Stanley Lester Dodwell - Aviator
Title
Stanley Lester Dodwell - Aviator
Stan Dodwell's biography
Description
Including photographs, notes, cartoons and newspaper cutting details of Stan's early life and gaining his pilot's licence aged 18. He married and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force and transferred to Canada to train as a flying instructor at 36 and 31 Elementary Flying Training Schools and 39 Service Flying Training School. He returned to Great Britain as a Captain and was described as an 'above average' heavy bomber pilot. Stan joined Group 5 and flew Stirling and Lancaster aircraft, as pilot, with 106 and 97 Squadrons. Targets included Ladbergen, Neubrandenburg, Horten, Marburg and Lützkendorf. Stan was later involved in Operation Exodus and in aerial photography of bomb damage. He piloted a Lancaster in 'Battle of Britain Day' and was demobilised in September 1945. In later life Stan ran the family garage, café and engineering works and emigrated to New Zealand where he continued his flying career until he retired.
The item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive in digital form: no better quality copies are available.
The item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive in digital form: no better quality copies are available.
Date
2019
2025-08-22
Temporal Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Language
Format
25 printed sheets
Conforms To
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
BDodwellSLDodwellPv1
Transcription
Stanley Lester Dodwell
- Aviator -
1914 - 1993
[Image]
[ © 2016, Peter Dodwell ]
[Page break]
Stanley Dodwell was born on 31 May 1914 in Allahabad, India while his father, William Thomas Dodwell, was an Inspector on the railroad for the East India Company [photo: with his elder brother Leonard]. Until returning to England at age 6 his mother found him useful as an interpreter, as he had learned to converse in Hindi with the house staff. He later described himself as a “Hindu Pom”.
[Image]
His interest in flying stemmed from an early experience in 1919 when as a five-year-old boy he waited at Allahabad airfield, India, to see Keith and Ross Smith en route from Britain to Australia.
On their return to England in 1923 his schooling began at King Edward VI School, Nuneaton
(1923 - 1930).
[Page break]
In February 1932 he joined the Castle Bromwich Aero Club. He began flying lessons on 10 March 1932 in a DH60 Arrus Moth
(G-AABH) and flew solo in a DH60 (G-EBXT) on 7 July 1932, at barely 18 years age. He was later the youngest member of the Midland Aero club to gain his aviator’s certificate.
[Image]
In October 1932 he was selected by ballot to fly upside down with a barnstormer – William “Red” Mackay – at the Higham Lane Field, while strapped into the aircraft with garden twine [Note 1]. They set a record at that time flying inverted, close to the ground, for 3 minutes and 10 seconds, and this is recorded in Stan’s first logbook (2 October 1932; Avro 504N; G-EBIS). Sadly, Red McKay died in a crash a few months later.
[3 Images]
Below he is pictured in flying kit ready for his first dual instruction in G-AAFI, a Gypsy Moth he often flew.
[Image]
He gained his private pilot’s “A” licence on 3 April 1933 when he was still 18.
His father insisted on being his first passenger (8 April 1934, DH60 G-EBLT). This was to become a tradition of the Dodwell family.
[Page break]
In 1934 he joined the Midland Aero Club and also the Leicester Aero Club at Desford. That year he became well-known for assisting in a series of local raffles for which the winner was given a free flight (aerobatic or scenic, at the winner's choice).
In October 1934 he was accepted for the Royal Air Force Reserve and underwent training in October that year in Brough, Yorkshire (where he later met his future wife, Mary Brown). On 18 October 1934 his RAF logbook No 1 shows he climbed to 13,000 feet for a height test.
In May 1935, for his 21st birthday, his father (then a local councillor) bought him his own small aeroplane - a Parnall Pixie, G-EBJG, type IIIa, with Bristol Cherub III engine. It was tiny, with wings that folded so that it could be stored in a garage, and he would tow it behind his Humber car to the airfield. It could also be converted to a biplane by adding an upper set of wings. Its logbook showed it had once been flown by Flight Lieutenant Augustus Orlebar (Flight Commander of the RAF High Speed Flight 1927-31), who had won the Schneider Cup in 1929 and whose team-member Flt Lt John Boothman had won the Cup in 1931, the third time for the Flight -
In 1935 its previous owner had been a veterinary surgeon Mr CB Thompson, who had managed a forced landing when its propeller dropped off in 1933 over Stanford Park. He finally lost interest in it in 1934 after a loud bang and engine failure at 400 feet at Sywell aerodrome, near Northampton. The Dodwell family still have a wooden propeller boss (see Appendix IV) with markings showing it came from a Bristol Cherub III engine. The blades are not attached, and this may be the remains of the propeller that dropped off in 1933!
