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| Place |
Date |
Time |
Summary of Events COMPILING OFFICER Fg.Off. P. Leigh-Lancaster |
REF. TO APPENDICES |
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| R.A.F. Jever |
1st |
July, 1955 |
The rear party left R.A.F. Sylt today by road, and stayed overnight at
Uxbridge Barracks, Hamburg; the main party having already left by rail. The
aircrew, already at Jever, prepared for an outdoor party by the hangar to celebrate
their arrival back at base after 7 weeks absence. |
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2nd |
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The rear party arrived back at Jever after an accident free journey.
Squadron pilots held an outdoor party which went very well and did not finish till
the early hours on Sunday morning. Thus was made known our return to our home
station after the long Sylt attachment. |
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4th |
Monday |
Today, the station was on stand-down after 'Exercise Carte Blanche'. |
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5th |
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Flying Battle Formation and low level cross-countries 19 hours were achieved
although the Squadron had to stop flying by 16.00 hours for a lecture by a Rolls
Royce test pilot on the Hunter engine. |
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6th |
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Seventeen sorties were flown in a short mornings' flying as the Squadron
finished early for Station Sports in the afternoon. At station sports :- Fg.Off.
Page won the high jump; Fg.Off. Couch won the long jump, the hop, step and jump
and was placed third in the 100 metres sprint; S.A.C. Buckley won the javelin.
However no station records were broken by the Squadron. |
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7th |
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Six aircraft were airborne exactly at 08.00 hours and these six aircraft were
kept flying all morning with a four doing battle formation and a pair 'bouncing'
them. The weather closed in and the Squadron was limited to a pair only
on low level cross countries. 35 sorties were flown with a total of 25 hours,
25 minutes. |
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8th |
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Very low stratus stopped flying all morning, however, when it lifted
sufficiently in the afternoon to enable Flt. Lt. Hayes to get his 'four'
airborne. 18 sorties were flown before the weather closed in again. |
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9th |
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There was no flying this morning which is now the new routine for Saturday,
the morning being devoted to aircraft servicing and domestic inspections. |
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11th |
Monday |
The Squadron concentrated on high level battle formation besides 6 low level
sorties and a sortie by the aerobatic four resulting in 27.50 hours flown. |
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12th |
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Battle flight started for the week but unfortunately the G.C.I. was u/s
most of the day, so there was little value obtained on the interception side of
the battle flight. The number of sorties were limited to 23. |
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13th |
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With the G.C.I. now serviceable Battle flight became more profitable, and
a good number of interceptions were made before flying stopped for sports in the
afternoon. |
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14th |
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On Battle flight today the Squadron flew six operations, intercepting a
variety of aircraft consisting of one Tornado, six Sabres, two Hunters and two
Venoms. The standard of G.C.I. was good throughout the day. |
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15th |
Monday |
This morning the G.C.I. was unserviceable and Battle flight stood an hour
on the ground from readiness at 08.30 A until they were scrambled. However,
six operations were flown, the emphasis being on practice interceptions, of which
thirteen were completed. The only aircraft intercepted were four Sabres. |
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16th |
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We were the only Squadron to fly from Jever on account of Battle flight.
The G.C.I. was unserviceable and we were vectored across Northern Germany by
the fixer service without any results. On the last flight the aircraft split
into pairs and did their own P.I.S. at 45,000 feet. |
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17th |
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From dawn to dusk five pilots and an operations officer and groundcrew were
at two hours availability for Battle flight. |
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18th |
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The first day in many that there was cloud cover in the morning, this was
8/8 stratus at 800 - 1,000 feet although it cleared to 3/8 of strato cumulus by
midday. On Battle flight during the morning we had two excellent interceptions
on Canberras, the first being at 35,000 feet and the second at 40,000 feet, the
latter being more difficult than the first as it was climbing when intercepted.
In the afternoon Battle flight spent most of the three operations climbing through
38,000 feet of cloud although a Canberra was intercepted on the last. |
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19th |
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Today's flying consisted mostly of fours flying high level battle and being
bounced by pairs soon after take off, and again at 40,000 feet. One four flew
a low level cross country and finished with a strike on a disused airfield -
Varrelbusch - it was also bounced by a pair both during the cross country and the
strike. The day finished with the aerobatic team demonstrating a box take off,
and a pairs break and landing. |
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20th |
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Again the emphasis was on high level battle formation with pairs intercepting
the formations. Before we stood down at midday the aerobatic team gave a short
but excellent display over the airfield. The afternoon was given to sports when
the Squadron officers' team lost to Four Squadron officers' at tennis. |
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21st |
Sunday |
An air to ground programme was arranged and flown at Meppen. The cloud
base consisted of broken fair weather cumulus at 3,000 feet, so it did not
interfere with the programme. The highest scorer during the day was Flying Officer
Couch with 36.2%. This was the first time we had fired on the new range and we
found it easier to find than the old range. |
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22nd |
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The day started with a short talk on Maxeret braking by the Dunlop represent-
ative at Met. briefing. Flying started at 08.00 hours with the Squadron overflying
the airfield at low level in two vic formations line abreast. The sorties flown
today were limited owing to the monthly target being near at hand with an allowance
having to be made for two air to ground programmes next week. The aerobatic
team ended the day with a vic formation landing - very good when observed from the
squadron hangar tower. |
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23rd |
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The Squadron was on a working parade this morning and no flying took place.
