DH Hornet Moth retraces its past at St Athan

Hi Tony, many thanks for joining the forum (not an easy task!) and putting across your impressions of the day.
It sounds like your father had a hugely interesting flying career, and hopefully we will learn a bit more about him here or in other threads (you mention the Hornet). It is fantastic to hear that you will be putting together a book on him aswel, and I really wish that I had more opportunity to have spoken to you on the day.
Thanks for your kind words about my photography, I guess I’m lucky with my position rather than my skills as such!
Some of the pics show you flying the aircraft I believe.

David informs me that his history of the Hornet Moth doesn’t show it being with the Radio & Radar unit, so either I have that wrong or the info is from somewhere else, I will check it out and correct if necessary.

Dave, thanks for your clarification on the strip name.

Does anyone here know what FEE or NI might mean?

June 13, Christchurch Worth (?) to M.Wallop 1 hr

Refers almost certainly to the strip at the TRE Worth Matravers in Dorset .Aircraft from the SDF at Christchurch used the strip on a daily basis.

What a cracking looking machine. I reckon there is as much time spent in TLC as in flying her by the look of it.

Hi,

David Weston sent me a link to this thread a while ago but its taken a little while to get registered and approved for posting.

Those are some lovely photographs that my extended family have now seen, extending further the emotional impact and joy of the day. Brilliant photography.

Naturally, one is positively biased towards one’s parents, but to meet so many people who were in a position to understand the history and who were so enthusiastic, interested and respectful to my fathers past just added even more to the experience. Heart warming.

I cannot thank David enough for initiating the visit, nor all those I met at St Athan.

Tony Adderley

P.S. I have also noticed today a thread about PX229 and the work that has been done to recover the remains of that aircraft. Dad flew that Hornet once, at Farnborough on October 1st 1946. It feels like a small world !

Hi Denis, just sussed out who you are from your Hunsdun site!:)

Believe me, I would rather read about, or see a image of, a classic de Havilland like the Hornet Moth, than a picture of a Spitfire any day!
Great images and post all round.

Can see your pics now Tony, very nice, thanks for those.

I must admit I thought there would be more interest in this story, maybe not Spitfirey enough!:rolleyes:

Tony Adderley brought along his fathers log books on the trip aswel, I wish I had the time to talk longer with him and to look through them.

These are the entries concerning his flights in Hornet Moth W9385,

1941
May 8, Middle Wallop Old Sarum 7 return 20 mins
May 8, return St Athan 40 mins (Wg Cdr Bathurst 1st pilot)
May 19, St Athan 50 mins (Wg Cdr Bathurst 1st pilot)
May 30, NI trials FEE Middle Wallop 20 mins
June 2, NI trials FEE Middle Wallop 1 hr 50 mins
June 2, NI trials FEE Middle Wallop 45 mins
June 13, Christchurch Worth (?) to M.Wallop 1 hr
June 17, C.F.S. Upavon & return 20 mins
June 20, Aberporth 45 mins
June 20, Aberporth Towyn return 40 mins
June 21, Aberporth Towyn return 40 mins
June 21, St Athan 50 mins (Wg Cdr Bathurst 1st pilot)
Oct 20, Portsmouth St Athan 1 hr 10 mins
1942
April 2, Manorbier & return 1 hr 30 mins
April 10, Manorbier & return 1 hr 30 mins
April 14, Perton & return 3 hrs
April 30, return St Athan 45 mins (to Manorbier in a Queen Wasp)
April 30, return St Athan 45 mins (to Manorbier in a Queen Bee)
May 1, return St Athan 40 mins (to Manorbier in a Queen Bee)
May 1, Manorbier & return 1 hr 30 mins

Group Captain the Hon.Michael Charles Adderley DFC OBE AFC & Bar had quite a remarkable career.
He started out at Sywell in 1938 and then stationed at Shawbury, Penrhos, PAU Henlow, PAU Hawkinge, PAU St Athan (with spells at Sutton Bridge & Middle Wallop), PAU Manorbier, RAE Farnborough 1945 – ’49, Tengah, Malaya (during the emergency), and then apointments at the Air Ministry, OC No 8 JSTU, Air Attache Prague (apparently quite exciting given time and place!), MoD Staff and Permanent Head Courts Martial.
He served with distinction during the Korean war flying F-84E Thunderjets of the 27th Fighter Escort Wing and was decorated by the Americans for this action, receiving DFC, Bronze Star and Air Medal
He received an OBE in 1960 for his work on Bloodhound development work in Australia

He flew 162 DH Queen Bees and apparently he was proudest about his work on the Avro Lancaster and Lincoln.
He also flew:
DH Tiger Moth, Hornet Moth, Hawker Hart, Airspeed Oxford, Prefect, Miles Magister, Westland Wallace, Miles Mentor, Westland Lysander, Queen Wasp, NA Harvard, Hawker Hurricane, Hawker Hector, Avro Anson, DH Hornet, Gloster Gladiator, DH Dominie, Vickers Wellington, Percival Proctor, Miles Martinet, Seamew (assuming Curtiss and not Shorts variety), Junkers 52, Lockheed Hudson, Fairchild Argus, DH Mosquito, Douglas Dauntless, Supermarine Spitfire, Consolidated Liberator, NA Mitchell, Gloster Meteor, Avro York, Boeing Fortress III, Percival Prentice, HP Halifax, HP Hastings, Gadfly, Vickers Viking, Miles Falcon, Bristol Brigand, Vickers Valetta, Vickers Warwick, Auster, Douglas Dakota, DH Vampire, and Chipmunk.

I must express my sincere thanks to Tony for allowing me to post these details about his late father on the forum and I hope it illustrates the important role of service trials pilots.

Many thanks Tony, I can’t view the images at the moment (due to this PC) but I do know that David is extremely keen on finding as much history, information, and pictures of his Hornet Moth as possible.

Rob, I think Tony had an extremely enjoyable day retracing his fathers past in the Moth and at Saints. They certainly had plenty of media attention when they turned up.

In case of interest a couple of pictures of Hornet Moth G-ADND. The first at Cambridge pre 1950.

and then at Hatfield 23/6/51

Tony

Very nice piece James. Must have been quite emotional for the son to be in the same aircraft at the same airfield as his late father had been all those years ago.

Also have to say those wartime colours kind of suit that Hornet Moth :).

esb&wHornet Moth Saints 050 by Glassjar, on Flickr

esHornet Moth Saints 079 by Glassjar, on Flickr

esHornet Moth Saints 081 by Glassjar, on Flickr

Owner / pilot David Weston (right) and Tony Adderley

esHornet Moth Saints 017 by Glassjar, on Flickr

esHornet Moth Saints 092 by Glassjar, on Flickr

Thanks to both gentlemen for allowing me a bit of time to talk to them and get some pictures, hope you enjoy