Dominie Aircraft,Yatesbury 1940

Hello Graham,

Thank you for the update, I will of course will be needing information on the other Whitleys and the Battle if at all possible as I progress though the log book.

I have checked the GWCC website and there is no information on the airman so can only presume he survived the war.

Regards

Jason

Sadly A2486 belongs in WW1 and was not a Dominie. The Dominies in late 1941 belonged with No.2 Signals School but this did not operate Whitleys. I suspect this will have been at one of the Bombing Gunnery Schools. K8937 was aircraft T at 7 BGS Stormy Down from 8.12.40 so this will be the unit concerned. The other Whitleys can be found if you are interested, with either K or L prefix to the serials in the log book.

Finding photos of training aircraft is generally a thankless task, I’m afraid.

Hello All,

Thank you for all your help, from the photo’s you can see where I think the serial is A2486.

I have also included a photo of the following page showing flights in both Whitley’s and a Battle which I am guessing for gunnery instruction but I have no idea what the abbreviations mean, neither does not say if still at Yatesbury or not.

Regards

Jason

[ATTACH=CONFIG]237412[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]237413[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]237414[/ATTACH]

From http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh89.pdf

6447 Toc by RAF as R2486 under Contract 981944/39 at 8 MU 28.7.39. To RAE Farnborough [for trials?] 5.9.39. To 2 E&WS Yatesbury 3.10.39; renamed 2 SS 26.8.40. To ATA, White Waltham 12.3.43. To DH for overhaul 29.10.44. To Coastal Command Comm Flight, Northolt 19.1.45; based Leavesden wef 12.4.45. To RAF Northern Ireland Comm Flight, Sydenham [undated]. To 5 MU 4.11.46. Sold 25.8.47 to Brooklands Aviation Ltd. Regd G-AKJY (CofR 11986) 22.12.47 to Brooklands Aviation Ltd, Weybridge (based Shoreham). CofA 9937 issued 13.5.48. New CofR No R2259 issued .50. Cld 8.2.54 & regd 18.2.54 to WS Shackleton Ltd. London W1. Regn cld 7.4.54 as sold in French Algiers. Inspected Toussus 15.4.54. Regd F-OAPT 22.6.54 (CofA 11.6.54) to Societe Aerotechnique, Algiers. Regd 30.9.57 to Societe Generale d’Affretements Aeriens [SGAA/Air Fret], Algiers. CofA suspended Geryville 2.3.60. Regd 29.3.60 to Societe Cie Generale de Transports en Algerie [CGTA], Algiers (or Blida) for spares. Regn cld 20.9.61 as destroyed.

6459 Toc by RAF as R5923 under Contract 21547/39 at 2 E&WS Yatesbury 13.10.39; renamed 2 SS 26.8.40. Swung on take-off and hit fence Yatesbury 22.4.41. Soc 29.4.41.

6461 Toc by RAF as R5925 under Contract 21547/39 at 2 E&WS Yatesbury 6.10.39; renamed 2 SS 26.8.40. To DH for repairs 7.10.42; to 18 MU 13.2.43. To 24 Squadron, Hendon 14.5.43. To Metropolitan Communications Squadron, Hendon 8.9.44. Soc 31.12.45 as Cat E.

R2486 RAE, to Yatesbury 03Oct39, to ATA, White Waltham 12Mar43
R5923 DH, to Yatesbury 13Oct39, w/o after swung on take-off and hit fence at Yatesbury 22Apr41
R5925 DH, to Yatesbury 06Oct39, to DH for repairs 07Oct42

These aircraft have longer histories in an Air Britain DH89 Monograph, which sadly I don’t have to hand.

Air instruction on the DH.89A began at Yatesbury on 5th December 1939, the difference between the delivery date above and start of operations largely being because of a lack of radio equipment.

I’d very much like to get scans of the ‘Yatesbury’ pages on the log book – can you PM me?

A2486 isn’t right.