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| Place |
Date |
Time |
Summary of Events COMPILING OFFICER Flying Officer G.E. Hickman |
REF. TO APPENDICES |
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| R.A.F. JEVER |
1st
1955 |
February, |
We had a full day's flying. A total of 31½ hours was flown with the emphasis
on cine quarter attacks. |
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2nd. |
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There was no flying because of poor visibility. There was a lecture on
aircraft recognition, and the afternoon was devoted to sports. |
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3rd |
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The lectures this morning were on aircraft recognition, intelligence,
navigation and meteorology. The fog cleared during the afternoon and we flew
for a short period. Thirteen sorties were flown, of which ten were cine quarter
attacks. |
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4th |
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The air to ground firing at Meppen range was cancelled during the morning
because of low cloud and rain. Only 11 sorties had been carried out. The
highest scorers were Flying Officer Couch 16.5% and Flying Officer Hickman 9%.
When the weather conditions appeared to be improving, at various times during the
afternoon, aircraft were sent off on weather checks, but general flying was not
resumed. |
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5th |
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The station parade was cancelled but no flying was possible because of low
cloud and poor visibility. During the morning we saw our recent cine films and
carried out Squadron duties before standing down for the weekend. |
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7th |
Monday |
Flying did not start until 11.00 hours because of a fall of snow pellets during
the night had made the runway slippery. A total of 19½ hours was flown during
the remainder of the day, the emphasis being on cine quarter attacks and local recces. |
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8th |
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We had lectures this morning on flight instruments and signals organisation at
station level. No flying was possible because of fog and low cloud which
persisted throughout the day. |
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9th |
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The Squadron flew on Battle Flight duties this morning. This consisted of
a single pair doing P.I.s on the battle flight from Oldenburg as no other targets
were available. Flying Officer Balfour went off the runway on take off due to
disengagement of the nose wheel steering but no damage was done to the aircraft. |
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10th |
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Snow on the runway delayed the start of flying for a short time. The Battle
Flights were similar to those carried out yesterday. Some good interceptions were
made, one in particular on a Danish Meteor N.F.11, and others on the Oldenburg
Battle Flight. |
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11th |
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Flying did not start until this afternoon, when a total of 8 sorties were flown,
due to snow showers. We had lectures on Air Traffic Control by the S.A.T.C.O., and
on air to air firing by the Wing P.A.I. |
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12th |
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There was no flying this morning after the Station parade. Squadron ground
duties were carried out. |
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14th |
Monday |
The Battle Flight, consisting of one pair of aircraft, flew 3 details this
morning, before heavy snow stopped flying for the day. |
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15th |
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Four pilots went to Oldenburg to sit the promotion examinations and although
the weather was fine, a total of only 19 hours was flown. The majority of these
cine quarter attacks, low flying and practice forced landings. |
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16th |
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Heavy snow storms persisted all day and no flying took place. We had a
lecture on aircraft recognition, and a talk on the Hunter aircraft by Wing Commander
West, OC. Flying Wing. |
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17th |
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The Squadron spent the whole day clearing snow off the runway. With the aid
of snow ploughs and the majority of the Station Personnel the whole runway was
cleared by 17.00 hours. |
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18th |
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Flying stopped during the morning because of more snow storms, and only one
detail was flown during the rest of the day. The visibility in the heavier of the storms
was reduced to a few yards. |
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19th |
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The station parade was cancelled and flying, which began with one pair of
aircraft at 09.15 hours continued until 13.00 hours. Seven and half hours were
flown. |
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21st |
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This week the whole Squadron has been on annual Ground Combat Training
Course. The complete ground combat course was condensed into one week of lectures
and demonstrations with a night infiltration exercise and a defence exercise against
an R.A.F. Regiment patrol. This exercise was designed to put into practice the
theories on organisation of ground defence learnt during the week, and to practice
positioning defences and giving fire orders.
The weapons covered were the rifle, bren, sten, 2 inch mortar and .38 pistol.