There were only three Parnall Pixies ever built. The first (type I, later converted to type II with a more powerful engine) crashed in 1939. Of the remaining two type IIIs, only Stan's aeroplane G-EBJG still exists (in 2012), having continued flying into the 1950s, and been the subject of the postcard shown below. Its remains, said to be about 80% of the original, are stored in the Midland Air Museum, Coventry having been donated to the (then) Midland Aircraft Preservation Society by Stratford upon Avon farmer James Rowe in August, 1967. It can be viewed by special arrangement.
[Image]
[Page break]
“The Pixie III did actually fly very well once the engine was replaced with the much more reliable Bristol Cherub. As I mentioned in an earlier post I have a photocopy of the logbook - which includes all of the flights in both the 1924 and 1926 Lympne Trials. It also details all of the work done on the aircraft, down to the component numbers of the individual parts. It was this discovery which led to the realisation that "No 14" in the 1926 trials was actually G-EBJG and not G-EBKK as had been published in the first edition of AJJ's "British Civil Aircraft".
[Image]
“After the trials it had a 10 year career with the Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club, amongst other owners, and put in plenty of cross-country flights without mishap.
“Out of all the Lympne Trials aircraft the Pixie III was the most successful - in terms of being flown as a practical two-seater. Remarkable considering the Cherub only puts out a nominal 32hp.”
It appears therefore, from the above quote, that it was G-EBJG which had come 4th in the 1926 Lympne trials! After becoming its new owner, Stan flew this aircraft between 6 October and 6 December 1935 (that last time “with passenger”, perhaps his father WT Dodwell). On one occasion during a cross-country flight intended as a 1-hour event (23/11/1935, Hinckley-Leamington) low cloud obliged him to land in a field for 20 minutes because of poor visibility.
On 30 July 1936 he joined the County Flying Club, and flew their Douglas Drone the same evening for 15 minutes (G-AEJS). On 1 November 1936 he flew the same Drone from Melton Mowbray to Ratcliffe aerodrome (privately-owned by the president of the Club, Mr W Lindsay Everard MP). This was so Herr Kronfeld could demonstrate how to use this aircraft (manufactured by him) to train beginners, after they had been familiarised via a Drone ground trainer. Arriving at Ratcliffe Stan encountered thick fog, and had to circle for about 30 minutes. Those on the ground could hear his aircraft but were unable to see him. Eventually a safe landing was achieved using six rockets to guide him (then landing lights, which he was able to see once he descended through the mist).
[Page break]
[Image]
Aged 23 he was commissioned (on probation,
13 January 1938, and confirmed 13 July) as a Pilot Officer in the Volunteer Reserve and he became the commanding officer of the local ATC. Later that year he was recorded as flying to 22,000 feet for an RAF height test (26 June 1938; Audax Kestrel, 55hp; K-8321), an adventurous effort when you consider later regulations about use of oxygen from about 13,000 feet.
Depicted here is a wallet and card showing it was a gift from his brother Leonard, on the occasion of his joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve early in 1938 (commemorated by the gold engraving on it).
Stan kept this wallet as a treasured possession and at his death in 1993 it still contained the gift card and a number of aeroplane cigarette cards, including the Comper Swift card shown above). Stan was nevertheless a lifelong non-smoker!!
[Image]
That year he also purchased a Comper Swift CLA7 aircraft (G-ABTC), a single-seater open-cockpit sports aircraft (it was one of the later models, powered by a Pobjoy R 85hp engine). "...probably no other aircraft built in such small numbers has ever broken so many records and won so many prizes. Amongst these achievements one of the most outstanding was Charles Butler’s record 9 days 2 hours flight to Darwin, Australia in October 1931" (see http://nickcomper.co.uk/ and also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comper_Swift).
