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Authors: Gill Griffin

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MONTLY TOTAL 24 hours 40 minutes

E. Smith
S/Ldr

O/C Flying AFDU

YEAR
1943
AIRCRAFT
Pilot or 1st Pilot
2nd Pilot, Pupil or Pass.
DUTY (Including Results and Remarks)
Flying Time
Passenger
MONTH
DATE
Type
No.
Dual
Solo
February
1st
Mustang X
AL963
Self
 
Experience on type
 
−45
 
 
 
Spitfire
P
Self
 
Target for cine gun
 
−25
 
 
 
Mustang X
AL963
Self
 
Quarter attacks testing swing
 
−45
 
 
2nd
Spitfire Vb
P
Self
 
Co-op with Mustangs of 169 Squadron
 
−45
 
 
 
Spitfire
P
Self
 
Co-op with Mustangs of 169 Squadron
 
−25
 
 
3rd
Tiger Moth
?
Self
F/Lt Stubbs
Instruction in aerobatics
 
−45
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
0
Self
 
Follow my leader with F/Lt Stubbs who earlier made his first solo in a Spitfire
 
1–00
 
 
5th
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
Power failed on take-off
 
−05
 
 
6th
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
Fuel consumption trial
 
1–00
 
 
7th
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
Fuel consumption test
 
−50
 
 
Tiger Moth
AF1
Self
 
Searchlight co-op
 
1–00
 
 
 
Tiger Moth
AF1
Self
 
Searchlight co-op
 
−25
 
 
10th
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
Fuel consumption trial
 
−40
 
 
13th
Spitfire Vb
AF9
Self
 
ASI calibration
 
−30
 
 
 
Stinson
?
Self
Unit Padre S/Ldr Fountain, F/O Collins (Unit Engineer Off.)
To Hunsden
 
−20
 
 
 
Stinson
?
Self
F/O Collins
Return to base
 
−25
 
 
 
Stinson
?
Self
 
To Bovington
 
−40
 
 
 
Stinson
?
Self
 
To base
 
−35
 
 
14th
Spitfire Vb
AF6
Self
 
Camera gun, air to air
 
−15
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF6
Self
 
Camera gun, air to ground
 
−25
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF6
Self
 
Camera gun, air to ground
 
−25
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF6
Self
 
Camera gun, air to air
 
−35
 
 
15th
Stinson
?
Self
Sgt Hill & Mr Charles
To Bovington
 
−30
 
 
 
Stinson
?
Self
F/Lt Clive & Cpt Dyar
To Duxford
 
−20
 
 
 
Stinson
?
Self
Cpt Dyar
To Wittering
 
−45
 
 
 
Stinson
?
Self
 
To base
 
−25
 
 
16th
Spitfire XII
EN230
Self
 
Zoom climbs
 
−35
 
 
 
Mustang X
AL963
Self
 
Camera gun test films
 
−25
 
 
 
Spitfire
AB169
Self
 
Hooded camera test
 
−20
 
 
 
Spitfire
AB169
Self
 
Hooded camera test
 
−15
 
 
17th
Spitfire XII
EN230
Self
 
Zoom climbs
 
−35
 
 
 
Spitfire XII
EN230
Self
 
Zoom climbs
 
−40
 
 
18th
Spitfire XII
EN230
Self
 
Zoom Climbs
 
−40
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF6
Self
 
Co-op Stirlings
 
−30
 
 
19th
Spitfire IX
BS552
Self
 
Cine gun tests and target
 
−30
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF8
Self
 
Stall tests
 
−35
 
 
 
Spitfire IX
BS552
Self
 
Cine gun target
 
−15
 
 
 
Mustang X
AL963
Self
 
Cine gun film test
 
−20
 
 
 
Mustang IA
442
Self
 
Cine gun film test
 
−20
 
 
24th
Spitfire Vb
AF8
Self
 
Stall tests
 
−25
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF6
Self
 
Stall tests
 
−25
 
 
 
Mustang 1A
442
Self
 
Cine gun test films
 
−20
 
 
25th
Spitfire Vb
AD204
Self
 
Stall tests
 
−20
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF8
Self
 
Cine gun, air to air
 
−20
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF8
Self
 
Cine gun, air to ground
 
−20
 
 
 
Spitfire Vb
AF8
Self
 
Cine gun, air to ground
 
−20
 
 
 
Thunderbolt P47
16198
Self
 
Experience on type
 
−30
 
 
26th
Thunderbolt
16198
Self
 
Air firing at 30,000ft
 
−55
 
 
 
Mustang 1A
442
Self
 
Cine gun test films
 
−20
 
 
 
Spitfire XII
EN230
Self
 
Target for cine gun filming
 
−25
 
 
 
Mustang X
963
Self
 
To Hucknall
 
−30
 
 
 
Mustang X
121
Self
 
Hucknall to Bovington
 
−45
 
 
 
Oxford
BG549
F/O Scott
Self
Bovington to Henlow
 
−30
 
 
 
Oxford
BG549
F/O Scott
Self, P/O Solak
Henlow to base
 
−20
 
 
27th
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
Stall tests
 
−30
 
 
 
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
To Foulsham
 
−25
 
 
 
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
Affiliation with B25s
 
−30
 
 
 
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
Affiliation with B25s
 
−40
 
 
 
Spitfire XII
EN223
Self
 
To base
 
−30
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GRAND TOTAL TO DATE 684 hours 50 minutes
3–30
8–25
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60–00
612–55
8–50

Len with Mustang P51b in Duxford, 1943.

1 February
: Another first flight on type. The Mk X was similar in many respects to the Mk III but with a tear drop canopy. All Mustangs were a delight to fly but the Mk X was outstanding for all flying, particularly cross-country, with its wonderful all-round visibility.

2 February
: 169 Squadron was one of the first RAF units to be equipped with the Mustang P51 fighter. The Mustang's longer range meant that daylight raids with fighter cover could be extended to all of Belgium, Holland and most of northern France, up to the Rhine. Later in the year, with long-range drop tanks, Mustangs were able to escort the USAAF daylight raids right into the heart of Germany.

3 February
: I enjoyed instructing F/Lt Stubbs; he was a good pupil and very enthusiastic about flying a Spitfire. He went on to command the Fighter Affiliation Flight.

5 February
: I used up one of my nine lives when power failed just as I was about to become airborne but, luckily, I had enough room to abort the take-off and come to a stop well short of the airfield boundary. As far as I remember this was my only total engine failure in over 1,500 flights with Merlin or Griffon engines. It must have been a very minor fault as I flew EN 223 again the next day.

BOOK: A Very Unusual Air War
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