All these, except the mortar, were fired on the range. Almost all pilots obtained
the desired standard with the rifle which was an 8 inch group at 200 yards, and
Flying Officer Clayton-Jones was outstanding with a 3 inch group on his first shoot. |
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26th |
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The week's G.C.T. ended with a written examination this morning. The Squadron
was working this afternoon on servicing of aircraft, and preparing monthly reports. |
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28th |
Monday |
This afternoon one cine quarter attack detail was flown on the flag. Several
aircraft returned to the squadron after flying with excessive loads on the
accelerometer. This was thought to be due to the rough snow surface of the
taxi tracks. The total hours flown today was 14 hours. |
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Rounds fired :- 2180
Stoppages :- -
Stoppage Rate :- -
Flying summary for February :- Hours Sorties
Sabre 165.15 240
Vampire T.11 9.15 16
Prentice 1.05 1
Total 175.35 257 |
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PERSONNEL
Flying Officers Couch and Hickman were at Wunstorf for the No. 2 Group
Aircraft Recognition Trials. Flying Officer Balfour was chosen for the team to compete
in the R.A.F. Championships. |
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9th |
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Flying Officer Senar went to Wegberg for a special Medical Board and returned
as A3 G1. He is now limited to 2nd Pilot flying. |
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15th- |
17th |
Flying Officers Revnell, Hickman, Senar and Scott went to Oldenburg for the
promotion examinations. |
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16th |
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Flying Officer Hampton returned from Rostrup. |
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22nd |
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Sergeant Knight was posted from the Squadron to O.C.T.U. in U.K. |
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28th |
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Flight Lieutenant Horrell was posted from the Squadron. |
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During the month the following went on leave:- Squadron Leader Browne,
Flying Officers Davis, Couch, Mitchell and Fewell.
The following returned from leave:- Squadron Leader Browne, Flight Lieutenant
Horrell, Flying Officers Balfour, Fewell, Page, Leigh-Lancaster, Sanderson, Chadwick
Harper and Flight Sergeant Shrubsole.
Flying Officers Exley and Harper returned from Ehrwald and their places were
taken by Flying Officers Leigh-Lancaster and Ritchie.
Flight Lieutenant Horrell competed in the 2nd A.T.A.F. Ski Championships and
obtained 3rd place in the overall results. He represented 2nd T.A.F. in the R.A.F.
Championships and the R.A.F. in the Inter-Services Competition. In both events, he gained
4th place. |
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OPERATIONAL
It is hoped that February is the last of a long series of increasingly
disappointing winter months. Only 6 days were fit for flying for this Squadron,
out of the 17 days available for this month - the remaining days were taken up in
a Squadron Ground Combat Training commitment. The small total of 166 hours, was
to some extent offset by the fact that nearly all these hours were flown by only a
few pilots -the majority were taking leave or were on courses.
The flying training emphasis was on quarter attack practices at the lower
altitudes in preparation for Sylt attachment in March. Radar flags were towed
off on 2 occasions - the double Anning reflectors gave good results. The limited
air to ground firing achieved, was due to poor weather conditions, also Battle Flight
duties were affected in the same way.
The Ground Combat Training requirement was carried out during the last week of the
month. There was a useful night evasion exercise and daylight defence exercise.
These were carried out by the entire Squadron acting together as a defensive unit,
which is a big advantage in standing down one complete unit at a time. |
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ADMINISTRATION.
There was a Squadron conference on a proposed change of personnel establishment
for a 22 U.E. Sabre Squadron, which amounted to a reduction of 33 airmen, mainly
in the fitter and rigger trades. This was not acceptable and counter proposals
were put forward.
The Squadron is expected to reduce to 14 U.E. aircraft in the near future, in
preparation for re-equipping with Hawker Hunters.
Squadron Battle Flight commitments have been reduced to 2 aircraft at readiness
during the hours of daylight. The longer hours involved has caused some changes
in the operational set up.
Parades have been cancelled during the month owing to the weather conditions -
however all station personnel have been playing their part in clearing the snow from
the runway, which has been kept very clear.
Signed DFM Browne
(D.F.M. BROWNE)
Squadron Leader
Officer Commanding
No. 93 Squadron.
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