To Scale the Skies by Peter Cornwell

Author:Peter Cornwell
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780752466927
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2011-08-28T00:00:00+00:00

P/O Wells has apparently been shot down in flames. At any rate he is found in his hotel bedroom, apparently dead and lying amidst a heap of charred pyjamas, silk eiderdowns and bits of wick. On the command, ‘Blue section scramble!’ he does however stir, but relapses on remembering he is on leave.

Early on 30 July 1942, the Duxford Wing decamped to West Malling where all three squadrons congregated in eager anticipation of an offensive sortie against the Luftwaffe airfield at Abbeville; a sortie which had been a long-held ambition of Denys Gillam’s. But after waiting around the entire morning, the mission was scrubbed by No 11 Group who decided that the Typhoons would be better employed supporting Circus 200. They were eventually ordered off shortly after midday, with only half an hour’s notice and a very sketchy understanding of what was required of them. With No 609 leading, they flew out across the Channel at 18,000ft until some 20 miles east of the North Foreland. Crossing the enemy coast at Gravelines, they turned towards Cap Gris Nez before heading back across the Channel to Dungeness.

Given the doubtful reliability of the Sabre engine at the time, these sweeps over the Channel were no picnics. Hours spent high above the Channel, eyes glued to oil pressure gauges, every sinew taut straining to detect a fault or mis-beat from the engine, were a constant nervous strain. And all this without interference from the Luftwaffe.

10 miles off Dungeness Johnny’s engine started cutting out. He radioed control and turned back towards the English coast, maintaining as much height as possible to prolong the glide if the engine decided to pack up altogether. Like every other pilot, Johnny knew only too well that attempting to ditch a Typhoon in the sea would invariably end in disaster for, even in calm conditions, that enormous bucket radiator under the nose would scoop up hundreds of gallons of sea water sending the aircraft down to the bottom. No 609 Squadron lost four pilots this way during the first month of patrols over the Channel, so Johnny prepared to bail out if it became necessary. Mercifully his engine settled into an irregular rhythm and he managed to nurse it all the way back to Duxford.

Flying Officer Haabjoern, one of No 56 Squadron’s Norwegian pilots, was not so lucky. Also nursing a failing engine off the English coast, he was clobbered by a Spitfire and shot down. He managed to bail out at around 2,000ft, his parachute opening just before he hit the water, and was picked up from his dinghy by an Air-Sea Rescue launch within fifteen minutes of landing in the briny and deposited safely at Dover. To the amazement of his CO, ‘Cocky’ Dundas, he returned to Snailwell the following day without a scratch and seemingly none the worse for his experience. A spate of dinghy drills at Royston swimming baths ensued across all three squadrons, which was not thought to be entirely coincidental.

During the first week of August 1942, No 266 Squadron left Duxford on detachment to Matlaske in Norfolk.

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