Stan first flew his Comper Swift on 12/8/1938 to bring it from Tollerton to Braunstone. Subsequently he enjoyed a number of aerobatic flights with it. On 15 February 1939 he recorded climbing to 14,000 feet, then flew it for what turned out to be the last time (16 February 1939), before preparations for war intervened. Apparently this Swift was still airworthy until the early 2000s, doing display flying at air shows, and painted a beautiful blue.
[Page break]
[Four Images]
In late 1938 Stan participated in an air race against homing pigeons (10 Sept 1938; Leopard Major, 130HP; G-ACSF), from Oxford to Nuneaton, giving the pigeons 40 minutes start.
This was repeated the following year (22/7/1939; Taylorcraft, 50HP; G-AFNW), and he won each time, but unfortunately the war interrupted such frivolity.
[Page break]
[Two Images]
[Image]
Stanley Dodwell and Mary [nee Brown] were married at
St Mary’s Church Ellougton, Yorkshire, in September 1939.
Not long after the onset of war his potential as an instructor was recognised. He was called up on 2 September 1939 and underwent training as a Flying Instructor. He commenced duties as an instructor on 7 December at Air Service Training Ltd, Hamble (near Southampton). He managed to feature in the Tatler of 13 March 1940 [see picture, and also Appendix III].
[Image]
In later years, when Stan took his family to see the 1953 movie “The Sound Barrier” at the New Brighton cinema in New Zealand, he related how during the war he had instructed its star, John Justin (real name John Justinian de Ledesma, of Argentinian origin – see Appendix V).
Justin in 1940 was fresh from completing the Alexander Korda hit movie “The Thief of Bagdad” for which Justin became famous as the young prince Ahmad. Stan’s logbook shows several entries from 11 to 24 September 1940, under the name Ledesma, on the B2 aircraft.
Justin/Ledesma went on to be a test pilot for Spifire production, until he was injured in a crash, after which he too became an instructor. After the war he apparently preferred stage acting to flying, but because of his flying experience was invited to star in “The Sound Barrier” (alongside Ralph Richardson and Ann Todd).
Stan was then an instructor at RAF Brough (March 1940 till March 1942). In March 1942 he then was transferred to Canada to continue training pilots for the RAF, as a Flight Lieutenant. He arrived first at 36 EFTS in Pearse, Alberta, transferring in July to 31 EFTS at Winton. On 31 August 1942 he began another Instructor’s Course at Trenton, then transferred to 39 SFTS at Swift Current in November 1942. His wife Mary and infant daughter Pat joined him later that year, coming via sea, with U-boats in the vicinity, the convoy pressing on as one ship blazed in the night. Their son Tony was born in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan in 1943.
On 16 November 1943 his log book recorded height testing of a Hurricane to 35,000 feet, and on 24 January 1944 he was assessed as “above the average” as a Flying Instructor.
He continued working in Swift Current, Saskatchewan until March 1944 when he returned to Britain (initially to RAF Dallachy, Scotland in May). In July 1944 he began flying Wellington III bombers at RAF Barford, underwent testing in the Decompression Chamber, and was certified as a Captain in August, being assessed as an “above average” Heavy Bomber pilot on 16 September 1944.
In October 1944 he was transferred to Bomber Command 5 Group (Pathfinder Force). He flew Stirlings that month, then converted to Lancaster bombers in December, initially stationed with 106 Squadron at Metheringham.
[Page break]
[Image]
For most of the remainder of the war however he was attached to 97 Squadron, based at RAF Coningsby (where the last remaining airworthy Lancaster bomber is now based). On February 7 1945 (Ladbergen), he began flying missions.
These included his longest, at 9 hours
45 minutes, a raid on Neubrandenburg
(8 Feb, see photo).
Later that month they bombed submarine pens at Horten (23 Feb, photo), and made further raids in March and April. Only once, fortunately, did he incur a direct hit on his Lancaster. This was when the port rudder of his Lancaster was damaged over Cuxhaven on a return flight from Germany (7 March 1945, to Marburg).
