His service record is the accepted source of posting dates. Sometimes unit ORBs give in/out but the earlier you go in a career the less that ORBs record on specific individuals. Ross
Hello Ross Thank you, I did look through the Loss Cards online but failed to find that one, mind you, my eyesight is not the best, even with my glasses on!!
At what stage of flying - training or operational? What period? You need to give us a bit more context if you want more than a general Google Search Wikipedia response. HCU 1944 HCU course Bomber OTU 1944 BOMBER OTU Syllabus. Who knows of one? Ross
My father’s logbook is a definitive source for OTU and HCU training. I can post some of this when I get back home. Jim
44 (Rhodesia) Squadron, Waddington, 17 March 1943, F/O Rail and crew in aircraft Lancaster Mk I (ED 735 K) one of four aircraft detailed for night flying training.
Ah. so not part of OTU/HCU. In this case it is usually "circuits and bumps" to work up crew efficiency and for the pilot/nav/bomb to become familiar with the local aerodrome circuit pattern and the surrounding countryside. If it was described as Bullseye then this was normally a practice attack against a uk town target RAFCommands Archive :: BULLSEYE Ross
Further to what Ross has said, above, I have some screen captures from dad’s operational logbook when he arrived with 419 Squadron, September, 1944. Dad did his HCU training on Halifax II and V’s. There was no “Lancaster Finishing School” attached to 6-Group and all initial training on Lancaster X aircraft was carried out on the two squadrons operational with Lancaster X aircraft (419 and 428) at the time. Operational Logbooks were filled out in blue for daylight training, green for daylight operations and red for nighttime flying (training and operational). Dad soloed on the Lancaster after only 25 minutes dual on 23-September. On 25-September, a daylight Radar cross county and bombing, 5:10. His 2nd Dickie trip was to Bottrop, 27-September, with Lieutenant Joe Hartshorn (DFC) USAAF. An air test on 28-September and another daylight Radar cross county and bombing on 30-September (5:25). O1-October, a “Radar photography York and aerodrome bombing, 2:30 (there is a “Strike” photo in his album of this). Also 1-October, a nighttime “Bullseye Bristol and bombing” (5:10). His first operation with his crew was to Bergen U-boat pens, 4-October-1944. Another training exercise was a “Flashlight” which entailed working with searchlights over cities. It was designed to familiarize crews with the startling and frightening sensations from searchlights. Dad detested searchlights, and talked about being coned over Magdeburg. I’ve attached some poor screenshots. I’m sorry but I had to do these while away from my primary computer which is home. All the best! Jim
