CONTACT - WordPress.com · 2020. 7. 8. · DORNIER Do 17 JUNKERS JU 88 JUNKERS Ju 88 JUNKERS Ju 87...
Transcript of CONTACT - WordPress.com · 2020. 7. 8. · DORNIER Do 17 JUNKERS JU 88 JUNKERS Ju 88 JUNKERS Ju 87...
CONTACT !
The Newsletter of the former RAF Defford Reunion Association, now merged with the
DEFFORD AIRFIELD HERITAGE GROUP
in partnership with THE NATIONAL TRUST, CROOME
http://deffordairfieldheritagegroup.wordpress.com/
Editor Mike Mullins
Number 137
July / August 2020
email – [email protected]
Forewarned is Forearmed!! RAF pilots run
towards their awaiting Hurricane aircraft on news of
imminent German attack in July 1940.
The Chain Home Radar System was
erected in 1938 all along the South and
East Coasts of Britain. It proved vital in the
early detection of approaching German
aircraft during the Battle of Britain. See
pages 2-8
Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary
12th July 1
It is sad to report the death of Albert
Shorrock at 99, who served at RAF
Defford during the war and who
was very active in supporting the
RAF Defford Reunion Association
and later in helping establish the
Defford Airfield Heritage Group,
(DAHG). See pages 9-12
Preservation Update
We take a look at the work
of Canberra WT333 during
its missile trials with RAAF
in Australia. See page 13
and 14
Photo, of Albert aged
20, and at his 90th
birthday party. In the
Café at Croome.
Spitfires into battle
1 July 1940 – The head of the Luftwaffe Herman
Goering and other Nazi officials look across the
English Channel at the Cliffs of Dover. They had
overrun Europe, and wanted to invade Britain, but
they needed air superiority. To do this they had to
eliminate RAF bases in the South of England.
However the RAF and British defences stood in
their way.
Britain had endured setbacks in the war up to this time, in Norway and at Dunkirk (both in June 1940). Britain
also suffered high merchant navy losses. However the Battle of Britain would be different, it would be the first
major military campaign fought almost entirely by air forces. Germany had many more aircraft and battle
experienced pilots available than the RAF at this time.
However, several key elements in the Britain’s defences would prove vital in the coming battle. These
comprised fast and maneuverable single-engine fighter aircraft (Hurricane and Spitfire), highly motivated and
skilled pilots, visual reporting by the Observer Corps and Range and Direction Finding (RDF - later to be known
as radar), which played essential parts in an integrated ground-controlled interception network.
Fortunately these elements had been established some time earlier; we will look at them all, but with
particular reference to Chain Home RDF System.
Battle of Britain 10 July 1940 – 31 October 1940
The Chain Home Radar RDF system. The history of the Chain Home system almost
charts that of the history of early radar development in Britain. In 1934 the Committee
for the Survey of Air Defence (CSSAD), also known as the Tizard Committee, was set up
and asked to study the needs of anti-aircraft warfare in Britain. In late 1934, they asked
radio expert Robert Watson Watt to comment on the repeated claims of radio death
rays and reports suggesting Germany had built some sort of radio weapon. His
assistant, Arnold Wilkins, calculated that a death ray was impossible but suggested radio
could be used for long-range detection.
The BBC short wave Radio Transmitters at Daventry were used in 1935, to
give the first practical demonstration of radar. Inventors Robert Watson
Watt and Arnold ‘Skip’ Wilkins rigged up a radio receiving array in a field
three miles away, to pick up signals bounced back off a metal-clad
Handley Page Heyford bomber flying across the radio transmissions from
the bigger masts. The interference picked up from the aircraft allowed the
two to calculate the plane's navigational position.
This sketch by A.F. Wilkins’s dated 25th February 1935 shows two receiver
aerial’s connected to the vehicle’s receiver oscilloscope.