[Image]
Many years later, in 1991, a man who had flown as his flight engineer (Flt/Engineer Bill Cotton) wrote a letter of gratitude to Stan for his immaculate record in bringing them safely home "every time".
Bill also wrote in 1994 of a sortie to Lutzkendorf on 14 March 1945 (his birthday!) which had been a long flight of 9 hours 15 minutes (he remembered it as longer). They arrived back in England to be diverted from one aerodrome to another because of fog. With fuel guages reading empty, Stan relied on Bill Cotton’s fuel calculations and pressed on until a break in the fog revealed a runway lit up, and he managed a perfect landing without the usual joining formalities. Bill’s calculations were vindicated when the tanks were dipped, and he wrote “I was very proud that Stan had trusted me”. [see Appendix V]
In May 1945 after the cessation of hostilities he was involved in 2 flights repatriating POWs from Germany (24 each time).
In July 1945, based with 50 Squadron at Sturgate, he flew what he described as the “Cooks Tour” of Germany undertaking daytime aerial photography of bombing damage (in Lancaster VN-Y).
[Image]
[Page break]
Then in August and September (from Pomigliano, Italy) he repatriated 20 more POWs in each of two trips, the first trip in Lancaster VN-T. [photo – Stan front row, 2nd left, hands on knees]
[Image]
In his book Pathfinder, AVM D. Bennett records the ‘battle’ he had to wage to have an airlift adopted instead of the far slower surface transport, which would have taken months to complete! These must have been emotional times, as typified by several grateful letters Stan received from (or on behalf of) his passengers (to whom he had sent “snaps” of the group of passengers).
On September 14th 1945 he piloted a Lancaster (with 113 sorties to its credit), to Wellesbourne, Mountford (near Warwick) for the “Battle of Britain Day”. He was demobilised 28 Sept 1945.
He returned to the family business, running Dodwell’s Garage, cafe, and engineering works with his brother on the Watling Street in Nuneaton, Warwickshire [In 2016 the service station still bears the Dodwell name, with W.T. Dodwell’s original grand 2-storey home behind it. Nearby there is still a Dodwell’s Road named after W. T, although a Dodwell’s Bridge seems to have disappeared].
Stan's third child, Peter, was born in January 1946 as a postwar baby boomer and all three children were christened on 30 April 1946 in St Mary’s, Elloughton, Yorkshire (the church in which Stan and Mary had been married).
[Page break]
On Sunday 14 October 1951 Stan and Mary migrated with their family to New Zealand, travelling by BOAC/QANTAS Super Constellation "Braemar" Flight 704/317 (Captain AM Carroll).
[Image]
They departed from Heathrow and travelled via Rome to Cairo (staying at the Heliopolis hotel 4 miles out of Cairo where they resisted local merchants' invitations to see the pyramids, and narrowly missed involvement in anti-British riots). Then they continued to Basra, Karachi, Calcutta, Singapore, Jakarta, Darwin, and Sydney.
Those were the days when, as was traditional on ships, the crossing of the equator was marked by passengers being given a “Line-Shooter’s Certificate”, signed by the captain!
A special moment too was being invited onto the flight deck and talking with co-pilot Canova who had been a Squadron Leader in 97 Squadron during the war ("A" flight; Stan was in "B" flight).
[Image]
After a week of travel the final leg of the journey was a luxurious flight via TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd, later to become Air New Zealand) in a Short Solent Mk IV flying boat ZK-AML 'Aotearoa II'. This left Sydney harbour in the dark at 1:30 a.m, arriving at Auckland at 7:15 a.m.
The remainder of the trip was completed by train (Monday 12th) to Wellington, spending a few days there, and then a DC3 flight run by NAC (National Airways Corporation, later merged with Air New Zealand) from Wellington to Christchurch (Thursday 15th).
For three years Stan managed a Caltex garage in the small town of Lincoln, in Canterbury. Then in 1954 they moved to Christchurch city and he resumed his flying activities as an assistant instructor with the Canterbury Aero Club based at Harewood aerodrome (now Christchurch International Airport). John Neave was the Chief Instructor. In addition to his work as an instructor, Stan was involved in the RNZAF Reserve as well as doing a fair amount of commercial flying, including scenic flights and other types of air charter work such as aerial photography. The aircraft types flown most frequently were the Auster Aiglet, Magister, Messenger and Dragonfly.
