HughAHalliday
17th June 2021, 18:14
Their early Meteor aerobatic team seems to have escaped the notice (so far as the internet is concerned) of air display historians.
WINDLE, Robert Edward, F/L (173807) - No.245/266 Squadron, Horsham St. Faith - Air Force Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 January 1950. Public Record Office Air 2/10307, found by Pavel Vankata. has citation drafted when he had flown 1,555 hours, 53.5 on current duties, 23.3 in previous six months.
Flight Lieutenant Windle has been the leader of No.245/266 Meteor Squadron Formation Aerobatic Team since its formation in March 1948, except for a short break when he was posted to staff duties during the winter of 1948/1949. His was the original idea of doing flight aerobatics in Meteor IV aircraft and it was his primary work in demonstrating its possibilities that laid the foundation of the team. This aerobatic team has now flown over 100 sorties in practice and in actual performance. Among the performances which this team has successfully completed are those before the King and Queen, the British and Belgian Press, the Swedish Air Force and the Italian Air Force. This team has also performed at the Federation of British Industries Exhibition at Copenhagen and at the thirtieth anniversary of the Belgian Air Force in Brussels this year. The standard set by the team, under the leadership of Flight Lieutenant Windle, has been an inspiration to the whole of the Eastern Sector Day Fighter Wing, and has resulted in a considerable all-round improvement in the accepted standard of this wing. His leadership in the air has been of the highest order, and his skill in the accurate positioning of the demonstrations has been largely responsible for the team’s success. The performance of the Meteor Aerobatic Team as representative of Fighter Command and the Royal Air Force, before so many Western Union representatives both in their own countries and in the United Kingdom, must have materially enhanced the confidence of the air forces of those countries in the Meteor aircraft.
WOOTTEN, Ernest Waite, S/L, DFC (42667) - No.245/266 Squadron, Horsham St. Faith - Air Force Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 January 1950. Public Record Office Air 2/10307, found by Pavel Vankata, has citation drafted when he had flown 4,060 hours, 53.5 on current duties, 23.3 in previous six months.
Squadron Leader Wootten has been Squadron Commander of No.245/266 Meteor Squadron since September 1947. During this period he has raised the standard of his squadron’s flying to the very highest level. It was under his command that the Meteor aerobatic team was first formed and trained, and this team remains the only Meteor IV aerobatic team in the Royal Air Force at the present time. He has consistently flown in the team and worked it up to the highest pitch of efficiency. Realising that the number two position was perhaps the most difficult in the team, he undertook to fly in this position himself from the start, and has flown at least 100 sorties either in practice or in actual performance. Under his command this aerobatic team has performed before the King and Queen, the British and Belgian Press, the Swedish Air Force and the Italian Air Force. It has also performed at the Federation of British Industries Exhibition at Copenhagen and at the thirtieth anniversary of the Belgian Air Force in Brussels. The performance of this team has been acclaimed as a feat of exceptional flying skill wherever it has been seen, and moreover the standard set by it has been an inspiration to the whole of the Eastern Fighter Wing. Squadron Leader Wootten, by his leadership in command and by his outstanding flying skill in a most difficult position in this Meteor Fighter Team, has shown that he is a fighter pilot of the very highest standard. The performance of the team, as representative of Fighter Command and the Royal Air Force, before Western Union representatives both in their own countries and in the United Kingdom, have materially enhanced the confidence of the air forces of those countries in Meteor aircraft.
WINDLE, Robert Edward, F/L (173807) - No.245/266 Squadron, Horsham St. Faith - Air Force Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 January 1950. Public Record Office Air 2/10307, found by Pavel Vankata. has citation drafted when he had flown 1,555 hours, 53.5 on current duties, 23.3 in previous six months.
Flight Lieutenant Windle has been the leader of No.245/266 Meteor Squadron Formation Aerobatic Team since its formation in March 1948, except for a short break when he was posted to staff duties during the winter of 1948/1949. His was the original idea of doing flight aerobatics in Meteor IV aircraft and it was his primary work in demonstrating its possibilities that laid the foundation of the team. This aerobatic team has now flown over 100 sorties in practice and in actual performance. Among the performances which this team has successfully completed are those before the King and Queen, the British and Belgian Press, the Swedish Air Force and the Italian Air Force. This team has also performed at the Federation of British Industries Exhibition at Copenhagen and at the thirtieth anniversary of the Belgian Air Force in Brussels this year. The standard set by the team, under the leadership of Flight Lieutenant Windle, has been an inspiration to the whole of the Eastern Sector Day Fighter Wing, and has resulted in a considerable all-round improvement in the accepted standard of this wing. His leadership in the air has been of the highest order, and his skill in the accurate positioning of the demonstrations has been largely responsible for the team’s success. The performance of the Meteor Aerobatic Team as representative of Fighter Command and the Royal Air Force, before so many Western Union representatives both in their own countries and in the United Kingdom, must have materially enhanced the confidence of the air forces of those countries in the Meteor aircraft.
WOOTTEN, Ernest Waite, S/L, DFC (42667) - No.245/266 Squadron, Horsham St. Faith - Air Force Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 January 1950. Public Record Office Air 2/10307, found by Pavel Vankata, has citation drafted when he had flown 4,060 hours, 53.5 on current duties, 23.3 in previous six months.
Squadron Leader Wootten has been Squadron Commander of No.245/266 Meteor Squadron since September 1947. During this period he has raised the standard of his squadron’s flying to the very highest level. It was under his command that the Meteor aerobatic team was first formed and trained, and this team remains the only Meteor IV aerobatic team in the Royal Air Force at the present time. He has consistently flown in the team and worked it up to the highest pitch of efficiency. Realising that the number two position was perhaps the most difficult in the team, he undertook to fly in this position himself from the start, and has flown at least 100 sorties either in practice or in actual performance. Under his command this aerobatic team has performed before the King and Queen, the British and Belgian Press, the Swedish Air Force and the Italian Air Force. It has also performed at the Federation of British Industries Exhibition at Copenhagen and at the thirtieth anniversary of the Belgian Air Force in Brussels. The performance of this team has been acclaimed as a feat of exceptional flying skill wherever it has been seen, and moreover the standard set by it has been an inspiration to the whole of the Eastern Fighter Wing. Squadron Leader Wootten, by his leadership in command and by his outstanding flying skill in a most difficult position in this Meteor Fighter Team, has shown that he is a fighter pilot of the very highest standard. The performance of the team, as representative of Fighter Command and the Royal Air Force, before Western Union representatives both in their own countries and in the United Kingdom, have materially enhanced the confidence of the air forces of those countries in Meteor aircraft.