Arnold Frederic
Wilkins OBE
Sir Robert Alexander
Watson-Watt,
KCB, FRS, FRAeS
Page 2
In February 1935, a demonstration was arranged by placing a receiver near a BBC shortwave transmitter and flying an aircraft around the area; an oscilloscope connected to the receiver showed a pattern from the aircraft's reflection. With the support of the Air Member for Research and Development, Air Marshal Hugh Dowding, substantial funding quickly followed. Using commercial shortwave radio hardware, Watson Watt's team quickly built a prototype pulsed transmitter, and on 17 June 1935 it successfully measured the angle and range of an aircraft that happened to be flying by. Basic development was completed by the end of the year, with detection ranges of the order of 100 miles (160 km). Throughout 1936 attention was focused on a production version, and early 1937 saw the addition of height finding.
reports suggesting Germany had built some sort of radio weapon. His assistant, Arnold Wilkins, calculated that a
death ray was impossible but suggested radio could be used for long-range detection.
The Chain Home system
Page 3
Transmitter and Receiver Antennas at the
Chain Home site at RAF Poling in Sussex.
The first five Chain Home (CH) stations, covering the
approaches to London, were installed by 1937 and
began full-time operation in 1938. Dozens of CH
stations covering most of the majority of the eastern
and southern coastline of the UK, along with an
extensive network of thousands of miles of private
telephone lines, were in place by the time the war
began in 1939.
Operational tests that year, using early CH units,
demonstrated the difficulties in relaying useful
information to the pilots in fighter aircraft. This led to
the formation of the first integrated ground-
controlled interception network, (The Dowding
System) which collected and filtered this information
into a single view of the airspace.
Chain Home Transmit & Receive Antennas
Frequency between 20 and 55MHz
PRF 25pps
Beamwidth 150º
Pulsewidth 6 to 25 µs
Azimuth 150º
Elevation 2.5º to 40º
Precision 8.0 km (5miles) or better (1 km (0.62 miles)
typical) in range, ±12º in azimuth (typically less)
Power 100 kW to 1 MW depending on version
Page 3
Chain Home receiver room at Ventnor with console visible at
right and receiver at left.
Chain Home Radar RDF ‘contacts’ were shown as
downward pulses on a horizontal line. To the far
left was the large transmitted pulse, then moving
to the right came numerous reflections and moving
‘grass’ at the base of the line. The actual contacts
appeared as one or more very obvious downward
spikes. By linking together data from neighbouring
Chain Home stations, as well as by switching in
different aerial arrays, it was possible to identify
the course (compass heading) on which contacts
were heading, as well as the speed and height at
which they were flying.
Chain Home transmitter
Display showing several target blips between
15 and 30 miles distant from the station
Page 4
Three of the four
transmitter towers
of the Bawdsey CH
station as seen in
1945.
The antennas were
formed by an array
of cables supported
between pairs of
towers. In this
photo, the antennas
are visible to the
right of the nearest
tower.
Both long and short
wave arrays were
accommodated in
this arrangement.
Chain Home RDF
A Major Strategic Success
The decision to build the Chain Home RDF
System proved to be far sighted and a major
strategic success. The progress from Watson
Watt and Arnold Wilkins experiment in
1935, to having a fully functioning,
integrated working system covering the
whole of the South and east coast of Britain
by 1938 was impressive and shows a massive
commitment by far sighted, civil service
scientists and engineers, politicians, the
military, and industrial contractors. It
showed that the confidence placed on the
shoulders of Radar pioneers was justified. A
point confirmed by Winston Churchill. (see
page 8)
The total cost of the system by 1940 was
£5m. That would buy 400 Spitfires or half a
Battleship.
