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F540 Operations Record Book November 1955 NO 98 SQUADRON.
PRO Kew No. AIR27 Piece 2640 Microfilm Row1 Draws 52-71
Place Date Time Summary of Events                                       Compilation Officer:   Flying Officer G.A.C. Gray REFS TO APPENDICES
      GillieGray.jpg, 6056 bytes  
November 1955        
JEVER              One aircraft is still A.O.G., awaiting an artificial horizon, but the fuel tanks
have arrived and those aircraft that were awaiting these are no longer A.O.G.
WW 649, which had never been flown on the Squadron because of this fact, became
available and was immediately flown to U.K. for modifications.
         The Squadron has been handicapped this month by the number of aircraft in U.K.
for modifications, of which there are six at present.   Also there have been periods
of bad weather.   But when these have occurred, intensive ground training has been
arranged, including trench digging, in order that cables may be laid for the
installation of a CR/DF monitor which can be placed in the control tower.
         Air to air firing continued throughout the month by a limited number of pilots
with varying success, both at 5,000' and at 15,000'.
          At the end of the month two pilots, F/O's BYWATER AND YOUNG, are still in U.K.,
held up by weather, after flying aircraft across for modifications.
 
JEVER 1st & 2nd          Fair weather practice interceptions under G.C.I. control were carried out with
success, and on the 1st, eight sorties, night and dusk, were flown.
 
JEVER 3rd to 7th          Weather was bad over this period, and little flying was done on the 4th F/O's
HIRST
and GRAY were diverted to AHLHORN due to a sudden weather deterioration and
were not able to return until the 8th.
 
JEVER 8th            Weather still poor, but F/O's SANDERSON and McCULLAGH got airborne for U.K.,
unfortunately F/O SANDERSON's nosewheel would not retract and they both had to return
and land.
 
JEVER 9th & 10th          Weather was reasonable, and on the 10th F/O's SANDERSON and McCULLAGH flew to
LYNEHAM, and returned the same day.
 
JEVER 11th& 12th          Weather good, considerable flying, with individual sorties taking prominence.
P/O SHORE flew his first sortie in a Sabre of 93 Squadron.
 
JEVER 14th to 17th          Weather still good, and flying was intensive during the period.   On the 14th
cine-gun trials at high altitudes were starting, with the aid of FLIGHT LIEUTENANT
M.J. CORNER of the fighter weapons school, Royal Air Force Leconfield.   These trials
were to evolve exercises at speeds up to .98M and heights up to 48,000'.   Eight night
and dusk sorties were carried out on the 15th, and F/O HIRST flew a Hunter to LYNEHAM for modifications, and F/O EDWARDS did likewise on the following day.
F/O McCULLAGH qualified for initial issue of a GREEN instrument rating.
 
JEVER 18th & 19th          Good weather again.   On the 18th, a football match was played between the
pilots of the squadron and those of 118 Squadron.   98 Squadron lost.
 
JEVER 21st to 28th          Good weather again and intensive flying was carried out during this period.
F/O SHARMAN flew to Royal Air Force LECONFIELD to return FLT/LT M.J.CORNER to his
unit, and returned on the 22nd in a Vampire T 11, together with F/O's HIRST and
EDWARDS in Hunters from LYNEHAM.   Also on the 22nd F/O's SANDERSON, BYWATER and
SAWYER had their first shoots on the flag at SYLT, and F/O SANDERSON renewed his
instrument rating and applied for initial issue of a GREEN rating.   On the 23rd
SQN/LDR NEVILLE DUKE arrived on the station for a conference, and he, with Hawker
test pilot, FRANK MURPHY, visited the Squadron for general discussions.    F/O YOUNG
flew another Hunter to U.K. for modifications on the 24th, and on the 25th FLT/LT
WESTON
collected a pool aircraft from OLDENBURG (XE 675) which had been allotted to
the Squadron.   Another Hunter was flown to LYNEHAM by F/O BYWATER on the 26th.   F/O
BRUNGER
renewed his instrument rating on the 28th.
 
JEVER 29th & 30th          Weather bad again, and ground training arranged, which included a return
football match against 118 Squadron.   98 lost again
 
                                                                            Administration  
  4th          FLT/LT.I.F.WESTON joined the Squadron from 229 O.C.U. CHIVENOR.  
  9th to 21st          FLT/LT.W.J.CORNER attached to the Squadron from fighter weapons school, Royal
Air Force, LECONFIELD
 
  12th to 21st          F/O D.A.SAWYER detached to flying wing as flying wing adjutant.  
  13th          F/O T.J.D. HUGHES was repatriated to the U.K. on completion of tour.  
  19th          F/O G.A.C. GRAY was repatriated to the U.K. for release from the Royal Air Force.  
  23rd          F/O D.A.W. TODMAN joined the Squadron from 229 O.C.U. CHIVENOR  
                                                                       Hours Flown                                               Squadron Strength
Total hours on operational types (day)       207.50                                Officers                     18
Total hours on operational types (night)         9.10                                S.N.C.O.'s                   8
Total hours on training types                         54.55                               Corporals                  15
Instrument flying (actual)                              13.50                               A.C.'s                         41  
Instrument flying (simulated)                          6.20                                                                    82  


 
     

Signed J. DE M. SEVERNE      
(J.de.M.SEVERNE)       
Flight Lieutenant           
Officer Commanding,   
No. 98 Squadron           

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