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Place |
Date |
Time |
Summary of Events Compilation Officer: Fg. Off PA. BARROW. |
REFS TO APPENDICES |
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R.A.F. Jever |
November 1956 |
1st |
Visibility deteriorated during the day and the airfield state whilst green initially
became red during the afternoon. In all 26 sorties were flown of low level battle
practice interceptions and individual sorties. |
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Friday |
2nd |
The visibility again was the restrictive factor on flying, and only 18 sorties were
flown. These consisted of pairs practice interceptions, cine and individual sorties. |
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Sat. |
3rd |
There was no flying this morning and the pilots attended to their normal Squadron
duties and ground training lectures. |
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Monday |
5th |
A total of 33 sorties were flown to day, the accent being on high level battle for -
mation, in addition some sorties of cine were flown. |
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Tuesday |
6th |
From today until 12th November the Squadron is engaged in battle flight duties. A high
intensity of flying was achieved today and 38 sorties were flown. With each four
scrambled a spare aircraft was sent off thus ensuring certain four if any aircraft
were unserviceable. |
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Thursday |
8th |
Low cloud limited flying throughout the day and only 16 battle flight sorties were
flown. |
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Friday |
9th |
During today 28 battle flight sorties were flown in good weather and several succ -
essful practice interceptions were made. |
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Saturday |
10th |
10 sorties on battle flight were flown during the morning. For the rest of the week -
end the Squadron was held at 2 hours availability. |
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Monday |
12th |
The airfield state was red throughout the day and no flying was possible, due to low
cloud and poor visibility. Visibility rarely exceeded 1000 yards throughout the
day. An intensive ground training programme was carried out. |
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Tuesday |
13th |
Exercise "Guest", which was due to be held today was postponed again due to bad
visibility. However some flying was carried out and 23 day sorties and 5 night sorties
were flown. |
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Wed. |
14th |
Exercise "Guest" postponed until today was finally cancelled because of poor weather
conditions throughout 2 T.A.F. The airfield state was amber III and only 6 sorties of
cine were flown. |
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Thursday |
15th |
Good flying weather held throughout the day and 43 day and four night sorties were flown.
These sorties consisted of high and low level battle formation, practice interceptions,
cine exercises and individual sorties. |
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Friday |
16th |
Another good day's flying with 41 day sorties and 6 night sorties comprised of battle
formation, cine exercises and individual sorties. |
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Saturday |
17th |
There was no flying this morning and pilots attended to their Squadron ground duties,
whilst the airmen attended trade training lectures. |
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Monday |
19th |
A very good day with 37 day sorties of high level battle formation, cine exercises
and individual sorties of mach runs, aerobatics and practice forced landings. A further
19 sorties of local night and night cross counytry's were flown. In the last three flying
days the Squadron completed 120 hours. |
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Tuesday |
20th |
In all 33 day sorties of battle formation, practice interceptions and cine exercises
in addition to 4 dusk sorties, were flown. |
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Wed. |
21st |
This morning flying consisted of 12 sorties of practice interceptions and cine exer -
cises. The afternoon was devoted to sport. |
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Thursday |
22nd |
Aircraft serviceability started to fall off from today. The main cause of unservice -
ability was engine temperature instrument failures. However 22 sorties of high level
battle formation, cine exercises and individual sorties were flown. |
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Friday |
23rd |
The Squadron was down to 3 serviceable aircraft with which 23 sorties were flown.
An incident occurred during today when Flt/Lt. B.A. Edwards after take off on an air test
experienced a sudden drop in R.P.M. with high J.P.T. Thinking a flame out was imminent
he turned through 180° and landed successfully on the runway downwind. The cause was
traced to a radio access panel being torn off and entering the starboard intake virtually
cutting off the air supply on that side of the engine. The aircraft was classified cat.2 |
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24th - |
25th |
Station Stand Down. |
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Monday |
26th |
Weather conditions of cumulo - nimbus and nimbo stratus producing heavy rain in add -
ition to strong cross winds precluded more than 6 sorties being flown. |
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Tuesday |
27th |
Showery weather and strong winds continued throughout the day and only 26 sorties were
possible. These consisted of practice interceptions and cine exercises. |
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Wed |
28th |
Some 9 sorties were flown this morning of cine exercises and individual sorties of
mach runs,aerobatics and G.C.A'S. The afternoon was devoted to sport. |
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Thursday |
29th |
Fog covered the Jever area for the first part of the morning and pilots attended a
lecture on D.M.E. given by a member of D.F.L.S. at West Raynham. Flying consisted of
2 cine and 5 individual sorties. |
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Friday |
30th |
During the morning pilots attended a discussion with some members of the handling
Squadron from Boscombe Down. Later, seven individual sorties were flown which mainly
consisted of air tests. |
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Flying Hours
Operational Day 388.05 Hrs Instrument Flying (Actual) 19.45 Hrs
Operational (Night) 28.55 Hrs Instrument Flying (Simulated) 6.00 Hrs
Training Type 44.20 Hrs Other Pilots 2.15 Hrs
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Operational
The month of November has been without doubt the best flying month of the year for
the Squadron and the total number of hours were 419.45 .
At the beginning of the month the weather was restricted, however when the Squadron's
battle flight duty came on the 6th November a general improvement in the weather was
experienced. On practically every occasion during that week the Squadron was able to
send up "Four" for G.C.I. as a spare aircraft was always available and airborne at
the time of the scramble being given.
Immediately after the Squadron employment on battle flight, exercise "Guest" was
due to be held, however owing to the prevalence of low cloud and bad visibility the
exercise was at first postponed and finally cancelled. A further improvement in the
weather during the period 15th to the 20th November resulted in a high flying intensity
being achieved, in fact 120 hours were completed in 3 flying days.
The normal 348 hour monthly target was reached on 22nd November. After that date re -
duced aircraft serviceability produced some slackening in flying intensity. The main
causes of unserviceability were engine defect 49 which resulted in three aircraft being
on the ground for a week pending engine removal and refitting . Six aircraft experienced
jet pipe temperature troubles traced to faulty thermo - couples, voltage regulators and
gauges. Five aircraft have had an I.O.R. demand for sight amplifiers. |
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Personnel |
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November |
8th |
Squadron Leader D.T. Adamson left for Arnhem. |
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10th |
Squadron Leader D.T. Adamson returned from Arnhem. |
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12th |
Fg/Off P.A. Barrow detached to Sundern for C and L Course. |
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16th |
Fg/Off P.A. Barrow returned from Sundern. |
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17th |
Fg/Off E.B. Bywater returned from U.K. Leave. |
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19th |
Fg/Off J.D. Rastall returned from U.K. Leave. Fg/Off B. Shore returned from Leconfield.
Fg/Off A. MacNae detached to Wildenwrath for aviation medicine course. |
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22nd |
Fg/Off A. MacNae returned from Wildenwrath.
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26th |
Fg/Off D.A.W. Todman left for R.A.F. Hospital Wegberg.
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Administration
There has been no appreciable change in ground crew strength during the month, although
there have been changes in personnel. Serviceability and flying intensity have on the
whole been excellent but as previously mentioned engine faults created a problem at the
end of the month. signed DTAdamson (D.T. ADAMSON) Squadron Leader, Officer Commanding, No. 98 Squadron.
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