Robert,

Thanks for the dates, saved me looking them up .

Just a point on markings. Some of the photographs I have seen of other squadrons show the red carried accross the tail rather than as a straight bar as on AF:U.

These are generally attributed to June-Aug 1940 i.e before 607 moved to Tangmere. Was this pretty standard as I do not think any of the few photographs that I have for that period for 607 squadron show the red across the fin

Thanks for the comments Notheagle.

I know we have communicated on this and thought I would open it up to the Forum as I now have doubts about RCAF 321 being L1884.

I passed the photograph to Andy Saunders who has much knowledge of Tangmere and thinks it probably is Tangmere, I had not consdered that it may be Bicester and will have another look to see if it ties in with Bicester which would also give a confirmed date.

Think this might be what you are after

http://www.cjbalm.com/auto-aero/aitem54.htm

There is a small bit in “The Secret Years – Flight Testing at Boscombe Down” by Tim Mason.

It states the following

The recorded purpose of the u-numbered Hillson Bi-mono was “Trials as a biplane and monoplane. It arrived in mid-Ocober 1941 powered by a de Havilland Gypsy Six, and was allotted away in mid-November. Any reports on this interesting aeroplane have not been found – but one anecdote suggests that it was, at least, interesting to fly. The pilot reported that the maximum level speed as a biplane was less than the stalling speed as a monoplane; in other words, jettisoning the top wing caused an immediate stall. The company pilot had earlier reported a gentle sink of a few hundred feet on jettisoning. The monoplane landing was described as like “a high Speed kangaroo”.

There are two photos, on P211, one in the air and one on the ground as a monoplane and one in the air as a biplane. The ground shot is on this thread but the aerial shot is not.

There are also the following reports in the national archive at Kew

AVIA 6/13723 Hillson bi-mono model: tests in RAE blower tunnel (1941)
AVIA 10/356 Slip-wing projects: design and development (1940)
AVIA 15/972 AIRCRAFT: Design and Development: General (Code 6/1): Slip wing; investigations at R.A.E. (1941)
AVIA 15/1579 BOMBS AND BOMBING: Trials and development (Code 12/2): Glider bomb, slip wing project; consideration and tests (1941-44)

The meteor T.7 in the photograph has an unofficial Canadian Maple Leaf Zap on the centre of the RAF Roundel. It was never on charge with the Canadian Air Force.

At the time 421 squadron were operating from Odiham.

Many Vampire Squadrons had a couple of two seat meteors before the T.11 bacame available.

The other Meteors were purely for winterisation trails works. One such aircraft was EE311 which was with the RCAF from 1945-46.

The Canadians bought Vampires rather than Meteors for their Air Force.

Does this mean Hendon will be following suit, as it is for the national aircraft collection, and both are part of the RAF Museum, I believe.

The Museum of Welsh Life, which also has free admission, has had parking charges almost fro when the government scrapped entrance charges to national museums. The charges are similar to Cosford and the carpark is usually full.

Sort of correct as 5 OTU became 55 OTU 1.11.40 but many ORB’s continued to refer toit as 5 OTU for much longer.

If necessary it would have become a fully fledged squadro as 555 Squadron

Then again with a bit more digging there was another instructor pilot P.V. Boot DFC who was involved in a landing accident in Master T8625 on 28.5.41.

However he is listed as a Pilot Officer. In wartime did the ranks progress from P/O to Flying Officer to Flt Lt or did they skip Flying Officer ? Is it likely that he would have been promoted to Flt Lt by August ? Aces High states he was promoted to Flt Lt in August 1941. His DFC was for shooting down six aircraft in the Battle of France.

The dates for the Flight Commanders are also from March 1941