Ground-controlled interception (GCI) In the Dowding system of fighter
control, information from the Chain Home RDF coastal stations, reports from the Observer Corps and HFDF were relayed by phone to a number of operators on the ground floor of the ‘Filter Room’ at Fighter Command's headquarters at RAF Bentley Priory. Here the information was merged to produce a map of the battle. Details of the map were then relayed to the Group headquarters, where operators re-created the map at a scale covering their area of operations. Looking at the maps, commanders could make decisions on how to deploy their forces quickly and without overlap.
Integrated ground-controlled interception network, the Dowding system,
The Observer
Corps
Chain Home RDF
The Operations Room at RAF Fighter Command's Group No. 10 Group Headquarters, Rudloe Manor (RAF Box), Wiltshire
Information to Group
Headquarters
High Frequency
Detection
Finding
Gives the position
of an enemy radio
transmissions.
Britain’s airspace was divided up
within RAF Fighter Command
into four groups, each
comprising several airfields and
squadrons. The groups involved
were:-
10 Wales and the West Country
11 South east of England
12 Midlands and East Anglia
13 North of England, Scotland
and Northern Ireland
Instructions were relayed to the pilots only from the squadron's group control rooms, normally co-located at the fighters' operating bases. These fighter aircraft could then be ‘scrambled’ to intercept enemy aircraft. The RAF pilots were given brief but clear and precise details, providing 10 to 15 mins warning that the Luftwaffe were approaching, and giving them precious time to climb and form their battle lines. Once airborne they were in contact with other pilots in the squadron.
Page 5
The Operations Room at Fighter Command Headquarters, Bentley Priory, Stanmore
Page 6
Total RAF Aircraft available, 900
HEINKEL He 111
DORNIER Do 17
JUNKERS JU 88 JUNKERS Ju 88
JUNKERS Ju 87
SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE
Total Luftwaffe Aircraft available, 2900 at 10th July 1940
The RAF used Hurricanes and Spitfire fighter aircraft
almost exclusively in the Battle. The Hurricane first flew
in 1935 and had alloy wings, steel/wood/fabric fuselage.
The RAF had 463 Hurricanes available at the start of the
battle.
The Spitfire first flew in 1936 and was a more advanced
design, being all metal, being faster and more
streamlined, but the RAF had only 286 available. Both
aircraft were powered by Rolls- Royce Merlin engines and
both were similarly armed with machine guns.
The Luftwaffe had over 1,000 Messerschmitt Bf 109
Fighters at the start of the battle. The Bf 109 was first
flown in 1935 and its performance closely matched that
of the Spitfire.
The Luftwaffe’s plan was to use twin-engine bombers to
attack the RAF bases, but these were slow and vulnerable
to attack, leading to the need for fighter escorts. The RAF
plan was to use Hurricanes to attack the bombers and
Spitfires to engage the German fighters. The 109’s were
hampered in their escort role.
It was vital to re-arm and refuel the British fighters as
quickly as possible. For the Spitfire it took 26 minutes,
while the Hurricane took 9 minutes, which increased its
effectiveness. The Hurricane was also much simpler to
build and repair.
The Hurricane inflicted 60 per cent of the losses sustained
by the Luftwaffe in the engagement, but it was produced
in larger numbers than the Spitfire and had a different
role. However it was the Spitfire that had the
performance edge and was much envied and respected
by the Germans air force.
SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE
HAWKER HURRICANE MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109
MESSERSCHMITT Bf 110
Pilot exhaustion and personnel shortages plagued
both sides. Combat fatigue was as persistent foe.
German morale sank to dangerous lows as the
battle wore on, and British airmen were beaten
down by gruelling 15-hour shifts and constant
Luftwaffe bombing raids on their airfields. Pilots
often flew several sorties a day on only a few hours
of sleep. In a bid to bolster its used up fighter
force, the RAF eventually cut the operational
training time for new pilots from six months to just
two weeks. Some recruits even ended up on the
front lines with as little as nine hours’ experience
in modern fighter planes.
