RAF Cosford May 1942 units

[Franek Grabowski]

Gents
I have a pilot I am researching flying his Spitfire for a visit to RAF Cosford for few days in the second half of May 1942. I am not sure of the reason, however. Does anyone know, what untis were based there at the time? This could give some clue. As far as I was able to find, there was a hospital, technical training school and ferry pool. Anything else?

[alieneyes]

Franek,

http://search.shropshirehistory.org..../CCS_MSA18812/

Work began on the construction of RAF Cosford in 1937, as part of the RAF Expansion Plan. The construction of the base was the first major contract of the newly formed company of Sir Alfred McAlpine and Son Ltd. The base was originally intended as an Aircraft Storage Unit (ASU). This opened in 1939, as No. 9 Maintenance Unit, and acted as the main staging post for aircraft built in the new Midland aircraft factory at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. However, with the likelihood of war, a training school (No. 2 School of Technical Training) was added to the plan, and this actually opened before the ASU, in 1938. During World War II, the Maintenance Unit was heavily involved with preparing Spitfires and from 1942 it also worked on Horsa gliders.

Regards,

Dave

[CZ_RAF]

Hi Franek, as an optional source of units:

http://rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-C.htm#Cosford

Do you know if it was an official or just a private visit?

Pavel

[Franek Grabowski]

Thanks guys. I really do not have any idea if the visit was private or official. The pilot took his aircraft twice, for three hours and for two hours within few days. No note in the ORB. It seems too short for any major servicing, and otherwise why to fly it away if it is a minor thing? So I would rather tend to believe, it was a short visit to someone.

[David Duxbury]

Could have been to fit some item of newly specified equipment or a modification which was not easily fitted at squadron level, that had been ordered from above, perhaps fitted in just a few hours, and somebody had to be found to ferry the Spit there and back. As for the second visit, perhaps this "new equipment" or modification proved to be faulty so was returned to MU for replacement or adjustment. Don't think junior pilots would normally be permitted to "borrow" one of His Majesty's aircraft without very good cause during wartime, and would more likely be advised to take the train or bus. Was "your man" an ordinary squadron pilot, or someone more senior who might have prevailed upon his CO or Station commander to borrow an aircraft for semi-private reasons? Unfortunately non operational flights were oftentimes not entered in the ORB, so the pilot's logbook might be the only documentation surviving to day to show that these flights actually took place, so it is unfortunate he did not record the purpose of them.
David D

[Franek Grabowski]

I am in a comfortable situation that during the period all the flights were recorded in the ORB. I do not think that there would be a modification, as otherwise all other squadron aircraft would have been flown there. No reason stated in log or the ORB. The man in question was a Squadron Leader with quite a social life, so he travelled around a little bit.