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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1316.PDF
FLIGHT, 7 May 1954 THE QUEEN'S SQUADRON . . 58* -but this any serious flying was done, but in May 1947 No. 603 were able to put up a formation of six Spits when inspected by their Honorary Air Commodore, Sir William Y Darling. The first summer camp was spent at Woodvale, the road party com prising 22 N.C.O.s and 26 airmen and the air party 10 officers. In £*** the squadron staged an At Home," attended by some 8,000 citizens of Edinburgh. A visitor was Air Marshal Sir Hugh Walmsley, then Deputy C.A.S., who was once assistant adjutant of the squadron In September 1949, S/L. Gilroy resigned and command was taken over by S/L. Holmes. Soon after wards—on October 6th—there was a hint of things to come: the pilots heard a lecture on the principles of the gas turbine. The squadron had its first jet experience when two representatives of No. 74 Squadron brought up two Meteors, a Mk 4 and) a Mk 7. On the latter some of 603's pilots were taken up on demonstration interceptions. May 1950 saw the monthly flying hours exceed 200 for the first time since the end of the war was still on Spitfires and Harvards. A change of command came in December 1950, when S/L Anson took over and S/L. Holmes went to No. 12 Group H.Q! While Holmes had the squadron it had won the coveted Esher xTr°Pu yiU iJ5112^ was duly collected from No. 604 Squadron at North Weald and flown up to Turnhouse in the back seat of a Harvard. On the last day of May 1951, S/L. Anson made the first flight in one of the squadron's new Vampire 5s, but he had to do so at Leuchars because the Turnhouse runways were still in the process of being lengthened to take jet aircraft. Meteor 7s were available for jet conversion flying; one pilot on his first solo, P/O. Anderson, lost his life when a haar—the northern sea-fog suddenly closed in on the base. On July 7th, 1951, the last Spit fire flight was made. In common with other Auxiliary units, No. 603 was called up for three months' continuous tiaining in the summer of 1951 and for this purpose the whole squadron moved over to Leuchars, because their own runways were still under repair. There must have been considerable satisfaction on this occasion, for while at Leuchars, the squadron were presented with the Esher Trophy by Princess Elizabeth (as the Queen was then) the squadron's Honorary Air Commodore. Exercise Pinnacle formed the culmination of the training period, providing an excellent test in which the squadron acquitted itself well. Embodiment ended on October 14th; the Auxiliaries returned to their homes, No. 603 going back to Turn- house. The weather became bad and restricted flying a good deal, but after the three months' intensive flying there was a lot of overhaul work to be done; it was, however, hindered by lack of spares and by the need to incorporate modifications. January weather was little better than that of the previous month and flying was again very restricted. On the 20th six Vampires, led by S/L. Anson, took part in a bomber exercise. As the Very light signalling the "scramble" disappeared into the cloud-base it is not surprising that the Vampires were diverted to Leuchars. Six Washingtons were intercepted at 17,000ft. In March F/L. J. Storrar left to take over command of No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron at Hooton Park. His going was regretted. Flying hours were by now exceeding the target; indeed, they had to be conserved for the summer camp, which was to be held at Celle in Germany. The last item of interest before leaving for Germany was the flying of an "E" in honour of the Queen's visit to Holyrood Palace. Timing apparently was perfect, the Vampires passing over Prince's Street just as Her Majesty stepped from her car. Th,S 0i^[ Paraph taken from the squadron's training Meteor 7, shows ZTde^illand Vamp,re 5s m formaUon over a typical Scottish landscape. Paint schemes vary somewhat. The formation flight of ten Vampires to Celle was to have been led by the CO., S/L. Anson, but while he was briefing the pilots on the evening previous to the flight, a blackboard fell on his toot and broke three toes. He went by Hastings. Weather at Celle was good; a lot of flying was done and some successful parties were held. By the end of the year the full training programme had been completed with the exception of air firing, which was continually held up by bad weather. In March, S/L. Anson left to take over the post of O.C. Flying at Church Fenton. S/L. R. Lloyd Davies, D.F.C., who had previously been training officer of No. 600 (City of London) Squadron, took over command. ioF?r ^ummer camP me squadron again went to Germany in 1953, this time to Sylt, and the whole fortnight was devoted to air-to-air firing. Four ranges were in operation, with a Tempest towing a target over each range for periods of an hour at a time. A total of 15,940 rounds was fired for only ten stoppages. Sylt is a holiday resort and everyone enjoyed the camp, but it was marred by a tragedy: S/L. Lloyd Davies, driving a Land Rover, was involved in a collision with a Volkswagen and lost his life. F/L. M. E. Hobson assumed command until S/L. R. A Scho- field was appointed to the post. He came from No. 257 Squadron and is still in command. W/C. Duncan-Smith, the wing leader at Turnhouse, is an old member of the squadron, and contact is preserved with many of the very early pilots. "Sheep" Gilroy is still a nearby neigh bour, and drinks at a recent guest night were provided by him m celebration of the "lambing season"—a daughter. As the Queen's squadron, No. 603 has an extremely high standard to live up to, but throughout their history they have dis played a spirit capable of rising to great heights. No task given to the squadron has ever been poorly or meanly performed; whatever the occasion, one feels that they are incapable of acquitting themselves other than well. COMMANDING OFFICERS SINCE JANUARY, 19-5 S/L. Patterson. D.F.C. ... 10-1-45 S/L. T. C. Rigler, D.F.C., D.F.M 26-1-45 S/L. H. R. P. Pertwee, D.F.C. 1-4-45 S/L. G. K. Gilroy,» D.S.O., D.F.C 11-6-46 •War-time group captain. S/L. J. W. E. Holmes, D.F.C., A.F.C S/L. P. J. Anson, D.F.C. ... S/L. R. Lloyd Davies, D.F.C. S/L. R. A. Schofield 23-9-49 1-12-50 22-3-53 25*53 FILMING THE DAM BUSTERS S°if1E il7rther details have been released of the making of the ** film The Dam Busters, on which Associated British Picture Corporation are now at work, using a script prepared bvR C Shernff from Paul Brickhill's book. As already reported, the sequences showing the training for the operation are being made at Windermere by R.A.F crews in re-commissioned Lancasters. Other scenes, many of which have already been shot, are at Skegness, but the major part of the location work is in the Scampton area in Lincolnshire; it was from Scampton that the squadron took off to bomb the dams, and it is an interesting point that the station commander there at the time of the raid was G/C. John Whitworth, who is advising Associated British during the making of the film. Other scenes have been made at the N.P.L., Teddington, in the ship tank of which Dr. B. N. Wallis carried out much of his initial work in evolving a mine that would breach dams defended by torpedo-nets.
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