Page 7
The battle started on 10th July and raged on almost daily over the airfields of southern Britain. The RAF bases were
under constant attack, but despite damage, they managed to keep operating and the RAF fighters inflicted many
more losses on the Luftwaffe than they suffered themselves (by a factor of about 2:1). So with no victory in sight
and mounting losses, due to the constant presence of RAF fighters, the German command on the 31st of October
halted their attack on the RAF bases. The Battle of Britain was over. The RAF had defeated a much larger German
force and halted Hitler’s immediate plan to invade Britain. Both sides lost heavily during the Battle of Britain. More
than 1700 Luftwaffe planes were destroyed. The 2,662 German casualties included many experienced aircrew, and
the Luftwaffe never fully recovered from the reverse it suffered in August-October 1940
The Royal Air Force lost 1250 aircraft, including 1,017 fighters. In all, 520 men were killed serving with Fighter
Command. But with more than 700 fatalities during the period of the Battle, Bomber Command suffered even more
heavily. Another 200 men were killed flying with Coastal Command during this period.
Many British service men and women (and civilians) were killed or injured in air raids on the RAF bases as they
fought to keep them operational throughout the Battle.
RAF Pilots All RAF pilots were volunteers and aged between 18 and 26.. They were well educated and needed a good understanding of mathematics. Many came from University Air Squadrons and the Civil Air Guard scheme. As Germany rearmed the RAF intensified the recruitment and training of pilots, but there was always a shortage, so Britain looked to the Commonwealth and elsewhere
About 20% of RAF pilots who took part in the Battle of Britain were from non-British countries. The Royal Air Force roll of honour for the Battle of Britain recognises 595 non-British pilots (out of 2,936) These included 145 Poles, 127 New Zealanders, 112 Canadians, 88 Czechoslovaks, 10 Irish, 32 Australians, 28 Belgians, 25 South Africans, 13 French, 9 Americans, 3 Southern Rhodesians and individuals from Jamaica, Barbados and Newfoundland.
A British soldier guards a
German Messerschmitt
fighter plane, which was
intercepted over the English
Channel and shot down by a
Spitfire. 27th October 1940.
31st of October 1940, the battle of
Britain was over. The RAF had
defeated a much larger German force
and halted Hitler’s immediate plan to
invade Britain.
Page 7
Summary
The Dowding System is considered key to the success of the RAF against the German air force (Luftwaffe) during the Battle of Britain. The combination of early detection and rapid dissemination of that information, allowed the fighter force to be used at extremely high rates of effectiveness. In the pre-war period, interception rates of 30% to 50% were considered excellent; that meant that over half the sorties sent out would return without having encountered the enemy. During the Battle of Britain, average rates were around 90%, and several raids were met with 100% success rates. Lacking their own direction system, Luftwaffe fighters had little information on the location of their RAF counterparts.
Owing to radar detection the Luftwaffe lacked the element of surprise and the RAF fighters were almost always in an advantageous position.
Although many histories of the Battle of Britain comment on the role of RDF (radar), it was in conjunction with the Dowding System that this equipment was truly effective. This was not lost on Winston Churchill, who noted that:
‘All the ascendancy of the Hurricanes and Spitfires would have been fruitless but for this system which had been devised and built before the war. It had been shaped and refined in constant action, and all was now fused together into a most elaborate instrument of war, the like of which existed nowhere in the world’
Winston Churchill’s famous words sum up
the courage, bravery and sacrifice of the
RAF pilots who defeated a much larger
German force and halted Hitler’s plan to
invade Britain.
Page 8
Memorial plaque at site of the first successful radar
experiments, near Daventry, Northamptonshire.
Albert played a key role in keeping the veterans’ memories of RAF Defford alive, paving the way for the establishment of the DAHG through his ‘Contact!’ newsletter. Shortly after I first met Albert, some of his many stories of life at Croome were recorded by Eileen Clement, as part of the Friends Group’s Oral History project, adding further colour and context to our first exhibitions on RAF Defford. Albert also provided us with photos taken during his time in service (many showed him running in the park at Croome as he was a top-notch athlete!) and the wonderful hand-made model of the airfield, which is currently displayed in the RAF museum.
