by Gill Griffin
20 June: To Catfoss. I believe my passenger was ACW M.S. (Peggy) Snashall, our Orderly Room secretary and assistant to F/Lt Simms, the Adjutant. I kept in contact later and visited her many times. On our first meeting after the war, she congratulated me on receiving an AFC and would not believe it when I said I had not received the award as she had typed the citation. It would seem that a change of CO caused the medal to go to one of his favourites.
24 June: This was the last attempt to get ‘my’ 190 flying again. The airscrew pitch control on the 190 was by an electrically operated unit called the kommandgerat. On this flight it developed a fault which caused the pitch to change from fine (for take-off) to full-course, thus stalling the engine. Luckily I was over the airfield boundary on the downwind leg and was able to make an emergency landing. However, as I did not fancy a deadstick touchdown with a closed canopy, I operated the hood jettison device, which was the only damage. So in fact, this was not a prang.
As our programme with PM679 was virtually complete and as other 190s were now falling into our hands, it was decided not to attempt further repairs. PM679 was sent to Colley Weston to be used by 1426 Flight for spares. I was very lucky to survive the two forced landings, as similar trouble at 1426 Flight caused their 190 to catch fire and crash on 13th October 1944. The pilot, F/Lt E.R. Lewendon, was killed.
Summary for:- June 1944 1. Spitfire 10–45
Unit:- AFDU Wittering 2. FW 190 −05
Date:- 3/7/44 3. Oxford 2–10
Signature:- H.L. Thorne
Signed T.S. Wade S/Ldr
O/C Flying AFDU
8
MUSTANGS AND OTHERS
YEAR 1944 AIRCRAFT Pilot or 1st Pilot 2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass. DUTY (Including Results and Remarks) Flying Time Passenger
MONTH DATE Type No. Dual Solo
July 8th Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Camera −45
Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Camera −45
9th Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Air to ground firing −55
10th Spitfire VII BS229 Self Air test −30
11th Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Air to ground firing −45
12th Oxford V3791 Self Lt Wurley Local −25
Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Weather test −20
13th Proctor DX220 Self S/Ldr Murray To Thorney Island 1–20
Proctor DX220 Self To base 1–05
14th Tempest JN757 Self Speed runs and climbs −25
Tempest JN757 Self Speed runs and climbs −40
15th Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Guns and camera −40
Proctor DX220 F/Lt Lane Self Weather test −15
16th Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Film smoke from Hellcat −20
Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Guns and camera −40
Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Film smoke from Hellcat −15
Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Film smoke from Hellcat −15
Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Cannons and camera −35
17th Spitfire IX MH415 Self Bombing −35
18th Spitfire Vb AD318 Self Cannons and camera 1–10
Mustang III FZ107 Self Air test −30
19th Mustang III FZ107 Self Bomb dropping −35
Mustang III FZ107 Self Bomb dropping −30
20th Spitfire IX MH415 Self Bombing −45
22nd Mustang III FZ107 Self Local −20
23rd Oxford V3791 Self F/Lt Hill Observe nickel dropping −45
Mustang III FZ107 Self Observe nickel dropping −35
26th Mustang III FZ124 Self Target & tests on gyro gun sight −45
27th Mustang III FZ124 Self Guns & sighting test −35
28th Mustang III FZ124 Self Guns & sighting test −30
29th Mustang III FZ107 Self Observe nickels −45
30th Mustang III FZ107 Self Handling for bombing −50
31st Spifire IX BS552 Self Bombing −50
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 1,037 hours 25 mins 3–30 10–20
60–00 963–35 16–15
12 July: The Oxford flight was for a local army officer (‘Brown Job’) from the searchlight post.
14 July: It was about this time that the first V1 flying bombs started to be used against England. The Tempest was one of the planes that were fast enough to catch a V1 in level flight, hence the continued interest in top speeds.
15 July: Weather tests in July? Must have been a period of anticyclonic gloom!
16 July: The first flight was cut short when I saw a black stream of oil pouring back from the NAFDU Hellcat’s engine cowling. The Fleet Air Arm pilot just managed to land before the engine seized up. The trouble proved to be nothing serious, just a loose filler cap.
These flights were for the deliberate ejection of smoke for the purpose of laying down a smoke screen.
