Operation ‘Fuller’ – “The Channel Dash”.

February 12, 2025May 29, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 6 Comments

The Second World War was full of extraordinary operations many of which succeeded in their aim resulting in great jubilation on home shores, whilst others will always be remembered for their catastrophic fail and loss of life. In these operations, and even though the mission may have failed, those who took part went far beyond the ‘call of duty’, showing incredible bravery and self sacrifice for the better good.

One such operation took place on February 12th 1942.

Up until now, German warships had been causing havoc in the waters around Britain, sinking in excess of 100,000 tons of allied shipping since the opening days of the war; their ‘trophies’ including the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and the battleship HMS Hood. In January 1942, three of those German warships responsible the Gneisenau, Scharnhorst (Gluckstein and Salmon as the ships were known by bomber command crews) and Prinz Eugen, all heavily armed and battle hardened, were laying in the port of Brest. Even by remaining there, they were causing the Royal Navy an immense headache, as they were diverted from other important tasks, including operations in the Middle East against German supply ships supplying Rommel, and the valuable protection of allied shipping crossing the Atlantic. The small fleet were a major thorn in the Royal Navy’s side and had to be dealt with.

Coastal Command had been closely monitoring the vessels over a period of months, but information had led to little more than that. With the aim of sinking these ships, the RAF became involved undertaking a total of 299 attacks against them whilst docked in the port. During these attacks, forty-three aircraft were lost along with 247 brave airmen. Included in these raids, were in December 1941, ten such operations by Bomber Command which resulted in the loss of some twenty aircraft and seventy airmen. On the 8th of that month, forty-seven bombers escorted by ten fighter squadrons also attacked the docks. Whilst the three ships remained intact, three enemy fighters were claimed to have been shot down but with with the loss of four Stirlings.

During this time though, the ships were indeed hit, and in the case of Scharnhorst, damaged badly, but none ever badly enough not to be beyond repair.

The decision was eventually made therefore, to move the ships, Hitler’s fear of a second front being opened in Scandinavia proving to be the deciding factor. On that decision two routes were considered, the northern route around Scotland which would take the small, but powerful fleet in range of British carriers and warships at Scapa Flow, a fight the Germans did not want to engage in. Alternatively, they could attempt a daring dash through the narrow and well defended English Channel. It was a difficult decision to make.

The presence of the ship and their likely move to safer harbours prompted William Helmore (one of those behind the Turbinlite project) to go to the Alan Muntz Company with an idea as to how to sink them. In conjunction with GEC, RAE Farnborough, Dowty and Stones of Deptford to name but a few, the idea of a radio controlled, 5 ton torpedo with a diameter of 39 inches able to fit a Lancaster bomber, was devised.

The idea was that a Mosquito would control the torpedo once it had been dropped from the Lancaster, and a mast would rise to maintain radio contact with the controlling aircraft. The torpedo would have a range of 25 miles with a warhead weighing 1 ton, limited only by the size of the Lancaster. While tests were carried out, many issues raised their heads including an air supply for the engine, (a Meteor Tank engine) which all proved too complicated and the project was eventually shelved*⁴.

However, following a meeting on January 12th, 1942 between many top ranking German officials including Hitler, Raeder (the C In C of the Navy), Vice-Admiral Ciliax and Adolf Galland as commander of the Luftwaffe in the Channel area, a decision was finally made, the shorter English Channel route would be the one to take and so Operation Cerberus, (the breakout) was born.

The decision raised great concerns though. Both Galland and other Luftwaffe officials knew that there were too few available fighters in the region – just some two groups and a few training units – to be able to provide the 24 hour protection the ships needed as they dashed through the straits. Night fighters were especially needed, a decision which was affirmed and granted by Major General Jeschonnek, the Luftwaffe Chief of Staff; but the numbers of aircraft available to Galland would still remain greatly inferior to those on British soil ready to attack.

So, Operation Thunderbolt (Donnerkeil ) was put in place, the air umbrella that would protect the ships as they sailed northward. Operation Cerebus (the breakout) was affirmed with February 11th chosen as ‘X’ day, and a sailing time set at 8:00pm. In the weeks leading up to the ‘dash’, German transmitting stations based at both Calais and Cherbourg, began a cat and mouse game transmitting a series of elaborate but false messages to interfere with British radar stations along the south coast. They provided a cover story, suggesting that the fleet would set sail but head toward the Pacific in support of the Japanese and not north to Scandinavia. In preparation, trial runs were made to test engines, guns and communications. The British, still monitoring their actions, began a series of raids on the port, none of which achieved any great success.

During these attacks, which had been occurring regularly since early January, several aircraft were lost including: three Manchesters from 61 Squadron; two Hampdens from 144 Sqn; three Wellingtons, one each from 12, 142 and 300 Sqns and on the 10th February, another Manchester from 61 Sqn.

To meet the anticipated challenge, Galland had some 252 fighters, including a mix of 109s, 190s and some thirty 110 night fighters at his disposal, but he argued, it was still not enough to provide the cover he wanted.

As ‘X’ day approached, the radars went wild with false readings and interference. But the British, now aware of an impending escape, were on high alert, additional Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs) were docked at Dover and Swordfish aircraft were drafted in to RAF Manston in Kent. Some 1,100 magnetic mines were laid along the projected route and Dover command was put on standby. At 8:00pm on February 11th, the flotilla began to assemble outside of Brest harbour, just as a routine air raid was launched, and so the port was shut down. Although only one aircraft was lost, a Wellington from 150 Sqn, the raid proved no more than a nuisance, only delaying the fleet’s departure by two hours.

Now temporarily blinded by false radio measures, the British were unable to ‘see’ the mighty armada as it finally slipped out into the open waters of the Channel. Their escape had been a success.

During the night, good progress was made by the fleet and the lost time was made up quickly. Meanwhile, the skies remained quiet, the British not yet realising the ruse. The early morning remained dark, night fighters patrolled along side the fleet at wave top level, thus avoiding detection by British radar. Day fighters joined them in a relay operation that would be held below the cloud ceiling of 1,500 feet.

At 11:00 am on the 12th, the Germans intercepted a British message signalling that the fleet had been spotted. But it remained another hour before further RAF aircraft were seen, the British being wary and unsure of the message’s accuracy. Even though for months the British Command had been monitoring the fleet, those in command failed to act on valuable information, a mistake that led to a vital delay in operations.

Then, in the early hours of the afternoon, as the fleet approached the narrowest point of the Channel, British defences at Dover opened fire. A sea battle then raged between German warships and British MTBs, but for all their valiant efforts they failed to achieve their goal.

At 13:20 A group of sixteen Spitfires took off from Kenley on a Beaufort escort mission that were sent out to search for, and attack the fleet. They initially rendezvoused with twelve more Spitfires from 602 Sqn, but then failed to meet the Beauforts over Manston. The formation then continued on to the target area looking for the convoy and its escort. Soon after arriving over the Channel, 485 (NZ) Sqn’s leader, Group Captain, Francis V. Beamish DSO and Bar, DFC, AFC, spotted six destroyers, two E-Boats and two German Battle cruisers. At his altitude there was no fighter escort, the mix of Bf109s and FW190s remaining firmly below radar level at 600ft.

Seizing his chance, Beamish then attacked one of the destroyers raking it with gunfire along the length of its deck, a Spitfire’s guns were no match for the destroyer though and little damage was done. The remaining aircraft of the two squadrons then took on the enemy who were forming a low level protective umbrella, achieving a greater rate of success with several ‘kills’ being reported back at Kenley.

Now fully aware of the situation, the RAF and Navy were called into action. At RAF Manston, eighteen young men began to prepare for take off, their target, the escaping German fleet of some sixty-six surface vessels including the warships Gneisenau, Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen, now sailing almost unopposed through the English Channel.

The six Fairy Swordfish of 825 Naval Air Squadron were ageing biplanes, they were no match for Galland’s fast and more dominant fighters, nor the defensive guns of the mighty German fleet they were hoping to attack. To pitch a handful of biplanes with torpedoes against such a heavily armed and well prepared armada, turned out to be no less than suicide.

In front of their Swordfish, Lieut Cdr E Esmonde, RN, (2nd Left) on board HMS Ark Royal, October 1941. This photo was taken after the attack on the Bismark, and includes the various aircrew who received decorations as a result of that daring attack. (Left to right: Lieut P D Gick, RN, awarded DSC; Lieut Cdr E Esmonde, RN, awarded DSO; Sub Lieut V K Norfolk, RN, awarded DSC; A/PO Air L D Sayer. awarded DSM; A/ Ldg Air A L Johnson, awarded DSM). (© IWM A 5828)

The winter of 1942 was very cold, but the Swordfish were kept ready, engines warmed and torpedoes armed, now they could no longer wait, and instead of attacking as planned at night, they would have to attack during the day, and so the order to go was given. The crews started their engines and set off on their daring mission in what was appalling weather.

Shortly after take off, the escort arrived, merely ten Spitfires from No. 72 Squadron RAF, led by Squadron Leader Brian Kingcombe, and not the five Spitfire squadrons promised. The six Swordfish, led by Lt. Cdr. Eugene Esmonde, dived down to 50 feet and began their attack. Hoping to fly below the level of the anti-aircraft guns each of the six Swordfish flew gallantly toward their targets. Eventually, and even though they were hit and badly damaged, they pressed home their attacks, but they were out-gunned, and out performed, and just twenty minutes after the attack began, all six had fallen victim to the German guns. No torpedoes had struck home.

Of the eighteen men who took off that day, only five were to survive.

Leading the attack, Lt. Cdr. Esmonde (an ex-Imperial Airways captain) was warded the V.C. Posthumously, he had previously been awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his part in the attack on the Battleship Bismark; an award that also went to: S/Lt. B Rose, S/Lt. E Lee, S/Lt. C Kingsmill, and S/Lt. R Samples. Flying with them, L/A. D. Bunce was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and twelve of the airmen were mentioned in dispatches.

The attack became known as ‘The Channel dash’ officially called Operation Fuller, and in honour of the brave attempt to hit the German fleet that day, a memorial was erected in Ramsgate Harbour, the names of the eighteen Swordfish crew are listed where their story is inscribed for eternity.

Operation Fuller was a disaster not only for the Royal Navy and Coastal Command who had been monitoring the fleet for many months, but also for the Royal Air Force. A force of some 100 aircraft made up from almost every Group of Bomber Command had made its way to the Channel. By the time evening had dawned, it had become clear that some sixteen aircraft from the force had been lost. The loss of life from those sixteen aircraft totalled sixty-four, with a further five being captured and incarcerated as prisoners of war.*¹

Bomber Command were not without their terrible stories either. The sad loss of W/C. R MacFadden DFC and his six crew who remained in their dingy after their Wellington from 214 Sqn ditched in the cold waters of the Channel. Over a period of 72 hours all but Sgt. Murray, slowly died from the cold, he being rescued at the last minute and incarcerated by the Germans. Of all the RAF squadrons that took part that day, their losses amounted to: 49 Sqn (4 x Hampdens); 50 Sqn (1 x Hampden); 103 Sqn (1 x Wellington); 110 Sqn (1 x Blenheim); 114 Sqn (1 x Blenheim); 144 Sqn (2 x Hampdens); 214 Sqn (1 x Wellington); 419 Sqn (2 x Wellingtons); 420 Sqn (2 x Hampdens) and 455 Sqn (1 x Hampden)*²

February 12th had been a disaster, so bad that The Daily Mirror reported on February 16th 1942 under the headline “9 Lost Hours in the Channel“, that a demand had been put forward to Parliament for a complete statement on Naval strategy during the event. It also questioned the “suitability of Admiral Sir Dudley Pound”, in fulfilling his role. The paper goes onto say that a lag of some nine hours had largely been ignored by officials, that being the time between the first notice and when action was finally taken against the fleet. It also says that although the initial sighting was no earlier than 10:42 am, it took another hour before it too was responded to. The public had been mislead it believed.

The entire operation has been badly organised by those in command, with little or no cohesion nor coordination between this various forces involved. As a result, the entire operation was a catastrophe with a major loss of life and no real result. The entire operation was seen by some as akin to a “Gilbert and Sullivan” comedy*³.

However, from that disaster came stories of untold heroism, bravery and self sacrifice by a group of men that have turned this event into one of Britain’s most remarkable and incredible stories of the war.

*¹ To read more about Bomber Commands part in operation Fuller and a German film of the event, see the Pathfinders Website.

*² Chorley, W.R., “Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War – 1942” 1994, Midland Counties publications.

*³ Bennet, D “Pathfinder“, Goodall, 1998

*⁴ McCloskey, K., “Airwork – A History.” The History Press, 2012

A German account of the ‘dash’ is given in “The First and the Last” by Adolf Galland published in 1955 by Meuthuen & Co.. Ltd.

Smith. G., “Heroes of Bomber Command – Cambridgeshire“. Countryside Books (2007)

National Archives AIR 27/1933/20, AIR 27/1933/21

RAF Fersfield – where history was changed forever.

