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Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II

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Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II

Old 17th Sep 2016, 15:28
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Regardless, lets hope tomorrow is a good day in Auckland and best wishes to all involved :-)
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Old 17th Sep 2016, 15:35
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Agreed. After seeing three-quarters of it hanging up in Lambeth during the late sixties I never expected to see it preparing for flight 50 years later.
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Old 17th Sep 2016, 15:36
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it's a deviation from the original design so needs Design Authority and mountains of paperwork
I rest my case.
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Old 17th Sep 2016, 15:40
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DH, have you seen the videos of it online? Brings tears to my eyes, simply awesome, the sound of those Merlins.....!
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Old 17th Sep 2016, 16:34
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Aircrew training WW2

Danny – can you or any other long-serving member of this group help?

While clearing out some old papers recently I unearthed two wartime publications: one being AM Pamphlet 144 'YOU are going to be a PILOT' dated 11/42, the other a locally produced guide for new arrivals at Heaton Park (October '42). Both are scanned copies rather than originals, but nevertheless of good quality and obviously authentic; certainly the Heaton Park one stirred many memories for me! Not sure how I came by them, but think they were sent by an old friend and colleague (now sadly no longer with us) who had emigrated to the US.

I have an idea these items may have previously appeared, but cannot be sure and have not yet had the time to trawl back; however if not, then obviously they should be posted up here!

harrym
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Old 17th Sep 2016, 19:22
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Danny & others!!!

From F/Book today

https://www.facebook.com/TheTwoSeatS...541992831883:0

PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
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Old 17th Sep 2016, 21:21
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Regrettably that 2 seater ML407 on Facebook (the Grace Spitfire G-LFIX) had an undercarriage issue at Sywell.
Seems damage is "slight" (probably in Spitfire terms) but no injuries and already inspections/assessments underway. https://www.facebook.com/TheTwoSeatS...541992831883:0
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Old 17th Sep 2016, 22:28
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Aircrew Training WW2

harrym

I was at Heaton Park in 44 but don't recall seeing the guide that you mention I would certainly be interested in seeing a copy of it on this thread. I am sure it would also stir up a few memories for me.
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Old 18th Sep 2016, 12:08
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Revisiting my #9296, still not a cheep on BBC TV today. Didn't we use to have a Memorial Sunday on the Sunday following the 15th ?

Seems the Battle of Britain has been airbrushed out of meejah history.
 
Old 19th Sep 2016, 16:19
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Blast from the Past.


Sic transit Gloria Mundi.

BEagle and Chugalug (my p.217, #4324 15th September 2013),

.....So ends the 73rd Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Media interest of the day ? - 'The Great North Run' ! Ah, well....
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose !

Danny.
 
Old 19th Sep 2016, 16:31
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How easily we forget.....

Smudge (Copy of my #4236, p.217, to you),

"Thank you sir. I well remember 15th September, 1940. It was at the end of a hot summer's day; the reported list of 'kills' (165, although that figure was revised downward later) was the highest yet; the date has come to be regarded as the turning point of the battle.

The British public, hardly daring to believe, began to realise that we had won the battle (although it went on for about another month before Goering, realising he could not afford the rate of attrition, called a halt).

A little 18-year old clerk resolved to volunteer for the RAF in the hope of becoming a fighter pilot (and there were many more like him)".

Cheers, Danny.
 
Old 19th Sep 2016, 16:48
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Heaton Park

Taphappy-

OK I will shortly have a go at posting Air Ministry pamphlet 144 and the Heaton Park guide, the latter will have to be by instalments as it's about a dozen pages of a size somewhere between A5 & A4.

Watch this space!

harrym
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Old 19th Sep 2016, 18:23
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Not all forgotten Danny,

Horsham West Sussex, Yesterday & published in the County Times :-

"Wreaths were laid and prayers said in Horsham town centre this morning (Sunday September 18) to mark the 76th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The RAFA padre, the Rev Alan Meyer, led the prayers in the Carfax and wreaths were laid by Horsham MP Jeremy Quin and representatives from various groups and organisations, including Horsham District Council, the RAFA, the Police and 1015 (Horsham) Squadron Air Training Corps. The parade then marched to St Mary’s Church in the Causeway for a service.