19 July: This was low-level bombing using 20 lb. smoke bombs. For these trials we did not use the Holbeach coastal ranges but a disused, small grass airfield. A very low approach at a fast cruising speed was exciting but the accuracy was poor.
23 July: I am puzzled by this entry as nickel (code name for strips of aluminium foil) was used by bombers to confuse radar. I can only assume that this was a co-operation exercise with Bomber Command.
28 July: On a nice, bright, sunny summer day it was very pleasant to buzz around in a Mustang but with the moulded bubble or teardrop canopy, it could get very warm in the cockpit. I used to wear a pair of white drill overalls and on one occasion I wore only a pair of trunks underneath. Due to a minor fault I had to land away from base to get it fixed, which should have taken only a few minutes. In fact, it took three hours and I was stuck with the aeroplane, unable to visit the Officers’ Mess for a drink or a snack. It taught me a sharp lesson and I did not repeat the lightweight dress code!
Summary for:- July 1944 1. Spitfire 10–05
Unit:- AFDU Wittering 2. Mustang 5–55
Date:- 4/8/44 3. Proctor 2–40
Signature:- H.L. Thorne 4 Tempest 1–05
5. Oxford 1–10
Signed: T.S. Wade S/Ldr
O/C Flying AFDU
Certificate for a ‘Mention in a Despatch’. This one was awarded for flight testing various Allied fighters but particularly flying a captured German Focke Wulf 190A–3 fighter under operational conditions in comparative trials against Allied, RAF and FAA fighter aircraft and flying combat demonstrations at various UK fighter airfields.
AFDU Officers’ Mess, Wittering, August/September 1944. Dinner to welcome new W/Co Alan Wright and to say goodbye to W/Co Blackadder. Top of table. W/Co Allan Wright. Left, from top: Station Commander; G/Cpt Gillam?; S/Ldr T.S. ‘Wimpy’ Wade (DFC, AFC, killed April 1951); NAFDU Officer F/Lt H.L. ‘Len’ Thorne; F/Lt W.A. ‘Otto’ Waterton (GM, AFC & Star) (Canadian); F/O Roy Hussey; F/O Bob Henderson; ‘Boffin’ Mr. Gould. Right: W/Co Blackadder, ‘The Bladder’; F/Lt ‘Simmie’ Simms (Unit Adjutant); F/Lt Lang (Unit Eng. Officer); F/Lt ‘Cappy’ Lane (Australian); F.O Chadwick (Photographic Officer); F/Lt A.W. ‘Bill’ Burge (New Zealand). Another Boffin.
YEAR 1944 AIRCRAFT Pilot or 1st Pilot 2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass. DUTY (Including Results and Remarks) Flying Time Passenger
MONTH DATE Type No. Dual Solo
August 3rd Spitfire V AD318 Self Air test −10
4th Spitfire IX BS552 Self Bombing −45
Spitfire IX MH415 Self Bombing −45
6th Spitfire V AD318 Self Photography −35
7th Spitfire IX MH415 Self Bombing −40
9th Spitfire V AD318 Self Photography −20
Spitfire IX 251 Self 1 × 500lb bomb & 2 × 250lb bombs −55
Proctor DX220 Self F/Lt Simms, LAC Hunt To Doncaster −45
Proctor DX220 Self F/Lt Simms, LAC Hunt Doncaster to Wittering −35
10th Spitfire XIV 650 Self To Westcott −40
Spitfire XIV 650 Self To base −30
11th Mustang III FZ107 Self Bombing 1–00
Proctor DX220 Self Mr Gould Farnborough via Sutton Bridge 1–40
Proctor DX220 Self Mr Gould To base −50
12th Mustang III FZ107 Self Bombing 1–05
13th Boston BZ363 Self Local −40
14th Spitfire XIV RH179 Self Test curved windscreen −30
Spitfire XIV RM689 Self Test curved windscreen −30
17th Spitfire V AD318 Self Film Corsair 1–00
Spitfire V AD318 Self Film Corsair −10
20th Spitfire IX MH415 Self Air test −10
23th Spitfire V AD318 Self Film Corsair −30
24th Tempest 757 Self Local −35
25th Mustang III FZ107 Self Local −35
Mustang III FZ107 Self Bombing 1–10
26th Spitfire V AD318 Self Film Corsair −45
27th Boston III ? Self Local −30
29th Anson 184 Self LAC Hunt To Doncaster −35
30th Anson 184 Self LAC Hunt To base −35
31st Spitfire IX JL359 Self GGS dive bombing −45
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 1,057 hours 10 mins 3–30 11–20
60–00 982–20 16–15
9 August: We photographed the bomb release at various heights and speeds.
A Spitfire IX flew perfectly with ½ ton of bombs, a 500 pounder under the belly and a 250 pounder under each wing, with a full load of fuel and ammunition.
