Question for the Hudson fans

Well done Ross, that would make sense but this looks like an RAF crew…

Yes, including P/O Pigeon…

Well done Ross, that would make sense but this looks like an RAF crew…

Best wishes
Steve P

Interesting to see the bombs (?) in the rack in side the fuselage.

Flares I think. The flare tube’s about there. See my post 9.

Interesting to see the bombs (?) in the rack in side the fuselage.

Well done Ross; obvious now we know the answer! Thanks. 😀

Local civilian Fife fishermen in their Sunday best and bunnets.

They were being flown for air experience due to their part time occupation as Lifeboatmen.

No.224 Sqn hosted representatives of the local RNLI crews and the flotation jacket was the Lifeboat issue.

Regards
Ross

The caps are what are commonly referred to in Scotland as ‘Bunnets’ – tweed flat caps. Pretty much the standard headgear of the working man until the 60s, still worn by older gentlemen.

The head gear is I am sure the traditional flat cap worn by civilian workers of all industries, but being Cornish I associate the flat cap with fishermen and farm workers. The people in the photograph all seem to be wearing uniform underneath the overalls, which as stated above seem to have a specific purpose. The chap nearest the camera seems to have a collar inflated and I suspect that this is something to do with life preservation in the event of ditching. Would they have work that for trans-atlantic ferry work?

224 Squadron “QX” code mefinks.

Most intreaguing.

Looks to me to be some sort of bulky overalls, and they could be wearing RAF or RCAF uniforms underneath. If they were civvies, some legs would be in a lighter cloth. (Although there seems to be two kinds of darker colour on show.)

The caps are odd.

They aren’t ‘GQ Parasuits’ (which look very like that) as they’re carrying parachutes, and the suit was different.

If it was a ferry aircraft, at any point prior to RAF acceptance, would it have the gas patch on the wing; flares in the fuselage; guns fitted to the turret; a turret at all? (RAAF Hudsons had turrets sent from the UK while the Hudsons came from the USA)

The nearest chap looks like he’s wearing an all in one floatation suit – the large chest (which in a similar case came up with ‘Mae West’ – hem hem) and the collar. But why leave the legs exposed?

161 Sqn dropped civilians in overalls with civvie clothes underneath for SIS and SOE, but they wore the drum shaped early British paratroop helmet, and -er- photographs were not encouraged! Could it be something similar to special services to do with Norway or the Shetland Bus?

Just some random thoughts, no solution.

Interesting, but would it have been given squadron codes prior to a ferry flight?

Best wishes
Steve P

[QUOTE] “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue or supporting it.” -Thomas PAINE Hi folks;
The men are more than likely Newfoundlanders,we canuks started ferry flights
using civvies.The time frame is right. But maybe the pic was from the other
side of the pond?C.B.C Canada just had a mini series on the subject ,
try thier home page to buy a copy.

Thanks for the input chaps. The person who took the photo was a civilian professional photographer, which leads me to think that the photo was taken during a press open day at Leuchars at some point during 1940.

Although the caption (which was written many years after the photographer died) refers to the group as “RAF aircrew”, I’m wondering if this is a mistake and that some of the individuals are civilians, perhaps reporters about to be given a flight in a Hudson? A couple of them seem to be be wearing dark suits underneath their outer garments, and civilian passengers although needing to keep their ears warm, would have no other need for a flying helmet. 🙂

The photo comes from a substantial archive held in St Andrews University Library (the Cowie Collection). It consists of thousands of glass negatives of anything and everything that the late Mr Cowie thought interesting. He must have had a good relationship with RAF Leuchars because he was able to photograph many of the types that were based there from the 1930s to the 1960s – he even managed to wangle a flight in an Overstand to photograph another one over the Tay Estuary 🙂 . Unfortunately, few of his aviation shots have been digitised yet, but a small selection can be viewed at the St Andrews Library website – just type in “Leuchars” in the search engine.

Best wishes
Steve P

I agree with Adrain about that bloke.

Is it possible they are not actualy related to the Hudson, they just are standing in front of it? I know it may sound odd but just a thought.

Probably showing my ignorance here… but the strange half-leg padded overall affairs look most odd. I THINK, looking at the one on the chap on the right, that it has a sort of padded (?) head-support, so I wonder if they might be modelling an early survival suit – a sort of whole-body lifebelt?. It certainly doesn’t look practical over uniform like that, I’d have expected some sort of flying kit if they were actually using the outfits.

I wonder if it is a new piece of kit, and they are larking about as it looks so odd? I await a definitive reply with interest!

Adrian

well at first glance i was going to say early berets but at a closer look they seem to be a cross between a beret & a flat cap!!!!! Bex