[Page break]
An interesting coincidence occurred when Stan first joined Canterbury Aero Club, when he noted hanging on the wall a full-colour photograph of a Lancaster bomber. Its markings were VN-N. Colour photos of aircraft were rare during the war. With a cry of recognition, Stan exclaimed “I flew that kite during the war”, and the next day he was able to bring his log book to prove it. This had been the aircraft which he piloted on 8 February 1945 on a raid to Neubrandenburg, his longest-ever mission (9½ hours total). His colleagues were so impressed that they gave him the photo to keep.
[Image]
Peter remembers vividly the day he flew with Stan in an Auster Aiglet from Christchurch to Hanmer Springs on a delivery trip. He was 10 years old, and his teacher granted him the day off on the condition that he told the class about it the next day. His father let him handle the controls a little en route and the whole trip was magnificent, in that little aircraft. But mostly, he remembers returning home to a hero's welcome, finding that his brother and sister had hung a welcoming banner from the roof of the house. He was exhausted that evening, and still treasures the typewritten 2-page speech which his father wrote lovingly for him that night to present next day to the class.
A favourite aircraft was the DH90a 'dragonfly' ZK-AFB. He did a variety of scenic work, as well as the occasional flight of a stretcher case or of a coffin. His most famous passengers on a scenic flight would have been Sir Ralph and Lady Richardson on 1 December 1955. Stan reminded Sir Ralph that they had met previously when Stan was a new instructor at RAF Hamble in 1940. Sir Ralph was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm, and came with a visiting squash team.
[Image]
[Page break]
After a brief interlude running a bookshop, Stan returned to flying in May 1961 and spent six years doing aerial top dressing for Airwork (NZ) Ltd based at Harewood aerodrome, flying Piper Pawnees, usually ZK-BOP (colour photos below) or ZK-CEN. The monochrome photo below, of CEN, was at Molesworth Station in north Canterbury; and at bottom was a publicity photo.
[Four Images]
[Page break]
For almost a month (around December 1961-January 1962) he once more flew his beloved dragonfly ZK-AFB for a number of scenic flights. This was just one month before it went missing, piloted by Brian Chadwick on a flight to Milford, after which the wreckage was never found. A photo of Stan from that time (checking the aircraft at Franz Joseph glacier) was featured in a recent book about this aviation mystery ("Lost- Without Trace?", Richard Waugh 2005, ISBN 0-473-10157-2).
[Image]
1962 saw Stan’s eldest, Pat, becoming an air hostess (as they were then called) for NAC. She later became a check and training hostess, and was working in this role when her brother Tony was also flying for NAC as a First Officer.
In 1963 Tony aged 19 gained his private pilot licence, and Stan confirmed a family tradition by being his first passenger (as had his own father before that), on 29 July 1963 (Tony has subsequently flown for NAC, Air New Zealand, & Gulf Air). This particular tradition was continued by Stan’s youngest son Peter when his son Tim gained his private pilot licence in 1998.
In keeping with the aviation flavour of Stan’s family, Peter qualified as a specialist in aviation medicine, becoming Principal Medical Officer for the Civil Aviation Authority of NZ for 10 years (1988 – 98).
In one of his few handwritten notes available from that time, Stan described the Pawnee 180a (with which in 1963 he topdressed the grass area of Harewood aerodrome) as “...the only one in the world, Airwork fitted a 180HP Lycoming engine into a 150 HP airframe, added a constant speed prop, all for better performance. Before it was ready for the job Piper sent to New Zealand the new 235 HP 6 cylinder Pawnee (which I now have). So of course no one wanted the Air work conversion...”. Much of his subsequent flying was done in North Canterbury (such as at the Molesworth spread) and over Banks Peninsula.
