Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II
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The Good Old Days
At that time, a Sgt-Pilot was on 13/6 a day, say £20/10/- pm (in Rupees 290 odd). This would be the equivalent of some £1250 today. At that he was better off than any newly commissioned Pilot Officer - in UK , that is.
But in India, there was a wonderful scheme. The Government of India paid an officer (not the UK), and they were much more generous. A Pilot Officer was on Rs500 pm (say £36 pm then, or £2200 pm now) - and very small Mess Bills to pay. We were quite happy with our "stipend" !
Only trouble was: there was nothing to spend it on. Even if you drank yourself to death (and very few tried), it wouldn't cost you much at Mess bar prices.
Danny.
But in India, there was a wonderful scheme. The Government of India paid an officer (not the UK), and they were much more generous. A Pilot Officer was on Rs500 pm (say £36 pm then, or £2200 pm now) - and very small Mess Bills to pay. We were quite happy with our "stipend" !
Only trouble was: there was nothing to spend it on. Even if you drank yourself to death (and very few tried), it wouldn't cost you much at Mess bar prices.
Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 26th Apr 2015 at 23:55. Reason: Correction.
When we tanked the Javelins out to India in 1963 we were put up in the 'Sun & Sand' hotel in Bombay. As normal we were issued 2/3rd/Rate One. This was 9 rupees a day, still the same as in 1947.
Edited to add. The NCOs and airmen had all their meals paid for them. The result was that the crew chiefs were being frog-marched into the dining room so that they could treat their aircrew to dinner.
Edited to add. The NCOs and airmen had all their meals paid for them. The result was that the crew chiefs were being frog-marched into the dining room so that they could treat their aircrew to dinner.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 27th Apr 2015 at 17:51.
V for Vengeance
Hi Danny,
I'm sure you must have seen this by now, but just in case. A good dose of Mr Elgar accompanies what for you must be an old friend. Apologies if it has been put on before.
http://youtu.be/k4ohwlL_QhI
Smudge
I'm sure you must have seen this by now, but just in case. A good dose of Mr Elgar accompanies what for you must be an old friend. Apologies if it has been put on before.
http://youtu.be/k4ohwlL_QhI
Smudge
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Smudge,
Thank you for the link, but this ("Vlad's") You Tube gem is very well known on this Thread now. Chugalug first found it and put it on here a long time ago, and I wrote an extensive commentary on it at the time. It is unique as being the only video of flying VVs known to me (apart from a few momentary glimpses on the BBC "World of War" series). I was unaware of the existence of this footage for 70 years.
I'm a bit puzzled, as you very kindly drew my attention to this only a momth ago (your #6864 p.344 29th Mar) as "https://youtu.be/B6iG4aSqeuk" (this time it's "http://youtu.be/k4ohwlL_QhI").
I only watched the first few moments of the introduction, but it's our old friend sure enough !
Danny.
PS: Couldn't be a "Senior Moment", by any chance ?.... No, surely not ! (you're nobbut a lad yet)
Thank you for the link, but this ("Vlad's") You Tube gem is very well known on this Thread now. Chugalug first found it and put it on here a long time ago, and I wrote an extensive commentary on it at the time. It is unique as being the only video of flying VVs known to me (apart from a few momentary glimpses on the BBC "World of War" series). I was unaware of the existence of this footage for 70 years.
I'm a bit puzzled, as you very kindly drew my attention to this only a momth ago (your #6864 p.344 29th Mar) as "https://youtu.be/B6iG4aSqeuk" (this time it's "http://youtu.be/k4ohwlL_QhI").
I only watched the first few moments of the introduction, but it's our old friend sure enough !
Danny.
PS: Couldn't be a "Senior Moment", by any chance ?.... No, surely not ! (you're nobbut a lad yet)
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But are we familiar with this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8RqlK1d1_k (Again, apologies if so.)
Danny,
I would never argue with my elders and betters, and would agree a "senior moment" may have come in to play
I could have scoured the thread to see if this was already posted, but knew you would have the answer. I'm going to have a search and re read the relevant posts so as to familiarise myself with the relevant thoughts. Meanwhile, I will keep taking the tablets and hope for a full recovery in the very near future.
Best
Smudge
I would never argue with my elders and betters, and would agree a "senior moment" may have come in to play
I could have scoured the thread to see if this was already posted, but knew you would have the answer. I'm going to have a search and re read the relevant posts so as to familiarise myself with the relevant thoughts. Meanwhile, I will keep taking the tablets and hope for a full recovery in the very near future.Best
Smudge
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Reader123,
Had another look at them all, and am now thoroughly bemused. Your ("Brar") film is a sort of pick 'n mix of all sorts of things. The historical RAF part was particularly interesting to me, as I served on No.8 Sqn, IAF (VVs) from mid-Dec '43 till autumn '44. The VVs were all pulled off ops in midsummer of that year as it was planned that the Mosquitoes would be doing our job, with fresh crews from UK, and would take over the four RAF Sqn (45,82,84 & 110) numbers.
