Fighter Flight Amarda Road - India

[Phil Listemann]

Hello All,

I'd be interested in knowing more about the abovementioned Flight. Seems to have been equiped with Spitfire in 1944. What is known about it?

TIA

Phil

[Graham Boak]

An Air Firing Training Unit was formed in February 1943 with a miscellany of aircraft. This information comes from Air Britain's "Flying training and Support Units since 1912" but I've been unable to identify this unit in the body of the book. I believe this is the unit referenced in a number of works on the SEAC air war, where W Cdr Frank Carey passed on the benefit of his experience to more junior pilots. They appear to have regarded such training as well overdue. Reference to this unit can be found in Normal Frank's works on the air battles over Imphal and the Arakan, and presumably in Carey's biography. I recall a story about Carey's personal Hurricane being taken unknowingly by a sergeant pilot in one scramble, he then found himself being treated as the leader of the attack formation! Carey later had a Spitfire Mk.VIII with a red lightning band down the fuselage, presumably at this unit.

[davew]

Further to Graham's reply, the Air Fighting Training Unit is given a mention in Alan Lake's ' Flying Units of the RAF'.

Formed 23/2/1943 at Amarda Road
Blenheim IV, V AZ867
Harvard IIB FS792
Vengeance I AP114
Wellington Ic HX742
Fulmar II X8532
Spitfire Vc MA393
Liberator VI
Thunderbolt I FL749

Disbanded 10/9/45 at Amarda Road and absorbed by the Tactical and Weapon Development Unit.

In AB's 'RAF Flying Training and Support Units' there is a mention of 'AFTU' within the entry for the Tactical and Weapons Development Unit at page 288.

DaveW

[Matt Poole]

Phil,

Pages 121 to 141 of Carey's biography by Norman Franks, titled "Frank 'Chota' Carey, The Epic Story of G/C Carey CBE, DFC and 2 Bars, AFC, DFM, US Silver Star" cover his time commanding AFTU Amarda Road. I can send you scans or digital camera photos, if you can wait a few days. This is perhaps the best detail in print on the Fighter Flight at the Air Fighting Training Unit, Carey's brainchild.

Cheers,

Matt