Gaining An R.A.F. Pilots Brevet In WW11
February 1952. Topcliffe Yorkshire No 47 Squadron.
There were five Hastings Squadrons in Transport Command in 1952. Three at Lyneham and two at Topcliffe, No 24 (VIP) and No 47. They were all part of the Strategic Transport Force. Most of the aircraft had been used in the Berlin Air Lift and coal bits were still found under the floor on inspections.
We still had R.A.F. bases worldwide, and especially in the middle east and the Canal Zone. We flew out there quite regularly taking people and freight. Route flying out to the Far East was usually Lyneham to start, then Malta or El Adem, Fayid, Habbanniya, Karachi, Negombo, Changi. The Korean War was still on so Hastings fitted with Stretchers and accompanied by R.A.F. Nursing Sisters carried on from Changi to Clark Field in the Philipines and Iwakuni in Japan. They would pick up wounded there and bring them back to Lyneham.
Gliders were no longer used but parachute troops were. We experimented with carrying a jeep and a trailer, or two jeeps or two trailers, on a beam under the nose (and the pilots). Several crews went down to Abingdon and did various drops from various heights- big parachutes. It worked but was not a good idea. The aircraft didn't like it and the thought of a parachute opening without notice did not do much for our peace of mind! We did three drops in April and another to drop parachute troops, all at Abingdon. In May we were to put it into practice in the Canal Zone. The largest Airborne Exercise since the Rhine Crossing, so I looked forward to seeing it from the other end.