A message from Michael Forster - Smith, Manager of Croome
It was with great sadness I heard of the passing of Albert Shorrock, former Airframe Fitter at RAF Defford during the Second World War and Honorary President of the Defford Airfield Heritage Group in more recent years. I first met Albert in 2004, at a time when the dilapidated remains of the former RAF Sick Quarters were earmarked for demolition. At this point in time, the National Trust had not yet fully appreciated the significance of the work carried out at RAF Defford during the 1940s and 50s. Albert, with characteristic energy, enthusiasm and humour told us wonderful tales of the important work and considerable fun that he and his colleagues had shared during wartime at Croome. It was Albert’s initial contact that began the story of our endeavour to save the buildings that collectively form our visitor centre today.
Albert at 90 at Defford
Albert, with his finished model of
RAF Defford airfield
Albert Shorrock 1920-2020
Albert was one of the driving forces behind the
building of the RAF Defford Museum at Croome.
After much hard work it was opened on the 27th
September 2014 by Albert. He was Honorary
President of DAHG). Looking on are Lord Flight,
Michael Forster-Smith and Bob Shaw.
Over a number of successive years, we held an annual
commemoration of the efforts and achievements of
those in service at RAF Defford, and Albert’s arrival in
his VW Campervan was always a highlight of these
occasions! Once he was on site, Albert would charm,
amuse and educate every visitor he encountered and
each year he seemed able to conjure up more stories
about RAF Defford, never before heard! I cannot
remember Albert taking a break during these
weekends, as he was in constant demand from an
adoring audience! One of the most moving
experiences we have ever shared at Croome came
with the Lancaster fly-past during our very first RAF
event - it made Albert’s day to hear the familiar low
rumble of the engines as the Lancaster circled above.
We have so many fantastic memories of Albert’s
contribution to Croome that will live on for ever,
thanks to his determination to help preserve the RAF
buildings, and the stories of those who were in service
at Croome. Page 9
Albert’s Background. Albert was born on 8th December 1920 in Hampstead, London, but the family moved
to Darwen in Lancashire. In April 1941, Albert joined the RAF. He trained in Blackpool as a Flight Mechanic
(Airframes). After a posting to 256 Squadron, working on Defiants, he moved to Hurn, home of the
Telecommunications Flying Unit, which soon transferred to Defford. There, Albert’s trade training continued
and he became a Fitter ll (Airframes). He was a natural craftsman, a perfectionist, of the “Make do and Mend”
generation. He would scour damaged aircraft for useable spare parts. His work included the fitting of radar
Randomes, aerials and scanners He was a keen and very accomplished sportsman. He enjoyed cross country
running and took part in Defford “Station Sports Days” See group photo). After Victory in Europe Albert was
posted to 78 Squadron, operating Dakotas in Egypt, where he recorded many interesting stories in his
Chronicle.
Albert was demobbed in June 1946 and moved back
to Lancashire, but work was hard to find so he moved
to Halesowen in the West Midlands where he worked
as a carpenter. He also worked for the Bluebird
Toffee Company and as a District Inspector of South
Staffordshire Water. He became Head Groundsman
at Dudley Borough Parks, as well as Groundsman and
later Treasurer at Halesowen Athletics Club, where
he was honoured as a lifetime member. Albert kept
his love of cross country running, and was picked for
1948 Olympic Games in London, but sadly an injury
mean he could not compete. Albert retired in 1991.
He was always active in the RAF Defford Reunion
Association taking on the roles of Treasurer and
Newsletter Editor, and later helped to establish the
Defford Airfield Heritage Group, (DAHG), becoming
honorary President and opening the RAF Defford
museum, which he promoted tirelessly for so long.
