CONTACT !

The Newsletter of the former RAF Defford Reunion Association, now merged with the

DEFFORD AIRFIELD HERITAGE GROUP

in partnership with THE NATIONAL TRUST, CROOME

http://deffordairfieldheritagegroup.wordpress.com/

Editor Mike Mullins

Number 137

July / August 2020

email – michael.mullins2@outlook.com

Forewarned is Forearmed!! RAF pilots run

towards their awaiting Hurricane aircraft on news of

imminent German attack in July 1940.

The Chain Home Radar System was

erected in 1938 all along the South and

East Coasts of Britain. It proved vital in the

early detection of approaching German

aircraft during the Battle of Britain. See

pages 2-8

Battle of Britain 80th Anniversary

12th July 1

It is sad to report the death of Albert

Shorrock at 99, who served at RAF

Defford during the war and who

was very active in supporting the

RAF Defford Reunion Association

and later in helping establish the

Defford Airfield Heritage Group,

(DAHG). See pages 9-12

Preservation Update

We take a look at the work

of Canberra WT333 during

its missile trials with RAAF

in Australia. See page 13

and 14

Photo, of Albert aged

20, and at his 90th

birthday party. In the

Café at Croome.

Spitfires into battle

1 July 1940 – The head of the Luftwaffe Herman

Goering and other Nazi officials look across the

English Channel at the Cliffs of Dover. They had

overrun Europe, and wanted to invade Britain, but

they needed air superiority. To do this they had to

eliminate RAF bases in the South of England.

However the RAF and British defences stood in

their way.

Britain had endured setbacks in the war up to this time, in Norway and at Dunkirk (both in June 1940). Britain

also suffered high merchant navy losses. However the Battle of Britain would be different, it would be the first

major military campaign fought almost entirely by air forces. Germany had many more aircraft and battle

experienced pilots available than the RAF at this time.

However, several key elements in the Britain’s defences would prove vital in the coming battle. These

comprised fast and maneuverable single-engine fighter aircraft (Hurricane and Spitfire), highly motivated and

skilled pilots, visual reporting by the Observer Corps and Range and Direction Finding (RDF - later to be known

as radar), which played essential parts in an integrated ground-controlled interception network.

Fortunately these elements had been established some time earlier; we will look at them all, but with

particular reference to Chain Home RDF System.

Battle of Britain 10 July 1940 – 31 October 1940

The Chain Home Radar RDF system. The history of the Chain Home system almost

charts that of the history of early radar development in Britain. In 1934 the Committee

for the Survey of Air Defence (CSSAD), also known as the Tizard Committee, was set up

and asked to study the needs of anti-aircraft warfare in Britain. In late 1934, they asked

radio expert Robert Watson Watt to comment on the repeated claims of radio death

rays and reports suggesting Germany had built some sort of radio weapon. His

assistant, Arnold Wilkins, calculated that a death ray was impossible but suggested radio

could be used for long-range detection.

The BBC short wave Radio Transmitters at Daventry were used in 1935, to

give the first practical demonstration of radar. Inventors Robert Watson

Watt and Arnold ‘Skip’ Wilkins rigged up a radio receiving array in a field

three miles away, to pick up signals bounced back off a metal-clad

Handley Page Heyford bomber flying across the radio transmissions from

the bigger masts. The interference picked up from the aircraft allowed the

two to calculate the plane's navigational position.

This sketch by A.F. Wilkins’s dated 25th February 1935 shows two receiver

aerial’s connected to the vehicle’s receiver oscilloscope.

Arnold Frederic

Wilkins OBE

Sir Robert Alexander

Watson-Watt,

KCB, FRS, FRAeS

Page 2

In February 1935, a demonstration was arranged by placing a receiver near a BBC shortwave transmitter and flying an aircraft around the area; an oscilloscope connected to the receiver showed a pattern from the aircraft's reflection. With the support of the Air Member for Research and Development, Air Marshal Hugh Dowding, substantial funding quickly followed. Using commercial shortwave radio hardware, Watson Watt's team quickly built a prototype pulsed transmitter, and on 17 June 1935 it successfully measured the angle and range of an aircraft that happened to be flying by. Basic development was completed by the end of the year, with detection ranges of the order of 100 miles (160 km). Throughout 1936 attention was focused on a production version, and early 1937 saw the addition of height finding.

reports suggesting Germany had built some sort of radio weapon. His assistant, Arnold Wilkins, calculated that a

death ray was impossible but suggested radio could be used for long-range detection.