June 1, 2024September 9, 2024 / Aviationtrails / Leave a comment

After leaving the open expanses of Deopham Green and the roar of Snetterton, we head to a very remote and quiet airfield. Quiet and remote for a very special reason. From here, crews would experience top-secret flights, we would see a link to one of America’s greatest and most powerful families, and from here, the RAF would strike another blow at the heart of the Gestapo. We head to RAF Fersfield.

RAF Fersfield (Station 140/554)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/RAF_Fersfield_-_29_Aug_1946_Airfield.jpg

29th August 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1707. English Heritage (RAF Photography).*¹

Originally built as a satellite for RAF Knettishall, RAF Fersfield was built-in late 1943. The third Class A airfield on this Trail, its main runway ran along a NE-SW direction, was 2,000 yds in length and was constructed of concrete. There was a second and third runway each of 1,400 yds running N-S and E-W, again of concrete. Fersfield had two T-2 Hangars, one to the north side and one to the south, and 50 loop dispersals for aircraft storage. The bomb dump was located to the north, the technical area to the south and the accommodation blocks to the south and south-west. Fersfield would eventually be able to accommodate up to 2,000 personnel of mixed rank and gender.

Initially, the airfield was called Winfarthing and designated station 140, it was then handed over to the USAAF who would rename it Station 554.

Fersfield was specifically chosen for its remote location as, unknown to those who came here, it was going to play a major role in the battle over Europe.

The first residents were a detachment of the 388th Bomb Group (BG) who were then based at Knettishall, and consisted of four bomb squadrons: the 560th, 561st, 562nd and 563rd. A detachment specifically from the 562nd, were brought here to perform special operations and research into radio controlled bombs using war-weary B-17s and B-24s. These special flights taking place between July 12th 1944 and 1st January 1945.

The 388th were unique in many ways. Aside from their work in radio controlled flights, they were also the only unit in the USAAF to not have formal squadron identification codes. However, after VE day and the end of hostilities, wireless transmitter codes were applied to aircraft under the left wing preceded with the aircraft’s individual letter as a prefix. This then, gave a unique four letter identification on each aircraft. Similarly, the various aircraft used as remote controlled aircraft had the top surfaces of each wing and tailplane painted white for recognition purposes. *⁴

An original T2 Hangar now stores grain.

Operating as Operation ‘Aphrodite‘, the idea of these operations was to remove all operational equipment from the aircraft, fill it with around 20,000 lb of ‘Torpex’ and fly it by remote control, into a specified target such as ‘V’ weapon sites, submarine pens (Operations Crossbow and Noball) or similar high prestige targets that were otherwise difficult to destroy .

Both the USAAF and USN were carrying out these trials. The Navy, also using Fersfield, called their operations ‘Anvil‘ and used the PB4Y (the Navy version of the B-24 ‘Liberator’) as their drone.

The first Aphrodite mission took place on August 4th 1944, and was to set the tone for all future operations. Mission 515, was flown using four B-17 ‘babies’ with four accompanying ‘mothers’ to target ‘V’ weapon sites at : Mimoyecques, Siracourt, Watten, and Wizernes. Escorting them were sixteen P-47s and sixteen P-51s. One of the babies, B-17 (#42-39835) ‘Wantta Spa(r)‘ (TU-N), had completed 16 missions between November 18th 1943 and July 6th 1944 with the 351st at Polebrook, and was declared to be “war-weary”. It took off but very quickly the crew – Lt J. Fisher and T/Sgt E. Most – realised there was a problem with the altimeter causing it to climb too quickly. Whilst T/Sgt Most bailed out, Lt. Fisher struggled on with the controls until it finally crashed in an almighty fireball in woodlands at Sudbourne, Suffolk, creating a crater 100ft wide. The three remaining ‘babies’ carried on but all failed to hit their designated targets. One Mother lost control and the baby hit a Gun Battery at Gravelines, the second overshot and the third B-17F formally (#41-24639) “The Careful Virgin” (OR-W) of the 91st BG (323rd BS), hit short due to controller error.

B-17F “The Careful Virgin” before modification and whilst in the hands of the 91st BG. (USAF Photo)

Similar results were to follow in another mission only two days later, and then again in further operations throughout both the Aphrodite and Anvil projects.

The most famous tragedy of these missions was that of Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jnr, who was killed when his PB4Y unexpectedly blew up over Suffolk killing both him and his co-pilot on 12th August 1944.*² In all, there were twenty-five drone missions completed, but none successfully hit their designated target with either control or accuracy. The missions were all considered failures and the operations were all cancelled soon after.

Former Operations Block south of the Technical site.

Another secret operation taking place from Fersfield, also involved radio controlled bombs. Designated Operation ‘Batty‘ it involved GB-4 television controlled bombs being slung underneath B-17s and guided onto targets using TV. The 563rd BS provided much of the support whilst the other squadrons in the 388th BG, the crews. In the later part of 1944, a small number of these operations were flown again with little success and this too was abandoned before it could have any significant effect on the war.

All in all, the operations carried out here, were disastrous, killing as many crews and causing as much damage to the UK as it did the enemy. However, it did mean that the Allies had entered into the drone war and set the scene for future military operations. In all, there were 19 Aphrodite missions and 6 Batty operations carried out from RAF Fersfield.

The Americans left Fersfield toward the end of 1944, and it was then handed back to the RAF. A number of units used it for short periods, primarily for aircrew training, but none for major operational flights. However, it was not the end for the airfield, as Fersfield was to have one last remarkable mission and a further claim to fame.

Nissan Huts on the former accommodation site.

One of those squadrons who came here was 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron, who arrived at Fersfield on November 20th 1944. They were one of the twenty-one Royal Auxiliary Squadrons, and were considered the ‘baby’ of the Auxiliary Air Force by the other units. Formed on 1st February 1939 as part of No. 22 (Army Cooperation) Group, under Fighter Command, they were initially created with Hawker Hinds and a few Avro Tutors. It was then with another biplane, the Hawker Hector, and the monoplane the Lysander, that they moved with to France, early in the war to attack German gun positions and drop supplies to troops trapped in Calais by the advancing Wehrmacht.

613 performed a mix of roles, from Air Sea rescue operations from Martlesham Heath, to spraying lethal gas on troops in the event of an invasion, they moved from airfield to airfield gradually exchanging their older obsolete aircraft for more modern fighters as they went. They would take on both the North American Tomahawk followed by the incredible Mustang. It was with these aircraft that they were to escort the Venturas of 487 Sqn in their disastrous attack on the the Amsterdam power station in which Leonard Trent was awarded the VC. A mix up in rendezvous times meant the Venturas went on alone to the target, and thus paid the price for not having an escort with them.

In mid 1943, 613 Sqn operated from Snailwell near Newmarket, after which the ground personnel were sent to Sculthorpe and the aircrew to Lasham in Hampshire. This was to train all the personnel on the new Mosquito that the squadron was about to receive.

On joining the 2nd Tactical Air Force, they began attacks with their ‘Mossies’ on ‘Noball’ targets, and locomotives operating on the continent. It was at Lasham that 613 would become part of the newly formed 138 Wing, which would move soon after to Swanton Morley, but not before performing a very secret and daring mission.

Flying at very low level, they were to bomb the Kunstzaal Kleizkamp Art Gallery in the Hague, a former gallery turned Gestapo records office. Here documents relating to Dutch citizens for executions, deportation to concentration camps or labour camps were kept, and so it became a vital target for the wing. The operation was a total success, the building being all but demolished whilst nearby Dutch properties remained completely untouched.

The unit operated both on D-day, and supported the Americans in the Ardennes, flying through poor weather to strafe enemy ground troops who were trying to break through the American lines.

In November, the squadron moved to the continent in support of the allied forces whilst a small detachment of Mosquito VIs arrived here at Fersfield. They remained here until 7th August 1945, taking part in training flights, the last flight out taking place on August 5th 1945. At that point the squadron was disbanded the personnel transferring to 69 Squadron until their service ran out.

However, it was on March 21st 1945, that the crews of 613 Sqn would reunite with 487 Sqn, when the three Mosquito VI units of 21 Sqn (RAF), 464 Sqn (RAAF) and 487 Sqn (RNZAF) – now part of 140 Wing – were pulled back from the continent for a special mission to attack the Gestapo Headquarters at Copenhagen. Previously based at Hunsdon, the mission was Led by Gp. Capt. R. Bateson and Sqn. Ldr. E. Sismore, who took off in Mosquito RS570 ‘X’ at 08:35 and led a group of Mosquitoes in three waves of 6 aircraft in Operation Carthage.

The Shellhaus building raid gained notoriety for two reasons. Firstly, a large part of the building was bombed and destroyed and important documents were set alight, thus achieving the overall objective of the mission; another low-level, daring raid, it was operationally a great success.

However, Mosquitoes following the initial wave, attacked what they believed to be the target building, but it was in fact, a school masked by fire and smoke. This attack caused a significant number of unintentional civilian casualties including children at the school.

Six aircraft failed to return from the mission, four Mosquitoes (one of which crashed causing the smoke and fire that masked the school) and Two P-51s that were part of a twenty-eight strong fighter escort.

This operation was one of many daring low-level raids that the wing carried out, attacking various prestige targets including the Amiens prison. Together with 138 Wing, the Mosquito under the charge of Basil Embry, more than proved itself as a successful low-level bomber aircraft capable of delivering high precision attacks on pin-point targets.

The aircraft eventually left Fersfield which signified the end of overseas operations for the site, and Fersfield would become a staging post for units prior to disbandment. Between November 1944 and September 1945 a number of units would be located here which included: 98 and 107 (one week each); 140 (four days); 180 (one week), along with 226, and 605 Sqns. Operating a number of aircraft types including: Mosquitoes (T.III), Bostons (IIa), Hurricanes (IV), Martinets (TT.III), Mitchells (III) and Anson Is, Fersfield had now had its day, and in the last months of 1945, the site was closed and the land was sold off. Fersfield had closed its door for the last time and history had been written.

Post war, Fersfield had a brief spell of motor racing on its tracks and runways, but unlike Snetterton or Podington it would not last, and in 1951 Fersfield became agricultural once more, with many of the buildings being demolished and the remainder left to rot or, some thankfully, used for storage.

A few buildings remain on the technical Site.

Today a few buildings still do remain clinging onto life. The T-2 on the south side stores grain, and a number of Nissen huts that housed the technical aspects of the airfield, are now storage for farm machinery and other associated equipment. All these can be located at the end of a small road from the village, and when visiting, I found the workers here only too willing to allow the visitor to wander freely among them. Footpaths cross the southern side of this site and to the north across the field dissecting the airfield. The path is very poorly marked and you are simply wandering across the crops. From here, you can find the last few remains of the accommodation site, further south a short distance away. Latrines and other communal buildings are shrouded in weeds, gradually disappearing beneath the undergrowth. Trees sprout from between the walls where so many walked before or after a mission. Nissen huts survive further out, now dilapidated and hastily patched, their memories mixed amongst the personal belongings of new owners.

One of the many Latrines on the communal site.

It is hard to believe that an airfield with such an iconic history such as Fersfield never made it to the high status of so many others, as surprisingly, it was here in this quiet and remote part of Norfolk that aviation history was made and American politics changed forever.

Squadrons that stayed at Fersfield in the last months of the war.

98 Sqn – Arrived here first, on April 18th 1945, remaining here until December 18th that same year with the Mitchell. They were disbanded at this point.

605 Sqn – Arrived 25th April 1945 staying until 31st August 1945 as a detachment of Mosquito VIs. They were then disbanded and renumbered as 4 Squadron.

226 Sqn – Joined 605 at Fersfield on 27th April 1945, also as a detachment but with Mitchell IIs. They too were disbanded on September 20th that same year.

180 Sqn – stayed here between 7th June and 14th June 1945, a weeks break from their airfield at Achmer to where they returned.

107 Sqn – Arrived at Fersfield a month later on 3rd July, also staying for one week with Mosquito VIs coming across from France to where they to returned.

140 Sqn – Stayed here between the 9th and 12th July 1945 with Mosquito XVIs, whilst en route from Eindhoven to Acklington.

Mosquito Mk.VIs involved in the Operation Carthage,*³.

