Air tests...when did they occur?

[Theletterwriter]

My uncle served with 199 Squadron during the Squadron’s 3 Group days at Lakenheath flying Stirlings. From 27 July 1943 until their loss on ops to Hanover on 27/28 September 1943 on their 13th. operation as a crew, they did the following tests : -

8 August 1943 : Night Flying Test in BF481 (during the afternoon) and which they flew the next night on a minelaying op to the Friesian Islands
14 August 1943 : Night Flying Test in EE943 (during the afternoon) and which they flew on the same night on a minelaying op to the Gironde River
15 August 1943 : Night Flying Test in EH926 (during the afternoon). The aircraft was not flown on ops that night
16 August 1943 : Night Flying Test in EH926 (during the afternoon). The aircraft was flown that night on ops to Turin by F/Sgt. Barnard
17 August 1943 : Night Flying Test in BF481 (during the afternoon). The aircraft was not flown operationally that night although my uncle and his crew flew ops to Peenemunde in another aircraft.
19 August 1943 : Night Flying Test in EF450 (during the afternoon). The squadron did not fly operationally that night.
30 August 1943 : Night Flying Test in EE910 (during the afternoon) and which they flew on the same night on ops to Munchengladbach
4 September 1943 : Air test in EH909 (during the afternoon). The aircraft was not flown on ops that night
5 September 1943 : Night Flying Test in EH909 (during the afternoon) and which they flew on the same night on ops to Mannheim
22 September 1943 : Night Flying Test in EH909 (during the afternoon) and which they flew on the same night on ops to Hanover

During this period, they also completed four individual compass swings each of about two hours duration, three high level bombing training exercises, two loaded climbs and a fighter affiliation exercise.

Regards

Douglas

[lancasterlm342]

My wife's uncle's log book shows that for virtually every trip on his first tour at 106 Squadron early 1942 NFT appears in the afternoon.

On his second tour, 467 Squadron, mid 43, NFT was very rarely recorded on the day of a mission.

Edit - Just had a thought that as his pilot at 467 SQ was OC "A" Flight (and latterly OC 467 Squadron) maybe he was too busy with his other duties - any ideas?

Mike

[JDCAVE]

My wife's uncle's log book shows that for virtually every trip on his first tour at 106 Squadron early 1942 NFT appears in the afternoon.

On his second tour, 467 Squadron, mid 43, NFT was very rarely recorded on the day of a mission.

Edit - Just had a thought that as his pilot at 467 SQ was OC "A" Flight (and latterly OC 467 Squadron) maybe he was too busy with his other duties - any ideas?

Mike

I agree. Air tests would likely have been assigned to a more junior pilot.

Jim