The Doncaster trip was interesting as we landed on what is now Doncaster horseracing track.
10 August: Another trip to see the old folks at home but I was somewhat delayed by the interest shown in my Mk XIV Spitfire, at that time the latest model and probably the most advanced fighter in the world. With its high speed, phenomenal rate of climb and an operational ceiling of over 40,000 feet, it attracted attention from all ranks at Westcott. An OUT using Wellingtons for operational training, their usual sight of a fighter was a ME109 or a FW190 attacking them.
Before returning to base I gave them a short aerobatic display, ending with a battle climb up and out of sight.
11 August: Our test programme on the Mustang III was more or less finished and it, too, was relegated to carrying bombs and rockets. We gave it the thumbs-up in every respect and it went into service with the RAF and USAAF in ever-increasing numbers. In the opinion of most of the fighter pilots I knew, the Spitfire prevented us from losing the war and the Mustang enabled us to win it.
Many of our experimental flights involved mathematical calculations to ascertain heights and true air speeds. The latter varied by approximately 1.5% according to altitude. Mr Gould was a civilian technician, attached to the unit; we became good friends.
13 August: After many trips as a passenger I finally flew the Douglas Boston as pilot. (Strange that no one volunteered to be a passenger on this trip. Cowards!) The Boston was another very pleasant aircraft to fly and, with its tricycle undercarriage, easy to handle on the ground. The two powerful Wright Cyclone radial engines made this a really potent aeroplane.
14 August: Night flying. The windscreen of Spitfires was normally a thick flat piece of bulletproof, laminated plastic to protect the pilot from injury to the head and upper body in the event of a head-on attack, or return fire from the rear gunner of an enemy bomber. RM689 was used as an experimental aircraft with a modified curved windscreen, which was tried out by the pilots of AFDU in various daylight conditions. I cannot think why it was thought necessary to test it out at night as, at that stage of the war, there was no way that a Spitfire could again be used at night.
Wimpy Wade and I undertook the night flying trial, taking turns in the two aircraft. I flew RM689 first then we swapped and it was Wimpy’s turn in the modified machine. After a midnight take-off, we flew to The Wash to fire all guns and cannon. The muzzle flash severely affected our night vision. Again on landing there were streams of sparks from the exhaust stubs when the throttle was closed. Despite this I made both landings without any trouble but Wimpy held off too high on his first approach and had to go round again. On his second attempt he hit the ground hard and bounced badly; at full throttle, he failed to make sufficient allowance for torque and pulled away in a vicious left-hand turn. Where his port wingtip hit the ground it left a 30-yard furrow but he got away with it. On the third approach he did better and got down without further damage. Badly shaken, the only time I ever saw him in that state, he needed a drink but, as the Officers’ Mess was closed, we repaired to Chain Cottage. There, with some help from a sleepy Estelle, we saw off a bottle of gin.
There is an interesting follow-up to this story: My friend Peter Arnold, the Spitfire historian, let me know that two of the Spits that I had flown during the war had survived. The Mk IX, MH415, which I went to see in America, and Mk XIV, RM689, which was used by Rolls-Royce as their showpiece. On June 27 1992 it was being flown at a display at RAF/BAe Woodford in Cheshire by David Moore, a pilot with Rolls-Royce; he apparently left it too late pulling out of a loop. The aircraft went into a high-speed stall and crashed into the runway and burst into flames, killing the pilot. The aircraft was a complete write-off. Some years later I was amazed to learn that Rolls-Royce had preserved the wreckage and that it was to be sent to Filton, Bristol, to be restored, hopefully to flying condition. [The rebuild was still ongoing in 2012.]
17 August: The Corsair flights were used in the making of a propaganda film.
29 August: My 1937 Vauxhall 14, as I mentioned earlier, was, without doubt, the worst car I ever owned, trouble almost from the word go. It was the first model to be fitted with independent front suspension, two large cylinders filled with oil and ‘splash’ lubricated bearings. When the units leaked the needle roller bearings dried out and broke.
