214 squadron at bomb comp 1957
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214 squadron at bomb comp 1957
Hi I am doing some research on 214 squadron. I would like to know what aircraft were there and the names of the crews and crew chief if possible.
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The F540 can be downloaded from the National Archives (You don't specify the date, but the files are in the AIR 27/2840 range).
If you do an advanced search on Discovery (the national archives catalogue), using "214 Squadron" in the 'exact phrase' box and within references from AIR, then specify by clicking on the relevant dot that you want:
Records from 1950+
Held by the National Archives
Which will then reveal the option of clicking on 'only show records available for download'
Press 'search'
Then sort the returns by date ascending, go for 60 returns per page to avoid RSI and then scroll down (and change pages if required, obviously) until you get to the relevant month(s) from 1957. You'll find both the Summary and Record of events, and it's always worth looking at both (not least since it would appear that in some squadrons - no idea if this applies to 214 - some of those charged with maintaining the 540 put stuff which would probably have been better sited in the Summary in the Record, or vice-versa.
You can then set up an account, sign in and download for free (at the moment).
I'm not sure if the crew chief's name will appear - sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't - it depends (as it always has) on what sort of author the scribe of the 540 was. Some wrote/write the bear minimum of detail and others were/are budding Nobel Literature Prize winners...
If you do an advanced search on Discovery (the national archives catalogue), using "214 Squadron" in the 'exact phrase' box and within references from AIR, then specify by clicking on the relevant dot that you want:
Records from 1950+
Held by the National Archives
Which will then reveal the option of clicking on 'only show records available for download'
Press 'search'
Then sort the returns by date ascending, go for 60 returns per page to avoid RSI and then scroll down (and change pages if required, obviously) until you get to the relevant month(s) from 1957. You'll find both the Summary and Record of events, and it's always worth looking at both (not least since it would appear that in some squadrons - no idea if this applies to 214 - some of those charged with maintaining the 540 put stuff which would probably have been better sited in the Summary in the Record, or vice-versa.
You can then set up an account, sign in and download for free (at the moment).
I'm not sure if the crew chief's name will appear - sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't - it depends (as it always has) on what sort of author the scribe of the 540 was. Some wrote/write the bear minimum of detail and others were/are budding Nobel Literature Prize winners...
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Thank you OP and Archimedes for drawing attention to the present regime of free downloads from the Kew Archives. Not found the OP item, but interesting that 214 Sqn, operating Valiants at RAF Marham, had as CO Wg Cdr L H Trent VC, DFC in Jan 1957. Impressive times!