No 487 Squadron
RS570 ‘X’	Gp Capt R N Bateson / Sqn Ldr E B Sismore (Raid Leader)
PZ402 ‘A’	Wg Cdr F M Denton / Fg Off A J Coe (damaged, belly landed at base)
PZ462 ‘J’	Flt Lt R J Dempsey / Flt Sgt E J Paige (hit by flak, 1 engine u/s, returned safely)
PZ339 ‘T’	Sqn Ldr W P Kemp / Flt Lt R Peel
SZ985 ‘M’	Fg Off G L Peet / Fg Off L A Graham
NT123 ‘Z’	Flt Lt D V Pattison / Flt Sgt F Pygram (missing)
No 464 Squadron
PZ353	Flt Lt W K Shrimpton RAAF (Pilot) / Fg Off P R Lake RAAF
PZ463	Flt Lt C B Thompson / Sgt H D Carter
PZ309	Flt Lt A J Smith RAAF / Flt Sgt H L Green RAAF (Flt. Lt. Green’s first given name was “Eric” known to all as “Les”, a common abbreviation in Australia. H.L. Green is used in the ORBs)*⁵
SZ999	Fg Off H G Dawson RAAF / Fg Off P T Murray (missing)
RS609	Fg Off J H Palmer RAAF / 2nd Lt H H Becker RNorAF (missing)
SZ968	Wg Cdr Iredale RAAF / Fg Off Johnson
All aircraft took off at 0840; last back landed 1405.
No 21 Squadron
SZ977	Wg Cdr P A Kleboe / Fg Off K Hall (missing)
PZ306	Sqn Ldr A F Carlisle / Flt Lt N J Ingram
LR388	Sqn Ldr A C Henderson / Flt Lt W A Moore
HR162	Flt Lt M Hetherington / Fg Off J K Bell
No 21 Squadron records list only these four aircraft and crews above as taking part in this operation.
All aircraft took off at 0835; the three which returned did so at 1355.

Sources and further reading.

*¹ Photograph in Public Domain, taken from Wikipedia 20/8/15

*² For a more detailed explanation of the operation that killed Joseph Kennedy Jnr. see ‘The Last Flight of Joe Kennedy and Wilford Willy‘.

*³ Information from The National Archives, 21/8/15

*⁴ Freeman. R., “The Mighty Eighth” Arms and Armour, 1986

*⁵My thanks go to Chris Berkley of the Canowindra Historical Society and Museum Inc. for the correction.

National Archives: AIR-27-1924-54, AIR-27-1924-53

RAF Hunsdon – The Mosquito Bites (Part 4)

March 30, 2024January 27, 2024 / Aviationtrails / Leave a comment

In Part 3, we saw how Hunsdon and gone through various squadrons, operating the ill fated Turbinlite system which was soon withdrawn, and onto the arrival of the Mosquito, a deadly aircraft that could out run every German aircraft at its introduction. It was now time to bite, and the bite would come directly at the heart of the Gestapo.

In one of the war’s most famous attacks, so many questions would be asked, but answers would be short-coming and the truth may never come out.

The new wing, previously formed at Sculthorpe, would consist of the three multinational squadrons, a ‘British’, Australian and New Zealand unit, and all would be based at Hunsdon as part of the RAF’s Second Tactical Air Force (2TAF) designed to support troops in the forthcoming invasion.

RAF Hunsdon – The Arrival of the Mosquito (Part 3)

March 16, 2024January 27, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 4 Comments

In Part 2, we saw how the Turbinlite system failed to produce what was expected of it, and eventually the system was scrapped and the squadrons disbanded. Those left at Hunsdon continued the night operations but soon they too would depart this Hertfordshire airfield leaving room for an influx of Mosquitoes – de Havilland’s ‘Wooden Wonder’.

On May 5th 1943, 85 Sqn would officially receive its squadron badge, although it was a former World War One Squadron, it had never been officially presented with it, and time had caught up. With the whole squadron lined up outside the Bellman Hangar, A.O.C. 11 Group, Air Vice Marshall H.W. Saunders, C.B.E., M.C., D.F.C., M.M., gave a speech highlighting how well the squadron had performed; shooting down ninety enemy aircraft in France, fifty in the Battle of Britain and a further twenty in night operations whilst at Hunsdon. He went on to highlight the number of decorations its crews had been awarded: four D.S.Os; seventeen D.F.Cs; three D.F.Ms, and Bars to both the D.F.Cs. and D.F.Ms. He then presented the station badge to the Commanding Officer Wing Commander Cunningham. At this point it was announced that the squadron would be moving south to West Malling in Kent and he wished the squadron good luck.

With just a few more days left before departure, operations continued and on the 8th, three more JU. 88s were spotted but intercepted by Spitfires from other squadrons before the Mosquitoes could get to them. It was not to be the glorious ending 85 Sqn had hoped for.

After a farewell dinner for both 85 and 3 squadrons in the officer’s mess, preparations began for the move. Three Harrows arrived to collect personal belongings and equipment, and then, on the 13th, 85 Squadron departed, all ten aircrews performing individual flypasts over the watch office to show their respect and thanks to those who had worked along side them, it was a sad day for Hunsdon. The Harrows once loaded, departed shortly after with the main ground party departing by train soon after that.

The dispersals and accommodation did not remain vacant for long though, they were immediately taken over by a new squadron, 157 Squadron along with their servicing wing 3081 Servicing Echelon.

The new squadron was also a Mosquito Squadron, transferring in from Bradwell Bay. Night patrols had been the order of the day and these continued, and even as the squadron moved into their new home a Do. 17 was intercepted and shot down near Felixstowe.

Mosquito II of 157 Sqn being refuelled at Hunsdon, 16 June 1943. (©IWM CH 10312)

During the day, personnel took to painting and refurbishing the dispersals, whilst at night patrols continued on, an F.W. 190 falling victim to Flt. Lt. H. Tappin DFC and Fly. Off. I. Thomas in Mosquito S.727

The remainder of the month and into June involved further night patrols, many being cancelled due to poor weather, whilst on the ground yet more decorating took place, with all crews taking part.

June then saw the temporary arrival of 515 Sqn with Defiants moving in from Heston. On June 1st, all aircraft had been received at Hunsdon with the rear party arriving later by road. As soon as 11 Group Headquarters had been notified of the squadron’s readiness, the order came though to move sections to forward bases ready for night operations. Eight aircraft immediately took off from Hunsdon but poor weather curtailed any further flights and they all returned the next day without taking part. This routine pretty much set the scene the remainder of the month. Shortly after arriving here 515 would start to accept the Beaufighter, a remarkable step up from the Defiant and an aircraft they would take when they left Hunsdon for Little Snoring in December that year.

Then in July, a new version Mosquito began to arrive with 157 Sqn – the MK.VI. ‘Ranger‘ patrols became a priority, attacking freight locos across the enemy network. On the 19th August, the Sqn claimed their 100th victim, a landmark number that was acknowledged by Sector Commander Group Captain Harris.

The next few months were a mix of sporadic contacts but few engagements, ‘uneventful’ patrols and cancelled flights due to poor weather. The arrival of a Lancaster out of fuel in early October, a Wellington damaged by flak and a lost B-17 possibly heightening the excitement on the airfield. A large portion of this time was taken with sports including shooting until finally ‘discouraged’ by local landlords.

Remains of the latrines and drying rooms.

157 Sqn however, wouldn’t remain at Hunsdon for much longer, departing with their Mosquitoes for Predannack in November that same year. A relatively uneventful stay at Hunsdon had finally come to an end.

Movements into and out of Hunsdon would continue in November, with the arrival of yet another Mosquito unit, 410 (Royal Canadian Air Force) Squadron. The unit would stay here on three separate occasions throughout 1943 and 1944, each time being for a short period only before moving on again elsewhere. Each stay would bring a new model Mosquito: MK. VI, MK.XIII, and finally the MK.XXX before moving off to the continent in 1944 and their eventual disbandment in June 1945. Whilst the squadron was primarily Canadian (seventy-two personnel), it also consisted of sixteen RAF personnel and four Americans, making it a multinational mix of aircrew, officers and ground crews.

It was whilst at their previous station, West Malling, that they would make the first ‘kill’ of 11 Group, when on the 5th November, a Mosquito piloted by Flg. Off. Green and his navigator Pt. Off. Goodhew, intercepted an Me. 410 and shot it down approximately 15 miles from Dungeoness. Three days later they would arrive at Hunsdon, where a turn in the weather prevented any further kills for the unit for the remainder of the month.

Training flights were managed on the odd occasion, intercepting friendly bombers with camera guns along with several Mahmoud exercises. On the 26th November tragedy struck when on one of these flights Flg. Off. J.J. Blanchfield in Mosquito DD669 struck the target Mosquito DZ259 flown by W.Off. C. James and his navigator Flt. Sgt. T. Levine. Both crews reported that they were bailing out, but both Blanchfield and his navigator Flg. Off. K. Cox, were killed in the accident.

The squadron’s remaining time at Hunsdon was much similar, training flights, the odd operational scramble and bad weather persisted to the end of the year. But in December, one Mosquito flown by Flg. Off. “Joe” Schultz and Flg. Off. Williams manged to shoot down no less than three Dornier 217s in an epic air battle in which they themselves narrowly missed being the victim.

After vectoring onto the initial target, Schultz managed to shoot it down even though the Dornier tried to evade the attack by both attempting to fly into cloud and carrying out violent evasive movements. After dispatching this aircraft, Schultz pursued a second aircraft which exploded some 50 feet ahead of him, causing his own aircraft to jolt as it passed through the debris. A third Dornier gave a more difficult challenge, and even though both its engines were hit, the crew continued to return fire whilst the pilot made aggressive and violent defensive movements. The Mosquito in return, had its instruments put out of action and both engines hit, causing a fire in one. Luckily, this extinguished itself, but the second engine then failed altogether. Schultz managed to safely land the aircraft at Bradwell Bay using the single damaged engine, a remarkable feat considering the damage to the Mosquito and its components.

During the month, yet another new version Mosquito began to arrive at the squadron in addition to those already on station. By the end of the December, when they finally departed Hunsdon for Castle Camps, they had on their books: two Mosquito MK.IIs, one MK.III, one XII and seventeen XIIIs. A squadron Magister was also registered, but the Oxford they had, had struck a hill severely injuring the pilot, Flt. Lt. M.A. Cybulski DFC at Winter Hill, Belmont near Bolton. Flt. Lt. Cybulski had completed his tour of duty and was transferring to 9 Group when the accident happened.

New years eve 1944 would undoubtedly bring the most significant of the RAF units to Hunsdon and the one for which it is most famous. The arrival of 21 Sqn, 464 Sqn and 487 Sqn combined together to form 140 Wing, would see a number of dare-devil raids against German targets which, like the dams raid of 617 Sqn, would be forever discussed by historians.

The full story of RAF Hunsdon can be read in Trail 25.

RAF Hunsdon – The end of the Turbinlite (Part 2)

March 9, 2024March 9, 2024 / Aviationtrails / Leave a comment

In part 1, we saw how Hunsdon was developed and how the new Turbinlite system was developed. However, things don’t quite go to pan the system falls doesn’t meet expectations.

After taking on Hurricanes IIB/C at Martlesham Heath in April, 3 Squadron arrived at Hunsdon from Stapleford Tawney, and like 85 Sqn, would remain here until mid May 1943, when it took its Mosquitoes to West Malling.

Pilots and aircraft of 3 Sqn would make their first appearance at Hunsdon on the 2nd August 1941 when twelve pilots arrived to practice formation flying with crews of the special Havoc Flight created earlier in May. These initial twelve would be followed by another twelve on the third, and then ten more crews on the sixth. The two squadrons would perform practice night flights together, formation flying and ‘dog fighting’ tactics with drogues. By the 10th, the bulk of the squadron had moved over leaving only a detachment both at Manston and Shoreham, where crews undertook both dawn and dusk patrols over southern England and over enemy airfields looking for bombers either landing or taking off.

Hurricane IIC, BD867 QO-Y, 3 Sqn, at Hunsdon. The exhausts have shields over them to help prevent them being seen whilst on night fighter operations. (@IWM CH 3509)

The combined practice flights would take Hunsdon’s 3 Sqn and the Turbinlite Flights aircrew well into the summer and autumn of the following year, progress being marred by continuing poor weather. GCI (Ground Control Intercept) training and formation flying between the two units took up the majority of the time whilst they were here, however, both dusk and dawn patrols in their Hurricanes gave the pilots of 3 Sqn a little respite from the routine of formation flying with the two Special Flights.

September 1941 then brought the second of the two Special Flights to Hunsdon. On the 20th, 1459 (Fighter) Flight, the penultimate of the ten, was formed here also operating both Havoc Is and Boston IIs, Fs and IIIs. The last of the Flights to make up the ten units would follow just after, being based in northern England at RAF Acklington.

It was quickly found that the Turbinlites not only had a lack of firepower, but poor speed as well, so they were soon demoted to being used solely as a searchlight platform with 3 Squadron’s Hurricanes taking over the main role of interceptor.

With the formation of a new squadron at Croydon, 287 Sqn would have detachments spread far and wide including one here at Hunsdon. Staying here for virtually the entire war, they would fly a range of aircraft including: Blenheims, Hudsons; Lysanders; Hurricanes; Masters; Defiants; Martinets and Spitfires. Even as a detachment flying support flights, they were the longest resident at Hunsdon but never achieved the same status as many of those that were to be based here.

After the turbulence of 1941, 1942 would initially bring a much calmer time at Hunsdon, with less movements in or out of the airfield, although staff changes did cause problems for some units. Changes were initially relatively small, the first of which wouldn’t come until the July of 1942, when a small detachment of 605 Sqn Bostons arrived. After being reformed the month before, at RAF Ford, the small group remained here until mid March 1943, when after taking on the Mosquito, they transferred to Castle Camps in Essex.