Albert in 1941 when he joined the
RAF at Padgate
Albert with 78 Sqn. At the
Almaza airbase, North of
Cairo, Egypt. In 1945
Page 10
Contact Newsletter
Albert started producing and editing the RAF Defford Reunion Association, Contact Newsletter in 1995. The first one ‘Contact no 1” is dated autumn 1995 (see above). He saw it as a way of informing and binding the Group together. His last Contact was no. 93 in August 2014, when he passed it over to Bob Shaw. The newsletters were always interesting, amusing, with often unusual, funny and uplifting stories about Defford personnel and aircraft.
Defford Sports Day winners with their trophies, 1944. Albert is
standing far left. The Station Commander, Group Captain John
Macdonald is front row centre with his wife.
Albert’s first impression of RAF Defford
In February 1942 I was posted to Hurn, which was TRE’s
airfield. I found on my arrival that things were getting too
hot to handle, as “Jerry” kept paying us untimely visits.
Apparently he was a bit peeved because some of our lads in
the Commandos had recently popped over to Bruneval in
France and pinched his radar equipment and he wanted it
back. In the meantime, whilst our “Boffins” were sorting out
the bits and pieces, ‘Jerry’ kept poking his nose in and
interfering, so in the end the Air Ministry got cheesed off
and decided to pack up, lock, stock and barrel, and find
somewhere a bit quieter.
In early April therefore, 19 other bods and yours truly were
instructed to get down to the airfield with our full kit and
were immediately loaded into a Wellington full of bell tents
– destination Defford. We took off, got to about 150ft, then
the cowlings fell off the port engine. The pilot, with a shrug
of his shoulders, carried on. Unfortunately, about five
minutes later the starboard engine cowlings started
flapping about in the breeze and as the speedometer was
reading zero, he decided to return to base. We landed OK,
then transferred to a Lockheed Hudson, and were away
again.
Our first sighting of Defford was when our pilot announced
“There’s your new home lads”, but all that we could see
were three landing strips in the middle of a vast area of
utter desolation, and mud … Mud … MUD everywhere! This
was our “Welcome to Defford”! I was immediately assigned
to Servicing Wing to look after incoming aircraft. We were
certainly kept busy, the early arrivals were a right ‘Heath
Robinson’ collection - Anson, Oxford, Lysander, Hurricane
and Swordfish. I was back in the “Rag Trade”, brandishing
needle and thread, but the greatest problem was that we
didn’t have any starter batteries; it was all hand swinging or
cranking for “Contact”.
RAF Defford Reunion, Croome Court 2010 Mike
McDonald, the son of Group Captain McDonald,
presented a framed copy of the superb David
Shepherd painting of Spitfire EN915, which was
accepted by Albert Shorrock on behalf of the Reunion
Association
Page 11
‘Memoirs of an Airframe Fitter’.
We are lucky that Albert included many of his
wartime stories in his 50-page chronicle,
‘Memoirs of an Airframe Fitter’. It was
produced in 2010 for the DAHG reunion. It
covers his experience at RAF Defford and his
subsequent service in the Middle East.
We would like to share these memoirs with
you, however it is beyond the scope of just
one Contact newsletter, so we will serialise it
for publication in subsequent newsletters.
However if you would like an email copy now,
then contact me Mike Mullins
[email protected] or contact
me by phone (01905 421740) and I will send
one to you.
Albert wrote this very touching ‘Farewell Message’. He left
several copies at his home when he finally went in to hospital.
They were addressed to various friends and colleagues. After
Albert had died they were circulated by David.
Albert at the 2005 RAF Defford Reunion at Croome,
with Graham and Sylvia Evans.
Albert’s legacy is very much alive, in keeping
the Reunion Association aims active within
DAHG, and helping to run the RAF Defford
Museum, including contributing to the many
works and exhibits which have proved so
popular with thousands of visitors.
