Rupert Rassendale Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sqn, B flight Yellow 2 WestHampnett.
1 Damaged.
Aug 1940
As the Yanks say, I was robbed. Sqn was off at 0900 hrs checked in with Control and vectored towards Horsham a 30+ Raid. However as we corkscrewed up Sqn Leader called bandits 12 o clock high over us at Brighton. We closed on a Flight of 5 He 111's,but it was each of us to have a go one at a time. As tail End, My bloke was disappearing in the clouds so I followed alone. I fired at 800 yrds and closed the e/a fluttered then smoke 2 chutes came out and I saw the bomber crash in the channel. After landing, the Ops officer said not Confirmed. No one saw my kill , No boats in area. Headed off to the Pub ( lions and lambs ) My Rigger said I took 1 bullet in the Prop and it made a racket during the Post flight inspection.
Shoot a bomber down and there is only ever two chutes seen... I think the Germans have standardised the crew compliment in all bombers to two men... must be a shortage of trained aircrew!
It may have been 2 people for 1 parachute day or 1st come 1st served. However it is well known that there was a shortage of Silk and Nylons. Horror of Horrors even Betty had to do without during WWII.
Rupert Rassendale Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sqn, B flight Yellow 2 WestHampnett.
1 Damaged.
Aug 1940
Sqn scramble : 10 a/c to cover Penshurst AF. We found 5 e/a near the coast dont know the Height ( My Altitude guage was u/s, I marked my Kite as Serviceable because I didnt want to spoil the party ). The e/a were low so B flight made a head on diving attack then looped and made a one 2 on one attack. I covered as P/O Rierson got a bomber then 2 Me 110's came diving down chasing off after them, I ended up over Boxhall so headed back and ran into e/a I got one using the last of my ammo. I landed at Penshurst for juice had to dodge Bomb Pot Holes on the runway , but got in ok. Claims 4 Bombers shot down + Top covers 1 Me 110. Losses 1 Hurricane Pilot Bailed out.
Rupert Rassendale Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sqn, B flight Yellow 2 WestHampnett.
1 Damaged. Sept. 1940.
The Ops Officer informed me that I was 1 of 12 pilots that shot at the bomber that day. So I could have 1/12th or nothing. Nothing. If U can,t have the whole dog then what good is the tail.
Scramble: Over Esher at 15000 we encountered 10 a/c below so all 8 of us went down. The closest 6 were enemy Ju 88's I fired off Four 2 Second bursts ( No hits ) then got into a punch out with 2 Me 110's. I could not line up ,but fired a few anyway. Diving out of the Wagon wheel fight I spotted a 109 shooting down a Spitfire over Biggin Hill. Chased and closed firing off the last ammo, but the e/a got on my tail so Turn and Turn then split S ed Looking around the 109 went home so did I. Claims 2 Bombers shot down . Lost 3 Hurricanes + the Spit I saw shot down over Biggin Hill.
Rupert Rassendale Pilot Officer, RAF 145 Sqn, B flight Yellow 2 WestHampnett.
1 Damaged.
Sept. 1940 DECEASED SHOT DOWN KILLED OFF ROADKILL
145 had a Sqn Scramble in bad weather. P/O Rassendale was seen to get a few bursts off at a e/a bomber then getting lost and loosing contact with B flight He returned to home base. Passing over , Biggin Hill AF He got into a brawl over with 109's. His Hurricane was last seen crashing into a field . Pilot KIA.
Signed in last night , posted to Coastal Patrol 0710 this morning. Ran into a bit of trouble with 109's The chaps Knocked down 1 ,but we lost one as well.
Hey Gents, I love reading the AARs. I haven't had much time myself to fly. It would be great if you guys could include total flight hours and confirmed kills for your pilots. Maybe even show claims pending here also. Hope everyone will consider doing this. I am off to start a new Campaign myself.
No just make sure you advance time enough to make sure your flight (B Flight) and A flight are over the middle of the channel basically between England and France and back into friendly territory. Much more important if you are German, Brits mostly don't go that far.
Patrol - make sure you make it to all patrol waypoints.
B flight was scrambled for some Snoopers around the Cain Home site at South end on the Sea. I was chained to the Flight Leader and didnt get a shot. The chaps did well getting 3 Do 17 Types. All Ruddy Great Flamers.
Nigel Neville 56th Squadron North Weald August 22 16 confirmed Tumani Flying Hours!
Scramble as ze Germans are trying to destroy our Coastal Batteries and probably still will for another two days or so, I would guess... I got in with a bomber formation and started plugging away, getting and taking hits. I got a little too close and almost collided with the chap! As I pulled up, he went down leaking oil and petrol. As he was falling away, I followed him with my eyes only to see Bill Alwin from "A" flight tumbling down to shoot at the obviously doomed craft, trying to steal another kill! What a Berk! Shrugging that off, I headed off to attack the main formation and started in on another a/c, as did a bunch of my squad. He went down promptly, but not before holing all of us pretty severely! After a few minutes, my engine started to sputter and eventually seized, forcing me to put down at a nearby field. My accountant rang up and advised me to invest in Rolls-Royce. Anyway, when I got back to base, I put in for a half credit on both a/c and ended up getting all of the first one and none of the second one. So take that, Bill!
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 Neville 56th Squadron North Weald August 25 17 confirmed 3 Minutes WEP
After a few days of milk runs, enemy contact again! We flew into a big bank of bombers and I started a climb to come swooping down on them. They must of seen us because right then, the two bomber flights broke through each other and ran for home as my squad mates pounced on them. In my hesitation over whom to attack, I ended up attacking no one and instead watched as innumerable individual combats broke off in innumerably different directions. I thought I was going to go home empty handed but as I was flying off to see if any stragglers were headed for the coast, I caught a little gleam of silver out of the corner of my eye below me. I dove down hard to find myself on the tail of a single 109! He dove and twisted down and away as I strove to stay with him. He got a little bit of a lead and headed for home with me in pursuit. Shortly I looked back to see one of those rakishly good-looking Spitfires trying to join our soiree. He was going to steal my kill! Well, I poured on the WEP and was determined to slag my engine if I had to! After a while, the 109 realized he wasn't going to make it back with both of us on his tail and dove down to try to get into the ground fog and escape that way. I managed to close in the dive and fired as he tried to turn every which way. I got some good hits before momentarily losing him in the fog. As I came out, I saw his plane going down a thousand yards away to crash into some farmland. No chute was seen. I headed back to base with an undamaged engine (for once) and put in my claim. I've just received conformation and a promotion to Flight Lieutenant as well! For being worried about going home empty handed, it ended up being quite a day... 6 kills claimed by the squadron against the loss of Perkins from A flight, a good fellow to everyone who knew him.
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...