Originally Posted by Dsrsia;
My Father returned to UK found himself on an Instructors Course at 12 P AFU at Grantham June 42 on Oxfords. He instructs on DH82 at Cambridge 22 EFTS until Mar 43, then Oxfords 11 P AFU, then Blenheims at Woodvale until Nov 44. He then goes to 1655 MTU 7 is posted to 162 Squadron at Bourn Jan 45. Survives his 30 visits to Germany, the last one being 2 May to Kiel which I believe was the last ops by Bomber Command. 162 then moves to RAF Blackbushe and operates the ADLS service. He ends after taking part in the Battle of Britain flypast in Sept 46 and starts commercial flying in Malta on Consuls the civilian version of the Oxford.
Only the very best students on each course were creamed off to be trained as instructors.
Becoming a PFF Mosquito pilot further supports that view. Not only was it very fast but was often flown at a very low altitude.
In your father's logbooks will be assessments made by his C.O. which will include assessments of his ability as a pilot.
Re-formed at Bourn, near Cambridge in No 8 (Pathfinder) Group, on 17th December 1944, it soon established an excellent record as a Mosquito light-bomber unit of the Light Night Striking Force (later known as the Fast Night Striking Force), and the end of the European war found it half-way through conversion to being the second of the H2S marking squadrons for the force (the other being No 139). Aircraft of the squadron had, in fact, done much of the marking during the series of 36 consecutive night attacks by Mosquitos on Berlin.
During its brief wartime career with the Pathfinders, No 162 Squadron logged a total of 913 operational sorties (898 successful and 15 abortive) involving 4,037 flying hours.
https://www.raf.mod.uk/history/bombe...62squadron.cfm