Nigel Notting Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sgn, 11 Group B Flight, 2 section Yellow 3 Westhampett, AF
In the mess that evening , we were treated to the Section leaders Gun Camera film. Since the Sqn Commander and both flight leaders are the only ones with gun cameras, It was a short affair.
Thanks Rick. I’m a little slow since retiring. I was thinking “who the heck is Florence?” Yep, we are clear but Hurricane season does not end until October so wait and watch. Prayers for the folks in her path. Katrina is still fresh on my mind.
Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from either end. BOC Member since....I can't remember!
Pilot Officer Mark Fairbanks 43 Squadron Sept. 2, 1940
Scramble before breakfast. We were off to our Hurricanes and in the air in a little over 2 minuets headed to the south of London.
Approaching the patrol area Harris called out that the enemy was spotted. I followed him in a curving dive and soon spotted the flight of enemy bombers. We dove in behind the 5 Heinkel's and I could only get off 2 bursts before pulling up. As I leveled out and looked about to make another pass I was gobsmacked to see a 110 off my wing!
I pulled up and rolled over beind the 110 and with a few long bursts had it smoking before it turned over and went down.
I found myself alone with Harris coming over the radio saying he was headed home. I did the same. Approaching our base at 4000' I ran smack into 4 110's. They must have been heading home because only one made a half hearted attempt at combat and since I was low on ammo I bid him good by.
Everyone returned safe and we had claimed seven enemy aircraft total. We had no more than sat down for tea when the siren blared again. Off to the east of London on another scramble. We arrived over the patrol area and had beat the enemy there so we were waiting for them. JU88's. Harris and I both made a pass at the flight. I scored multiple hits on one as I pulled up. I heard the ping of hits as I rolled over for another pass. Coming in again the 88 caught on fire and went down.
Leveling off my engine sputtered and then died. In all the excitement I did not realize my fuel tank was hit. Lucky for me a field was below and after cranking down the landing gear manually I made a decent dead stick landing.
Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from either end. BOC Member since....I can't remember!
MFair: No problem U'all. My family is in VA and North Carolina (Extended ) There are times on the phone where the accent is so thick that I have to stop and think. So far everyone is fine. Lots of service outage and Landscape damage, but insurance should cover it. Knock on Wood.
Mr. Rawlings: I must be doing something wrong. I am Retired, but only have been able to play 6 or 7 times.
Nigel Notting Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sgn, 11 Group B Flight, 2 section Yellow 3 Westhampett, AF
Posted back to 145th. Nice to be back,but they stuck me with an a/c from Repair that came from 303 Sqn. Oh well, Flew Convoy Patrol. Section leader yelled Stuka's low and right. Everyone help yourself. Down the six of us went, my a/c speed went pass 300 MPH. I fire 2 bursts Hits ? then I shot pass. Pulling hard back on the stick , I barely missed the water. Zooming back up, the sky was empty. The Section lost 1 Hurricane and claimed 3 e/a I saw one e/a go down but it had 2 engines not one like the Stuka's ? Escort Higher Up ?
Took my first flight in earnest today. A quick stroll down to Rye, near Hastings, to supervise the activities of the boffin squad with their monstrous iron latticeworks that they call Chain Home. Why they call it that I have no idea, we all joke that it probably does nothing except attract lightning strikes and provide the local seagulls with a comfortable nesting place. No sign of Jerry, just a leisurely cruise around the coast at 21,000 ft with A flight tagging along a few miles behind. At one point I glimpsed something behind us and requested permission to detach from the formation to weave behind so that I could keep whatever it was in sight but I soon lost visual contact and rejoined the formation after a few minutes of essing along behind everyone else.
Landing was nothing special, a big bounce because I came in too fast but no close encounters with the fence or stalled engines this time.
Also, I've earned the moniker of "Ace". Not for my prowess in the air but at the bar. The English chaps were somewhat aghast when I showed them how one could ingest five pints in the space of three minutes. Horrible tepid muck they drink here, I wish I'd thought to bring a Coolgardie safe with me.
Let's pretend I got the BWOC badge to embed here.
Wenn ihr sieg im deine Kampf selbst gegen, wirst stark wie Stahl sein. "The best techniques are passed on by the survivors." - Gaiden Shinji
Barely got bread to butter this morning when we were off on a radar contact. Wheels up before seven and to the contact point fifteen minutes later. Ran into a flight of 111's at 14,000 feet taking some vertical pot-shots at our shipping and I winged in after the third one and got him with some none-too-accurate fire. As we were circling around the area, we were attacked by either the recalcitrant escorts or another flight of 109's. For some reason, I couldn't tell the Huns from me mums and one got behind me and got a few shots into me, chipping the paint on both craft and pilot. Despite a stinging pain in arm and leg, I was able to get clear thanks to the intercedence of others in my flight, but I had to bail out a few miles off of shore after I had used up all the petrol. After a week in the hospital, I am able to write this report and should be back in the "game" in a few more days... Here's the surprisingly clear and in color and cockpit-centric gun camera footage:
Seriously, I can't tell the difference between the hurris and BF's until quite close. Can't wait for those big elliptical wings to show up!
The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...
Nigel Notting Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sgn, 11 Group B Flight, 2 section Yellow 3 Westhampett, AF
Aug 2, 1940.
Morning flight over An Army camp Local area. No Contact
2 Section Re enforce Convoy Patrol during the afternoon. Reached the convoy after the e/a hit it. Only 109's high up looking for fodder to fatten their scores. Dis engaged and RTB. As the Sqn Commander said: Leave the flaming fighters , its the bloody bombers we want.
Nigel Notting Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sgn, 11 Group B Flight, 2 section Yellow 3 Westhampett, AF
Aug 5,1940.
I say, Jolly good show over Convoy Bounty. It was a Sqn show with Red and Blue sections keeping the Fighters off our backs as 2 Section dove on Stukas lining up on the Ships below. I gave off long bursts at a bomber and got hits but as I closed I ran out of ammo. ( I fired too far out and only got hits as I ran out of 303s ). The green painted Stuka Hugged the Ocean and skimmed towards France. I stayed low and RTB. Score 3 JU 87's Destroyed + 1 Damaged ( mine ) The Sgn Loss 1 Hurricane to Fighters + 2 damaged.