The Chain Home system

Page 3

Transmitter and Receiver Antennas at the

Chain Home site at RAF Poling in Sussex.

The first five Chain Home (CH) stations, covering the

approaches to London, were installed by 1937 and

began full-time operation in 1938. Dozens of CH

stations covering most of the majority of the eastern

and southern coastline of the UK, along with an

extensive network of thousands of miles of private

telephone lines, were in place by the time the war

began in 1939.

Operational tests that year, using early CH units,

demonstrated the difficulties in relaying useful

information to the pilots in fighter aircraft. This led to

the formation of the first integrated ground-

controlled interception network, (The Dowding

System) which collected and filtered this information

into a single view of the airspace.

Chain Home Transmit & Receive Antennas

Frequency between 20 and 55MHz

PRF 25pps

Beamwidth 150º

Pulsewidth 6 to 25 µs

Azimuth 150º

Elevation 2.5º to 40º

Precision 8.0 km (5miles) or better (1 km (0.62 miles)

typical) in range, ±12º in azimuth (typically less)

Power 100 kW to 1 MW depending on version

Page 3

Chain Home receiver room at Ventnor with console visible at

right and receiver at left.

Chain Home Radar RDF ‘contacts’ were shown as

downward pulses on a horizontal line. To the far

left was the large transmitted pulse, then moving

to the right came numerous reflections and moving

‘grass’ at the base of the line. The actual contacts

appeared as one or more very obvious downward

spikes. By linking together data from neighbouring

Chain Home stations, as well as by switching in

different aerial arrays, it was possible to identify

the course (compass heading) on which contacts

were heading, as well as the speed and height at

which they were flying.

Chain Home transmitter

Display showing several target blips between

15 and 30 miles distant from the station

Page 4

Three of the four

transmitter towers

of the Bawdsey CH

station as seen in

1945.

The antennas were

formed by an array

of cables supported

between pairs of

towers. In this

photo, the antennas

are visible to the

right of the nearest

tower.

Both long and short

wave arrays were

accommodated in

this arrangement.

Chain Home RDF

A Major Strategic Success

The decision to build the Chain Home RDF

System proved to be far sighted and a major

strategic success. The progress from Watson

Watt and Arnold Wilkins experiment in

1935, to having a fully functioning,

integrated working system covering the

whole of the South and east coast of Britain

by 1938 was impressive and shows a massive

commitment by far sighted, civil service

scientists and engineers, politicians, the

military, and industrial contractors. It

showed that the confidence placed on the

shoulders of Radar pioneers was justified. A

point confirmed by Winston Churchill. (see

page 8)

The total cost of the system by 1940 was

£5m. That would buy 400 Spitfires or half a

Battleship.

Ground-controlled interception (GCI) In the Dowding system of fighter

control, information from the Chain Home RDF coastal stations, reports from the Observer Corps and HFDF were relayed by phone to a number of operators on the ground floor of the ‘Filter Room’ at Fighter Command's headquarters at RAF Bentley Priory. Here the information was merged to produce a map of the battle. Details of the map were then relayed to the Group headquarters, where operators re-created the map at a scale covering their area of operations. Looking at the maps, commanders could make decisions on how to deploy their forces quickly and without overlap.

Integrated ground-controlled interception network, the Dowding system,

The Observer

Corps

Chain Home RDF

The Operations Room at RAF Fighter Command's Group No. 10 Group Headquarters, Rudloe Manor (RAF Box), Wiltshire

Information to Group

Headquarters

High Frequency

Detection

Finding

Gives the position

of an enemy radio

transmissions.

Britain’s airspace was divided up

within RAF Fighter Command

into four groups, each

comprising several airfields and

squadrons. The groups involved

were:-

10 Wales and the West Country

11 South east of England

12 Midlands and East Anglia

13 North of England, Scotland

and Northern Ireland

Instructions were relayed to the pilots only from the squadron's group control rooms, normally co-located at the fighters' operating bases. These fighter aircraft could then be ‘scrambled’ to intercept enemy aircraft. The RAF pilots were given brief but clear and precise details, providing 10 to 15 mins warning that the Luftwaffe were approaching, and giving them precious time to climb and form their battle lines. Once airborne they were in contact with other pilots in the squadron.

