EwenS

Just who is it that goes around putting large invisible parachute attracting magnet like things in trees around airfields?

You think that was bad. I watched an episode of the Yorkshire Vet this week. Vet goes to do some dental work on a Shetland pony and has to put a load of ironmongery in its mouth. Pony escapes vet’s clutches. What follows is a sequence of shots of them chasing it all over the field to catch it. In some shots the ironmongery is there and in others it isn’t. Clearly two sequences cut together and switched back and forth several times to create the final programme. Laughable...on several levels.

According to Squadrons and Units of the FAA, Warspite lost her catapult (Type DIIH) in May 1943 and her Walrus from 700 Squadron along with it. That ties in with her Clyde refit.

We hear plenty from climate protesters about the damage we are doing to our planet from us humans doing this, that or the other and we need to stop. OK very laudable. However the elephant in the room that they don't ever mention and don't seem to want to do anything about is the growth in the number of humans occupying this little lump of rock orbiting 93m miles from our sun. In 1800 the world population was estimated by the UN to be 0.9 billion. By 1900 it was 1.65bn. By 1960 it was 3bn. 1980 4.4bn. By 2020 it is projected to be 7.4bn and is expected to rise to 11.2bn by the end of this century. So the quickest route to cutting CO2 emmissions is to reduce the population. Perhaps a mass epidemic a la Spanish flu of 1918-20 or other mass killing event would, from the planet's perspective, maybe be the answer to the current CO2 problem in the long run.

In answer to the queries about the histories of the various Hellcats noted above, I’ve looked at FAA Aircraft 39-45 and also had a look at Joe Baugher’s website. I’ve set out below the histories of all the serials listed above. All those listed were F6F-5 Hellcat II (Joe Baugher however lists JX827 &JX889 as from a batch supposedly built as F6F-5N). None are noted as PR versions (either US built or British conversions) in either source. JV255 (BuNo 58753) 808 Sqn (Q then K6K) 12/44. Overturned on Khedive (no date) JV282 (BuNo 58780) 808 Sqn 12/44. Deck landing accident on Khedive 9/3/45. Katukurunda 8/45. JV316 (BuNo 70016) 808 Sqn (K6Y) 12/44-4/45. RNAMY Clappenberg Bay (Trincomalee) 7/45. 757 Sqn Tambaram and damaged 29/10/45. To Trincomalee. JW723 (BuNo 70238) Tested RNARY Wingfield SA 24/11/44. 804 (6G) from 6/12/44. 28/5/45 Deck landing accident on Ameer & hit JX827, JW733 & JX889. 881 Sqn 8/45. Wingfield Storage Section 3/9/45. Trincomalee 1945 written off charge. JW733 (BuNo 70248) Shipped Norfolk, Virginia in Thane 14/8/44. RNARY Wingfield SA 3/9/44. 804 Sqn (2L then K6L) 6/12/44-7/45. Damaged by JW723 25/5/45. 808 (K6L) 7/45 JX827 (BuNo 71650) Air ferried from UK to RNAMY Coimbatore between 27/2/45-3/45. 804 Sqn (no code given). Damaged in accident with JW723 28/5/45. Trincomalee and written off charge sometime after that. JX889 (BuNo 71712) Tested RNARY Wingfield SA 10/10/44. RNARY Coimbatore. 1839 Sqn. Damaged on Indomitable 31/3/45. 804 Sqn 4/45. Accident with JW773 28/5/45 (typo for JW723). Note this history seems incorrect to me as Indomitable was in the Pacific by 31/3/45 so it is unlikely that it could then be repaired and with 804 Sqn in April in the East Indies JW370 (last photo in post #11 is in Thomas’ book at top of page 154 as JW370 K6K of 804 Sqn taken 20/6/45 and is listed as an FRII). No Hellcat wore this serial. Possibly JW730 see below. JW730 (BuNo 70245) Shipped Norfolk, Virginia in Thane 14/8/44. RNARY Wingfield SA 3/9/44. 804 Sqn Ameer 6/12/44-4/45. 808 Sqn (6K later K6K) 6-7/45. The squadron codes in the East Indies Fleet changed during 1945 (twice in the case of 804) and this is where the confusion starts. Both 804 and 808, both flying Hellcats, wore the code K6A+ during this period. So it is entirely possible to have 2 Hellcat serials coded K6K, and not just to account for replacement aircraft in the same squadron. This is borne out above with JV255/K6K in 808 squadron and JW730/K6K in 808 squadron. The confusion is not helped by squadrons spending time in several Ruler class carriers (which had only minor differences between them) over the time period. For example, 808 which arrived in the East Indies in Feb 1945 in Khedive and spent most of their time when afloat in Khedive, also had a detachment on Emperor in April 1945. 804 is even worse. While mostly associated with Ameer, detachments served on Khedive, Empress, Hunter and Shah at various times while the whole squadron was in Emperor for a time in May 1945 at the time of the sinking of the Haguro.

