Air Force Medal R.J. Snell - 1950
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Air Force Medal R.J. Snell - 1950
Hi.
Could anyone be so kind as to shed any light on two incidents that occured involving a Mosquito, (mid-air collision), and a Harvard, (engine bay fire), which my late uncle was involved in.
In the Mosquito incident, the mid-air collision resulted in half the port wing, inc. aileron, had been cut off. Quote: "He took control of his aircraft which had been rolled automatically to the inverted, and after judicious use of the engines & controls righted the aircraft and after checking the handling brought the Mosquito back & landed successfully on the airfield. The second incident was in a Harvard aircraft at night when a fire developed in the engine bay. Certain engine controls became ineffective and he was able by sheer skill to land his aircraft with his whole engine bay in front of the pilot on fire, on the runway, thereby saving the aircraft. Here he would have been justified in bailing out".
Apparently both incidents occurred whilst he was serving at RAF Little Rissington 1949. His service number begins with a 5, which I'm told is significant in some way. (He was an instructor).
RJ Snell was my Aunties husband. (Both are deceased quite recently).
From information gleaned from my Dad, F/S Snell passed out from RAF Halton circa 1939/40. He flew Hurricanes in N. Africa during WWII. Edit:4.10.2012 And my Dad tells me he was QFI on 8 different types. Not that he flew 80 types. My apologies.
I have the citation which has the name Group Captain W.D. Coles, DSO DFC AFC, and was awarded in the King's Birthday Honours List 1950. (Citation is not signed).
Any further information would be most grateful.
Kind Rgds.
A71.
Could anyone be so kind as to shed any light on two incidents that occured involving a Mosquito, (mid-air collision), and a Harvard, (engine bay fire), which my late uncle was involved in.
In the Mosquito incident, the mid-air collision resulted in half the port wing, inc. aileron, had been cut off. Quote: "He took control of his aircraft which had been rolled automatically to the inverted, and after judicious use of the engines & controls righted the aircraft and after checking the handling brought the Mosquito back & landed successfully on the airfield. The second incident was in a Harvard aircraft at night when a fire developed in the engine bay. Certain engine controls became ineffective and he was able by sheer skill to land his aircraft with his whole engine bay in front of the pilot on fire, on the runway, thereby saving the aircraft. Here he would have been justified in bailing out".
Apparently both incidents occurred whilst he was serving at RAF Little Rissington 1949. His service number begins with a 5, which I'm told is significant in some way. (He was an instructor).
RJ Snell was my Aunties husband. (Both are deceased quite recently).
From information gleaned from my Dad, F/S Snell passed out from RAF Halton circa 1939/40. He flew Hurricanes in N. Africa during WWII. Edit:4.10.2012 And my Dad tells me he was QFI on 8 different types. Not that he flew 80 types. My apologies.
I have the citation which has the name Group Captain W.D. Coles, DSO DFC AFC, and was awarded in the King's Birthday Honours List 1950. (Citation is not signed).
Any further information would be most grateful.
Kind Rgds.
A71.
Last edited by Akrotiri71; 4th Oct 2012 at 19:12. Reason: Misheard the info from my Dad.
Cannot help with the incidents you mention but he was my instructor at CFS in 1969 on the Chipmunk - a great character and a very good instructor indeed (he needed to be)!
FLIGHT SERGEANT RJ SNELL, AFM
From LG June 1951
Air Force Medal
Flight Sergeants.
578390 Gordon ACKLAM, R.A.F.
651365 John Smith CADDEN, D.F.M., R.A.F.
1419299 Edison Arthur CORBETT, R.A.F.
1620761 Norman CROSS, R:&.F,
1672028 Eric DAVIES, R.A.F.
1713743 John Alister ELISTON, R.A.F.
1623501 George William FORD, R.A.F.
1586631 Lawrence Frank GAPPER, R.A.F.
2209306 William Edmund LOWTHER, R.A.F.
1458998 William Joseph MOCAUSLAND, R.A.F.
536134 Robert John MOFADDEN, R.A.F.
578190 Donald George MUNRO, R.A.F.
574514 Richard John SNELL, R.A.F.
Sergeants.
1892228 Cecil Raymond COLKIN, R.A.F.
1852123 Frank Christopher SLEE, R.A.F.
Aaron.
AND he was an ex apprentice:
574514 F/Sgt Richard John Snell - 38th Entry - The 38th served the shortest apprenticeship in the history of the school being dispersed to operational stations in April 1940 after only 20 months of training in time to take part in the Battle of Britain.
Aaron.
Air Force Medal
Flight Sergeants.
578390 Gordon ACKLAM, R.A.F.
651365 John Smith CADDEN, D.F.M., R.A.F.
1419299 Edison Arthur CORBETT, R.A.F.
1620761 Norman CROSS, R:&.F,
1672028 Eric DAVIES, R.A.F.
1713743 John Alister ELISTON, R.A.F.
1623501 George William FORD, R.A.F.
1586631 Lawrence Frank GAPPER, R.A.F.
2209306 William Edmund LOWTHER, R.A.F.
1458998 William Joseph MOCAUSLAND, R.A.F.
536134 Robert John MOFADDEN, R.A.F.
578190 Donald George MUNRO, R.A.F.
574514 Richard John SNELL, R.A.F.
Sergeants.
1892228 Cecil Raymond COLKIN, R.A.F.
1852123 Frank Christopher SLEE, R.A.F.
Aaron.
AND he was an ex apprentice:
574514 F/Sgt Richard John Snell - 38th Entry - The 38th served the shortest apprenticeship in the history of the school being dispersed to operational stations in April 1940 after only 20 months of training in time to take part in the Battle of Britain.
Aaron.
Last edited by AARON O'DICKYDIDO; 7th Oct 2012 at 11:09. Reason: Additional information
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