Page 5

The Operations Room at Fighter Command Headquarters, Bentley Priory, Stanmore

Page 6

Total RAF Aircraft available, 900

HEINKEL He 111

DORNIER Do 17

JUNKERS JU 88 JUNKERS Ju 88

JUNKERS Ju 87

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE

Total Luftwaffe Aircraft available, 2900 at 10th July 1940

The RAF used Hurricanes and Spitfire fighter aircraft

almost exclusively in the Battle. The Hurricane first flew

in 1935 and had alloy wings, steel/wood/fabric fuselage.

The RAF had 463 Hurricanes available at the start of the

battle.

The Spitfire first flew in 1936 and was a more advanced

design, being all metal, being faster and more

streamlined, but the RAF had only 286 available. Both

aircraft were powered by Rolls- Royce Merlin engines and

both were similarly armed with machine guns.

The Luftwaffe had over 1,000 Messerschmitt Bf 109

Fighters at the start of the battle. The Bf 109 was first

flown in 1935 and its performance closely matched that

of the Spitfire.

The Luftwaffe’s plan was to use twin-engine bombers to

attack the RAF bases, but these were slow and vulnerable

to attack, leading to the need for fighter escorts. The RAF

plan was to use Hurricanes to attack the bombers and

Spitfires to engage the German fighters. The 109’s were

hampered in their escort role.

It was vital to re-arm and refuel the British fighters as

quickly as possible. For the Spitfire it took 26 minutes,

while the Hurricane took 9 minutes, which increased its

effectiveness. The Hurricane was also much simpler to

build and repair.

The Hurricane inflicted 60 per cent of the losses sustained

by the Luftwaffe in the engagement, but it was produced

in larger numbers than the Spitfire and had a different

role. However it was the Spitfire that had the

performance edge and was much envied and respected

by the Germans air force.

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE

HAWKER HURRICANE MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109

MESSERSCHMITT Bf 110

Pilot exhaustion and personnel shortages plagued

both sides. Combat fatigue was as persistent foe.

German morale sank to dangerous lows as the

battle wore on, and British airmen were beaten

down by gruelling 15-hour shifts and constant

Luftwaffe bombing raids on their airfields. Pilots

often flew several sorties a day on only a few hours

of sleep. In a bid to bolster its used up fighter

force, the RAF eventually cut the operational

training time for new pilots from six months to just

two weeks. Some recruits even ended up on the

front lines with as little as nine hours’ experience

in modern fighter planes.

Page 7

The battle started on 10th July and raged on almost daily over the airfields of southern Britain. The RAF bases were

under constant attack, but despite damage, they managed to keep operating and the RAF fighters inflicted many

more losses on the Luftwaffe than they suffered themselves (by a factor of about 2:1). So with no victory in sight

and mounting losses, due to the constant presence of RAF fighters, the German command on the 31st of October

halted their attack on the RAF bases. The Battle of Britain was over. The RAF had defeated a much larger German

force and halted Hitler’s immediate plan to invade Britain. Both sides lost heavily during the Battle of Britain. More

than 1700 Luftwaffe planes were destroyed. The 2,662 German casualties included many experienced aircrew, and

the Luftwaffe never fully recovered from the reverse it suffered in August-October 1940

The Royal Air Force lost 1250 aircraft, including 1,017 fighters. In all, 520 men were killed serving with Fighter

Command. But with more than 700 fatalities during the period of the Battle, Bomber Command suffered even more

heavily. Another 200 men were killed flying with Coastal Command during this period.

Many British service men and women (and civilians) were killed or injured in air raids on the RAF bases as they

fought to keep them operational throughout the Battle.

RAF Pilots All RAF pilots were volunteers and aged between 18 and 26.. They were well educated and needed a good understanding of mathematics. Many came from University Air Squadrons and the Civil Air Guard scheme. As Germany rearmed the RAF intensified the recruitment and training of pilots, but there was always a shortage, so Britain looked to the Commonwealth and elsewhere

About 20% of RAF pilots who took part in the Battle of Britain were from non-British countries. The Royal Air Force roll of honour for the Battle of Britain recognises 595 non-British pilots (out of 2,936) These included 145 Poles, 127 New Zealanders, 112 Canadians, 88 Czechoslovaks, 10 Irish, 32 Australians, 28 Belgians, 25 South Africans, 13 French, 9 Americans, 3 Southern Rhodesians and individuals from Jamaica, Barbados and Newfoundland.

A British soldier guards a

German Messerschmitt

fighter plane, which was

intercepted over the English

Channel and shot down by a

Spitfire. 27th October 1940.

31st of October 1940, the battle of

Britain was over. The RAF had

defeated a much larger German force

and halted Hitler’s immediate plan to

invade Britain.

