Chris Thomas

Hello.  You must be very proud of your family who made such a courageous decision during the war.

My email is [email protected] and if you let me have yours I will send you scans of the group and the aircraft.

regards

Chris Thomas

No, I am not the author of 'Free to Fight Again' (it was written by Alan W. Cooper).  I did contribute one photo - of Tommy Hall with 'Schnapps', Merlin's alsatian dog.  The only photo I have of Merlin is the squadron group, photographed at Volkel in November 1944.

I am an author and have written several books about Typhoons/Tempests and also co-author of a 4-volume history of the 2ndTAF.  Do you have a particular interest in 175 sqn?  I knew a dozen or more of the pilots.

regards

Chris Thomas

Hello Andy

Looks like you have been having some fun with your research.  First, yes, 4-aperture wheels - all Mk V Series 2 had them.

Yes, I have a single photo which includes NV728 when with 56 Sqn but it does not show the individual code letter; I know this was X as 56 Sqn's ORB is one of the few which quotes serial numbers and code letters (usually it is one or the other, or none at all).  The photo appeared in the Tempest V album which I produced for Eduard to include in the Royal edition of their Tempest V kit.  The decals do not include US-X - they feature (among others) US-W (which Pierre Closterman flew when with 56) and US-T (CO's aircraft post war).

The photo was a great find because wartime Tempest shots are relatively rare and in particular 56 Sqn.  If you let me have your email address I'll send you a copy but I must ask you to keep it for your own private use.  It came to me from a Canadian who is compiling his own photographic book and I promised to keep it as exclusive as possible.  Of course I have no doubt that someone will scan my book and post a copy in due course.

I also met a 56 Sqn Tempest pilot called Bill Tuck, who was flying with your uncle when he was shot down.  Tuck went down too but a few minutes later.  He said they thought your uncle was killed as the Tempest crashed into trees at the end of its forced landing , and exploded, so he was surprised to meet your uncle, swathed in bandages at some point in his captivity.

Tuck though that both Tempests were brought down by the same cause.  They found a single German lorry in a village and it was duly strafed. As Tuck broke away he saw a solitary German soldier in a doorway with a rifle pointing straight at him, and then felt a clunk as (apparently) his shot hit the Tempest's radiator.  There was no flak so he was convinced this dead-shot was responsible for bringing down both Tempests.

It is very likely that your uncle was in 16 Sqn as he would have returned to 56 Sqn following his recovery (mainly burns I believe) and that unit was re-numbered 16 Sqn at the end of March 1946.  It flew Tempest Vs for a few more months and then converted to Tempest IIs in August 46.