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Description: | British officer served as pilot with 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1915-1916; commanded 82 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps/RAF on Western Front, 1917-1918
REEL 1 Background to transfer to Royal Flying Corps, 6/1915: prior view of flying activities of Royal Flying Corps on Salisbury Plain, 1911; indiscriminate shooting at aircraft by infantry and consequent ban; 1914-1915; acceptance as pilot despite initial problem over problem over height and weight. Recollections of flying training at Castle Bromwich and Central Flying School, Upavon, 6/1915-11/1915: situation at Castle Bromwich; dual control training; first solo flight; training routine; absence of flying in windy weather; recreations; nature of training programme at Central Flying School; aircraft flown.
REEL 2 Continues: initial difficulty in cross country flying; stability of BE2 C; method of artillery spotting using flares at Lydd; standby for Zeppelin interception patrols at Dover. Recollections of period as pilot with 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Abeele, France, 11/1915-10/1916: role of unit; artillery spotting including gradual transfer of role from observer to pilot, spotting for more than one battery and different types of guns; reconnaissance role including locating position of German artillery batteries, monitoring German troop movement, meteorological flights, spotting German kite balloons and reporting German aircraft concentrations.
REEL 3 Continues: types of bombing operations; preference for night raids; bombing loads; railway targets; Recollections of period as commander of 82 Sqdn Royal Flying Corps/RAF developmening wing strength mass bombing raids on Western Front, 11/1917-4/1918: state of unit morale; question of importance of squadron commanders as illustrated by their monitoring flight reports, punctuality and uniform standards; night flying including development of flare paths and methods of navigation. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Lance, David G | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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