Page 7

Summary

The Dowding System is considered key to the success of the RAF against the German air force (Luftwaffe) during the Battle of Britain. The combination of early detection and rapid dissemination of that information, allowed the fighter force to be used at extremely high rates of effectiveness. In the pre-war period, interception rates of 30% to 50% were considered excellent; that meant that over half the sorties sent out would return without having encountered the enemy. During the Battle of Britain, average rates were around 90%, and several raids were met with 100% success rates. Lacking their own direction system, Luftwaffe fighters had little information on the location of their RAF counterparts.

Owing to radar detection the Luftwaffe lacked the element of surprise and the RAF fighters were almost always in an advantageous position.

Although many histories of the Battle of Britain comment on the role of RDF (radar), it was in conjunction with the Dowding System that this equipment was truly effective. This was not lost on Winston Churchill, who noted that:

‘All the ascendancy of the Hurricanes and Spitfires would have been fruitless but for this system which had been devised and built before the war. It had been shaped and refined in constant action, and all was now fused together into a most elaborate instrument of war, the like of which existed nowhere in the world’

Winston Churchill’s famous words sum up

the courage, bravery and sacrifice of the

RAF pilots who defeated a much larger

German force and halted Hitler’s plan to

invade Britain.

Page 8

Memorial plaque at site of the first successful radar

experiments, near Daventry, Northamptonshire.

Albert played a key role in keeping the veterans’ memories of RAF Defford alive, paving the way for the establishment of the DAHG through his ‘Contact!’ newsletter. Shortly after I first met Albert, some of his many stories of life at Croome were recorded by Eileen Clement, as part of the Friends Group’s Oral History project, adding further colour and context to our first exhibitions on RAF Defford. Albert also provided us with photos taken during his time in service (many showed him running in the park at Croome as he was a top-notch athlete!) and the wonderful hand-made model of the airfield, which is currently displayed in the RAF museum.

A message from Michael Forster - Smith, Manager of Croome

It was with great sadness I heard of the passing of Albert Shorrock, former Airframe Fitter at RAF Defford during the Second World War and Honorary President of the Defford Airfield Heritage Group in more recent years. I first met Albert in 2004, at a time when the dilapidated remains of the former RAF Sick Quarters were earmarked for demolition. At this point in time, the National Trust had not yet fully appreciated the significance of the work carried out at RAF Defford during the 1940s and 50s. Albert, with characteristic energy, enthusiasm and humour told us wonderful tales of the important work and considerable fun that he and his colleagues had shared during wartime at Croome. It was Albert’s initial contact that began the story of our endeavour to save the buildings that collectively form our visitor centre today.

Albert at 90 at Defford

Albert, with his finished model of

RAF Defford airfield

Albert Shorrock 1920-2020

Albert was one of the driving forces behind the

building of the RAF Defford Museum at Croome.

After much hard work it was opened on the 27th

September 2014 by Albert. He was Honorary

President of DAHG). Looking on are Lord Flight,

Michael Forster-Smith and Bob Shaw.

Over a number of successive years, we held an annual

commemoration of the efforts and achievements of

those in service at RAF Defford, and Albert’s arrival in

his VW Campervan was always a highlight of these

occasions! Once he was on site, Albert would charm,

amuse and educate every visitor he encountered and

each year he seemed able to conjure up more stories

about RAF Defford, never before heard! I cannot

remember Albert taking a break during these

weekends, as he was in constant demand from an

adoring audience! One of the most moving

experiences we have ever shared at Croome came

with the Lancaster fly-past during our very first RAF

event - it made Albert’s day to hear the familiar low

rumble of the engines as the Lancaster circled above.

We have so many fantastic memories of Albert’s

contribution to Croome that will live on for ever,

thanks to his determination to help preserve the RAF

buildings, and the stories of those who were in service

at Croome. Page 9

Albert’s Background. Albert was born on 8th December 1920 in Hampstead, London, but the family moved

to Darwen in Lancashire. In April 1941, Albert joined the RAF. He trained in Blackpool as a Flight Mechanic

(Airframes). After a posting to 256 Squadron, working on Defiants, he moved to Hurn, home of the

Telecommunications Flying Unit, which soon transferred to Defford. There, Albert’s trade training continued

and he became a Fitter ll (Airframes). He was a natural craftsman, a perfectionist, of the “Make do and Mend”

generation. He would scour damaged aircraft for useable spare parts. His work included the fitting of radar

Randomes, aerials and scanners He was a keen and very accomplished sportsman. He enjoyed cross country

running and took part in Defford “Station Sports Days” See group photo). After Victory in Europe Albert was

posted to 78 Squadron, operating Dakotas in Egypt, where he recorded many interesting stories in his

Chronicle.

