I’m sorry bazv – the best place to put an IFF antenna is on the tail fin. High and all round clearance. Also the object looks very metallic rather than a core wound with wire and plastic coated.

Well that’s my view as an avionics engineer.

H  

The type was operated by the RAF, out of RAF Northolt. The Army also operated a few out of Aldergrove Flying Station.

Both users hid their true use by using designations like “CC2” and “AL1” resp. All had the ability to carry a vertically mounted camera in the cabin. The lens operated throu’ a hole in the floor, in a recce role (ISTAR in modern parlance). Having taken the entire fleet out of service a few years ago. The current MOD type doing the role is the Shadow R1/R1+/R2.

G-INFO says G-BJOH and G-BJEC are both owned and operated by FR Aviation (HQ’d at Bournemouth). 

I would suggest they are employed on some form of photo mapping role these days. However, the rationale for not using MODE-S is I’m afraid, beyond me. The Shadow’s don’t hide themselves, on MODE-S, be it over the UK or the Med.

H

I seem to remember it was a requirement in those days – but not anymore. Indeed are there any model balloons left today? 

I have checked the CAA website and can’t find the details required. However, I did find their e-mail address:

“press.office@caa.co.uk” Why not give it a go?

H

My God it’s completely demolished…

H

Almost certainly sextant related. Might also be used to confirm cloud base?

If it is from Gatow – then it can’t be WWI. Gatow was officially opened 1 Apr 1936, as a Staff College modeled on the RAFC at Cranwell. Later to become RAF Gatow and the HQ of RAFG.

H

Firstly the Captain on helicopters sit in the right hand seat. Fixed wing aircraft are the other way around of course.

The seat, I would suggest, comes from Wasp XV631. The airframe ditched in the Indian Ocean 15 May 1972. It was recovered and repaired (a practice that wouldn’t be acceptable today!!). It was next flown by 829 Sqn FAA where it carried the Sqn code “617”.

The airframe was last seen at the Farnborough Air Sciences Museum, during Feb 2010 (cabin only).

H

Indeed, AI tells me there were 135 NZ pilots in the BOB. I hope that is correct!!

I happen to know that free French, Dutch and even USAAF pilots also flew in the BOB. In the case of the latter the USA hadn’t “joined” WWII at that time.

My “relies” served in Bomber Command in various RAAF sqn’s in Lincolnshire. However, I can’t find any record of a RAAF Sqn in the BOB. 

Talking about Bomber Command one Kiwi that sticks in my mind is Flt Lt Les Munro. Les was of course a pilot on the Dams raid. He survived the war, as the last surviving pilot of the raid. I remember, as a school kid, reading up about him. 

H

My apologies Dave,

Of course there were many overseas pilots involved in the BOB. The most successful of which, 301 Sqn, was a polish unit. Many, many other overseas personnel came across to help in our hour of need.

My point, perhaps clumsily put, was that following success in the BOB the UK mainland was not invaded. The words “RAF’s finest hour” is a quote from Sir Winston Churchill that led me to say what I said. The success in WWII, as a whole, was down to the many civilians working in aircraft production factories, munitions production facilities and out working the land etc. When combined with the Armed Forces they make up “the nation” of which I spoke.

I had relatives living in Australia that came to the UK to fly as Lancaster crews from RAF Binbrook and RAF Waddington in my home county of Lincolnshire. So rest assured their service and sacrifice doesn’t go unnoticed by me, every Remembrance Sunday.

You’re obviously well informed on the subject – but I’m not. It isn’t my area of expertise – as I said before. The reason for commenting in the first place was I recognised Viscount Swinton’s name from a school history lesson back in the 1970’s.

H