I’m confused. Isn’t that a picture of a mock-up of it beside the text on the Thunder and Lightnings page?

Scott,

The earliest I have (which probably isn’t the earliest in Scotland, but is the earliest I know of in the Scottish Borders) is Avro 504K G-EAQV (ex-E9443), belonging to the Scottish Aerial Touring and Transportation Company. The aircraft crashed at Kelso on 24 May 1920 and was wrecked. The pilot and two passengers were only slightly hurt. Unfortunately, this is all the information I have, but it might be enough to find out more. If it does prove to be the first, and you need a more precise location, it might be worth contacting the Southern Reporter to print a letter requesting information.

The owner has said it was investigated many years ago by the Southampton Hall of Aviation (now Solent Sky) and, after several months, they concluded it was from the Sarafand. He added “some time later in the sarafand flying program new tip floats were fitted and the only ones made of stainless steel it does have id marks and part numbers.” But he hasn’t given me those yet.

Pondskater,

Thanks for this. I guess this id must be accurate and thanks for checking. Of course, if you can get him to reveal the part numbers, that would be even more help!

Cheers for now,

Ian

Cheers Ian. Is the book any good, and accurate re events?

According to ‘War Prizes’ Junkers Ju 88R-1 WNr 360043 coded D5+EV of IV/NJG3 was flown from Kristiansand/Kjevik in Norway to RAF Dyce, & was later allocated the s/n PJ876. It made 83 flights totalling 66 hours 55 minutes whilst with the RAE.

Geoff.

Geoff,

It is an interesting read, but very dated. At the time it was written, a lot of the official records on intelligence work had not been released, so I wouldn’t take everything in it as gospel.

As regards the crew and the flight, it is my understanding that the pilot was not a British agent but merely a social democrat and politically opposed to the Nazis. I do not believe that the aircraft was expected in Britain – one of the pilots has gone on record that he was scrambled to intercept a hostile and he almost shot it down. The aircraft had already been fired on by ground defences near Aberdeen, so I think the evidence that everything was pre-arranged by British intelligence and the pilot was working for them is flimsy and is based on out-dated and incorrect information.

114 MU

No 114 MU was reformed at Steamer Point, Aden, on 1 December 1946 as an Equipment Supply unit. It was disbanded on 1 september 1967.

Prior to this, the unit had existed between November 1941 and February 1943 as an Aircraft Storage Unit and then between March 1943 and November 1946 as an Equipment Holding Unit.

This information comes from the excellent Royal Air Force Flying Training and Support Units and is the only information I have. Further details do appear if you Google “114 Maintenance Unit.”

London Science Museum – Aviation

gloster meteor

One small point – the image above which you caption as being of a Gloster Meteor is in fact the Gloster E28/39, the first British jet powered aircraft to fly.