605 had previously been posted to Batavia where the majority of ground personnel had been captured by enemy forces. Those that were left were posted to various units and the squadron disbanded. Its reformation at Ford would be a slow process, but gradually it would receive both men and aircraft, accepting machines from 23 Squadron as it also eventually took on the Mosquito.

Whilst based here at Hunsdon, they would primarily carry out training, performing cross country flights, searchlight co-operation flights and gunnery practice. Navigation also came under scrutiny with logs being examined by the squadron’s navigation officer. By the end of August though, all was well and the personnel returned to Ford thus reuniting the entire squadron once more.

As was the case with many other airfields, training and support flights also used the same airfields, training pilots in new and more modern ways to fly. Hunsdon was no different, and in August a new Flight fulfilling this role was created here at Hunsdon. 1530 Beam Approach Training (BAT) Flight, who were formed specifically to train pilots to land in the dark, or poor weather, using a ‘beam’ (formally blind approach) or radio system. They remained here for some time eventually moving to Wittering where they were disbanded later in 1944.

It would also be in August 1942, that Hunsdon’s resident 85 Sqn would take on the Mosquito, the MK.IIs being a major change from the Havocs previously used. It would only be a trickle of aircraft at first, with just a small number of the ‘Wooden Wonders’ being received by the month’s end.

The trickle continued into September as did the nightly Havoc patrols. On the 7th, Sgt. McCormick sighted what he believed to be a Ju. 88, and closed in for the attack. After following the aircraft he managed to close to 150 feet at which point he opened fire on the starboard engine which quickly caught fire. The aircraft fell from the sky and was later seen burning on the sea below. It was confirmed not as a Ju. 88 but as an He.111 distinguished by its fixed rear-firing machine gun in the extreme end of the fuselage.

September 1942 then brought yet more change. At this point it was decided to raise all ten Turbinlite squadrons to squadron status. The date decided upon was September 2nd 1942. However, due to administration problems, only five could be raised on that date, the remaining five being raised six days later on the 8th of the month. By then, all ten Turbinlite training Flights had been disbanded and reformed as operational squadrons.

With that, 1451 became 530 Sqn on September 8th and continued to operate from Hunsdon, whilst 1459 became 538 Sqn and was relocated to Hibaldstow.

The reformation meant that flights were initially curtailed for 530 Sqn. The poor September weather then added to the issue meaning that flying was at best sporadic. Two further support Hurricanes soon arrived for the squadron taking the total available to four. But their arrival did not ease the situation, the poor weather and other factors continuing to dominate operations to the point that little operational flying took place at all.

October fared little better. More poor weather combined with the fact that three of their four Hurricane pilots (all American), were transferred to the US Army Air Corps, meant that 530 Sqn was unable to progress the way it had hoped. It had been a very poor start for the operational Turbinlites.

By November there were a total of eight Hurricane pilots, some of which had transferred in from O.T.Us, but all were lacking night flying experience. As a result, they were rushed through a night flying course at Hunsdon and were passed as ‘operational’ by the month’s end. However, the problems did not end there. Formation flying in good weather was considered difficult and in visibility of 2,000 ft or less, impossible. This meant that the required number of night flights were not being made which held back all operational flights. Compounding this, continuing bad weather had by now turned the ground very soft and a number of aircraft were getting bogged down in the mud. In addition, whilst aircraft serviceability was generally good, a few had experienced wrinkling of the skin over the air frame and were now awaiting an inspection before being allowed to fly. By now, the crews must have been wanting 1942 to draw to a very quick close.

And to a close it came. December brought rumours of the demise of the Turbinlite squadrons causing uncertainty amongst the personnel. Continuing bad weather had curtailed all but the most urgent of flights. Lectures prevailed bringing escape tactics and Luftwaffe organisation information up to date. A new Havoc was brought in for testing with a new windscreen deicing system, unfortunately this was found unsatisfactory, so a new hot air method was suggested by the squadron and tested under the same conditions. This proved much more successful.

Christmas celebrations then kept the personnel occupied and were ‘livelier than expected’ primarily due to the inclement weather. Crews in the meantime being kept on standby in case the weather turned and operations became necessary again.

The battle headquarters.

With New Year 1943, came the news that the Turbinlites were indeed being disbanded. Of the ten squadrons formed, only five made successful enemy intercepts – Turbinlite was not a great success and as a result, on the 25th January, 530 Squadron along with all other units, ceased to exist and all personnel were scattered amongst other squadrons.

The end of the Turbinlites meant that Hunsdon only had two operational units at this point, both 85 and 3 Sqn continuing to fly from the airfield when they could. The early part of the year, brought considerable fog and cold weather, the fog preventing flying on many occasions, which hampered test flights for 3 Sqn on their new Typhoons when they arrived in February.

By mid May though, both these units were to depart also, 3 Squadron transferring to West Malling, with the Mosquitoes of 85 Sqn joining them soon after, but not until after a very important ceremony.

The full story of RAF Hunsdon can be read in Trail 25.

RAF Hunsdon – The beginnings of Turbinlite (Part 1)

March 2, 2024January 27, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 4 Comments

In Trail 25 we head to the south once more, to the west of Harlow, and to two wartime airfields; one of which played a major part in striking a blow at the very heart of the Nazi regime.

The county of Hertfordshire is an area popular with commuters to both London and the technological towns of Harlow and Bishops Stortford. Being north of London, it is also close to Stansted airport, itself an ex World War II airfield. Hertfordshire has some beautiful countryside, delightful little villages and quaint country pubs. It is also an area with a wealth of history.

Our first stop is a small airfield nestled in the heart of this beautiful countryside. It is situated north-east of the village that gives it its name, RAF Hunsdon.

RAF Hunsdon

The Hunsdon Village sign reflects its history and links to the RAF.

Even before Hunsdon was built, it is referenced in some areas that the site was being used for a detachment of 107 Squadron Blenheims, then based at RAF Wattisham and later Leuchars. This may have been part of the ‘Scatter’ directive given to squadrons in the immediate period before war was officially declared, and was thought to occur between May 1939 and March 1941. However, there are no references to this in the official squadron files and so this action is doubted. However, if this were the case, then it would certainly suggest an early use of the site before it was developed into a fully operational airfield, and it may have been an indication that an airfield was on its way in the near future.

The site was earmarked for development in 1940, with construction occurring over the period October 1940 to March 1941, after which the first squadron moved in. It was built by various construction companies and incorporated two asphalt runways; the main running east-west reaching 1,750 yards in length after its later extension, with a second running north-east to south-west extended to 1,450 yards; both were built to the standard 50 yard width. Aircraft dispersals, maintenance and storage buildings consisted of eighteen ‘twin-engined’ hardstands; sixteen blister hangars (a mix of ‘Over’ (4) and ‘Extra Over’ (12)) and a Bellman hangar. There was also a fuel dump and accommodation buildings for up to 2,240 airmen and some 276 WAAFs, all located across eight dispersed sites.

A large number of operational units, (in excess of twenty-five) would pass through its doors throughout its relatively short life, providing Hunsdon with a multinational mixture of crews and a number of aircraft types.

The airfield itself lies within a stone’s throw of London and so its initial role was that of night fighter operations covering London and the south / east area.

The first recognised squadron to make its mark at Hunsdon was 85 Squadron on May 3rd 1941, transferring across from RAF Debden flying Defiants and Havoc MK.Is. The move across on the 3rd went smoothly with personnel and equipment being transferred across in lorries and 32 seat busses, the majority of personnel arriving later that day.

The Parachute store now holds farm machinery.

On arrival at Hunsdon, personnel of ‘A’ Flight were immediately billeted on the aerodrome close to their dispersals, whilst those of ‘B’ Flight were housed on Number 2 Site, located about a mile or so from the main airfield area. Personnel of both the Headquarters Flight and the servicing Echelon were billeted even further away, about four miles in fact, at Gilstone Park. The officers meanwhile, had the better accommodation, being billeted in a house called ‘Boningtons’ believed to be the former home of “Mr. Brooke Bond” the family of the P.G. Tea empire. It is thought that the family purchased the house in 1940, moving out of their London residency to avoid the blitz. Unfortunately, it was rather a short lived purchase as the property was requisitioned by the RAF not long after!

By the end of the 4th, all 85 Sqn personnel were in and unpacked at Hunsdon, and so night flying duties could commence straight away with patrols taking place over the Felixstowe area. Immediately, a Heinkel He.111 was vectored onto, and a skirmish took place in which both aircraft both gave and received machine gun fire. The Luftwaffe bomber came off worst though, and was last seen diving into cloud firing a white verey pistol, either as a resignation of the fight or possibly as a distress signal to any would be rescuers.

Over the next few nights further contacts were made and several Ju. 88s were either confirmed or claimed as shot down. The squadron was performing well, morale was high and all was looking good.

The night of the 13th could have been different for some though. On his return from a patrol, Fly. Off. Hemingway’s instruments failed and with little choice, he gave the order to bale out. After his operator, Sgt. Bailey, had departed the Havoc, Hemingway followed, both men landing in close proximity to each other in the grounds of Much Hadam Hall (a grade 1 listed building built in the early 1700s). Whilst both airmen were safe, Hemingway’s was not the model jump, as he came to rest in a tree in the grounds of the hall. Bailey fared little better, landing rather ungainly on a bucket not too far away. This was Hemingway’s third successful bale out of a stricken aircraft, his previous two both occurring during the Battle of Britain.

On May 17th, Wg. Cdr. Peter Townsend, now with a DSO, flew to Great Massingham, Flt. Lt. Marshall flew to Odiham to test the runway and Flt. Lt. Rabone flew to Heston from where he collected a special and secret Havoc which was to be tested by the squadron. The first flight of this new variant occurred on May 23rd, and was quickly followed by a second aircraft on the 28th, After this, they would then begin testing both aircraft as a new night flying platform.

This particular type of aircraft was the forerunner of what became known as the Turbinlite Havoc, a new design that was the brainchild of one Sidney Cotton.*³

The main runway has been reduced to a track.

With the help of William Helmore, Cotton took out two patents; GB 574970 and GB 574118, each one relating to this new idea. It would be Helmore (an Air Commodore) who would then develop the idea further turning it into what would become commonly known as the Turbinlite system.

Originally designated Air Target Illumination, Cotton’s idea was passed to the Alan Muntz Company, who in conjunction with G.E.C., developed it into what was at the time, the most powerful searchlight in the world, and one that would fit neatly into the nose of a Douglas Havoc, or Boston as it was known in the RAF.

The light was so powerful that it would require a staggering forty-eight batteries each stored in the bomb bay of the aircraft, adding an additional weight to the aircraft just short of 2,000lbs. The light was so strong (1,400 amps) that it would discharge in less than 12 seconds meaning its use was limited to short searches only.

Havoc Mark I (Turbinlite), AW400, on the ground at Burtonwood, Lancashire. This aircraft served with Nos. 1422 and 1454 (Turbinlite) Flights, and with 1459 (Turbinlite) Flight/538 Squadron RAF, before transfer to the USAAF in April 1943. (© IWM ATP 10654C)

The first full prototype Turbinlite aircraft fitted with the unit was Boston W8254 and was flown by Acting Squadron Leader A. Clouston of 1422 (Night Fighter) Flight formed at Heston on May 12th 1941. The Flight would then operate a number of these aircraft, along with several other types which included the only Turbinlite Mosquito; along with a Defiant, Wellington and Hurricane.

Heston was the home of Airwork, an aviation company set up by two ex-Cambridge students and soldiers of the great war, Sir Henry Nigel Norman and Alan Muntz. Their vision, was to create the best aerodrome near London, a dream that would cost Norman his life and Muntz to lose his son. Airwork would go through many changes during its life, taking on several Government contracts including a range of flying schools to train RAF pilots throughout the Second World War. These included RAF Digby, RAF Grangemouth, RAF Scone (Perth) and RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

Airwork would themselves modify a further four Bostons, with a further sixteen being modified by the Heston Aircraft Company. A third batch was then developed at RAF Burtonwood, giving a total of nine flights for training and ten operational squadrons comprising just short of 100 aircraft in all.

It was soon realised however, that the Bostons lacked firepower and so the company began to look at the Mosquito as a possible replacement aircraft. Only one Mosquito was modified (W4087, a Hatfield built F.II) at Heston, but this idea, unlike the Boston, failed to progress any further than the prototype stage, and no other aircraft were converted.

The Only Mosquito converted to carry the Turbinlite.*⁵

The Turbinlite project quickly gained pace, but the units wouldn’t be raised to squadron status until September of the following year. In preparation, ten special Havoc flights were created to train crews to operate the aircraft. The first of two, formed at Hunsdon (and the first of the ten) was 1451 (Fighter) Flight on May 22nd 1941. The Flight used several examples that included both Boston IIIs (AL469 and Z2280) and Havoc Is (AE470 and AW405). It also utilised a Cygnet and Tiger Moth for pilot training. By the end of the month, 85 Sqn had flown a total of 505 hours, 482 of them undertaken in Havocs, with 213 of these being on night flights.

