hypersonicWhen I started talking about Hugh Dowding I thought I was going off track somewhat…
However, he, Viscount Swinton, being involved in the decision not to appoint Hugh Dowding to the post of CAS has brought it around in a full circle. He obviously made some good decisions in his career as well as some bad ones. Just like most of us I guess!!
Whilst I remember his name from a history lesson at school in the early 1970’s it isn’t my area of aviation history expertise. I’m more of a Cold War specialist.
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hypersonicCertainly Churchill was warning of the “condition” of the UK forces in particular in the 1930’s. He saw the illegal build up of the Luftwaffe as a serious cause for concern.
That should be seen alongside senior Luftwaffe officers on visits to a number of RAF stations just before WWII. The latter has seen comment on this forum on a number of occasions over recent months. Not least my mention of the Head of the Luftwaffe, Gen Erhard Milch, being invited to open RAF Odiham in Hampshire during Oct 1937.
The Battle Of Britain was not just the RAF’s finest hour, but the nations. The rapid build up of the RAF over such a short period and then the success in the BOB led to Hitler “pausing” his invasion of the UK mainland.
As a nation (UK) we are not very good at remembering some of our great leaders and hero’s. The Head of Fighter Command during the BOB, ACM Hugh Dowding, was removed from post immediately after the battle. It was seen his strategy of keeping the fighters on the ground, fully armed and ready to scramble when the Luftwaffe arrived was seen as flawed. Douglas Bader, a man I’m proud to say I’ve met, saw the “big wing” as the way forward. Whilst he was a fighter ace, several times over. As a mere engineer I think his idea was wrong.
Hugh Dowding’s use of technology and standby aircraft is still in use today – in our modern RAF QRA force aircraft.
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hypersonicHe served in the army, during WWI, and was awarded the MC.
I remember him being mentioned in a history lesson, at school, relating to the BOB and the RAF build up prior to the start of WWII. However, I don’t remember much about his role in the build up of the RAF during that time in history. I think his contribution may well be forgotten. But lets be honest the nation through out Sir Winston Churchill, in the general election, just after WWII. He is generally regarded as the greatest leader the nation ever had!!
Off the top of my head he was not made Earl of Swinton until his “retirement” in the mid 1950’s. I believe he passed away in the summer of 1971 or 1972 – which is maybe why he was mentioned in the history lesson, in the first place.
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hypersonicAI tells me the Type Q harness was used on the Spitfire, Tempest and Typhoon. It provided a more secure restraint when compared with previous designs. It also included a quick release in case of emergency.
Sect 6F is “general personnel equipment” used by aircrew. For example harnesses, parachutes etc.
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hypersonicI too have seen the initials ATW, on a number of scramble bells over the years.
So I asked Microsoft AI…
It is trying to tell me that ATW stands for Air Training Wing. However, I couldn’t/can’t see a connection between the mysterious “Air Training Wing” and the Battle of Britain for example.
When further asked, on the matter, it (AI) came back and said the Air Training Wing was part of the Air Training Corps. Now known as the RAF Air Cadets of course. Off the top of my head they were formed in 1941. A year after the Battle of Britain. But, they can trace their origins back to the Air Defence Cadet Corp (ADCC). The ADCC was formed just prior to the start of WWII.
So I’m unsure if technology has let me down, or not, on this occasion.
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hypersonicThat’s a shame, I thought you guys owned it. I can remember my first sight of it during an early visit as a youngster.
Can’t help thinking the owner could have been a little more professional in their comms re its move.
Gary Spoors has established a very good museum on the old Pickerston Site alongside MOD St Athan. The Pickerston Site was previously the graveyard of many of the former RAF St Athan / 19 MU “unwanted customers”.
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hypersonicPHP stands for “Hypertext Preprocessor”. It’s a scripting language that allows dynamic web pages to operate, on websites, and also allows for the recovery and display of data supported on those websites.
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hypersonicYesterday’s planed flypast was possibly associated with a passing out parade (graduation parade). There is a further Spitfire flypast due to take place tomorrow at the National Memorial Arboretum between 10.48 and 11.18.
You shouldn’t read too much into the Merlin engine being the only issue that has grounded the Flight this season. The CAA didn’t ground the civilian Merlin powered Hurricanes and Spitfires for example.
Next month (Nov) will see the Coroners Report and the MAA Accident Report issued – possibly at the same time.
I’m privy to some information – which I can’t speak about here, and now, and especially not via this medium. But Mark lost his life in a set of unusual circumstances.
