Warbird Information Exchange

I don't think anybody has mentioned that the Tempest II in the third picture down in the first post is actually the one owned by Kermit Weeks. There's an early Firefly in the background so the picture probably dates from it's time with the Skyfame Collection at Staverton

sk

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Simon King

Despite its troubled beginnings, the Sabre (particularly the Series V engine powering the Tempest Mk V and Mk VI) did become a reasonably reliable (although very complex) engine after Napier was absorbed by English Electric and major efforts made to improve quality. The only major engine issues I've read about with the Sabre V was the continued weakness of the cartridge starting system. Basically, too small a cartridge to get the big engine spinning.

Shame there aren't sufficient spares to get at least one example flying with the big Sabre.

Good Day ! New to this site with a specific query. I have been trying for some time to find some information re. a specific picture which I discovered quite by accident in one of your writers contributions.
Posted by Mark Allen M. on Feb.3/12 as one of a group of photos. The picture is of Dwight. D. Eisenhower and a small entourage inspecting a rocket-equiped Typhoon. I have had an enlargement of this for some years now and have been unable to source it. I am interested in where and when it was taken. Anyone who can help is invited to respond. This is simply for my personal satisfaction but might serve others equally.
Thanks, in advance. Bob

Greetings Bob, yes I believe (but not sure) that image was taken at an airfield in the Normandy France area in the weeks shorty after the D-Day invasion started. Are you looking for more specific information? I'm quite sure there are some other WIX members who know more.

Mark

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Zero Surprise!!...

Thanks, Mark. I have always suspected it was France. The date and specific location has become a bit of an obsession so if anyone has more info; it would be appreciated. A guess on my part is Falaise, but it's just that - a guess.

Hi Guys,

The officer on the right of the group in the Eisenhower photo is New Zealander Des Scott, C.O. of the Tempest Strike Wing. He was a Group Captain at the time. And in his book (Tphoon Pilot) he mentions that it was on an airfield in Holland when Ike came and inspected them.

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Little Johnny : "When I grow up I want to be a pilot!"

Johnny's Mother : "Don't be silly Dear - you can't do both!"

Thx for the correction.

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Zero Surprise!!...

My best guess is the pic was taken at Volkel, late 1944. I'll dig out my copy of Des Scott's book to see if there is a date reference in the text.

Cheers

Barry

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Little Johnny : "When I grow up I want to be a pilot!"

Johnny's Mother : "Don't be silly Dear - you can't do both!"

Update - I've found both Des Scott's books in my library (which is a minor bloody miracle).

Des Scott was appointed the CO of 123 Strike Wing (Typhoons) pre-invasion. At the age of 25 he became the RAF's youngest Group Captain at that time.

Upon checking the text in his books "Typhoon Pilot' and 'One More Hour', I have found the following from his records:

Ike visited 123 Wing twice during the period of late 1944. One was early November and the other was mid-December.

Ike was definitely at Gilze Rijen for the December visit while the earlier visit in November points to Ursel where they were based.

Both of these are in Holland.

It is unclear where the pic Mark posted was taken but my best guess would be Ursel (where 123 Wing was based from 29th October through to 26th November) when they were transferred yet again to Gilze Rijen on 26th November. They stayed at Gilze Rijen until the very end of December 1944 when they were moved yet again to another forward base in the Ardennes (airfield A87 south of Chievres), narrowly missing the Luftwaffe's final big 'raid' on forward airfields on New Year's Day, although some of the rear elements of 123 Wing namely 22 Typhoons undergoing maintenance were at Gilze when the Luftwaffe raid took place, damaging two aircraft. Luckily the majority of 123 Wing escaped this 1 January raid as they had already moved. At this stage of the war they moved often in order to keep up with the Allied ground advances - the rocket-firing Typhoons providing valuable close support against tanks etc.

It looks like the senior RAF officer in the left of the photo may have been Air Vice-Marshal 'Bingo' Brown who commanded 84 Group which 123 Wing was part of. It is natural for an AOC to be present during a visit from such a VIP as Eisenhower.

So we can narrow the choices of date and location down to either Ursel in November or Gilze Rijen in December 1944 - take your pick.

Best I can do,

Cheers

Barry

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Little Johnny : "When I grow up I want to be a pilot!"

Johnny's Mother : "Don't be silly Dear - you can't do both!"

Hi TriangleP

I think that 486 NZ Sqn was with another (Tempest) Wing and not under Des Scott at 123 Wing during the period we are researching.

It might pay to check although I could be mistaken.

Barry

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Little Johnny : "When I grow up I want to be a pilot!"

Johnny's Mother : "Don't be silly Dear - you can't do both!"