On August 9th 1941, 85 Sqn were joined here at Hunsdon by 3 Sqn, one of the original three squadrons to have been formed by the Royal Flying Corp. Created on May 13th 1912, when the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was absorbed in to the month old Royal Flying Corps, 3 Sqn joined both 1 and 2 Squadrons as the oldest units to have operated in the RFC. As such, its history is long and very distinguished.

In Part 2 we see how the Turbinlite develops, and how, as the war goes on, the first of Mosquitoes arrive.

The full story of RAF Hunsdon can be read in Trail 25.

RAF Sculthorpe – The Cold War continues but the end is in sight (4)

February 10, 2024January 29, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 8 Comments

In Part 3, Sculthorpe had undertaken reconnaissance flights over Soviet territory risking all out war with the Russians. New bombers were arriving and Sculthorpe had reached its heyday. As the Cold War continued, new aircraft would arrive and mistakes will happen.

Mid 1955 would then see a change leadership at Sculthorpe with the departure of the Station Commander Colonel M. Jones, himself a veteran of the famous Tokyo raid led by General Doolittle. He would be replaced, in time, by another veteran, the former commander of RAF Attlebridge, Brigadier General Joseph Holzapple.

It was during this same year that a further and more serious disaster would strike at the heart of Sculthorpe personnel, when on the 9th December, an F-84F (#52-6692) of the 55th Fighter-Bomber Sqn/20th Fighter-Bomber Wing, was flying from Sculthorpe on an instrument training flight. Whilst over the Derbyshire countryside the aircraft flown by Lieutenant Roy Evans, a 24 year old from Polaski, Tennessee, ran low on fuel and suffered an engine flame out. After several attempts to relight the engine, Evans decided it was time to eject as the aircraft was losing height. The tower at RAF Burtonwood, could hear the pilot but he could not hear them, as he informed them that he was leaving the aircraft. At the time of the ejection the jet was said to be at about 2,500 ft and losing height rapidly.

Evans ejected, landing on the moors east of Hathersage injuring his ankle in the process. The aircraft meanwhile, hit the ground at around 300 miles per hour, some six miles away at Lodge Moor Hospital in Sheffield. The Thunderstreak struck the roof of Ward ‘North Two’ ploughing through Ward ‘North One’ before eventually coming to rest in two parts by the garage and mortuary. One person inside the hospital was killed whilst seven others received minor injuries and shock*⁸.

One version of The Daily Mirror of 10th December, led with the story with the headline “Pilotless Jet Crashes on Hospital“, and gives details of the incident which could have been much worse as the jet narrowly missed a huge petrol storage tank and ambulance station. Whilst Lieutenant Evans survived this incident, he would later lose his life in another accident this time involving a reconnaissance version of the F-84 the ‘Thunderflash’ (#52-7349) on 21st August 1958 in Morocco.

Throughout the closing years of the 1950s, Sculthorpe and the 47th remained at the forefront of the nuclear tactical force. But changes were coming and already the move toward nuclear missile delivery systems was happening. The Tornado was becoming old and outdated yet it remained as the main aircraft with the USAF in Europe. The RB-66A ‘Destroyer’, a Douglas built all weather reconnaissance aircraft was being developed at this time, and would soon be delivered as a direct replacement for the Tornado. The RB-45s had performed well, but their record was not flawless either, a matter borne out in 1953 when between March 9th and 13th May, there were five incidents due to engine fires in RB-45As. In all there were thirty-seven serious mishaps including seven serious engine fires which marred the B-45’s record at Sculthorpe, some of which had resulted in fatalities*⁹.

Douglas RB-66B #54-506 Between 1957 and 1959; it flew with the 19th TRS (66th TRW) (wikipedia)

Advances in in-flight refuelling were also made their presence felt. At Sculthorpe three KB-50 tankers joined the KB-29s of the 420th Air Refuelling Squadron bringing the advancement of three point refuelling replacing the single boom as used previously. The change would not be smooth though as on February 2nd 1957, two of the Sculthorpe aircraft collided in poor weather near Morigny, twenty miles from Saint-Lo (Manche), Normandy, thirteen crewmen were killed as a result of the crash.

The arrival of the RB-66A ‘Destroyer’ in early 1958 was quite a step forward for the crews at Sculthorpe. Training and conversion courses became a priority, and the aircraft was generally liked by those who flew it.

The thought of nuclear weapons being stored locally raised a number of issues. People were naturally concerned about the security and safety of such weapons being located on such an important airbase, and in particular what the consequences of any accidents would be. Their fears were fuelled in 1958 when a weapons technician suffering from mental illness, locked himself in an atomic ‘bunker’ with a pistol for some eight hours.

The US authorities naturally played down the event, not quite reaching the point of denying it ever happened, but local people connected with the base, knew better. The base was put into ‘lock down’ and all staff were confined to quarters. Eventually the crisis was aired in the Commons, but reassurances from the American authorities did little to alleviate the worries of the local people.

By the summer of 1958, the B-45s’ days had finally come to a close and they were replaced by the B-66. But the introduction of any new aircraft can be difficult and the B-66 was no different.

One of the first incidents to befall the type at Sculthorpe was on April 14th 1958, when B-66 #54-0422 of the 19th TRS crashed on approach to Sculthorpe whilst attempting a blind landing. The weather at the time was good, but the aircraft was under instruction from the tower and so operating in ‘blind’ conditions. In the accident, which occurred just four miles from the airfield, all three crewmen were sadly killed.

In other cases, a number of aircrew found themselves without hydraulic fluid due to leaks in the undercarriage system. Unable to lower them by hand, they were faced with a difficult decision, and it would not be long before the first such incident would take place.

On July 3rd 1958, RB-66B #54-433 of the 19th TRS, was approaching Sculthorpe after having ‘gone around’, and was unable to lower the port landing gear. Both the starboard and nose wheels were down but the crew were unable to release the port. Deciding to eject from the aircraft, they set the autopilot to take the aircraft out to sea and then ejected.

Unfortunately, and for whatever reason, the aircraft flew in large circles until running out of fuel some twenty-six minutes later crashing just short of thirty miles from the airfield. There were no injuries in the accident but it would be one of several similar incidents to befall the model.

In all though, the B-66 at Sculthorpe only suffered four fatal accidents during its time in Britain, a rather more favourable record than that of its predecessor*⁹.

Long range operations of the 47th BW were gradually taken over by other branches of the US Strategic Air Command (SAC), reaching such a point that inevitably, the 47th’s services were no longer required. On June 22nd, 1962 they were officially disbanded and staff posted elsewhere. The designation was removed from the US military inventory and their remarkable achievements condemned to the history books. Cold War tactics now changing with long range bombing being replaced with more short range tactical aircraft and missiles.

Their departure left just two units at Sculthorpe, the 420th refuelling squadron and a detachment of a weather squadron with a handful of WB-50Ds. Any possibility of a nuclear air strike from Sculthorpe was now completely eliminated.

After this, political talks and imposed de-escalation strategies between the Cold War factions, prevented further deployment of large-scale US bombers on European soil, and so further deployments on this scale would not be seen again in the UK.

Gradually, as nuclear deterrents turned to both missiles and naval based platforms, Sculthorpe’s activity began to slow. Speculation then grew as to the future of the airfield. As early as 1961 it was suggested that there was truth in the reports and that the airfield would close in the near future, a rumour that came as a blow for the locals who had developed good relationships with the Americans.

A year later the announcement was made that it would close, and a gradual run down began. The bitter-sweet pill was made worse by the announcement that the US were also ‘phasing down’ Alconbury and Chelveston, whilst also closing RAF Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire, all ex-wartime airfields extended by the US in the Cold War.

A possible reprieve due to the Cuban Missiles crises led to nothing, and the gradual wind down continued. By March 1964, the number of US personnel on the base stood at around 1,700 plus their dependants, a few civilians and Air Ministry employees*⁷. The 420th then with their outdated KB-50s also departed, and with no staff to administer, the admin and support group (7375th Combat Support Group) was also disbanded. There would be no more operational units to serve at Sculthorpe.

Then the base was returned to RAF ownership, and quickly placed into care and maintenance once more, held open by only a small detachment of support staff. Sections of the site were then sold off and preparations made for the disposal of the rest of the airfield. Some of the housing was retained however, for use by staff at various other airfields locally, primarily West Raynham and Marham.

For two years the base languished. The usual vandalism and stripping of any useful materials took its toll and the the base quickly fell into disrepair. However, all was not yet lost, two years after its closure in 1966, Sculthorpe saw yet another reprieve, when the USAF returned once more after being given their marching orders by the French. The base would act as both a storage facility and a support airfield for the American units at RAF Lakenheath, but the extensive damage was going to take time to repair and cost a considerable amount of money.

Grand ideas for the future of the base were put forward, even using it to test Concorde, the Anglo-French Supersonic airliner that would eventually end its days following a tragic crash in France. But none of these ideas materialised and Sculthorpe remained a standby base used for dispersing aircraft from other airfields.

This reprieve lasted for the next twenty years, but with minimal staffing and no operational units, it was a shadow of its former self. This change of luck did however, temporarily bring new life back to the airfield, with American F-4 Phantoms, C-130s, Galaxys and A-7 Corsairs appearing regularly. The RAF, needing a similar facility for RAF Bolthole operations (used when other airfield runways were resurfaced) also used Sculthorpe as a temporary base; Coltishall for example, basing their Jaguars here temporarily. As a storage facility it would also be used to store and convert foreign aircraft, F-100s, F-104 ‘Starfighters’ and T-33s from air forces overseas. French Mysteres and North American Sabres were also brought here for scrapping and disposal, first bids going to local museums, a process that went on well into the late 1980s. Sculthorpe became a mecca for plane spotters for at least another few years.

Eventually, with the Cold War ending, all this too ceased and in October 1992, Sculthorpe was officially closed, and the remaining handful of staff were posted out elsewhere.

The rise in ‘Soviet Aggression’ and post conflict tensions during the Cold War had secured the immediate post-war future of Sculthorpe. Not only were atomic weapons stored here ready, but a wide range of US aircraft that would otherwise not have been seen on British soil, were also based here. The demise of world peace had been the saviour of Sculthorpe’s future.

Looking at Sculthorpe, it is hard to believe its origins were in the Second World War. Being a real monster of the Cold War, Sculthorpe is clinging on by the skin of its teeth. The accommodation blocks that once housed 10,000 personnel have decayed and are severely vandalised, refurbished areas are now sold off and accommodating local families. A small industrial area has been developed from the technical area, and the local farmer grazes his cattle on the far reaches of the site. Many of the older original buildings have been left to rot and fall down. The MOD still retain ownership of the main part of the site, with a large part of the ancillary areas in private hands, such ownership does prevent some access but a good deal of the site is visible from permissible points.

The original guard-house is no longer manned, and a number of other buildings close by are also empty. A small public track that once took eager plane spotters to the rear of the airfield, still allows views across the north of the now quiet site where a blister hangar continues to stand alone. The control tower that was visible in the distance from this point was demolished with little or no warning in 2022, and a number of original Nissan huts and Second World War buildings still remain hiding amongst new buildings and old developments.

The original name board returned to Sculthorpe 2023.

RAF Sculthorpe – The age of the Jet Bomber (3)

February 3, 2024January 19, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 8 Comments

In Part 2, the war finally came to an end and Sculthorpe closed only to be reopened as a Very Heavy Bomber Base. Reconstruction has taken a number of years and although not fully ready, it starts to accept its new residents.

The first of the aircraft, two of Boeing’s huge B-29s, touched down at Sculthorpe on the 7th February 1949 late in the afternoon. However, six others also deployed to Sculthorpe, had to divert to RAF Lyneham due to the pilots not being able to see the runway in the bad weather. These aircraft would not arrive in Norfolk until later on, and so it was not to be the grand opening that many had wished for.

The deployment of US heavy bombers was seen by some as an extension of the US, and that Britain was becoming a ‘puppet’ of the US Government. The British Government try to make it clear to the public that this was not the case, and that these aircraft were only here on a temporary basis (90 day rotations), and that they were both ‘invited ‘ and did not have a nuclear capability. The Press on the other hand, did not see it quite so clearly.

It didn’t take long before the US 92nd Bomb Group were established at Sculthorpe. A veteran group of the Second World War, the 92nd had a prestigious history and one they would preserve and build upon. Formed of three squadrons, 325th BS, 326th BS and 327th BS, their numbers would swell staffing levels to almost 1,400, including both RAF and US personnel.

Various officials attended Sculthorpe’s many opening events, but the start of a new era was marred by a tragic mishap in late February, when an armourer, Corporal Turcell, was killed when one of the B-29’s guns he was cleaning accidentally discharged. It would unfortunately be the first of many tragedies to befall those at Sculthorpe over the coming years.*⁷

In March the airfield was officially opened with both the Union Flag and the Stars and Stripes being raised simultaneously. Behind the scenes however, construction work continued, with only half of the proposed six ‘Z’ blocks ready to take new residents and only sixty-two of the proposed married quarters being completed, it was far from ready.

