Stan Colley – an 'above average' pilot.

Wouldn’t you say that the cannon fairings on MH795 look rather floppy?

(Pity you didn’t add the Spits to the CD Mark ;))

Bet that Mark V was fun to sit in on those cool Desert afternoons!

Melv

And finally on to Spitfires…

…converting at 73 OTU Fayid in Egypt.

One photograph, given to Stan, was this most splendid shot of what appears to be an all black Spitfire Mk V ES278 fitted with an ‘Abouqir’ air filter. One could imagine this could be the CO’s personal kite at Fayid or perhaps one of the ‘Jumper’ aircraft. A modellers delight I am sure, but I wonder if a brave Mk V owner/restorer could consider such an authentic RAF livery – it would certainly get my vote.

With WWII over in Europe, it was on to 135 MU at Gabel Hamzi. Here is what a hanger door, ripped off in a sand storm, can do to a lowly Anson.

Gabel Hamzi was the collecting point for various aircraft at the end of hostilities. To render the aircraft non-operational, instructions were given to cut the tails off. On his departure flight back to the UK and de-mob Stan took this last shot – upwards of sixty Liberators in the frame, and in process of, or having got, the chop.

The last shots – de-mob and a £100 Avro Tutor G-AYFJ at Doncaster.

Very many thanks to Stan for sharing this splendid collection. I know one of his family members will be dialling up this site to take a peek and show him.

Mark

Onward to 41 S F T S

A few more shots of Harvards and Ansons this time at 41 Service Flying Training School, Weyburn, Saskatchewan as a navigation instructor.

Spitfires tomorrow.

Mark

Mark,

Cracking photos, thanks again for posting them

37 S F T S

The last few shots at 37 Service Flying Training School at Calgary during winter ’42/’43.

Right click – ‘save picture as’ to read caption.

Mark

Many thanks for sharing these with us Mark 🙂 Thank you also to Dan for your pictorial additions.

After some of the tripe that has been written on various topics on these forums lately, it is nice to be reminded today why I visit these forums 🙂

37 S F T S

A few more Harvards and Ansons at 37 Service Flying Training School at Calgary during winter ’42/’43.

Right click – ‘save picture as’ to read caption.

Mark

PS – SteveB you and I think and speak in ‘stereo’. 🙂

Wonderful photographs. It just goes to show how much material is still out there waiting to be discovered. Sadly, far too much is still ending up being junked as their owners pass on. Just a couple of years ago I was given a large collection of photos taken at RAF stations in Iraq in the 1920s and 30s which was literally recovered at the eleventh hour from a box of rubbish put out for the dustman!

And photos from John Stanaway’s book “Peter Three Eight” showing Laven with his family and Itsy Bitsy in San Antonio, Texas, from no doubt the same time frame and trip.

Gotta love how this stuff works. Minding my own business, looking at the photos and BAM! I know that one! 🙂

BTW Mark, if you hadn’t posted the other thread saying you were adding to this one daily, I’d have missed it. Thanks for the heads up

Dan

Very interesting photo of future P38 Ace George Laven’s P38E “Itsy Bitsy”. He was flying with the 54th FS in the Aleutians at the time where he claimed 4 Japanese aircraft. He later claimed one more Japanese plane while flying with the 49th FG to make him an ace.

One of the stories about Laven involved that P38 being damaged and he was sent to a modification center in Alaska to get it fixed. But the center wasn’t operating so Laven pointed the nose of his 38 towards the only modification center he knew was working, near his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. The time frame fits this photo, which makes me wonder if this was one of Laven’s stops on the return trip from Texas, where his family resided as well 🙂

This 38E is carrying drop tanks too, which was a rarity for the 38E

Added as scan of Itsy Bitsy at Adak Alaska with the 54th. The color shot comes from Jeff Ethell’s “P38 Lightning in World War II Color”

Thanks for posting these Mark.

Dan
who likes early versions of the 38 too 🙂

Passing through..

Some of the US military hardware passing through 37 Service Flying Training School at Calgary during winter ’42/’43.

Only a ‘Box Brownie’ on 127 remember.

Right click – ‘save picture as’ to read caption.

Mark

Very nice indeed 🙂

:greedy: more please

A few more…

…all these from 32 Elementary Flying Training School at Bowden, Alberta, Canada – circa August 1942.

Mark

Mark,

Excellent piccies and thanks for sharing and I’ll echo Dan’s comment “more please” 🙂

More please 🙂

Dan