[Page break]
1963 saw Stan being asked to contest the Avon electorate in Christchurch as the National candidate, but he was unsuccessful (having been pitted against the long-time Labour candidate Mr ‘Jock’ Mathieson). However, Stan caused a small stir in the news media one Saturday by flying directly from his top dressing work in Canterbury to Paraparaumu where there was a National Party conference. Arriving in his work overalls, he quickly changed outfit and was ready for the conference! He was also possibly the first election candidate to use an aerial banner, flown over Christchurch, to promote his campaign.
[Image]
Stan was at his happiest sharing the joy of flying with others, whether as an instructor, or in chat. He seemed to make friends wherever he went.
One of his favourite stories of the Banks Peninsula days was when he was doing “crop dusting” taking off from a grass strip in the vicinity of Akaroa Harbour. He noticed a fairly large passenger ship cruising up the harbour and concluded that that this was a commercial cruise liner containing tourists. He decided that they would be interested in top dressing, which was a relatively new technique in the 1960s, so he did a pass “fairly near” to the ship and dropped a small amount of superphosphate into the water. The effect may have been spoiled by a small amount of drift of dust back over the ship. In telling the story, he used to swear that it was not until his return journey to Harewood later in the afternoon that he learned that the ship was the Royal Yacht “Britannia” with the Queen Mother on board (a visit which had not been publicised beforehand). His display had indeed been appreciated, particularly by the ship’s gunners who had kept him in their sights for much of the time and he was told they valued the practice!
In a handwritten summary of his topdressing days Stan recorded carrying a total of 5000 tons ("super + carrots + seed + 428 acres of spray") up to 15 Mar 1964, and doing 13,402 loaded takeoffs and 14,154 landings onto 108 different airstrips, working 1055.57 hours. The same document recorded a number of mechanical problems and incidents, such as tail wheel dropping off, throttle sticking at 1500, and "wrecked Beaver - forgot flaps for T.O.").
[Page break]
He did his final topdressing work in March 1967 in South Canterbury. Stan was still in good health, but he had experienced a couple of “nearlies” and felt that it was best to quit while he was ahead. One of these incidents had involved an engine problem after takeoff in a Beaver with a full load of superphosphate. Stan had some anxious moments attempting to dump the load as swiftly as possible before making a forced landing and, as he put it, “tripping over a fence” (see detailed account in Appendix II). He walked away from both accidents, but decided that a third test of fate was not warranted.
The last record in his logbook was a flight in a Piper Pawnee a year later, 8 May 1968, a local flight of 30 minutes (no doubt “for old times sake”). In 1969, at the age of 55, Stan retired from the RNZAF Reserve.
For a year he worked selling real estate around Christchurch, and then for the next few years he “flew a desk” for the Ministry of Agriculture in Wellington before his retirement in the early 1970s.
Unfortunately, his marriage to Mary had broken up in the early 1960s. In his retirement he settled down with Peggy Wheeler, whom he had met via the RSA. She had been in the WAAFs, and had been unfortunate enough to have two husbands in succession killed in action during World War 2. The pair moved to Tauranga in 1973 in Stan’s retirement. They continued to have an active interest in aviation, often going to the annual air show at Ohakea and were daily regulars at the RSA in Tauranga until Peggy’s death.
[Image]
Stan treasured a photo taken of him sitting in the pilot’s seat of the newly-restored Lancaster at the Museum of Transport & Technology in Auckland. In this photo he is holding his personal copy of the pilot’s notes for the Lancaster III aircraft.
[Page break]
In 1990 Gary Bridger of Tauranga had built a particularly good replica Lancaster bomber and that November gave it to Stan in a glass display case. The Bay Sun did a pictorial item about it, featuring photos taken at a local airfield [see following photos].
[Four images]
[Page break]
Stan died on 18 April 1993, after a series of strokes, one month short of age 79. At his request, his ashes were scattered from an aircraft by his eldest son Tony, and he is remembered via an RSA plaque in the Tauranga cemetery.
Stanley Lester Dodwell was at his happiest sharing the joy of flying with others. The Lancaster replica, as previously agreed with Gary Bridger, was bequeathed by Stan to the Museum of Transport & Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland. Sadly, when it was put on display there was no mention of the bequest from Stan Dodwell, former RAF instructor and operational Lancaster pilot (although it was correctly credited to Gary Bridger). It is to be hoped that this will one day be corrected, in memory of a passionate early aviator.