This month he was due to take-over as the new Boss of the Flight. He was on short finals of a very extensive training programme. His loss would have generated a management gap. As an example, his replacement (in normal planning) was identified in Oct 23 as Sqn Ldr Simon Jessett. Simon was to be the Boss for the 2028 – 2030 seasons – five years of training! Simon’s training would have/has been heavily impacted by Mark’s untimely death and the subsequent grounding.
Another area not very well known about is the BBMF Project Team. They are headed up by an RAF Group Captain Engineer or Civil Service equivalent. The team consists of Licenced engineering decision makers (amongst other things) the so-called Engineering Authority (EA) staff. This small desk-based team would have been involved in the investigations along with their day job(s). Additionally, issues with the Dakota whilst undergoing maintenance in industry, extensive work on the Lancaster and Fr 5 issues with Spitfire PS915. The latter has been on the ground since Jul 18 and has had to be repaired with limited access to drawings. In the near future Spitfire PM631 is due to go to Biggin Hill for the same repair.
In a former life I was an EA, on a different Project Team, I know how demanding your time can be. Those guys were/are incredibly busy. With airworthiness being behind every decision you make and sign up to. The latter being literal.
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hypersonicNice memorial to his memory.
I must say I don’t know a lot about the Tucano. I know even less why the RAF held onto dozens of them, post the official WFU date. Space at the storage site, at RAF Shawbury, is somewhat limited at the best of times.
However, another example to join the trainers you already have there at Winthorpe.
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hypersonicI’m sorry but I don’t understand your viewpoint – that’s why I asked!!
Off the top of my head, the plans are:
That is where the £300m is going to be spent. The plans are all cleared and key stakeholders have already shown an interest in being associated with those plans.
For me I would like to see an Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club facility, some accommodation provided for RAF Veterans – similar to the Chelsea Pensioners facility in London. As well as Vulcan ‘558 establish its self-there and the HHA Hunters come back from Leeming.
There we go an established strategy (which you didn’t seem to know about) and a few extra ideas from me. I don’t have any connection with the local authority or SHL. But I consider that I have the right to have a view, as well as being positive about the way forward.
Things can move ahead, hopefully at pace, once WLDC and SHL get the keys to the front gate.
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hypersonicSoooo Sabrejet,
It is a matter of record I have been an advocate for the use of the Scampton site as per something like SHL’s proposal for over 9 months before the Red Arrows moved out – they left 25 months ago.
I’m proud to say that my home county, of Lincolnshire, is often referred to as the home of the RAF. SHL’s proposal is a very fitting tribute to that end. In fact, 300 million tributes.
The various Lincolnshire local authorities are intertwined with the RAF. The viewing enclosure at RAF Waddington is owned by the council, the provision of the volunteer BBMF hangar visitor staff are also provided by the council. These are but two examples. WLDC and SHL’s proposal, for Scampton, is part of a bigger picture. After all the RAF Bases across the county, as a combined workforce, is the biggest employer. So, some payback can be seen, within the local economy.
I have looked back throu’ the various posts about Scampton’s use. I can’t find anything positive from yourself. “It won’t work” seems to be a common theme! All in all, not very positive.
So, what would you like to see the site used for? Not forgetting the historic listed buildings must be maintained – IAW the law. I would be genuinely interested in your views on the matter. Especially, if you could inject some positivity in said.
So over to you…….
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hypersonicIndeed it is owned by the Home Office. Technically speaking they are responsible for the sites care and maintenance. Not the departments core area of business, it has to be said. I believe WLDC are concerned that care and maintenance is not being carried out. As a result the listed buildings are further falling into dis-repair. It is these buildings that add value to the site, both now and in the future.
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hypersonicI’m afraid you are missing the point. The government is no longer interested in the site. The previous government “stole” it from under the feet of WLDC and SHL.
All the present government has to do is sign it over to its rightful owner. Then the development can get started. One piece of paper a comedy pen and five seconds of their time – is all that is required.
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hypersonicDespite the new government informing the World, a little while ago, that the Scampton site was not required for asylum seeker accommodation – little else has occurred.
WLDC have not been able to regain control of the site. The porta-cabins are believed still there. Further, nobody is maintaining the historic and listed buildings on site.
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hypersonicAI is telling me that WO 2 was indeed around, in the RAF, until 1939. That is something I wasn’t aware of. Despite having served 25 years in the “light blue” force. However, it is possible for him to be on secondment from the Army at the time. Secondments do produce strange anomalies from time to time. If he was established in the RAF, I would have expected there to be a WO 1 above him. The latter serving as the Sqn WO.
Just to show an example of secondment strange happenings. 617 Sqn (perhaps the most RAF of any RAF Sqn) has a new Boss. He is the only RM Fast Jet pilot. To take on the roll he has had to go on secondment to the FAA. Having recently been on secondment to the RAF.
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