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Description: | British officer served as pilot on night operations with 83 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps/RAF on Western Front, 1918
REEL 1 Aspects of period night flying training at Marham, 11/1917-1/1918: first night flight including taking off, importance of horizon, danger of turning below 1000 feet and landing; effects of weather conditions on flying; navigation at night; question of adequacy of training; navigation practical test.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspect of period as instructor at Retford, 12/1917-1/1918: necessity of passing navigational test; use of 'course and distance indicator to allow for wind drift; story of getting lost and consequent forced landing whilst flying FE2 B in triangular test in snowstorm. Recollections of period as officer flying FE2 Bs on night operations with 83 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps, 1/1918-5/1918: flight out from Narbourough to Auchel, France; specific nature of objectives on night bombing raids; prior bombing practice with incendiary bombs; question of accuracy of bombing.
REEL 3 Continues: role of mapping officer; effect of short range bombing; example of inaccurate bombing caused by bombing cross wind; routine of taking off and landing; daytime preparation prior to night operations against German transport; duration and frequency of missions; effect of weather conditions; story of getting lost following each other's navigation lights.
REEL 4 Continues: question of effect of bombing raids on concentrations of German troops particularly on Albert/Bapaume road during German offensive, 3/1918; frequency of missions; daily routine; effects of fatigue; effects of weather and degree of darkness; reconnaissance flights using parachute magnesium flares and German ground fire; attacks on German searchlight installation.
REEL 5 Continues: story of running into German searchlight and machine gun concentration; question of casualties amongst night and day squadrons; story of airfield being raided by captured FE2 B and confusion due to awaiting late returning pilot; closeness of airfield to new German front line; heavy shell fire of airfield and consequent emergency move to airfield near Doullens, 5/1918; efforts to flatten airfield.
REEL 6 Continues: accident whilst attempting first take off from new airfield; story of hitting haystack whilst taking off from 101 Sqdn, RAF airfield, 5/1918. Relationship with Captain James McCudden whilst flying training at Dover, 5/1917-7/1917: personality; examples of stunting ability; story of McCudden's attempt to shoot down Gotha Bombers during their raid on London, 7/7/1917. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Hopkins, J C F | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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