Flicking through Philip D. Caine’s “Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer”, I found a reference to Portreath being “home for the only two helicopters in the RAF, both of which crashed while Gover was stationed there”. This would be in March 1942. I thought that a handful of Sikorsky R4s were the RAF’s first helicopters, and as the R4 first flew in January 1942 that seems unlikely.
Was he seeing helicopters, or were they Cierva-type autogyros – or even somthing else?
Thanks,
Adrian
By: adrian_gray - 26th January 2014 at 13:57
Thanks Ross, that looks like a perfect fit, especially as Gover (the subject of the book) left Portreath for Ibsley at the end of April.
I’d guessed that was the likely explanation, but I try to keep an open mind to new discoveries – until I read The Last Blitz, I’d never have thought Mistel or Fritz-X were used against UK targets, for example.
Adrian
By: Ross_McNeill - 26th January 2014 at 13:16
Hi Adrian looks like confusion with autogyros.
Autogyro C30A, V1186 from No.1448 Flight swung as it became airborne on air test at Portreath on 19th April 1942.
It was damaged Cat B, pilot Sgt A F Whittle RNZAF.
Regards
Ross
By: heli1 - 26th January 2014 at 12:53
Definitely not helicopters in1942……1952 might be possible when the Sycamore 12was with ASWDU at St Mawgan. Possibly Cierva C30as but no record of these based in the area at that time either…..they were all busy on the east and south East Coast supporting the radar stations.
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January 26, 2014 at 11:31 am