We were out of a job; we and our aircraft were dispersed to the four winds. I (and most others) thought this a mistake then: I think so now. The 14th Army was pushing the Jap back South; the Jap does not go quietly, but digs in at strong points chosen to hold us up and fights to the death. Reducing these by infantry attack is expensive (as the US Marines knew to their cost in places like Iwo Jima). The VV had found its ideal métier, uprooting these points with accurately applied HE, and could easily have done another "dry" season before the crews were due for repat after a (3-year) Tour. But it was not to be.
Smudge,
First, must gladly withdraw all aspersions cast or implied ! Seems that an awful lot has been spliced into the original You Tubes. They are all worth watching if you can spare the time, but a lot has been copied from one to another.
And the IAF has come a long way from my time !
Cheers, Danny.
Had another look at them all, and am now thoroughly bemused. Your ("Brar") film is a sort of pick 'n mix of all sorts of things. The historical RAF part was particularly interesting to me, as I served on No.8 Sqn, IAF (VVs) from mid-Dec '43 till autumn '44. The VVs were all pulled off ops in midsummer of that year as it was planned that the Mosquitoes would be doing our job, with fresh crews from UK, and would take over the four RAF Sqn (45,82,84 & 110) numbers.
We were out of a job; we and our aircraft were dispersed to the four winds. I (and most others) thought this a mistake then: I think so now. The 14th Army was pushing the Jap back South; the Jap does not go quietly, but digs in at strong points chosen to hold us up and fights to the death. Reducing these by infantry attack is expensive (as the US Marines knew to their cost in places like Iwo Jima). The VV had found its ideal métier, uprooting these points with accurately applied HE, and could easily have done another "dry" season before the crews were due for repat after a (3-year) Tour. But it was not to be.
Smudge,
First, must gladly withdraw all aspersions cast or implied ! Seems that an awful lot has been spliced into the original You Tubes. They are all worth watching if you can spare the time, but a lot has been copied from one to another.
And the IAF has come a long way from my time !
Cheers, Danny.
JackW,
Good post sir. My long departed father in law was groundcrew on 75 (New Zealand) Squadron at Mepal during WW2 and always rated the Stirling. Stirling in action with Airborne Forces, by Dennis Williams gives some great insights into the aircrafts contribution to our eventual victory. I recommend anyone interested to give it a go.
Smudge
Good post sir. My long departed father in law was groundcrew on 75 (New Zealand) Squadron at Mepal during WW2 and always rated the Stirling. Stirling in action with Airborne Forces, by Dennis Williams gives some great insights into the aircrafts contribution to our eventual victory. I recommend anyone interested to give it a go.
Smudge
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Jackw106,
Nice picture !
À propos of nothing at all, the light metal bomb fins (the back half) come in cylindrical fibreboard cases to avoid damage in transit (or at least, ours did).
These cases are exactly the right size, and sturdy enough, to serve as bar stools at makeshift bars, but not heavy enough to be of any value in a bar fight.
Just thought you'd like to know !
D.
Nice picture !
À propos of nothing at all, the light metal bomb fins (the back half) come in cylindrical fibreboard cases to avoid damage in transit (or at least, ours did).
These cases are exactly the right size, and sturdy enough, to serve as bar stools at makeshift bars, but not heavy enough to be of any value in a bar fight.
Just thought you'd like to know !
D.
Last edited by Danny42C; 29th Apr 2015 at 23:44. Reason: Add Accent,
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Delhi Air Pageant.
ricardian,
Many thanks for this find ! First I've heard of it ! Why didn't they tell me a few weeks earlier ? I flew my last three VVs to Nagpur for scrapping on 12th March, 1946. They put this show on on April 18th. We could have waited another few weeks, collected another two operational VV pilots from somewhere or other (the two supernumeraries I had with me on that last sad flight had no VV dive experience), found three loads of 250 and 500 pounders and really showed the crowd what skilled dive-bombers could do !
But of course, the RAF never believed in d/bombing, was sorry they'd got the things in the first place, closed their eyes to all the good work we'd done, and wished they'd go away. So not even a mention of us in the write-up - we'd been airbrushed out of history.
No problem with the text size, btw. Just Ctrl and + as usual.
Danny.
Many thanks for this find ! First I've heard of it ! Why didn't they tell me a few weeks earlier ? I flew my last three VVs to Nagpur for scrapping on 12th March, 1946. They put this show on on April 18th. We could have waited another few weeks, collected another two operational VV pilots from somewhere or other (the two supernumeraries I had with me on that last sad flight had no VV dive experience), found three loads of 250 and 500 pounders and really showed the crowd what skilled dive-bombers could do !
