The
next instalment of my grand-uncle Dick's RAF memoirs.
Early
1950s
Leaping
forward in time to
Dishforth the
Squadron were given an additional aircraft on strength and a second
cage. But before the second cage arrived we experienced an aircraft
going unserviceable with a mag drop
and the cage had to be quickly removed and transferred to another
replacement aircraft. Whenever this aircraft was due to leave about 6
in the morning there was always a couple of extra ground crew with ¼”
spanners to ensure a quick transfer of the cage. I can see this cage,
10 by 6 by 4 feet with 4 bods under it running between the aircraft
pans. Shoulder high. It reminded me of the poster signs on the main
line railways to London before the war. 'Halls Distemper' held
by 2 men in white overalls, so many miles to London. The frequency of
the Stornaway drop then
increased to twice a week in 1954.
We
did hear also of the panic at Stornaway when 1 of the boxes came off
the transport and burst open, and the aircrew were rushing around
looking for guinea pigs in the long grass.
Back
to Abingdon, now completely re-equipped with
Valettas,
we were suddenly confronted with an aircraft, at Templehof
on the UWV run to Warsaw, with
seized ailerons.
It was later proved that the grease pocket in the articulating
spigots of the ailerons did
not line itself up with the grease nipple when they were greased on a
Base Servicing. When we got to
Tempelhof we
found the whole of the mainplane, port and starboard control rod
systems, laying all over the floor: bearings, distance pieces, ball
races. What a mess!
A
few weeks later an enquiry was set up. This resulted in all the
Airframe Tradesmen who had worked on the aircraft over the last few
Base Inspections being asked, “Can you remember greasing the
ailerons last year when carrying out Man B's card on aircraft so and
so?” One rather cocky JT Cresswell was said to have remarked, “Who
do you think I am, Leslie Welch?” His father was of
Senior office rank in the RAF – an Air Commodore- so perhaps he
felt a little too sure of his self. I guess he was quickly
straightened out.
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