Fleet Air Arm Pilots - Commonwealth and other.

[Ed Russell]

Coming across references to Sub-Lt Fred Sherborne's unusual story and then modelling his aircraft

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235111168-grumman-wildcat-jv368-an-accidental-australian-in-the-faa-arma-hobby-fm-1/#comment-4422249

 

made me think about other Commonwealth and other nationality pilots in the FAA in WW2. I know there were several Canadians and probably others as well. I have only been able to find this one Australian - can anyone add more to the list?

[EwenS]

Plenty of Canadians. For example ‘Hammy’ Gray VC.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hampton_Gray

 

From June 1945 whole squadrons began to form with a preponderance of Canadian aircrew. They were to provide the airgroups for the light carriers Warrior & Magnificent that were to be Canadian manned. 803 (formed June 1945 on Seafire III then XV), 825 (Barracuda the Firefly formed July 1945), 826 (Barracuda then Firefly formed Aug 1945).

 

 

Also Kiwis (over 1200).

https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-themes/aviation/new-zealanders-fleet-air-arm/

 

In 1945 there was a group of Australian pilots, mostly returned from tours in Europe, who transferred to the RAN to retrain on Seafires. The first group joined 801 squadron in Aug/Sept 1945. Mike Crosley talks about them in “They Gave Me A Seafire”.

https://www.spitfireassociation.com/single_crew.php?bio_id=GOULD-Arthur-John

[Ed Russell]

I had forgotten about these Australian pilots although I read about them in Crosley's book. I guess I discounted them a bit because I think that although technically they were part of the WW2 FAA I don't think they saw any action at all. That's also the impression I get having a quick re-read of Crosley.

I have a few pictures of the decrepit Spifires the RAN had for ground handling training. Nat Gould sounds like an entertaining character. One of his P-40s was named Vodka in Cyrillic script!

It looks like, for understandable reasons, New Zealand and Canada far outdid Australia in this area and Sherborne is one of a very few if not unique.

[Grey Beema]

There are a lot of Foreign & Commonwealth Aircrew in the FAA.

 

This is just from my own collection based around FAA Top scouring fighter pilots.

 

• John Bruen - Irish
• Don Sheppard - Canadian
• Edward Wilson - Irish / South African
• Bill Atkinson - Canadian (my distant cousin)
• William Martyn - Canadian

 

There was of course a mainly Dutch piloted Hellcat Squadron - 804?  Have a butchers at the IWM Phot collection.  But in most squadrons had pilots from other Allied countries.

 

My own father remembers being in a group in training that was made up of British, Polish, Dutch and Free French sailors during training..

[Carl V]

For anybody interested, in the Spring 2022 issue of RT, the Magazine of IPMS Canada (an organization of which I have been a member for more than half a century) is an article describing a detailed 1/24 build of Bill Atkinson's Hellcat JW772. Beautiful aircraft, beautiful model!

Carl

[dogsbody]

1 hour ago, Carl V said:

For anybody interested, in the Spring 2022 issue of RT, the Magazine of IPMS Canada (an organization of which I have been a member for more than half a century) is an article describing a detailed 1/24 build of Bill Atkinson's Hellcat JW772. Beautiful aircraft, beautiful model!

Carl

 

I await the arrival of that issue. Sounds like some good reading.

 

 

 

Chris

[Biggles81]

It was indeed a later event for ex-RAAF trained Spitfire pilots to be transferred to the BPF to man Seafire Squadrons. For much of the BCATP our graduates went to Bomber and Fighter  Commands as well as the RAAF's expeditionary squadrons (10 Sqn, 3 Sqn). It seems though almost like difference countries unofficially provided more aircrew to difference streams. If you look at records New Zealand provided a disproportionately large number of aircrew to the FAA via the RNZNVR.

[Grey Beema]

On 6/8/2022 at 2:32 PM, Carl V said:

For anybody interested, in the Spring 2022 issue of RT, the Magazine of IPMS Canada (an organization of which I have been a member for more than half a century) is an article describing a detailed 1/24 build of Bill Atkinson's Hellcat JW772. Beautiful aircraft, beautiful model!

Carl

Hi Carl,

 

Any idea how I can get a copy of that article here in Ireland.

 

I built an Eduard 1/48 Hellcat II as JX772/X119 but it is riddled with mistakes and I want to rebuild it.  

 

 

I have also built JW867/W116 in which Bill Atkinson didn’t shoot down a ”Mytr” (Bill Foster got it)...

 

 

 

 

[Carl V]

Hi Grey,

If you wish, you may PM me with your email address and I'll get the article to you. 

Carl

[gusmobile]

I believe the main reason that a high number of Kiwis joined the FAA, is that a recruiting centre had been established in New Zealand earlier in the war.

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

On 6/8/2022 at 12:46 PM, Grey Beema said:

There are a lot of Foreign & Commonwealth Aircrew in the FAA.

 

This is just from my own collection based around FAA Top scouring fighter pilots.

 

• John Bruen - Irish
• Don Sheppard - Canadian
• Edward Wilson - Irish / South African
• Bill Atkinson - Canadian (my distant cousin)
• William Martyn - Canadian

 

There was of course a mainly Dutch piloted Hellcat Squadron - 804?  Have a butchers at the IWM Phot collection.  But in most squadrons had pilots from other Allied countries.

 

My own father remembers being in a group in training that was made up of British, Polish, Dutch and Free French sailors during training..

Eugene Esmonde VC - Irish