...... the AT Regt was 75 AT Regt Royal Artillery and carried a Blue/Red Arm of Service marking of marked with '77' (as per the kit instructions). The Regt would have had two towed Batteries, each with 12 17-Pdr AT guns and two SP Batteries, each with 12 M10s (either unmodified M10s or M10 IIc with the 17 Pdr fitted, dependent on the unit). From 21st AG vehicle returns the M10s were 17pdr versions from at least the beginning of 1945 and probably some time before as the Armd Div units seem to heve been given priority in receiving these

....with grey hair judging by the age of some of these jokes!

I’m curious about what stage in the design process of the MAX did Boeing feel that they needed to add the MCAS system. It feels to me like a quick and dirty solution to an unforeseen problem. After initial flight test perhaps?

The only other aircraft type on Hermes in WW2 were the Walrus of a detachment of 710 squadron for the period 1-17 May 1940 while off West Africa. Info from Squadrons of the FAA.

The Universal Carrier looks like a Canadian built Windsor carrier. If it is not that then it might be a US built T-16

From the Form 540 appendices for 358 for 1945:- Feb During a non-flying period extending up to 19th the Squadron settled-in and carried out certain S.D. modifications such as removal of the Ball Turret and front guns. April 2. During the month work was commenced to modify the aircraft for paratroop dropping. In all four aircraft were modified and the first "bod-dropping" operation was carried out on 26th April. Other work put in hand was the fitment of blister windows for pilot and co-pilot, removal of all armour plate and complete stripping of front turret. As an experiment the camouflage paint was removed from engine nacelles upper wing surface, bomb doors and wheel fairings on one aircraft to reduce drag. There are also references to changing the radio fits and in particular fitting LORAN so watch out for extra aerials.

According to Terence O'Brien (ex 357 sqn in India) in The Moonlight War, Special Duties Liberators were fitted with a slide for dropping parachutists. The slide was moved into place while the aircraft was in flight and it projected "well below the fuselage". It carried 6 people packed bobsleigh fashion and they all dropped close together. This must have replaced the ball turret because the bomb bay was still available for containers. no pics I'm afraid. By mid 1945 most of the special duties Liberator missions were long range from India and Ceylon to drop zones in Eastern Burma, Malaya, French Indo China (modern day Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam) and Thailand. Drops largely took place at night. So I would expect that the mid upper turret may also have been removed to save weight. You might be able to find some more information in the Forms 540 & 541 for these squadrons. They are available here:- http://www.rquirk.com/seac.html

“Horoscope inspections”???? predictive text strikes again!!!

I recall seeing a picture of B707 or B727 that collected one on its nose cone. Passed straight through it ..... and the pressure bulkhead ..... and the control panel ..... between the pilots ..... and finished buried in the after cockpit bulkhead. They can sure ruin your day.

A lot of wise words about the case itself and juries. The rest of us have to rely on the media for our information. Sadly I saw plenty published about the prosecution case but am struggling to recall anything significant about the defence case. So no way to form a balanced view. Sadly like John B I don’t feel very optimistic about the air show scene in the U.K.