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Andy Fletcher

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January 20, 2011 at 8:25 am in reply to: Ron Foster RCAF, RIP #1150480

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Ron Foster was a member of the RNZAF not RCAF, though he did train in Canada prior to reaching the UK.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

November 26, 2010 at 2:28 pm in reply to: RAF Commands site #1134394

Andy Fletcher
Participant

I still can’t gain access as of 14:25 GMT

May 31, 2010 at 10:06 am in reply to: RAF radar #1133409

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Surprised you havent had more replies AA
I was a ‘heavy’ in the RAF so not an expert on the ‘Fairy’ trades.
The short answer is probably ‘yes’ it would have been worn by a radar tradesman…
If you scroll down this link there is a short paragraph about the ‘sparks’ badge…

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=9&ved=0CEkQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafcaa.org.uk%2Flegends.html&rct=j&q=raf+radio+trade+badge&ei=hpUCTJb6JKaK4gbngNnLDg&usg=AFQjCNFka1vrfaIwms0CdzErs6vhfGW5PQ

As an ex “Fairy” I can confirm Bazv’s assumption, that the badge is worn by comms and radar trades (both air and ground) in the present day (80s and 90s anyway) RAF.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

May 4, 2010 at 8:18 pm in reply to: Flt Lt Tony Hills PR Spitfire #1093752

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Hi Wojtek,

Glad to be of help. It appears that things I seldom straight forward with regards to early PR Spitfires.

Mark did drop me a line about his forthcoming opus.

Cheers

Andy

May 1, 2010 at 11:34 am in reply to: Flt Lt Tony Hills PR Spitfire #1096840

Andy Fletcher
Participant

But I thought the question related to a PR Mk IV not a PR MkVII ?

Tony Hill was flying a PR.IV on 05 Dec 41 as stated in my original post.

References to armed PR Spitfires (Type G (PR.VII) and PR.XIII) and their gun sights were to provide additional info to Mark12’s post about gun sights being rare on PR Spitfires which indeed they were. I believe only ~45 Type G Spitfires were built.

Mark12

May I ask what book you are working on.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

April 30, 2010 at 5:26 pm in reply to: Flt Lt Tony Hills PR Spitfire #1097391

Andy Fletcher
Participant

No, it didn’t retain the reflector gunsight. It featured only a very simple gunsight consisting of a ring applied on the surface of the windscreen and a bead mounted on top of the bulkhead.

Hi Wojtek,

AP.1565M,P,Q&R Vol I states the following:

Spitfire PR.Mk.VII

49. Gun sights – A reflector gun sight is mounted on a bracket above the instrument panel….

Spitfire PR.MK.XIII

63. Gun sights – A special gun sight is fitted consisting of a ring stencilled on the windscreen and a bead sight fitted on top ot the fire proof bulkhead…

So it would appear the Type G (PR.VII) did have a reflector gun sight, at least as an official standard.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

April 30, 2010 at 1:37 pm in reply to: Flt Lt Tony Hills PR Spitfire #1097646

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Hi Wojtek,

Thank you for clarifying, just shows you shouldn’t assume, though as I suspected the must have been some form of sight.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

April 29, 2010 at 1:35 pm in reply to: Flt Lt Tony Hills PR Spitfire #1098911

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Hey guys was wondering if any of you chaps have an idea what colour Flt Lt Tony Hills PR Spitfire was when he took the famous pic of the Wurzburg radar.Am helping a mate with his Spitfire cockpit section for his flight sim..Pics here..
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/start-finish-builds/spitfire-ix-cockpit-1-1-a-17217-25.html

F/L A.E. Hill flew R7044 on the 05 Dec 41 sortie, it was a PR.IV, these would normally have been PRU blue. To have taken an oblique photo it must have had “X” Type camera installation which included an F.24 oblique camera.

The Spitfire PR Type G was usually used for low level dicing, these were still in general use with 1 PRU at the time and were often Green in colour. The Type G retained its armament and presumably its gunsight.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

April 18, 2010 at 12:42 pm in reply to: WW2 Spitfire belly landing Heston? #1111338

Andy Fletcher
Participant

The Spitfire pilot was F/O Ryszard Dyrgałła (P0689).

F/O Dyrgalla took off whilst an airman was sitting on the tail. The aircraft behaved in a very unstable way and after twice nearly stalling, the pilot succeeded in dropping the machine on the ground from 100′. Pilot had slight concussion and airmen only two broken ribs and concussion.

Source: 1 PRU ORB Form 540

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

December 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm in reply to: DH Comet G-ACSS & The Burberry Racer Project #1120509

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Hi Scotty,

Many thanks for taking the time to look up all of the details.

Sidney Cotton was long gone from the PRU when Ricketts joined (c.Feb 42, 1 PRU ORB is quite vague, especially wih postings). Ricketts flew with 248 Sqn during the Battle of Britain period.

He received his DFC for a D/A sortie to Billancourt at low level, in appalling weather.

Cheers

Andy Fletcher

December 2, 2009 at 8:20 pm in reply to: DH Comet G-ACSS & The Burberry Racer Project #1121288

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Hi Scotty,

Many thanks for the info.

I’m researching Rickett’s RAF career and was wondering if relatives may have more details.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

December 1, 2009 at 8:44 am in reply to: DH Comet G-ACSS & The Burberry Racer Project #1123574

Andy Fletcher
Participant

Slightly off topic, but has anyone got any contact details for the family of Victor Ricketts who flew with Clouston on the world record flight to New Zealand in G-ACSS in March 1938.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher
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