But of course, the RAF never believed in d/bombing, was sorry they'd got the things in the first place, closed their eyes to all the good work we'd done, and wished they'd go away. So not even a mention of us in the write-up - we'd been airbrushed out of history.
No problem with the text size, btw. Just Ctrl and + as usual.
Danny.
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Thornaby's Own - 608 Squadron
Danny
Another Tangent, I see that apart from the 'Altmark', 608 has another claim to fame from WWII
Photograph discovered of 'last RAF bomb dropped on Germany' - Telegraph
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
Another Tangent, I see that apart from the 'Altmark', 608 has another claim to fame from WWII
Photograph discovered of 'last RAF bomb dropped on Germany' - Telegraph
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
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pzu,
Thanks for the picture. Of course I only met 608 Sqdn (and "kept my hand in") flying with them, when they'd been reformed after the war as an Auxiliary Sqdn in Fighter Command. They were flying Vampires III and V, and had a Meteor T7 for I/F training and rating tests. There their Training Officer was F/O "Mike" Beavis, who was to retire as ACM Sir Michael Beavis.
Nice idea to have the aircrew plus groundcrew (and a couple of armourers ?) in shot. It was a mystery to me how a Mossie could carry a 4000 lb "cookie" to Berlin (as much, IIRC) as a B-17 "Fortress" over the distance.
Truly, the "Wooden Wonder" ! (this one had seen some service, too, judging by the bomb "tally").
Danny.
Thanks for the picture. Of course I only met 608 Sqdn (and "kept my hand in") flying with them, when they'd been reformed after the war as an Auxiliary Sqdn in Fighter Command. They were flying Vampires III and V, and had a Meteor T7 for I/F training and rating tests. There their Training Officer was F/O "Mike" Beavis, who was to retire as ACM Sir Michael Beavis.
Nice idea to have the aircrew plus groundcrew (and a couple of armourers ?) in shot. It was a mystery to me how a Mossie could carry a 4000 lb "cookie" to Berlin (as much, IIRC) as a B-17 "Fortress" over the distance.
Truly, the "Wooden Wonder" ! (this one had seen some service, too, judging by the bomb "tally").
Danny.
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Hi Danny
I'm based at Vijayawada airport in Andra Pradesh, which I was told used to fly VVs.
Is this true?
I've been looking around the extensive undergrowth in the hope I might find one derelict, but no joy so far....
I figured if I could find one, then there would be two!
I'm based at Vijayawada airport in Andra Pradesh, which I was told used to fly VVs.
Is this true?
I've been looking around the extensive undergrowth in the hope I might find one derelict, but no joy so far....
I figured if I could find one, then there would be two!
Anybody interested in the careers of medicos who were also pilots should have a read here, something of the lives of Sir Geoffrey Dhenin and Sir Philip Livingston -
http://www.pprune.org/pacific-genera...ml#post8963893
If any PPRuNer can find an obit for Dr Matthew Banks, an Australian
plastic surgeon who worked with Sir Archibald MacIndoe, attained in the War his RAF Wings, and later flew his Miles Gemini far and wide throughout Europe and the Middle East, working as a plastic surgeon for the rich and notable, I'd be most interested to read a copy. Dr Banks' biography (No Man Despairs) was written by Alan Mitchell, who also wrote one on Neville Duke.
http://www.pprune.org/pacific-genera...ml#post8963893
If any PPRuNer can find an obit for Dr Matthew Banks, an Australian
plastic surgeon who worked with Sir Archibald MacIndoe, attained in the War his RAF Wings, and later flew his Miles Gemini far and wide throughout Europe and the Middle East, working as a plastic surgeon for the rich and notable, I'd be most interested to read a copy. Dr Banks' biography (No Man Despairs) was written by Alan Mitchell, who also wrote one on Neville Duke.
Two small points - last year stopped at a small airfield in western France to look at an airworthy Flamant kept there. French guy spoke to me asking if he could be of assistance. Then went on to ask if I had been in the RAF and did I by any chance know his former Father in Law, Geoff Dhenin - was a bit surprised that I had known him , when he was at RAFH Ely in the 70s.
Other point was, there was a gp capt medic as SMO at Cranwell in the early to mid 60s who was also a pilot, but cannot remember his name. Strangely met his mother once- she was working at Robert Sayle (John Lewis) in Cambridge.
Other point was, there was a gp capt medic as SMO at Cranwell in the early to mid 60s who was also a pilot, but cannot remember his name. Strangely met his mother once- she was working at Robert Sayle (John Lewis) in Cambridge.
There were a few Medical Officers who went through flying training. There was one on my Vampire course at Oakington. It was to give an insight of actual flying to the Aviation Medical Branch.