A large part of Sculthorpe has been left to rot, piece by piece. These are the former RAF HQ and later the USAF Wing HQ.

The work carried on throughout the initial deployment and 90 days quickly passed. The 92nd’s placement at Sculthorpe soon came to an end and no sooner had they arrived then they began their journey back home to the United States. A relatively uneventful opening had come to a close.

The next of the rotations would take little time in coming. The intensity of each deployment getting greater each time, and even though the Berlin Blockade had come to an end, tensions remained very high right across Europe.

As the 92nd pulled out, a further three squadrons of B-29s began to arrive. Having already been in Japan, the three units the 343rd, 344th and 345th BS began by carrying out a number of exercises with the RAF, which included over June and July, the first multinational exercise code named “Foil“. Like many that would follow, this involved mock attacks by US and RAF bombers whilst fighters from the UK, US and Netherlands attempted to intercept them using camera guns. A successful exercise it gave rise to some interesting comparisons between the US and RAF aircraft, with many surprises in store.

As with the first deployment, the arrival of the B-29s did not all go to plan though, as on July 21st 1949, whilst transferring across from the US, one of them #44-62191 ‘suffered problems’ when its number 3 engine caught fire causing it to crash in an orchard at West Walton, 2 miles east of Wisbech in Cambridgeshire. The aircraft, a Boeing B-29A-65-BN, had a crew of twelve on board, and when it became clear that they were not going to make it, they decided to abandon the aircraft and leave it to its fate.

All twelve of the crew successfully departed the aircraft landing nearby, but in doing so, two of them sustained serious, but not thought to have been life threatening injuries after exiting. The worst, suffered by the pilot, was a possible fractured skull whilst a second crewman suffered a fractured leg; it is believed both airmen made full recoveries. The aircraft itself ultimately crashed, landing in a field east of the small Fenland market town. The remains were quickly retrieved and some parts ended up in the local Fenland and West Norfolk Aviation Museum located in Wisbech. Now sadly closed, they were transferred to the Sculthorpe Heritage Centre located at Sculthorpe.

The 90 day rotations continued unabated. The next deployment bringing two different models; firstly the 63rd BS (43rd BG) with the extended B-29 the B50A ‘Stratobomber’ along with three refuelling aircraft the KB-29M, also a modified version of the B-29 with its turrets removed and refuelling facilities added.

What was perhaps more significant with this move was that the B-29 ‘Lucky Lady II‘ was part of this group. She and her crew had completed a ninety-four hour flight non-stop around the world, being refuelled four times in the air. This achievement sent out a major message to all those would be aggressors, wherever they may be in the world, that they were not beyond the range of the US heavy bombers.

As 1949 drew to a close, one other unit, 19th BS (22nd BG), would complete its rotation at Sculthorpe replacing the 63rd in November. It too brought another version of the B-29 the RB-29, a reconnaissance version of the heavy bomber. In support of this, a further unit would arrive in December, the 23rd Reconnaissance Squadron, bringing yet more versions of the B-29 to the airfield.

Tragedy then struck again in June 1950 when an RB-29A #42-94081, took off on a routine air test and gunnery exercise. During the exercise the outer engine was hit by the aircraft’s own guns setting it on fire. The aircraft was then difficult to control and the pilot ordered the crew to bale out. As the B-29 hit the sea, three airmen, including the captain were still onboard; he failed to reach the aircraft’s dingy and sadly died as a result. Of the thirteen airmen on board seven lost their lives that day.

The watch office in a setting sun. This was ‘secretly’ demolished at short notice in March 2022.

The east/west crises continued with the war in Korea. The threat of an escalation spilling over into Europe led to a call for all US bases in Europe to be brought to full strength and further sites opened. Sculthorpe began its preparations and as the 301st BG and the 72nd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron both departed for other UK bases, the site was left ready for the arrival of the 97th Bomb Group and their B-50Ds.

This move signalled the beginning of a huge influx of men and machinery at Sculthorpe. Anti-aircraft batteries were brought in, along with ground units to defend the site from any possible attack. A range of aircraft support units also arrived boosting staffing considerably. With just over 400 RAF personnel, 1,800 US personnel and in excess of 600 army personnel, the quantity of men and women on the base was now as high as it had been during the Second World War.

With further deployments and new, larger aircraft arriving, not only was the need for further accommodation matched by the need for larger additional hardstands for the new bombers – the B-50 and B-36 ‘Peacemaker’, but the runways had to be extended even further, and an additional 1,200 feet was added calling for yet another diversion of the local road network.

In early 1951, after some friction between the RAF and US staff on the base, Sculthorpe, like both Mildenhall and Lakenheath, was officially handed over to the US forces, and although they all retained their RAF designation, they would be operated and maintained by US personnel; a standard that applies even today. It was a move that finally ensured America had its desired firm and permanent foot hold on UK soil.

The Cold War would then take a more devious turn. The arrival of the 323rd Reconnaissance Squadron (of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing) began its 90 day rotation with RB-45C ‘Tornados’, a reconnaissance version of the B-45 four engined bomber – the first if its kind to land on British soil. After landing at RAF Manston, the 323rd moved to Sculthorpe, where it would carry out ELINT (Electronic Intelligence Gathering) and mapping operations of western Europe. This intelligence gathering was not new, but since the end of the war, it had become more clandestine and difficult due to the clamp down by the Soviets on western spies.

Sculthorpe had now entered a new world, the Soviets had developed their own atomic bomb, and using a B-29 obtained at the end of the Second World War, reversed engineered it to provide a means by which to deliver it. The West had to find out more, and aerial reconnaissance was the only viable method with which to establish the location and number of such facilities.

There then followed extensive talks between the US and British Governments regarding Soviet ‘overflights’, western aircraft flying through Soviet airspace photographing and recording Soviet ground positions, SAM sites, airfields etc. Whilst not a new tactic, it was certainly a dangerous one, and one that could lead to all out atomic war should it go wrong.

Sculthorpe’s last remaining Blister hangar in a low setting sun.

As a result of these talks, the ‘Special Duties Flight Sculthorpe’ was formed, working in conjunction with the various squadrons of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. RAF crews consisting of two pilots and a navigator, were flown to America for a period of extensive training on the RB-45. By the end of 1951, the course was complete and they returned to Sculthorpe to continue with further training along side crews of the 91st Wing in Norfolk.

This was a British unit, led by Squadron Leader John Crampton (who replaced the initial choice Sqn. Ldr. Micky Martin of the ‘Dambusters’ fame, as he had failed a high altitude medical examination) and was designed in part, to perform deep penetration flights into Soviet airspace carrying out reconnaissance missions for Britain’s planned ‘V’ Bomber force. It would also supply the Americans with substantial information for their own tactical use.

Four RB-45Cs were converted (including one spare), flown to RAF West Raynham they were stripped of all their American markings (allowing them to deny any knowledge of such activity) before their RAF insignia were applied (The RAF would deny ever having operated these aircraft). They were then returned to Sculthorpe as British aircraft operated by British crews. The flights would be code named Operation ‘Ju-jitsu‘, and would follow the same track that the British ‘V’ bombers would take in the event of all out war.

Initially three routes were chosen, one of which took the aircraft close to Moscow; a second flew to the Baltics and the last to southern Russia. To ‘protect’ crews, they were issued with false papers and maps, and told, if caught, to explain that, rather implausibly, they had simply become incredibly lost! Failure of the mission would therefore require a high degree of gullibility on the part of the Russians.

Only two such flights were ever made, each with three aircraft; the first on 17th/18th April 1952, and the second on 28th/29th April 1954*⁶. The first occurred without any Soviet intervention, but they were understandably outraged and an investigation was carried out immediately.

After the first flight, the crews were congratulated by General LeMay, and the unit was then disbanded. However, it was reformed again, also at Sculthorpe, in 1954 (after a second such temporary reformation in September 1952 which was quickly disbanded again) and a second flight was made. This time the Soviets were ready for them. After having evaluated their air defence network they were far better prepared and the RAF crews were at a much greater level of danger than during their initial flights.

Whilst Soviet SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles) were impotent in that they had no guidance system, and it was thought Flak was unable to reach the high flying RB-45s, the trip would still be a dangerous one and strict radio silence was to be maintained by the crews. The flight itself turned out to be relatively uneventful, but Squadron Leader Crampton did witness Flak, and noticing that, whilst generally ineffective, it was indeed exploding at their height. Bursts were sufficiently close to convince the crews on board that a hasty return to the West was the better option, and a halt was called to the flight.

Some time after the operation, it was revealed that Soviet Mig pilots were instructed to ram the RB-45Cs as they had no suitable radar with which to track the intruders. However, no such contact was made and so thankfully the need never arose.

The unit was then again disbanded and all flights by them ceased for good. The consequences and risk of flying over Soviet territory now considered far too high.

1952 was a busy year at Sculthorpe, it went on to see the deployment of the 47th Bomb Wing (formally the 47th BG) of the Strategic Air Command from the United States. This wing consisted of the 84th, 85th, and 86th BS, along with the 420th Refuelling Sqn and the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Sqn. These units operated a number of aircraft types including both the aforementioned B-45C and RB-45C, along with the B-66, KB-29, and KB-50 aircraft.

The 47th was activated on March 12th 1951, initially as the 47th Bombardment Wing (BW) but with just two squadrons – the 84th and 85th. As a new unit, it had the honour of being not only the first, but the only jet powered medium bomber Wing in the US Air Force. With NATO becoming more established and nuclear weapons arsenals expanding at a great rate of knots, the 47th were posted to Sculthorpe to provide an airborne nuclear strike force in support of NATO forces who would be operating on the ground in any future conflict.

The B-45 achieved many “firsts.” It was the first US four-engine jet bomber to fly; the first American production jet bomber; the first jet bomber capable of carrying an atomic bomb; and the first multi-jet reconnaissance aircraft to refuel in mid-air. These were based at Sculthorpe between 1952-1958, with the 47th Bomb Wing (Light) along with RB-45Cs from the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and Royal Air Force (RAF) Special Duty Flight. These RAF RB-45 crews flew highly classified reconnaissance missions deep into communist territory. (National Museum of the USAF)

A year later, a third squadron would arrive to join the Group, that of the 422nd BS. Within a month or two of its arrival though, the unit was re-designated as the 86th BS a move that brought it in line with its two sister squadrons. For six years the 47th would operate out of Sculthorpe acting as a nuclear support unit for NATO forces in Europe.

The influx of US personnel not only impacted on the immediate and local community, but much further afield as well. In 1953, it cemented strong relations with the people of Norfolk as a whole and in particular those of the coastal town of Hunstanton, when severe floods claimed over 300 lives nationally and 100 locally; some of these were families of those located at the base living in austerity houses near to the seafront.

However, it was more the actions of the personnel at Sculthorpe that led to this unique relationship. When the floods came, staff at Sculthorpe rallied round and attempted rescues of those stranded by the high waters. One such man was 22 year old Airman 2nd Class, Reis Leming of the 67th Air Rescue Squadron, who even as a non-swimmer, braved the freezing waters to rescue no less than twenty-seven people using dinghies from B-29s. His brave and selfless act won him the Soldier’s Medal from the US forces and the British George Medal.

Airman 2nd Class, Reis Leming of the 67th Air Rescue Squadron was awarded the George Medal for his brave act on the night of 31st January 1953.

Various other personnel also received awards for their bravery. These included Staff Sergeant Freeman kilpatrick, (George Medal); Airman 1st Class Jimmy Brown and Technical Sergeant John Germaine (Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct); Airman 1st Class Jake Smith (British Empire Medal) and Major Julian Perkinson (Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire). Both Leming and Kilpatrick have roads in Hunstanton named after them and a plaque dedicated to those who lost their lives stands by the town’s war memorial alongside the Union Flag and the Stars and Stripes*⁷.

As the 1950s progressed the influx of personnel reached its maximum with some 10,000 personnel being associated with the airfield. The 47th remained the main force located at Sculthorpe but as a division, there would be other, more tactical short range aircraft, also present here. At any time, the 47th could put up between forty and fifty aircraft*⁷, predominately the B-45, in response to events either in Europe or across the world.

Joint operations continued between the Americans and RAF; including ground forces carrying out training operations ‘attacking’ the airfield to test the defenders in case of war, and training flights assisting gunnery battalions along the north Norfolk coast.

The build up of nuclear weapons also increased, weapon sizes were now more modest although the punch they packed was considerably greater than the original bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Smaller and faster aircraft could carry these weapons and both were being stored at Sculthorpe. The unfortunate release of this information, soon became media headlines, and quickly became widely known. This plainly identified Sculthorpe as a major site from which any future nuclear attack would come.

The swelling of personnel numbers at Sculthorpe would be further aided by the arrival of the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS) and yet more RB-45Cs. Headed by the wartime and Korean veteran Major John Anderson, they would photograph Soviet movements along with installations both along and over the delicate east-west border.

In the final part, Sculthorpe maintains its status as a leading nuclear bomber base, housing US bombers and reconnaissance aircraft on this enormous site. East-West relations deteriorate further but there is hope for the future. In the meantime, bigger and more powerful jet bombers arrive.