The remainder of the morning was spent on ground duties and primary inspections,
before we stood down at 13.00 hours for lunch. |
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25th |
Monday |
Flying was restricted today, the Squadron having only 45 hours to go to reach
the target by the end of the week. Sabre hours flown were 17.20 consisting of 26
sorties in order to spread the remaining hours evenly over the week. The emphasis
was on high level battle formations, most of which were intercepted by following
pairs. |
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26th |
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We started the air to ground programme in the morning but were informed
unexpectedly that we were taking over battle flight from Oldenburg in the afternoon.
However, we managed to carry on with a pair at Meppen throughout the afternoon as
well. |
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27th |
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We were informed that we were to continue on battle flight until the end of the
month, today. This morning we had a pair on this duty and at the same time
maintained an air to ground programme at Meppen. Today was the month's best day
on air to ground, the daily average being 24.1%. Squadron Leader Browne was top
scorer with 49.5%. |
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28th |
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We flew four aircraft on battle flight during the morning, but reduced this to
a pair in the afternoon to keep as near to the target as possible, although this
battle flight duty means that the target must be overrun to some extent. The
aerobatic team gave another display over the airfield, which included the performance
of a fine 'clover leaf'. The standard was not quite as good as on some previous
efforts due in part to the bumpy conditions. The display ended with a formation
circuit and a box landing. |
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29th |
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The first day for a long time starting with amber conditions - the cloud being
5/8 stratus at 700 feet. A pair of aircraft were devoted to battle flight during
the day, the only other flying done was a trip by the aerobatic team before lunch.
The afternoon was mostly spent in compiling the monthly returns before we stood
down at 17.00 hors for August Grant. |
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30th |
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August Grant. |
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31st |
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August Grant. |
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PERSONNEL |
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1st |
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Fg.Offs. Couch and Page returned from U.K. |
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2nd |
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Rear party returned from Sylt. Flt.Lt. Colvin returned from D.F.L.S. course. |
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6th |
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Fg.Offs. Garthwaite and Hickman left on U.K. leave. |
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8th |
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Fg.Off. Dunbar went on U.K. leave. |
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9th |
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Fg.Off. Balfour proceeded on three weeks leave. |
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10th |
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Fg.Off. Ramsay went on U.K. leave. |
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11th |
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Fg.Off. Leigh-Lancaster returned from U.K. leave. |
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16th |
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Flt.Lt. Hayes left for Land - Air Warfare course at Old Sarum in U.K. |
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18th |
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Fg.Off. Pigdon went on three weeks leave. |
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Rounds fired :- 12,586
Stoppages :- 3
Stoppage rate:- 4,162
Sorties Hours
Sabre 548 389.15
Vampire T.11 19 16.00
Prentice 1 1.55
Hunter 3 1.50
Total - 571 409.00
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ADMINISTRATIVE
With the Squadron at its home base for the first complete month since
February, personnel were able to concentrate on getting the Squadron Hangar and
Barrack Block and inventories into order again.
The reduction of the establishment to 14 U.E. is starting to take effect on
the manpower side. There have been 12 postings to other units and a large number
of repatriations. The strength only exceeds the establishment by some five or
six airmen. This has had beneficial effects in general as the organisation and
efficiency of the Squadron has improved. |
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OPERATIONAL
July was the first month since February, when only six days were fit for
flying, that the Squadron was at its parent station for the complete month. The
weather was consistently good and the flying target was once again exceeded: 388
Sabre hours flown. In fact it has been an extremely useful period of
tactical and refresher training. Lack of dual aircraft prevented the fulfillment
of several night flying programmes.
The main emphasis, after the long Sylt attachment, was on high level
interceptions, combined dog fights and cine gun attacks. Also cross country
navigational exercises with re-arranged rendezvous were practiced.
The air to ground range at Meppen, which is greatly improved after being re-sited
was used on three days, in spite of rather extensive and prolonged battle flight
duties which curtailed the number of aircraft available for firing. The scores
showed some rapid improvement ending up with a squadron average of 24% for the
last day. However the majority of pilots still need a lot more practice to
produce consistent results. The stoppage rate was 4,162 for one - 12,585 rounds
were fired.
The Squadron serviceability has remained at a fairly constant 60%. This
has been helped by the temporary favourable manning position, following the
reduction to 14 U.E. However with the Squadron down to the establishment strength
and allowing for leave and advanced training courses, the manning position is
going to be tight in the fitter and rigger trades.
Signed DFM Browne
(D.F.M. BROWNE)
Squadron Leader
Officer Commanding
No. 93 Squadron.
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