Appendix I: Total flight experience, SL Dodwell
Stan Dodwell’s total experience had been 7,396 hours and 50 minutes, from 1932 to 1968.
His list of aircraft types flown included Hawker Hart & Hawker Hind (including the trainer version of each); Hawker Audax; Fairey Battle; Avro Anson Mk 1 & 1a; Airspeed Oxford; Cessna Crane; Miles Mentor; Harvard 1 & 1a; Blenheim IV; Bolingbroke, Hurricane IIb; Stearman PT17; Fairchild Cornell; Avro Cadet; Hawker Tomtit; Blackburn B2 trainer (2 types); de Havilland 82, 82A, 82C, 60G, 60M; de Havilland Moth Major; Leopard Moth; Puss Moth; de Havilland 89 Dominie; de Havilland 90a Dragonfly; DHC 2 Beaver; Wellington III; Lockheed X & XII; Lockheed Hudson; Short Sterling; Avro Lancaster I & III; Miles Falcon, Magister, & Messenger; Parnall Pixie IIIa; Comper Swift; BAe Drone; Kronfeld Drone; Dutch Trike Pusher Scheldemutche; BA Swallow (2 types); Taylor Cub; Taylorcraft D; Aeronca; Aeronca Chief; Chilton; Fletcher FV24; Proctor V; Beagle Airedale; Piper Cub; Piper Cub Coupe, PA18A (135 hp), PA18, 1880 (150hp); Piper Apache; Piper Tripacer; Piper Colt; Piper PA 25 Pawnee (150, 180, 235hp); Piper PA28 Cherokee (140, 100 50, 160hp); Auster Aiglet (3 types); Auster Autocar; Cessna 170, 100 80, 188 (Agwaggon).
[Page break]
Appendix II: account of a topdressing crash
[from a handwritten account by SL Dodwell, dated about 1968]
“My most tense trip occurred in a Beaver with a full load of super which failed to take off at the usual point. In strict rotation the following took place. Pulled dump lever (load refused to drop out). Converged on the fence on left, removed three concrete posts leaving port elevator, tailwheel & 2½ inches of one prop blade in exchange. Further on, starboard wheel hit gate post (concrete) damaging post & undercart leg. Luckily hopper mouth went under post which caused load to run out slowly. Beaver and a 16 foot steel gate now airborne.
“It was not easy I can tell you. Vibration was on the high side, owing to now unbalanced prop, & stick forces were high. On attempted removal of right hand to throttle back, lower revs or retrim, the left hand could not cope with the force required to hold the nose up. However, by the time I had completed a normal circuit the load had run out which improved matters considerably. 200 pounds of super was not ready to flatten me should I prang.
“On ‘finals’ I managed, through quick movements, to throttle back, ditto mixture control, odd reachable switches and by golly the “fire button” was jabbed just in case. Well, when I could no longer hold up the starboard wheel on the landing run we slowly sank until both prop blades had cut three notches on the turf before the final very gentle nose-over onto our back.
“Holding on with one hand I released the harness catch with the other but still received a bruise on the starboard shin from the fascia panel, my sole injury.
I had to finish off that job with a Piper Cub next day.
“Last year in a similar Beaver prang the pilot was killed. It all depends on the area you are working in a guess.”
[Page break]
Appendix III: The Tatler, 13 March 1940
[Image]
[Page break]
Appendix IV: Stan's two aircraft
[Image]
Parnall Pixie IIIa
Of the three built, only Stan's Pixie G-EBJG still existed in 2012. Its remains are in deep store in the Midland Air Museum, Coventry! It can be viewed by special arrangement.
Comper Swift G-ABTC
This too still exists, and is airworthy, having flown in various airshows and (1982) attempted, but failed, to emulate the record-breaking 1931 flight to Australia.
Photo taken in August 2011:
Website about its creator, Nick Comper:
And Forum discussion here:
[extract below]
pobjoy pete
6th February 2006, 22:00
THE COMPER SWIFT
G - ABTC IS STILL ALIVE, AND SOON TO BE REBORN (2006)
AFTER HER TRIP TO IRAN (1982) (ON A FAILED TRIP TO AUSTALIA) SHE DID A FEW MORE YEARS BUT HAD TO BE LAID UP DUE TO WORK.