The full story can be read in Trail 21.

RAF Sculthorpe – The War ends and the Americans arrive (2)

January 27, 2024January 29, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 5 Comments

In Part 1, we saw how Sculthorpe was developed and how it became an airfield in its own right. 2 Group had taken charge and brought in it light bombers, but all would no go to plan.

Meanwhile 464 and 487 Sqn had both been flying operationally, October 9th being the blackest day yet for the New Zealanders, when twelve Mosquitoes were dispatched for the first operations over occupied territory. An attack on Metz was planned but owing to bad weather only one or two aircraft managed to find the target. After dropping their bombs it wasn’t clear whether the target was hit or not, but worse news was yet to come. The formation, which had been dispersed due to poor weather, was being led by Wing Commander Alan G. Wilson DFC along with his navigator F.O. Donald C. F. Bridgman of 487 Sqn. During the attack the formation encountered severe anti-aircraft fire, and Wilson’s aircraft (HX965) was repeatedly hit. The navigator sustained mortal wounds and the aircraft was set on fire. In a desperate attempt to clear the fire, Wing Commander Wilson had to douse the flames with his hands resulting in extensive burns and injury. After fighting the fire, Wilson managed to eject the now smouldering material from the aircraft, but considerable damage had been done. Now flying on his own with his mortally wounded companion beside him, Wilson showed extreme courage and determination, flying the stricken aircraft back to England where he made a successful crash landing at RAF Manston in Kent.

Accomodation blck adjacent to the guard room

Blocks adjacent to the Guard Room.

A second aircraft (HX912), flown by Flt. Lt. Phillip C. C. Kerr and F.O. Bernard J. E. Hannan (464 Sqn) – was less lucky, both pilot and navigator being killed when the aircraft dropped its bombs at low level. It is believed the subsequent explosion also blew up the Mosquito they were flying.

On a separate operation to attack the aircraft engine factory at Woippy in France, Mosquito HX938 piloted by Sqn. Ldr. Walter F. Wallington DFC and navigator P.O. James H. Fawdrraf, dropped its bombs by accident and crashed. This time, both airmen managed to bail out, but some thirty people on the ground were killed. Sqn. Ldr. Wallington managed to evade capture but P.O. Fawdrraf was not so lucky and was soon picked up by German ground forces.

The same fate did not befall two more 487 Sqn airmen that day. Flt. Lt. Edgar W. P. Court and Flt. Lt. Jack B. Sands were both killed when their Mosquito (HX937) blew up whilst flying on one engine near to Antwerp. It had been a very sad day for the Wing, and the loss of several ‘good’ men would be deeply felt by both squadrons.

More rain and strong winds eventually turned Sculthorpe into something that resembled a “seaplane base”, by the end of the month, the entire site was waterlogged. The winds were so severe they were reported to have lifted hut roofs off their mountings causing even more problems for those inside.

On the 22nd – 23rd October, the foul weather momentarily broke and allowed for some bombing practice to take place. On return from the range, one of the 464 Sqn Mosquitoes (HX948) overshot due to an electrical failure with its instruments and crashed onto a hedge at the end of the runway blocking a road as it did so. On the 23rd, in more foul weather, one of 487’s Mosquitoes ‘T’ for Tommy (HX831), did exactly the same thing, coming to rest only feet from the wreck that was previously a Mosquito. As if that was not remarkable enough, a few minutes later one of 21 Sqn’s aircraft (HX956) also overshot, colliding with the 3-ton crane that had been brought in to recover the first aircraft, landing directly on top of the wrecked Mosquito! Miraculously no one was hurt in any of these incidents, but according to 21 Sqn’s ORB “considerable loss of public property sustained“, presumably referring to the pile of wood chippings now sitting at the end of the runway.*⁴The fact that no one was hurt was a miracle in itself, and all the cockpits remaining intact was a sight that gave the personnel at Sculthorpe a great belief in the strength of the Wooden Wonder! But the catastrophe would begin a series of events that would eventually lead to 140 Wing leaving Sculthorpe for good.

By October’s end, the crews of all squadrons were now fully conversant with the new Mosquito, and the supporting Conversion Flight was disbanded; specific training units taking on the role elsewhere.

The harsh winter of 1943-44 would see a special visitor come to Sculthorpe. Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire arrived to discuss, with Pickard, the plausibility of dropping food and clothing to his brother in Sagan (Salag Luft III) using the Mosquito. Cheshire knowing Pickard’s vast experience, thought he was the ideal person to speak to. Whether this was a personal effort to provide comfort to his brother or whether Cheshire was considering the Mosquito for low level precision attacks is not known, but the latter befell the Wing not long after Cheshire’s visit.

The December of 1943 would then bring major changes here at Sculthorpe. On New Year’s Eve, two months after the initial three Mosquito accident, the Wing, along with Pickard and all three Mosquito squadrons, would leave the Norfolk site, taking their Mosquito VIs to RAF Hunsdon. A much smaller airfield, where the overcrowding experienced at Sculthorpe must have been considerably worse.

It was from Hunsdon that Pickard would famously make his last flight. A story goes that Pickard had left his dog ‘Ming’ at Sculthorpe to be looked after whilst he was away. On the day he was shot down, 18th February 1944, on the Amien raid, the dog fell gravely ill. Pickard’s wife, Dorothy, went to get him and sensed that Pickard had been killed after seeing the state of the animal. It took months for Ming to recover, and some years later whilst living in Rhodesia, Ming went outside, looked up to the sky as he always did when Pickard was flying, heard a whistle, collapsed and died.*²

The departure of the Wing effectively left Sculthorpe with no operational units, until on January 6th 1944, when a new and very different squadron began to move in.

Crews from 214 (Federated Malay States) Squadron based under 3 Group at Downham Market, arrived in two waves, the initial group coming across in early January 1944, whilst the main body continued operations flying their Stirling bombers. Those that arrived here quickly settled in, but a lack of decent paths meant that initial training was mixed with the unenviable task of digging and laying of new paths. Whilst attending lectures and link training were the primary tasks for the pilots and Flight Engineers, the gunners and other aircrew were given the more ‘practical’ task of constructing the new paths ready for the remainder of the squadron’s arrival.

Sculthorpe’s bomb store was relocated in the late 1950s and was nuclear capable.

Then on the 25th, the remaining crews and staff of the squadron departed Downham Market, thus ending their link with 3 Group. Once here, flying circuits and more lectures became the order of the day. Additional training on ‘Monica‘ equipment, fighter affiliation tasks and local cross countries then took the squadron to late spring at which point operations began to take place.

The arrival of 214 Sqn heralded more than just a new bomber squadron though, for they would not be flying the Stirling as they had been; instead, they were set up as part of 100 Group, becoming an official member in mid January 1944. Their arrival here would not only see them change Groups but would also see them convert to the American built B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’. Now designated 214 (BS) Sqn, their arrival would bring another major change to Sculthorpe, a change that would continue for the next five months, but would have repercussions for many years to come.

Operating in the Electronic Warfare role within 100 Group, they would carry out radio jamming operations, an early form of Electronic Counter Measures (ECM). The urgency of the conversion, led to the unit taking on fourteen UK based B17-Fs , their ordered ‘G’ models being used as a trade off*³.

The British B-17 (designated Fortress I, II and III) crews were joined by personnel from various U.S. units. Their role was to train and support the air and ground crews in both flying and maintaining the new aircraft, a role they performed well, right into the early summer of 1944. The set up was so successful that American personnel were soon posted in to fly alongside the RAF crews, thus expanding the influence of the Group.

Flying along side other bomber formations, 214 Squadron would use systems including ‘Monica‘ to track or jam enemy radar, they performed ‘spoof’ missions to entice enemy fighters up to them rather than the main force that was attacking targets elsewhere; a rouse that worked well initially.

Fortress B Mark III, HB796, at Prestwick, after being fitted with radio counter-measures equipment by Scottish Aviation Ltd. It served with No. 214 Squadron from November 1944. Equipment fitted included American AN/APS15 radar in the large radome under the nose, Airborne Cigar (ABC) radio-jamming equipment (shown by the large aerial on top of the fuselage), and an Airborne Grocer aircraft radar jamming installation, the aerials of which can be seen on either side of the tail turret. HB796 failed to return from a bomber support mission on 9 February 1945. (© IWM ATP 13090E)

Other operations flown by the Group, included: jamming or swamping German radio communications, jamming navigation aids and searching for new signals that may suggest new or improved German radar.*³ The successes of 100 Group, prompted the setting up of the U.S. 803rd (Prov) BS (H) in March that year, a US Group who would learn from, and perform in the same role as 214 Sqn. Initially taking six veteran crews, all having reached 25 missions, from 96th BG at Snetterton Heath combined with those already at Sculthorpe, they would soon build up to a strength of twelve aircraft all based here at the Norfolk airfield. Of these initial six all but one were fitted with Carpet and Mandrel jamming equipment, whilst the sixth (B-17G) had jammers and search equipment in the form of SCR-587 and Hallicrafters S-27 VHF signals intelligence receivers (SIGINT) to track Luftwaffe radar and radio transmissions.*⁵

However, the initial set up of the unit was seen as ‘messy’ and disorganised with no real focus, a problem that led to delays in preparation, organisation and training. As D-day appeared over the horizon, the U.S. group was distinctly lacking in preparation and action was needed fast. To assist in the training and operations of the Fortress, a further new separate unit was also set up here at Sculthorpe.

From April 24th 1944, 1699 (Fortress Training) Flight who operated each of the Fortress I, II and III, carried out the conversion and training role for these crews, and to speed the process up, they also used the B-24 Liberator along with some smaller examples such as the Avro Anson and Air Speed Oxford. By this time, personnel at Sculthorpe amounted to some 104 RAF Officers, 233 Senior NCOs, 705 airmen, 190 WAAFs of various ranks and 1,073 US Officers, NCOs and airmen*^7.

Then, five months after their arrival, both 214 Sqn and the 803rd were both posted out to RAF Oulton, (May 1944), where they continued with their ECM roles. The 803rd, now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Clayton Scott, began to work on the support of Operation Overlord, and even as late as June 5th, equipment was still being fitted to the aircraft. The Fortress Training Flight moved with the two ECM units and in October it was disbanded and immediately reformed as 1699 (Bomber Support) Conversion Unit, a designation it used for a year before being renamed once more.

The departure of the three squadrons (along with the resident non-flying units) was not a coincidence, for Sculthorpe had been earmarked for redevelopment into a Very Heavy Bomber base (VHB). As soon as the personnel had moved out, it was placed into ‘care and maintenance’ and the workmen from Taylor Woodrow moved in; taking up residence in the now empty nissen huts on Site 3.

And so, US development specialist moved in, after which followed a period of sustained redevelopment of the site. This included the removal and reinstatement of longer runways along with the construction of twelve very heavy bomber hardstands. Surrounding public roads were also diverted and further properties were demolished to make way for the airfield’s expansion. New accommodation blocks, ‘Z’ blocks, were built, and new married quarters were created. The whole process took around three to four years to complete during which time the station was basically closed with only an occasional use keeping it alive; one such operator being the 1510 Beam Approach Beacon System Flight (BABS) based at nearby Bircham Newton.

A further deterioration in east-west relations then led to the Berlin crisis and what has famously become known as the Berlin airlift. The political situation in Europe essentially forced the hand of both Governments to make a final decision, one which resulted in the deployment of sixty (2 Bomb Groups) Very Heavy Bombers at various UK airfields. Whilst these deployments were on a temporary basis only, the decision would however, be the first step on the ladder to the US establishing itself officially, on UK soil for many years to come.

The lack of use over the last few years had meant however, that much of the accommodation at Sculthorpe had deteriorated to an unacceptable level. Damp and rot had set in and more work was now needed to bring it back up to standard before further deployments could take place. Even as this was being carried out though, bombs and other supplies along with, in February 1949, an advanced party of US personnel from the 92nd Bomb Group, began to arrive. As they passed through the main gate so began a new page in Sculthorpe’s history, and soon it would be ready to be an active base once more.

By December 1948, Sculthorpe, operating as a satellite to RAF Marham, began to prepare for its official opening. A somewhat premature move as reconstruction work was still going on and there was much to do before the airfield would be truly ready for its new residents.

In Part 3, Sculthorpe develops further, it receives its new residents and a new page is turned. As relations with the East becoming difficult, a new age dawns and nuclear weapons become the way forward.

The full story can be read in Trail 21.

RAF Sculthorpe – The Beginnings of a New Airfield (1)

January 20, 2024January 21, 2024 / Aviationtrails / 8 Comments

Not long before Christmas, I had the opportunity to return to RAF Sculthorpe to revisit the small collection they had in the Heritage Centre not only before it closed for the season, but before it moved to its new location in the former Chapel on the base. The Chapel itself, was hugely overgrown and in a very poor state after being left vacant for many years, but has been painstakingly refurbished, by the volunteers at the centre, with an aim to opening early this year (2024).

This gave me an opportunity to also revisit the airfield and see how it had fared.

