylt was attached to Jever for squadrons' pre-Sylt training
but poor A/C serviceability only allowed 18 cine sorties on the flag. This is
entirely inadequate training for an A.P.S. attachment and it is hoped that it will not
reflect too severely on the firing results next month. |
|
| |
|
|
Friday 1st August - Friday 8th August, 1958
For the first four days of this period the
Squadron was on Battle Flight duty. The station stood down at noon on Friday 1st
August, until midnight on Monday 4th August, 1958 for the August Grant. Half of the
pilots were on the duty roster over this period of Battle Flight and these had the
next weekend free.
When flying was resumed on Tuesday the weather was very poor and there were
not many sorties. We were briefed for Exercise Argus on Wednesday afternoon. The
Exercise was held on Thursday 7th August.
On Friday normal flying was resumed and air firing quarter attack patterns were
practiced at 20,000 ft. in preparation for the detachment to A.P.S. Sylt next month.
Fg. Off. P. Raeburn left for England on Friday 8th August to attend the Rolls Royce
Engine handling course at Derby. |
|
| |
|
|
Monday 11th August - Saturday 16th August, 1958.
We began Battle Flight on Tuesday 14th
August, 1958 when there were two scrambles-the first one, the target disappeared into
cloud in the Hamburg area and on the second scramble, two German Air Force Sabres
were intercepted heading west after having crossed the Russian Border.
Due to battle flight there were few a/c available and with these, practice air/air
quarters were continued against another Hunter acting as target. There was a lecture
on tactics by Flt. Lt. J.J. Parker on Thursday afternoon. Half the Squadron attended
dinghy drill in the swimming pool on Friday afternoon. |
|
| |
|
|
Sunday 17th August - Friday 22nd August, 1958
Flt. Lt. C. Taylor gave an excellent low
level aerobatic display at Uttersen near Hamburg for the Luftwaffe Flying School Open
Day on Sunday 17th August, 1958.
We finished our spell of Battle Flight Duty on Monday 18th August. On Monday
18th August Fg. Off. P.L.F. Bradley had complete hydraulic failure but landed
successfully at base in manual. Despite heavy thunderstorms towards the end of the
day the rest of the Squadron completed their dinghy drill on Monday afternoon.
There was poor weather for most of the week but there were quite a few sorties
against the flag at 20,000 ft. in preparation for Sylt.
During the night flying on Tuesday evening the CR/DF, Manual Homer and G.C.A. were
all unserviceable and pilots when recalled had to be homed to overhead by the fixer
service and then let down through 8/8 cloud.
Flying Officer P. Raeburn returned from the Rolls Royce Engine Handling Course on
Tuesday 19th August. Also Flt. Lt. T.A.K. Wood joined the Squadron on Tuesday 19th
August. His last tour was with Air Traffic Control at
R.A.F. Leuchers.
Flt. Lt. J.J. Parker gave lectures on tactics on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons
and Flying Officer P. Raeburn gave one on the Avon Engine on Thursday. On Friday due
to bad weather there was no flying so Fg. Off. P.L.F. Bradley gave a lecture on aircraft
recognition and Flt. Lt. Taylor on the Mk. 8 Gunsight. Fg. Off. G. Harries and
Fg. Off. J.B. Cummins were dined out with wives in attendance on Friday evening in the
mess as they were leaving for England the next day. |
|
| |
|
|
Monday 25th August - Sunday 31st August
There was no Hunter flying this period as all the
aircraft were being prepared for the Sylt detachment. There were Night Flying checks
for the newer pilots on Tuesday evening and an air to ground demonstration for them on
Friday morning. Both were done in the Vampire T.11. The official photographs of the
Squadron pilots were taken on Tuesday after an abortive attempt on Monday. [See the following]
93 Squadron Aircrew - Pre-Sylt 22nd August 1958 Back row: John Lakeman, Jim Bradley, Pat King, Dave Gleen, Mick Ryan, Robbie Lynn, Frank Davies, Pete Raeburn, Gordon Talbot, Mo Harvey
Front row: Sam Newington, Taff Taylor, Bob Bingham A Flt Cdr, CO Sqn Ldr Paddy Minnis, Joe Parker B Flt Cdr, Geoff Timms C Flt Cdr, Timber Wood(Thanks Paddy Minnis)
93 Squadron Aircrew - 22nd August 1958 Back row: John Lakeman, Jim Bradley, Pat King, Dave Gleen, Frank Davies, Pete Raeburn, Gordon Talbot, Timber Wood, Mo Harvey, Sam Newington
Front row: Robbie Lynn, Taff Taylor, Bob Bingham A Flt Cdr, CO Sqn Ldr Paddy Minnis, Joe Parker B Flt Cdr, Geoff Timms C Flt Cdr, Mick Ryan(Thanks Paddy Minnis)
[These photographs are not in the original F540]
Monday Flt. Lt. J.J. Parker gave a lecture on harmonisation of the Hunter 6. The
Squadron pilots attended a farewell luncheon for Air Vice Marshal Ubee on Friday 29th August.
Air Vice Marshal Ubee will be retiring from the Royal Air Force when No. 2 Group of
2nd T.A.F. is disbanded in a few months time.
On Wednesday 317 M.T. Squadron arrived and loading of our heavier equipment began.
This transport left for Sylt on Friday morning. By 1600 hrs, on Friday the Squadron
convoy of six 3 1/2 ton lorries and two landrovers were loaded. It left for Sylt at 0500
hrs. next morning under the command of F/O P. King and F/O G. Talbot, arriving at Sylt
at 2000 hrs. without mishap.
The Rail party under the command of F/O Bradley with Flt. Lt. T.A.K. Wood and
Plt. Off. M.A.F. Ryan left at 0815 hrs, by coach for Sande station. The party
arrived at Sylt at 1830 hrs. after an uneventful journey. Sunday morning was spent
unloading the transport at 401 hangar 'A' Dispersal. |
|
|
|
| |
Day |
Night |
Sorties |
| Operational type |
|
|
129 |
| Hunter Mk.6 |
86.30 |
4.00 |
|
| Training Type |
19.45 |
4.50 |
|
| Vampire T.11 |
|
|
|
|
