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[lizard]

Hi all.

My uncle, who is 96 this year, was an RAF fighter pilot in the ETO. In Spitfires, he was involved with sweeps over France, PRU and anti Doodle-bug (V1) patrols in a Tempest.  Amended - Looks like this was in Spitfires as well.

He crashed twice, once into a petrol bowser.

My question is, if I could get hold of any pictures of his aircraft, would there be anyone out there who would want to take on the project of modding/skinning these aircraft?

It would be a great tribute to him and to his comrades in arms.

I have a copy of his log book for March-June 1942, which details 20 missions. The aircraft numbers are included - e.g. R7029, K9906 etc if that means anything to the community.

Hoping to hear from someone.

Thank you.

[vpmedia]

Name and unit would help.

This is what I've found for K9906:

http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire/MkI-RAF-65Sqn-FZ.html

R7029, Spitfire PRIV :

www.worldmilitair.com/Countries%20Serials/uuuu/uk/00r0000.pdf
http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/marks.html
http://www.worldnavalships.com/directory/airframeprofile.php?FrameID=1952
similar to this: http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Spitfire/PRIV-RAF-1PRU.html

[Phas3e]

I can help with the tempest for sure

[lizard]

Goodness - there's a lot of info out there.

The photocopy log book I have covers (?some of?) Sgt. SIG Stanley R Chambers' time with C Flight, No.1 PRU (initially at least) at Detling in Kent.

He was with 81 Sqd in the Western Desert, then moved in 1942 to Thorney Island on Lysanders. Then Wick, on Spitfires.

Appears to have arrived at Detling in early March 1942, done a series of test flights up to 33,000 feet before embarking on operational flights along the channel, into France, the Low Countries and Germany (Aachen, Emden, Wilhelmshaven). For these, he seems to have been flying out from RAF Benson (the base for No.1 PRU).

He had a period with 165 Sqd (which I note were based at Detling for a while in summer 1944, and involved with the doodle-bug patrols - but this was with Spitfires, which were not as effective as Tempests, I believe.

1945 saw him in Iraq Then he was on Tempests based on Sylt from 1952, and it was here he had a 'prang'.

He was demobbed in 1958.

Although the log book covers only a few months, he seems to have flown a different Spitfire on almost every flight.

These are the numbers:

R7029, K9906, X4599, X4487, R7151, R6599, AR235 (three sorties), AB317, X4786, AA806 (three sorties), AB128 (two sorties), BP889, BP921 (two sorties), AA789.

Was it the norm to swap aircraft so frequently?

I note that some of the aircradft appear in your link here http://www.worldmilitair.com/Countries%20Serials/uuuu/uk/00r0000.pdf as conversion from Mk 1 Spitfires. Might wear and tear have been the issue?



By the way, the first part of the log book is signed by Squadron Leader P.H. Watts DSO DFC.

Watts is mentioned in this text - https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2v7lBAIA1FgC&pg=PT81&lpg=PT81&dq=Squadron+Leader+P.H.+Watts+DSO+DFC&source=bl&ots=ESslGaV1jd&sig=g6bRzmGTBltRKzxz8hG10sXFIYg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UTe2VKXDE-jk7Ab48YDACw&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Squadron%20Leader%20P.H.%20Watts%20DSO%20DFC&f=false

...which is certainly worth looking up - especially the bit about the Ju88 that was built from parts of crashed aircraft. :-)

[lizard]

Just found this account of his time in Wick, Scotland (April - June 1943).

http://www.caithness.org/wings/metflightsstanleychambers.htm

[lizard]

I can help with the tempest for sure

Thanks very much. I shall see whether he has any pictures of the kite.

[HBPencil]

Was it the norm to swap aircraft so frequently?

Indeed, they'd usually fly whichever aircraft was available at the time. Individual pilot's aircraft were a rarity in PRU units, and when it did happen it was usually only for senior pilots/COs etc.

Might wear and tear have been the issue?

It could be but then there would've been some refurbishment when converted to different marks (e.g X4599 built as a Ia then converted to a PR.V and then a PR.VII). Also PR relied more on speed/altitude (at height) or speed/surprise (at low altitude) rather than violent manoeuvring.

If your uncle flew any Spitfire PR.XIs I can help out with skins.

HB

[lizard]

Thanks for the info HB, and for the kind offer. I shall keep you posted, but it may takes some time to get a response from Mr Chambers.



This article was printed in the local paper last year and has more info on his career.