Group Captain A.F.Bandit or A.F.Banditt

[paulmcmillan]

Can anyone identify an Australian in the RAF with the name Group Captain A.F.Bandit or Group Captain A.F.Banditt

I believe he was pre-war RAF (or maybe Australian who was training in the UK) I believe he had a Hawker Demon accident 27th September 1934 while with 23 Sqn at Westfield, East Sussex (if anyome has a Serial number that would be great)

I can't find him on the London Gazette


Post war he flew Miles Sparrowhawk G-AGDL in the 1947 Manx Air Race and was the first person to fly solo to Australia after WW2 in a Miles Gemini (believed G-AIDO)

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Paul,

Service Number 34209

May 1935 Air Force List

P/O Alan F Bandidt gradation date 14/08/1934.

F/O 14/03/36

F/L 14/03/38

Serving with No.23 Sqn, Demons at Biggin Hill, posted in 14 Sept 1934.

AA CoOp Unit Biggin Hill, posted in 6 Apr 1936

Under instruction RAF School of Aeronautical Engineering Henlow, posted in 29 Aug 1937 (Still present Feb 39)

Retired Eng Branch 24/06/47


Regards
Ross

[paulmcmillan]

Ross

Thanks, sorry is in the 1935 List his name spelt Banditt or Bandit or Bandidt ?


Post war he was working with Miles at Reading (thats why he got hsi hands on Sparrowhawk and Gemini)


Ross - Thnaks I have him now G/C. A. F. 'Bush' Bandidt !!!!!


Alan Francis BANDIDT (34209)

He died May 24th 1969 at Chertsey and was born March 21st 1912 Queensland

[paulmcmillan]

5 years later I now know 100% P/O Alan Francis Bandidt overturned a Hawker Demon on 27th September 1934 while with 23 Sqn at Westfield, East Sussex. However still missing the Serial now

[COL BRUGGY]

Paul,

The 27 September, 1934, incident wasn't the only fun Alan Francis BANDIDT had in that year. Prior to leaving Australia in June 1936, to take up his Short Service Commission with the RAF, he was involved in the following escapade:-

D.H.60 G "Gipsy" Moth (built by The Larkin Aircraft Supply Company Ltd., Melbourne) A7-24

Delivered to RAAF 29 July 1930.
Used as a seaplane by No.1 FTS at Point Cook.

Crashed into Port Phillip Bay, off Altona, on 1 June, 1934, while performing alighting exercises.

58 F/O (Pilot) Alister Murray MURDOCH RAAF - unhurt. (later O328 Air Marshal, CB, CBE).
Air Cadet Alan Francis BANDIDT RAAF - Slightly injured, severe blow on cheekbone.

Both men were quickly rescued by a local launch and brought ashore.

A7-24 was later salvaged and subsequently converted to components on 21 August, 1934.

Incidentally, The Miles Gemini 1A Bandidt flew out to Australia post-war, was G-AILK (c/n. 6453), not G-AIDO (c/n. 6306).

Col.

[paulmcmillan]

There is a photo of the aircraft in the Hastings and St Leonards Observer for Sat Sept 29, 1934, unfortunately no serial visible

However, in respect to the incident

It reveals the Hawker Demon descended in Cinderbanks Field on Church Farm, a quarter of a mile
from the parish Church at Westfield on Thursday 27th Sept 1934 shortly after 9.30. This
is after the engine stopped at about 2,000 feet. After making a good landing the machine
ran forward and the undercarriage struck a mound in a hedge the impact turning the plane
over in the field beyond. The pilot was trapped in the cockpit and freed by farm hands.

The aircraft was 'extensively damaged'. The propeller was smashed off and one blade snapped, and the
wings and tail were also damaged.

[paulmcmillan]

Thread Revision

Just been contacted by David Hasdell who has a copy of a photo of the famous blackboard from the "White Hart" at Brasted, near Biggin Hill which is now in the Shoreham Battle of Britain Museum.

The name "Bush" Bandidt can be clearly seen in the lower middle of the board

Paul

[COL BRUGGY]

Paul,

If you care to take a look a Bob Ogley's, Biggin on the Bump (pp.148-9), you will find photographs of the blackout screen at the "White Hart", clearly showing Bandidt's moniker.

Col.

[Graham Boak]

I was led to believe, in my time (later) at Handley Page, that it was "Bush" Bandidt's tour of likely customers that led to the intial Herald having four Leonides. The message back from the market was that they didn't trust these new-fangled turboprops. A potent message to those who to this day argue the over-riding importance of the market rather than the designers.