Albert was demobbed in June 1946 and moved back

to Lancashire, but work was hard to find so he moved

to Halesowen in the West Midlands where he worked

as a carpenter. He also worked for the Bluebird

Toffee Company and as a District Inspector of South

Staffordshire Water. He became Head Groundsman

at Dudley Borough Parks, as well as Groundsman and

later Treasurer at Halesowen Athletics Club, where

he was honoured as a lifetime member. Albert kept

his love of cross country running, and was picked for

1948 Olympic Games in London, but sadly an injury

mean he could not compete. Albert retired in 1991.

He was always active in the RAF Defford Reunion

Association taking on the roles of Treasurer and

Newsletter Editor, and later helped to establish the

Defford Airfield Heritage Group, (DAHG), becoming

honorary President and opening the RAF Defford

museum, which he promoted tirelessly for so long.

Albert in 1941 when he joined the

RAF at Padgate

Albert with 78 Sqn. At the

Almaza airbase, North of

Cairo, Egypt. In 1945

Page 10

Contact Newsletter

Albert started producing and editing the RAF Defford Reunion Association, Contact Newsletter in 1995. The first one ‘Contact no 1” is dated autumn 1995 (see above). He saw it as a way of informing and binding the Group together. His last Contact was no. 93 in August 2014, when he passed it over to Bob Shaw. The newsletters were always interesting, amusing, with often unusual, funny and uplifting stories about Defford personnel and aircraft.

Defford Sports Day winners with their trophies, 1944. Albert is

standing far left. The Station Commander, Group Captain John

Macdonald is front row centre with his wife.

Albert’s first impression of RAF Defford

In February 1942 I was posted to Hurn, which was TRE’s

airfield. I found on my arrival that things were getting too

hot to handle, as “Jerry” kept paying us untimely visits.

Apparently he was a bit peeved because some of our lads in

the Commandos had recently popped over to Bruneval in

France and pinched his radar equipment and he wanted it

back. In the meantime, whilst our “Boffins” were sorting out

the bits and pieces, ‘Jerry’ kept poking his nose in and

interfering, so in the end the Air Ministry got cheesed off

and decided to pack up, lock, stock and barrel, and find

somewhere a bit quieter.

In early April therefore, 19 other bods and yours truly were

instructed to get down to the airfield with our full kit and

were immediately loaded into a Wellington full of bell tents

– destination Defford. We took off, got to about 150ft, then

the cowlings fell off the port engine. The pilot, with a shrug

of his shoulders, carried on. Unfortunately, about five

minutes later the starboard engine cowlings started

flapping about in the breeze and as the speedometer was

reading zero, he decided to return to base. We landed OK,

then transferred to a Lockheed Hudson, and were away

again.

Our first sighting of Defford was when our pilot announced

“There’s your new home lads”, but all that we could see

were three landing strips in the middle of a vast area of

utter desolation, and mud … Mud … MUD everywhere! This

was our “Welcome to Defford”! I was immediately assigned

to Servicing Wing to look after incoming aircraft. We were

certainly kept busy, the early arrivals were a right ‘Heath

Robinson’ collection - Anson, Oxford, Lysander, Hurricane

and Swordfish. I was back in the “Rag Trade”, brandishing

needle and thread, but the greatest problem was that we

didn’t have any starter batteries; it was all hand swinging or

cranking for “Contact”.

RAF Defford Reunion, Croome Court 2010 Mike

McDonald, the son of Group Captain McDonald,

presented a framed copy of the superb David

Shepherd painting of Spitfire EN915, which was

accepted by Albert Shorrock on behalf of the Reunion

Association

Page 11

‘Memoirs of an Airframe Fitter’.

We are lucky that Albert included many of his

wartime stories in his 50-page chronicle,

‘Memoirs of an Airframe Fitter’. It was

produced in 2010 for the DAHG reunion. It

covers his experience at RAF Defford and his

subsequent service in the Middle East.

We would like to share these memoirs with

you, however it is beyond the scope of just

one Contact newsletter, so we will serialise it

for publication in subsequent newsletters.

However if you would like an email copy now,

then contact me Mike Mullins

michael.mullins2@outlook.com or contact

me by phone (01905 421740) and I will send

one to you.

