December 2018 FLYPAST 97While we endeavour to include as many
contributions as we can, we apologise to all those
readers who have taken the time to write in but
didn’t get into print. Jottings...
A bomber’s moon
In a recent FlyPast mention was made of Gp Capt T G ‘Hamish’
Mahaddie and his search for aircraft to participate in the film Battle
of Britain. I had the pleasure of meeting him in the early 1980s at the
Scottish Aero Club (Scone, now Perth Airport). During the war he was
one of the leading lights among the newly formed Pathfinders and
told me that one of his memories was of returning from a mission over
enemy territory and – once out of harm’s way – looking upon brilliant
moonlit clouds. He described it as a short-lived scene of peace and
serenity. I remember him fondly and it was good to see his name
in FlyPast.
THOMAS BROWN
BANKFOOT, PERTHMaidenhead’s ATA Museum
The many tributes to ATA veteran Mary Ellis who died on July 24 aged
101 are sure to stir new interest in her amazing achievements, and
those of her male and female colleagues. For instance, Ann Wood also
ferried over 400 Spitfires, while Hugh Bergel, CO of Aston Down Ferry
Pool, has 105 types in his logbook.
Interested readers are invited to visit the ATA Museum here in
Maidenhead where 129 computerised logbooks, including Ann’s, can
be accessed by visitors. The collection also includes hundreds of
photographs, many from private albums, as well as a database of over
7,000 ATA employees, a superb Spitfire simulator, diaries and filmed
interviews. We know of three female and one male pilot still living,
though there may be more we don’t know about. We would be delighted
to hear from any reader who can put us in touch with surviving ATA
veterans of any occupation. http://www.maidenheadmuseum.org
RICHARD POAD
ATA MUSEUM, MAIDENHEAD HERITAGE CENTREIn praise of the Typhoon
While I was pleased to read in the October issue that the RAF Museum’s
unique Hawker Typhoon will be returning to Hendon later this year,
presumably to be on site for the 75th anniversary of the Normandy
campaign next year, I have never understood why the only surviving
example of the type should have been thought so unimportant that it
could be lent for years to an overseas museum. It was as if the critical
role of the Typhoon in the relentless harrying of German ground forces
from Normandy to the Baltic counted for nothing.
Some years ago, as a military art print publisher, I was researching
photographs of Typhoons in Normandy, as the background to a
Typhoon limited edition print to be signed by pilots. To my surprise,
there were very few – but there were many pictures of Spitfires,
despite the fact that the absence of the Luftwaffe over the battlefield
had rendered their role less important. The glamour of the Spitfire was
even then distorting our view of history, as perhaps it continues to do.
RICHARD LUCRAFT
VIA E-MAILRespect for a Maltese icon
I write in response to the letter from Joseph Galea Debono published
in September’s FlyPast. I absolutely agree with his comments. I visited
both Malta’s Fort St Elmo and Ta’ Qali museums in September 2017, and
while they are both superb I was disappointed at how the Gladiator was
displayed – minus its wings – at the former. It is looking rather worn.
Surely it would make more sense to have it displayed with its wings
attached alongside the magnificent Spitfire and Hurricane at Ta’ Qali –
a dedicated aviation museum. All three aircraft played their part in the
battle for Malta. We can only hope the powers-that-be relent and place
this venerable aircraft in the setting it deserves.
ANTHONY MYERS
SALTASH, CORNWALLVampire ejection
seat details
With regard to Alan Mudge’s letter
in the October issue regarding
ejection seat safety pins, I hope
the following may help.
With the early seats (ie Mks 1
and 2) there was indeed a system
of safety pins being attached to
a large red disc. The latter was
presumably regarded as the best
way of showing that the safety pins
were fitted. The disc would have
the relevant safety pins attached
to it by short lengths of chain – on
a Hunter there would be the large
pin for the face blind, another for
the canopy jettison sear, one for
the main gun sear and a small one
for the canopy jettison time delay.
When removed, the disc was
placed in a stowage compartment
on the top left hand side of the
parachute container.
As Alan will remember from his
RAF service, different squadrons
had their own idea of when to
move seat pins from ‘safe for
servicing’ to ‘safe for parking’. The
system didn’t last all that long due
to the fact that the small chains
could break and the relevant pin
could end up on the cockpit floor
or worse. This led to the present
system of individual pins being
placed in a seat pin stowage block.
JIM GOSSLING
GLASTONBURY, SOMERSETRoyal Chipmunk
I read the DHC Chipmunk story
By Royal Appointment in the
September issue of FlyPast with
great interest.
I’m a former serviceman who
served on The Queen’s Flight
back in the 1980s. While at RAF
Benson as an MoD civil servant
some 10 years ago I rescued theFlight archives from 32 Squadron
at Northolt. They were boxed
up due to their small museum
building being demolished amid
redevelopment.
These archives are now under
custodianship of The Queen’s
Flight Association, and are
on display within the Station
Heritage building by kind
permission of commanders past
and present. I have the pleasure
of being the volunteer curator of
the station and Royal archives.
As a follow up to the FlyPast
story I include a photo of the
groundcrew and Prince Charles
holding a Chipmunk model. The
model survives and is also part of
the archives.
MICHAEL PRENDERGAST
RAF BENSON, OXFORDSHIREAbove
The Chipmunk model today.Below
HRH Prince Charles receiving a model of
Chipmunk WP903 at Tangmere on August 2,- BOTH COURTESY MICHAEL PRENDERGAST