Library Reference Number: 063
On a Higher Plane with 602
From a very early age, I had decided on a flying career, and while still in my final year at school I volunteered to become a member of aircrew in the Royal Air Force. At the end of 1942 I travelled to the Aircrew Reception Centre in London, and from there joined No. 17 ITW (Initial Training Wing) at Scarborough. From there, I was posted to No.4 EFTS Brough, and having successfully completed this course, was selected for a Pilot's training. At this time, 12 hours was the usual duration - with the expectation of going 'solo' at 8 hours.
To complete the next part of flying training, I was sent over to USA, and graduated as a fully fledged Pilot from No.5 BFTS in Florida in March, 1944. Flying training in America gave one opportunities to fly in various training aircraft such as the Stearman PT17 and AT6 Texan, and little did I realise at this time that these planes when added up, would give me a formidable total number of aircraft flown which I shall mention later.
Returning to UK, I joined an AFU and then an OTU (Operational Training Unit). Following this, I was then posted to No.289 Squadron - an Army Cooperation Squadron stationed at Turnhouse. No.289 Squadron had been formed at Kirknewton on 20th November 1941 as an anti-aircraft co-operation unit from No. 13 Group AAC Flight. It stationed detachments at various airfields in Southern Scotland and north-east England for co-operation with anti-aircraft batteries in the area until the end of the war.
It is interesting to note that when the armed forces first became airborne, the initial task was to act as observers for army artillery. I soon discovered that the term 'Army Co-operation' had evolved since then, into a huge, multifarious number of operational tasks, requiring the use of a wide range of aircraft. From small single-engine planes on special duties, to providing air-cover and support in the field, the bombing of territory to allow the Army advance with weakened opposition, through to 4-engined air transport and deployment of troops.
Finally, after D Day, they used Turnhouse as an exit camp for Norway. The Squadron was moved out, and I did a lot of moving around the country before joining 1353 Flight - again mainly Army Co-operation. 1353TT Flight was based one time at Siloth flying Spitfires and Vengeances. Eventually I was appointed a Group Staff Pilot with No. 66 Group, moving back to Turnhouse, before being demobbed from the RAF at the end of 1946. My decision during my boyhood to aim for a flying career, I feel was adequately fulfilled; for after completing phase 2 (described under) I had flown 17 different types of aircraft including:- DH82(Tiger Moth); PT17(Stearman); AT6(Texan); Master; Spitfire; Hurricane; Martinet; Ansons(1 & 12); Vengeance; Proctor; Dominie; Sea Otter; Harvard; Auster. During phase 2 of my flying career, I was to enter the jet age and fly Meteors and Vampires.
Flying phase 2 started when I joined No.602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, RAuxAF, in 1952 and flew with them for four years until the end of 1956. The Auxiliary Squadrons were the first line of defence of the UK after WW2. We flew from Renfrew initially, then moved over to Abbotsinch - now Glasgow Airport. We did most of our flying over central Scotland, and carried out gunnery exercises over the sea from both the east and west coasts of the country. We took part in 2-week summer camps each year, and for this event 602 visits included Germany, UK South Coast, South Wales, Norfolk and Gibraltar.
I remember one occasion while on an exercise at Abbotsinch, 6 Vampires took off together and went up to 30,000ft, Although we were recalled at 3.000 ft. the flight commander ignored the call - it was potentially bad weather - and continued to climb up to 30,000ft. We did assemble there, in formation as 3 pairs of 2's, then made a controlled descent to the Airfield, arriving about 5.30 pm in November and the weather had turned nasty.
Unfortunately, two of the Vampires (including mine) did not have demisting on the windscreen, and of course were fully frozen up. Three of the six aircraft had to overshoot, but all made it back on ground eventually. Two of the Vampires suffered some damage, but no personnel were injured, and there was no follow-up inquiry about this trip. The need to seek greater heights must have been a feature of 602 Squadron, for it was in April 1933 that 30-year old Douglas Hamilton (eventually 14th Duke of Hamilton) returned with the first aerial photographs of the highest point on Earth. He was then Squadron Leader of 602 Auxiliary Squadron, then based at Renfrew, and along with F/Lt David Mclntyre (also of 602) had been first to fly over the summit of Mt.Everest - in an open-cockpit Wallace.
During my time with 66 Group in 1946, our C.O. was the late Duke of Hamilton - father of the present Duke. The present Duke came along with us as an ATC Cadet on one of our 2-week summer training camps. It would appear then, that I was not alone in my aspirations to fly as a young boy. The current trend in developing unmanned missiles signals massive changes in the role of aircrew as previously envisaged, where very large numbers were required. It could very well be, that I may have been in the final group to have had the opportunity to fly such a wide range of aircraft (17 in number) to fulfil my early ambitions.