Albert wrote this very touching ‘Farewell Message’. He left

several copies at his home when he finally went in to hospital.

They were addressed to various friends and colleagues. After

Albert had died they were circulated by David.

Albert at the 2005 RAF Defford Reunion at Croome,

with Graham and Sylvia Evans.

Albert’s legacy is very much alive, in keeping

the Reunion Association aims active within

DAHG, and helping to run the RAF Defford

Museum, including contributing to the many

works and exhibits which have proved so

popular with thousands of visitors.

Page 12

Treble Three, as a Ministry of Supply aircraft, was very camera shy and her service details were similarly obscure. This

meant that when we preserved her, we had scant details of her work. We knew from records where she had been, but

not what she had been doing. We were aware that she had served as a trials aircraft in Australia and had left the UK on

24th May 1966, for operations from Woomera, on behalf of the Weapons Research Establishment, reaching there on 31st

May. We also knew that she received an overall white colour scheme and that she returned to the UK in July 1969 to

take up trials work for RRE at Pershore. But that was about the extent of our knowledge of that period of her career.

In around 2006 we acquired a print of a black and white photograph showing Treble Three taxying at, we think, Pershore

not long after she had returned from Australia in July 1969 when engaged on Torpedo trials. This is the photo:

We say mid to late 1969

since she is still in all white

colours with what

appeared to be a ‘zap’ on

her tail. We felt it had

Australian connections

because a Kangaroo can

clearly be made out, but

the rest of the inscription

was not clear.

We also know from another photo (taken in late 1969), that the Radar Research Flying Unit crest was applied to her

when still in the all-white colour scheme so the photo above must have been taken shortly after her return from

Australia on 21st July, 1969. We set about making some enquiries about the tail markings and, we ended up not only

clarifying the badge but making contact with two of her RAAF crew who had flown her ‘down under’.

Thanks to the efforts of some really great

people we made contact with a former

RAAF pilot who had flown Treble

Three when attached to No. 2 Air Trials

Unit, RAAF Edinburgh. He was able to tell

us that the ‘zap’ probably looked like this:

But, of course, we could not leave it at that and he very kindly came up with some splendid photos of her during the

trials. He told us that “As well as Treble Three we had a Canberra T.4 WD954 and a B.2 WK165 on the Unit. I ended up

with over 2000 hrs on Canberras, mostly the Government Aircraft Factory Mk.20, in flying it on and off for 10n years,

but the B(I)8 was the best of them all. I flew 250 combat missions over Vietnam in Mk.20s in 1968. The B(I)8 would

have been a far better aircraft to use there, with gun packs of course.”

WT333 at RAAF Edinburgh 1969 – note the black triangle under the wing

along with the mounting for the carriage trials

Canberra B (I) 8 WT333 Work with RAAF on Missile trials ‘Down Under’. DAHG member Stephen Reglar continues the story of Canberra WT333

Page 13

“I believe that the black triangles were simply reference marks for tracking cameras. The aircraft was used for weapons

carriage and drop trials over Woomera. The tip tanks were painted black. On the underside were big strobe lights,

perhaps 20cm long and 5-10cm deep. There were fairings inboard to protect the crew from the flash.”

Taxying in at RAAF Darwin after a sortie – again 13th June 1969. Note the fairing on the

tip tanks mentioned in the narrative.

In turn we were put in touch with a former RAAF navigator at No. 2 ATU and both flew as crew of Treble Three. He

too was glowing in his praise for the abilities of the B(I)8.

“I arrived at No. 2 ATU in mid-1967 and Treble Three was already there, resplendent in the all-white finish that was

common for the unit’s trials aircraft. (The others were a few Meteors, paid-off very soon after my arrival, and two

other RAF Canberras).”

“As far as I’m aware all the Ikara trials for which we used WT333 were flown at Avalon airfield near Melbourne. The

trials were always a pleasant day out: a 50 minute transit from Edinburgh to Avalon; a cup of tea while the scientists

and engineers fitted the Ikara and a dummy torpedo under one of the wings; take off, set up in a circuit while the

tracking/recording devices were calibrated; then drop the torpedo and land. Another cup of tea while we discussed

things with the boffins, and then back to Edinburgh.”

WT333 at Avalon (Government Aircraft Factory) with Ikara fitted underwing

………to be continued.

In the next issue we look at WT333’s flight from Australia to Pershore

Ikara anti- submarine missile

Page 14