Read more at: SLIDESHOW: RAFA Battle of Britain parade and prayers in Horsham - West Sussex County Times "

Secondly an air display and light a/c fly-in at Stow Maries WWI original Essex airfield on the Sat & Sunday to celebrate that and its 100th birthday.

mike hallam (flew the Rans there yesterday - as I'm only 79).
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Old 19th Sep 2016, 18:36
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Seems the Battle of Britain has been airbrushed out of meejah history. - Danny

Thankfully not completely, Danny, since there is a substantial entry concerning yesterday's 2016 Battle of Britain Thanksgiving Service, held in Westminster Abbey, on the Court and Social page of today's Daily Telegraph.

Rather poignantly, and in memory of a bomber pilot, rather than a fighter pilot, on the same page there is also a personal In Memoriam entry honouring the 72nd anniversary today of the death of Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC DSO* DFC*.

Jack
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Old 19th Sep 2016, 18:48
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Five into four won't go

Danny, like so many people on here, I have followed your story with interest, particularly your time at Valley and Sylt. Your time in Burma made me dig out a tape recording I made of a close friend, John Dunbar, who formed the only unit ( no Sqdn number allocated) of L5's which were used in Burma in support of IV Corps. John, sadly no longer with us, and three of his pilots pulled off a rescue from behind Japanese lines of five people.
I wonder if you and others would be interested if I were to interrupt your conversation at times with bits from the tape.
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Old 19th Sep 2016, 19:49
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What goes around, comes around.

mike hallam and Jack (#9314 and #9315),

Thank you for the heartening news - it is good to hear that not everybody has forgotten the events of those momentous days.

"A nation that forgets its history is condemned to repeat it".

Danny.
 
Old 19th Sep 2016, 20:06
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Originally Posted by Box Brownie
I wonder if you and others would be interested if I were to interrupt your conversation at times with bits from the tape.
Absolutely ... this Thread is, in many ways, keeping History both alive and fascinating.

Go. For. It.
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Old 19th Sep 2016, 20:57
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The Best Thread on PPRuNe (well, we think so)



STINSON L-5 "Sentinel"

Box Brownie (#9316),
..
.Box BI wonder if you and others would be interested if I were to interrupt your conversation at times with bits from the tape.rownie,...
Yes, we would be interested ! Please do.

Let there be no more talk of "interruption". In this our little old crewroom in cyberspace (as I like to consider it), all men of good will and good humour are welcome; "Interruption" is the name of the game, providing you have something relevant to add to the conversation. Rank is forgotten here, no one is "in charge" (except our Moderators, of course, who allow us enormous latitude so long as we "play nicely"). Everyone had to start sometime.

The L-5 was in RAF service in Burma, used to "casevac" from a small field in the Arakan behind the battle. Somewhere in my Posts I've related how the Jap had managed to get a small mountain gun into a position where it could deny us the use of this strip.

The gun position was "fixed" (triangulation of gun flashes, gunsmoke, don't know) and the Vengeance called in. The gun was blown to bits, the gunners sent to join the ancestors. Normal casevac service was resumed, the Army was very grateful....

Danny.
 
Old 19th Sep 2016, 21:20
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Thank you MPN11 and Danny. It is appreciated. As a taster the L5 was also used to drop the orders of the day as IV Corps advanced through the jungle in total radio silence. The aircraft advanced with the Army ,the L5 pilots dropping the orders of the day and on occasion landing in clearings behind Jap lines with personnel from 163 Force. John's arrival with his thirty aircraft was at Imphal just as it was being strafed, but more of that later.
I will try and put the tape into text as quickly as possible.
Ian

Last edited by Box Brownie; 19th Sep 2016 at 21:21. Reason: words added
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Old 20th Sep 2016, 02:33
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Danny:
On Sunday, there was a BoB flyby with WWII aircraft, in Ottawa , commemorating the event. In addition, there were numerous local events, worthy of front page coverage in our local newspaper. It has not been forgotten.
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