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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1436.PDF
THE NEPTUNE IN SERVICE . . . were in fact short-nosed P2V-5s, and subsequently delivered machines consisted of variously modified versions, including that with the longer nose, of the basic P2V-5 design. For the first month, flying activity was restricted to familiariza tion and conversion flying, followed by a radar calibration flight in conjunction with H.M.S. Vanguard. Co-operation with the makers of the aircraft had already been established; ground- training and unit-servicing experts from Lockheeds, and a power- plant representative from Wrights were working with the squadron, in addition to a Lockheed test pilot who assisted in formulating a flying training policy. In April 1952 the squadron moved north to its present base, one Neptune and two Lancasters being used to ferry one party of squadron personnel. Following a number of other ferry flights, and the completion of the transfer, local flying took place, together with short navigational exercises to test radar installations. During the next month, the Chief of the Air Staff visited the squadron and one of the squadron aircraft flew down to St. Eval for inspec tion by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. During June and July four further Neptunes were ferried across the Atlantic from Westover to Prestwick by the U.S. Military Air Transport Service, and collected from Prestwick by squadron pilots. After an earlier few weeks of inactivity caused by lack of spares, refresher training was given to all pilots. In June two of the squadron pilots had been attached to R.N.A.S. Donibristle, and had taken part in Exercise "Castanets," though not flying Neptunes. The somewhat smaller Austers had been used, on air- spotting duties for the Naval Seaward Defence boats—the first occasion on which such liaison with this force had been carried out. The task of carrying out all trials on Neptune aircraft was given to 217 Squadron in July. Two interesting and successful exercises were carried out by squadron aircraft during August. The first involved radar tests in co-operation with other aircraft, and the other was a range- flying exercise, carried out to verify the manufacturer's cruise- control data, and consisted of a non-stop long-range flight to Admiralty Lake (77' 04" N) and back, accomplished in 13 hr 50 min. The major part of this month's flying, however, comprised bombing and radar trials for the Air-Sea Warfare Development Unit, plus an amount of night familiarization flying. With September came Exercise "Mainbrace," and the first con tribution by the British-based Neptunes to a full-scale NATO exercise. Captained by the Squadron Commander, S/L. Ensor, one of the squadron's aircraft carried out a ten-hour patrol during which a submarine was sighted and attacked, and the positions of four convoys, obtained by radar, were passed to Maritime Head quarters. Service radar trials were continued, including anti submarine work, and instrument-rating tests were held as part of the general continuation training. With the training of future Neptune crews in mind, much preparatory activity took place in October. Conversion of qualified flying instructors for the intended Neptune operational conversion unit began, and the Neptune ground-trainer unit, staffed by U.S. Navy personnel, arrived at the squadron's station. In addition, squadron training on searchlight and bombing techniques was carried out, together with sono-buoy exercises. A Neptune flight of 236 O.C.U. came into being in November, its first two machines being ferried from Prestwick and handed over by squadron crews. During the same month, submarine exer cises were carried out and further radar evaluation trials were made. The squadron's seventh and eighth Neptunes, flown over by MATS, were collected from Prestwick in December. New pilots were trained, practice flights were made using radar and other approach aids and each crew performed, among the other routine flights, an eleven-hour navigation exercise. In the early months of this year, operational training continued, tactical exercises with submarines and surface ships of the Navy alternating with long-range navigation and radar exercises. A number of the earlier machines were passed on to the Neptune Squadron of 236 O.C.U., further machines being received Before and after: the Ansons of 217 in 1938, and the Neptunes led by S/L. Ensor over Odiham, 1953. Some goldfish bowl! Maintenance work on the starboard wing-tip' nacelle, with its prominent and powerful searchlight. (deliveries, under M.D.A.P., being continued by MATS) on the squadron. This, briefly, was the background of 217 Squadron when John Yoxall and the writer were able to visit them recently and see something of their present activity. As our aircraft swung onto its final approach and the runway tilted round and up towards us, we saw to port the dark, unfamiliar shapes of a number of Neptunes and, to starboard, on the airfield's far side, the white and familiar Shackletons. Among the latter the amended shape of Mk 2 machines stood out; but our interest, on this occasion at least, lay in the American-built aircraft. On leaving our machine we were immediately greeted by the squadron commander, S/L. Ensor, striding over from a useful souvenir of his American tour, an overwhelming length of Ford car. After being thus transported to the squadron headquarters, we heard something of the unit's history, outlined above, and of its present equipment, duties and opinions. % From the start of our conversation, we were left in no doubt as to S/L. Ensor's faith in the Neptune; he spoke enthusiastically of the performance, handling qualities and general efficiency of his squadron's aircraft. For the job of long-range over-sea patrol and search, the type was eminently suitable, he claimed; its higher cruising speed could take it to a patrol area, and enable it to per form the patrol more quickly than contemporary types in service; and from the pilot's point of view it handled as gently and well as—if not better than—many aircraft half the size. The squadron's experience on the type had been built mainly on patrols (averaging some 12 hours) over the North Sea, Greenland and other Arctic Circle areas, and the North Atlantic. But we were to obtain our own first-hand impressions of the Neptune: on the following day, two were scheduled to perform long-range radio tests as far as the Lofoten Islands, and a place in each was available for us. In the meantime, we were to see
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