LAC Hunt was our unit driver, a skilled mechanic trained by Rolls-Royce car division. He located and offered to fit two new units, which we had to collect from a breaker’s yard in Doncaster, LAC Hunt’s home town. We flew there in the Anson but, by the time we had obtained the units, it was too late to return to Wittering so we stayed the night at his house. All against regulations but after all, I was the Flight Commander! Some time later these units again failed and Estelle’s uncle, George White, replaced the needle bearings with externally lubricated phosphor bronze bushes, manufactured in his engineering factory, Edward White & Son in Redditch; this cured the trouble.
Summary for:- August 1944 1. Spitfire 1–00 N.F.
Unit:- AFDU Wittering 2. Proctor 8–40
Date:- 3/9/44 3. Mustang 3–50
Signature:- H.L. Thorne 4. Tempest 3–20
5. Boston −35
6. Anson 1–10
H.L Thorne F/Lt for S/Ldr W.F. Blackadder W/Com.
O/C Flying AFDU O/C AFDU
During July our Wing Commander had strongly recommended me for the award of an AFC (Air Force Cross) but, as I said in the note at the end of June, I did not get on very well with W/Co Blackadder (disrespectfully known as The Bladder) who, I always wondered, might have switched the award to another pilot.
YEAR 1944 AIRCRAFT Pilot or 1st Pilot 2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass. DUTY (Including Results and Remarks) Flying Time Passenger
MONTH DATE Type No. Dual Solo
September 3rd Spitfire V 731 Self GGS electric ranging −30
Spitfire V 731 Self GGS electric ranging −20
4th Boston III BZ363 F/Lt Lane Self, W/C Blackadder To Farnborough −30
Boston III BZ363 F/Lt Lane Self, W/C Blackadder To base −30
5th Boston III BZ363 F/Lt Lane Self, W/C Blackadder To Ouston −45
Boston III BZ363 Self To base −55
6th Spitfire V AD318 Self Air to ground firing −40
7th Spitfire IX 251 Self To Langley −40
Spitfire IX 251 Self To base −40
9th Spitfire IX JL359 Self Bombing 1–05
10th Boston III BZ363 Self Sgt Jardine Aerial photography −40
Boston III BZ363 Self Sgt Jardine Aerial photography 1–05
13th Boston III BZ363 Self F/Lt Henderson To Catfoss & Swanton Morley 1–30
Boston III BZ363 Self F/Lt Henderson To base −20
15th Typhoon MN418 Self Test contacting altimeter −10
Mustang III FZ107 Self Test Divewright −30
Typhoon MN433 Self Test contacting altimeter −10
17th Mustang III FZ107 Self Bombing −40
29th Spitfire IX ML421 Self To Farnborough −40
Spitfire IX ML421 Self To base −45
Boston III BZ363 Self F/Lt Waterton To Millfield 1–05
Boston III BZ363 Self To base −55
30th Boston III BZ363 Self F/O Gendle To Acklington 1–05
Boston III BZ363 F/Lt Lane Self, F/O Gendle To Catfoss −40
Boston III BZ363 F/Lt Lane Self, F/O Gendle To base −35
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 1,074 hours 45 mins 3–30 11–20
60–00 999–55 16–15
3 September: This was an attempt to adapt the gyroscopic gunsight for bomb aiming.
5 September: I took over to fly the Boston solo back to Wittering. No passengers; they all ran away when I took over.
10 September: A passenger at last, brave fellow he must have been; anyway he flew with me twice!
13 September: Bob Henderson was another youngster who spent a few weeks at AFDU as a rest from operations.
15 September: I cannot remember what the piece of equipment on the Typhoon was but it did not take long to test it, so I guess it was a landing aid.
29 September: Bill (W.A.) Waterton had joined AFDU some months earlier. Another Canadian, an excellent and ‘exact’ pilot, he specialised in flying the Typhoon and Tempest. After many bombing trips he did a great deal of work in developing the RP (Rocket Projectile) as a war-winning weapon. By reason of his large ‘Kaiser Bill’ moustache, he was known by all as Otto. We, too, became very good friends. Bill was a frequent visitor at Chain Cottage.