‘The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft’ pub weekly in 18 volumes by ORBIS, finished in 1985. I too have the full set

Geoff.

What about scanning them on to CD-ROM before getting rid of them, or would that use too many CD-ROMs? Don’t know how many issues you would get on each one. Could always leave out the adverts or stuff that doesn’t interest you.

Allan,

Interesting that you should mention Picard. About 10 years ago, I was told by one of the 131 sqdn ground staff that he was the pilot of Spitfire AR218 which collided with the squadron’s Miles Magister ‘hack’ R1977 on the 28/9/41 at RAF Atcham. The two occupants of the Magister were both killed, P/O P Chub (65521) & Sgt S.D. Lee were both killed. I should say that I’ve not found any confirmation that Picard was indeed the pilot.

The account is as follows- ‘Whilst at Atcham, 131 ‘B’ flight had a bad day. A flying accident in the true sense of the word. I have never forgotten this day. I had obtained permission from Flying Control for P/O Picard to take-off on sector recce (remember the Belgian aircrew had just joined 131 and had started their programme). I can remember him taxying past our flight HQ to take up position on No 1 runway. In the mean time ‘A’ flight’s Magister had just landed and was taxying down the runway when P/O Picard took off. I grabbed the Very pistol and ran out to the ‘perim’, I think Corporal Redman had seen this too, took the pistol from me and ran towards the runway fireing red warning shots towards P/O Picard’s Spit, too late for him to see the Magister, he was at full throttle by now and the tail had just come up, he collided with the Magister at Midships, an absolute tragedy. P/O Chub was already dead when we arrived on scene and Sgt Lee was badly injured, he died later that day. Remember we had no such thing as ‘Airfield Control’ in those days and during the Court of enquirey, the question of ‘permission for take-off’ was mentioned. I think this might have been the start of ‘Airfield Control’, as we came to know them as the war went on’

The Atcham ORB has this to say on the 28th, – ‘There was an unfortunate incident this afternoon when a Spitfire of 131 sqn taking off apparantly failed to see a Miles Magister on the runway, collided with it when just airborne, and killed the two occupants of the Magister, P/O Chub and Sgt Lee.’

The 131 sqdn ORB Summary says- ‘65521 Pilot Officer P Chubb and 927861 Sergeant S.D. Lee, pilot and passenger respectivly of squadron’s Magister aircraft were killed when the Magister was struck by a Spitfire aircraft taking off.’

In the part where the flights are recorded, the Magister’s sortie is recorded as being ‘To Hucknall’, with take off from Atcham at 14.40 & landing at Hucknall at 15.35. The return journey was commenced at 16.00 & they landed back at Atcham at 16.40 hrs. It goes on to say ‘Machine involved in accident with Spitfire AR218 killing both P/O Chubb and Sgt Lee’

Getting back to Picard, another ground crew remembered that he ‘was very popular with the ground crews, they were teaching him English’.

I shall see if I can dig out any other info from my dusty 131 sqd files, re the sqd’s Belgians.

Geoff.

Serge,

Organisation memorandum No57 dated 21/8/41 was recieved from HQ 9 Group giving notification of formation of Belgian flight in No 131 sqdn.

Flt/Lt H.A.C. Gonay was posted in to 131 sqdn from 64 sqdn to fill the post of flight commander of the Belgian flight on the 24/9/41, and assumed command of the flight on the 25/9/41.

14/11/41, Sqdn/Ldr Thompson and Gonay, Deltour, de Wever, de Pusseleyr, Menu, Picard, Plisnier, Plas, Smets, Seydel, Ester, & Harmel leave to form 350 (Belgian) sqdn.

I could get a copy for you of the ORB for the time that Gonay was with the squadron, and list details of the sorties that he flew, but I think that’s about all. Would this be what you’re after?

Geoff.

Ant,

A full size Bulldog replica was built specially for the film, for use as background dressing, for studio cockpit close-ups, and after being broken up, for the wrecked Bulldog. G-ABBB was given the s/n K2496, though the Bulldog Bader crashed in was K1676. The replica carried the s/n K2494, but became K2496 for the studio scenes and the crash. The Bulldog which was seen to crash was actually a model.

Did you spot the huge clanger dropped by the film’s makers in the above list? 92 sqdn Spitfires carrying 501 sqdn codes!!!

Geoff.

DDM,

The answer is no, but it almost did (see below).

The Spitfires used were-

RW352 as RA617/QV-S, SL574 as RV214/QV-R, TE358 as AR251/QV-X, TE456 as TE425/PD-S, RW345 as TA614, SL745 as TR627/QV-T, TB293 as RV415/QV-U, TE288 as AR251/QV-X & ZD-S, TE341 as VT151/ZD-S & QV-S, and TB885 as R1247/QV-V. Note- the s/n ‘AR251’ was carried by two Spitfires in the film.

Apart from the above, TB863 & RR263 have also been credited with appearing in this film.

RW352, SL574, TE358 & TE456 were the flyers.

Four other spits were taken to Lynham, but were not selected for use, these were- RW394, TB752, TE311, & PK608.

Other aircraft used were-

Hurricane LF363 (the only flyer) as T4125/SD-K, -N, -R, -X, -W. Possibly P2617 as T4107/SD-P, -W, -X. Unknown as V5276/SD-Y, -W. Replica as R7141/SD-T, -F.

Bulldog G-ABBB.

Bristol Fighter D8096

Avro 504 E3404. Unknown 504 in background, pos E449, H2311, or replica.

Next question DDM 😉

Geoff.

and this is TB382/7244M as ‘X4277’ at Mildenhall, 26-5-90.

If anyone has ‘Wings of the navy’ by Capt Eric Brown (Airlife) (ISBN 0 906393 876) there is apparently what may be the only other photo of the underside of a Skua on P30.

The best source of info for the Skua I’ve found is at – freespace.virgin.net/john.dell/blackburn_skua.htm

You can e-mail john at – [email]john.dell@virgin.net[/email], so what not e-mail him a copy of the photo Newboy?

Geoff.