RAF Sculthorpe

Sculthorpe airfield is located a few miles to the north-west of the town of Fakenham in Norfolk, in a parish that has links as far back as the Romans and even pre-historic eras. The airfield itself however, has its origins more recently in the latter part of the Second World War, but it has a much larger claim to fame , and one that it still retains to this day.

A former American school and more recently a shop now derelict and forgotten.

Designed initially as a heavy bomber site, and satellite to RAF West Raynham, Sculthorpe would initially be built with three runways, ten accommodation sites, a bomb store and a large technical area. Over time, these runways were extended to one of 12,000ft and two of 6,000ft, and all made of concrete. By the end of its life, its accommodation area would have grown enormously, as would its technical and administration sites, housing at its height, 10,000 personnel and their families. Such enormous facilities along with the fact that it was capable of holding around 100 aircraft, gave Sculthorpe the ability to boast being one of the biggest airfields in Western Europe, an honour it retains to this day.

Built by a collection of major companies including: Bovis Ltd, John Laing & Sons, and Constable Hart & Co. Ltd; it would boast as many as five major hangars – one B1 and four T2s, along with nine blister hangars all located around the site. Around the perimeter there would be 36 hardstands, many of which would be absorbed during extension work leaving 29 by 1958.

Although built in the Second World War, Sculthorpe had a limited War life, its heyday coming much later in the Cold War, during which time it became a major nuclear capable airfield housing American bombers on 90 day rotations.

Initially though, following a reshuffle of Bomber Command, it fell under the control of 2 Group Bomber Command but the first users of the airfield were not the bomber crews but the personnel of the 11 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section along with 2 Heavy Glider Maintenance Unit, who both moved in during early 1943, before the site was officially opened. As non-flying units they prepared, repaired and maintained thirty-two Horsa gliders, many of which would have been used the following year in the Normandy invasion. These units remained in situ at Sculthorpe for almost a year, departing mid March 1944.

2 Group were formed primarily of light bombers, and on May 15th 1943, the first of the main residents arrived in the form of Boston IIIAs belonging to 342 (Lorraine) Squadron.

342 Sqn had originally been set up as a Free French squadron in September 1941, operating in the Middle East with French crews. Their time there had not been good though, with many losses as a result of flying what were now considered ‘out of date’ aircraft – the Blenheim. It was then decided, after talks between the RAF and General Valin, the Commander of the Free French Air Force, to bring these men back and retrain them on more modern aircraft, and so in September 1942, orders from the UK directed many of these airmen back to the UK. Sadly however, during their return voyage, two of the four ships that were used to transport them, were sunk by German U-boats, and many of the personnel were lost at sea.

Once in the UK, refresher courses were undertaken with 342 Sqn being officially re-formed on April 1st 1943, using these French personnel at nearby RAF West Raynham . Once formed, training continued, followed not long after by the first loss, when one of the aircraft attempted an emergency landing after running out of fuel. That aside, the Boston IIIa, or A20, they were now using, was considered a much improved model compared to the Blenheim, with both greater power and better armament, and was far more suited to the role it was about to perform.

Following further training, the squadron finally transferred over to Sculthorpe on May 15th 1943, where crews attended lectures on “evasive action and fighter control”. Two further crashes would cost the squadron several more airmen, some of whom were highly experienced and valued members of the unit.

As the saying goes, any port in a storm, and Sculthorpe provided that port. On May 19th, an American B-17 was forced to make an emergency landing at the airfield. On board the aircraft were three injured crewmen, the ball turret gunner, and the two waist gunners. The Ball Turret Gunner was given urgent medical assistance, but unfortunately he later died from those injuries, whilst the two waist gunners, both with frost bite to their hands and ears, thankfully survived. A second B-17 landed some time after the landing and collected the crewmen, transferring them back to their own base where they received further medical assistance.

There then came yet another change at Sculthorpe, as the Free French unit was combined with two other squadrons, 88 and 107 to form the new 137 Wing; a Wing made up of both French and British units. On June 12th 1943, under the new Wing, 342 Sqn’s first operational flight took place, a ‘circus’ raid undertaken in conjunction with 107 Sqn. These types of operations would become the norm for the next month, and whilst there were some losses, they were thankfully light. In mid July, orders came through for the unit to depart Sculthorpe and move to nearby RAF Great Massingham, a move that was well organised and one that went smoothly. By the evening of July 19th all but two aircraft had departed Sculthorpe, and crews were settling in well to their new home.

There was no let up at Sculthorpe though, as over the next two days two more squadrons would move in to the now vacant premises. Orders for the transfer of both 464 (RAAF) and 487 (RNZAF) Squadrons were received with mixed emotions though. To make things worse, the transfer of both men and machinery did not go totally to plan and only happened following a change in operations and planning. Both Squadrons had been flying from RAF Methwold, an airfield not far from Sculthorpe, as light bomber units with Lockheed’s Venturas. They regularly attacked targets in western Europe, often without fighter escort, which resulted in some heavy losses for the units.

The Commissary and BX next door are still on site today

It was whilst at Methwold that Sqn. Ldr. Leonard Trent would perform so bravely receiving the Victoria Cross for his actions on May 3rd, 1943, with 487 (RNZAF) Sqn. The whole process began in mid June with an initial order requiring 464 (RAAF) Sqn, to move to Dunsfold, however, that move never materialised, the order being cancelled on July 4th. This meant that preparations would stop, and the squadron would remain at Methwold. They then entered a period of training, the weather having curtailed many operational flights for both this unit and others across the UK.

Then on July 10th, the weather broke just enough for an operational flight to be carried out by 464 Sqn, attacking targets at St. Omer. These were hit with great success; the 487 squadron commander commenting “a wizard piece of bombing”, but still the squadron awaited, with anticipation, news of its next posting. Then two days later, whilst a contingent of the Australian press where visiting, news came through that the two units were to change its aircraft for Mosquitoes, and that the pilots would be fully trained within 6 weeks. The swap although not what was expected, was generally accepted well by the squadrons, but it brought disappointment for both the wireless operators and air gunners of each unit, who would have no place on board the two-seat ‘Mossie’, and would have to be transferred out.

Following a period of further training, the long awaited news finally arrived. For 487 Sqn it arrived on July 16th, noted as ‘Panic day’, and on July 17th for 464 Sqn. Both squadrons would now transfer over to Sculthorpe. In preparation, 464 Sqn’s station adjutant visited the new airfield on the 19th to assess its condition, but he was not impressed! He reported that “there was very little of it to work in comfort and everything is drastically dispersed.”*¹ His aggrieved feelings about the site were further exasperated by a lack of office space, the only silver lining to the whole move, being that more accommodation was apparently ‘in the pipeline’.

487 were the first to transfer. On the 19th, the advance party left Methwold followed in the early afternoon of the 20th by the main road party. The aircraft and crews then transferred over an hour or so after them. On the 21st the aircraft of 464 Sqn also departed Methwold, the departure tinged with sadness as many were sorry to be leaving what had been a good home. The weather typical as it is, once again closed in, and several aircraft had to try two or three times before finally getting down safely at Sculthorpe. Fortunately there were no mishaps and all crews and aircraft arrived safely.

By the evening all personnel were unpacked and settling down for the night. The lack of buildings became quickly evident though, a fact made worse by the lack of bicycles, Sculthorpe being so widespread meant it was difficult to get around without transport. As a result, more bikes were needed and an order was placed with an urgent request. Coinciding with this, was a memo informing staff, of the impending move to form a new headquarters here, a move which would see both new recruits along with an increase in staffing levels. This was a further worry as there was still insufficient accommodation for those already here.

The month ended on a better note however, with good weather, night sorties and training on new equipment gave a hint of things to come. A new station Commander also arrived at this time, in the form of Group Captain P.C. Pickard DSO, DFC, once again hopes for the two squadrons were rising. Pickard’s arrival was by no means a coincidence – a new Wing was being formed and he had been chosen to lead it. Pickard’s record as a leader was outstanding, and he had been hand picked, for the role, by none other than Air Vice Marshall Basil Embry.

Pickard’s role here at Sculthorpe was to set up and command 140 Wing, a new unit consisting of three Mosquito squadrons, under the control of 2 Group of the Second Tactical Air Force headed by Embry himself. Even while the new Wing was being formed, training continued for those already here at Sculthorpe. On August 18th, whilst on one such flight, one of the Venturas (AE668) of 464 Sqn crashed into a Welsh hillside at Llandwrog, with the loss of all four crewmen. What was unusual, and concerning, was why the aircraft was so far off course at the time; the Welsh mountains not being where the aircraft should have been. It was not known why the aircraft crashed nor indeed whether the deviation of course was a factor in the accident, but it was a heart felt tragedy and the squadron’s first accident whilst at Sculthorpe.

Three days after this, on August 21st, the first of the new replacement aircraft arrived, two D.H. Mosquitoes, a milestone that coincided the following day with the setting up of a Mosquito Conversion Flight. The purpose of the Flight was to convert Ventura aircrew from both 464 and 487 Sqns over to the Mosquito.

Flying was slow to start with, as appalling weather prevented any chance of taking off even in the day-time, a situation that would prevail for some time. By now, the new postings for the surplus gunners of both units had begun to filter through, and gradually, one by one, they trickled out of Sculthorpe to their new respective squadrons elsewhere. It wasn’t just the aircrew that were being posted out either, a number of tradesmen were also posted out, but oddly enough, they were not being replaced. The distinct lack of skilled technical personnel soon raised alarm bells amongst the units, for as a Mosquito squadron, 487 had no carpenters, and other skilled workers were becoming distinctly lacking.

Mosquito FB Mk VIs (HX965 ‘EG-C’ leading) of No. 487 Squadron, lined up at Sculthorpe, prior to taking off on the first Mosquito raid mounted by No. 140 Wing. 24 aircraft from 464 and 487 Squadron RNZAF successfully attacked two power stations in France without loss. (©IWM HU 81325)

By early September Mosquito numbers had reached well into double figures, the lack of manpower was now the issue which was being made worse by the lack of spares, a situation that led to many aircraft being classed as unserviceable. A common problem seemed to be the undercarriage, repairs taking longer than usual keeping aircraft annoyingly grounded.

The 15th September 1943 saw another significant turn in the status of Sculthorpe, as it gained its own independence and became an operational airfield in its own right. With this, Sculthorpe had finally grown up. On the 28th, the numbers of aircraft on the books had reached over 70 when another squadron (21) arrived to join both 464 and 487 thus completing the formation of the Wing. The ORB for 464 Sqn stating that the airfield was not built for three squadrons (and a conversion flight) and that overcrowding was now a major issue for those based here at a cold and wet Sculthorpe.

21 Sqn was another Ventura unit, themselves having a history as far back as 1915, and very soon after their arrival, they too, would begin to receive the Mosquito. As with 464 and 487 Sqns, pilots were quickly placed on the conversion course flying with the Conversion Flight at Sculthorpe, the transition from Ventura to Mosquito being expedited with all speed.

By the 4th October, virtually all pilots had converted and completed cross country solo flights at low level. Only the incident on the 1st, when Flt. Lt. Henderson suffered engine trouble and subsequent fire, marred the otherwise rapid and clean transfer across. In the incident, Flt. Lt. Henderson managed to bring the aircraft down safely at RAF Attlebridge. Other good news for the unit was that those in the administration offices were now able to move from their cold and unsuitable temporary accommodation block to a new permanent building, this new block being the ‘best they had experienced since leaving RAF Oulton‘. Improvements were indeed coming but they were somewhat slow.

In Part 2 the two squadrons fly operationally, but it would not be the great start they had wished for. There would be further changes and more new arrivals at the airfield and larger four-engined bombers would also arrive.The full story can be read in Trail 21.

Aviation Trails

A trail around Britain's historical airfields many lost to developers or mother nature herself. Come along on a voyage of discovery and nostalgia.

RCAF

Operation ‘Fuller’ – “The Channel Dash”.

RAF Fersfield – where history was changed forever.

RAF Fersfield (Station 140/554)

Mosquito Mk.VIs involved in the Operation Carthage,*³.

No 487 Squadron

No 464 Squadron

No 21 Squadron

RAF Hunsdon – The Mosquito Bites (Part 4)

RAF Hunsdon – The Arrival of the Mosquito (Part 3)

RAF Hunsdon – The end of the Turbinlite (Part 2)

RAF Hunsdon – The beginnings of Turbinlite (Part 1)

RAF Hunsdon

RAF Sculthorpe – The Cold War continues but the end is in sight (4)

RAF Sculthorpe – The age of the Jet Bomber (3)

RAF Sculthorpe – The War ends and the Americans arrive (2)

RAF Sculthorpe – The Beginnings of a New Airfield (1)

RAF Sculthorpe

Share this:

RAF Fersfield (Station 140/554)

Mosquito Mk.VIs involved in the Operation Carthage,*3.

No 487 Squadron

No 464 Squadron

No 21 Squadron

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

RAF Hunsdon

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

RAF Sculthorpe

Share this:

Mosquito Mk.VIs involved in the Operation Carthage,*³.