Page 12
Treble Three, as a Ministry of Supply aircraft, was very camera shy and her service details were similarly obscure. This
meant that when we preserved her, we had scant details of her work. We knew from records where she had been, but
not what she had been doing. We were aware that she had served as a trials aircraft in Australia and had left the UK on
24th May 1966, for operations from Woomera, on behalf of the Weapons Research Establishment, reaching there on 31st
May. We also knew that she received an overall white colour scheme and that she returned to the UK in July 1969 to
take up trials work for RRE at Pershore. But that was about the extent of our knowledge of that period of her career.
In around 2006 we acquired a print of a black and white photograph showing Treble Three taxying at, we think, Pershore
not long after she had returned from Australia in July 1969 when engaged on Torpedo trials. This is the photo:
We say mid to late 1969
since she is still in all white
colours with what
appeared to be a ‘zap’ on
her tail. We felt it had
Australian connections
because a Kangaroo can
clearly be made out, but
the rest of the inscription
was not clear.
We also know from another photo (taken in late 1969), that the Radar Research Flying Unit crest was applied to her
when still in the all-white colour scheme so the photo above must have been taken shortly after her return from
Australia on 21st July, 1969. We set about making some enquiries about the tail markings and, we ended up not only
clarifying the badge but making contact with two of her RAAF crew who had flown her ‘down under’.
Thanks to the efforts of some really great
people we made contact with a former
RAAF pilot who had flown Treble
Three when attached to No. 2 Air Trials
Unit, RAAF Edinburgh. He was able to tell
us that the ‘zap’ probably looked like this:
But, of course, we could not leave it at that and he very kindly came up with some splendid photos of her during the
trials. He told us that “As well as Treble Three we had a Canberra T.4 WD954 and a B.2 WK165 on the Unit. I ended up
with over 2000 hrs on Canberras, mostly the Government Aircraft Factory Mk.20, in flying it on and off for 10n years,
but the B(I)8 was the best of them all. I flew 250 combat missions over Vietnam in Mk.20s in 1968. The B(I)8 would
have been a far better aircraft to use there, with gun packs of course.”
WT333 at RAAF Edinburgh 1969 – note the black triangle under the wing
along with the mounting for the carriage trials
Canberra B (I) 8 WT333 Work with RAAF on Missile trials ‘Down Under’. DAHG member Stephen Reglar continues the story of Canberra WT333
Page 13
“I believe that the black triangles were simply reference marks for tracking cameras. The aircraft was used for weapons
carriage and drop trials over Woomera. The tip tanks were painted black. On the underside were big strobe lights,
perhaps 20cm long and 5-10cm deep. There were fairings inboard to protect the crew from the flash.”
Taxying in at RAAF Darwin after a sortie – again 13th June 1969. Note the fairing on the
tip tanks mentioned in the narrative.
In turn we were put in touch with a former RAAF navigator at No. 2 ATU and both flew as crew of Treble Three. He
too was glowing in his praise for the abilities of the B(I)8.
“I arrived at No. 2 ATU in mid-1967 and Treble Three was already there, resplendent in the all-white finish that was
common for the unit’s trials aircraft. (The others were a few Meteors, paid-off very soon after my arrival, and two
other RAF Canberras).”
“As far as I’m aware all the Ikara trials for which we used WT333 were flown at Avalon airfield near Melbourne. The
trials were always a pleasant day out: a 50 minute transit from Edinburgh to Avalon; a cup of tea while the scientists
and engineers fitted the Ikara and a dummy torpedo under one of the wings; take off, set up in a circuit while the
tracking/recording devices were calibrated; then drop the torpedo and land. Another cup of tea while we discussed
things with the boffins, and then back to Edinburgh.”
WT333 at Avalon (Government Aircraft Factory) with Ikara fitted underwing
………to be continued.
In the next issue we look at WT333’s flight from Australia to Pershore
Ikara anti- submarine missile
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