IN THE MEANTIME I GOT INVOLVED WITH OPENING, AND RUNNING PERRANPORTH AIRFIELD,AND SPENT THE NEXT FEW YEARS FIGHTING THE LOCAL COUNCIL, WHO TRIED TO CLOSE US DOWN.
THATS ALL IN THE PAST NOW, AND SO TC WILL FLY AGAIN, AND MAY EVEN HIT THE AIRSHOW SCENE AGAIN.HER FIRST OUTING AFTER I BOUGHT HER WAS THE BIGGIN HILL AIR FAIR (1974)
POBJOY PETE
pobjoy pete
6th February 2006, 22:12
Thanks Ewan,
By recently I mean that I'd seen colour pictures in Flypast in the late twentieth century (!), from which I drew the conclusion that this aircraft was a possible/the most probable future flier - it carried the legend "Spirit of Butler" in recognition of Cecil Butler's epic flight to Oz, my surname's Butler so it struck a bit of a chord and I've loved them since...
G-ABTC STILL IS NAMED SPIRIT OF BUTLER, AS SHE CARRIED ON THE AUSTRALIA ATTEMPT (1981). FORCED DOWN BY A DOUBLE ROTOR ARM FAILURE JUST OFF THE COAST OF IRAN SHE HAD TO MAKE A LANDING ON THE OLD IMPERIAL AIRWAYS STRIP AT JASK!!
AFTER INCARCERATION FOR 11 DAYS SHE WAS ALLOWED TO RETURN TO DUBAI, BUT NOT CARRY ON TO PAKISTAN.THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN OUT OVER THE SEA ON ONE (DUBIOUS MAG), AND MANAGED TO GET BACK.
THE WINGS, AND AREA BEHIND THE COCKPIT HAD BEEN FILLED WITH FOAM BLOCKS IN CASE SHE CAME DOWN IN THE SEA (NO LIFERAFT) THEY ARE STILL THERE!!
PP
The Blue Max
6th February 2006, 23:27
Be fantastic to see BTC up and about again, i know she to was resident at Sywell for many years with G-ABUS but as far as i know Dad only flew BUS.
davski
7th February 2006, 09:59
That's tremendous news - very much looking forward to seeing the aircraft fly again... perhaps even tempt you to one of our bash's at Breighton?
All the very best.
Dendrobatid
[Page break]
Appendix V - Pathfinder memories, Bill Cotton
[Image]
[Page break]
Appendix VI - John Justin, Actor
from Wikipedia
John Justin (24 November 1917 - 29 November 2002) was a British stage and film actor.
John Justinian de Ledesma was born in London, England, the son of a well-off Argentine rancher. Though he grew up on his father's ranch, he was educated at Bryanston School, Dorset.[1] He developed an interest in flying and became a qualified pilot at the age of 12, though he was not allowed to fly solo at the time because of his age.
The acting bug bit him early. By the age of 16, he had joined the Plymouth Repertory. In 1937, he briefly trained with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but did not like it and soon joined the repertory company of John Gielgud. In 1938, he auditioned for and won the role for which he is perhaps best remembered, Ahmad in the 1940 version of The Thief of Bagdad, opposite Sabu.
World War II broke out during the film's production. After completing the picture, Justin joined the Royal Air Force, serving as a test pilot and flying instructor.[1][2] He also worked on two films, The Gentle Sex (1943) with Leslie Howard, and Journey Together (1944) with Edward G. Robinson.
With the war's end, Justin returned to acting. He made more films, such as David Lean's The Sound Barrier (1952), Island in the Sun (1957) and Lisztomania (1975), but his strong preference was for the stage. He became a member of the Old Vic company in 1959. He made his Broadway debut in 1960 in the play Little Moon of Alban. In 1979 he played the ghoulish lover in the BBC's dramatisation of Le Fanu's "Strange incident in the life of Schalcken the painter", one of its Christmas ghost stories.
[Page break]
[Image]
From SL Dodwell’s 2nd logbook, Sept 1940… “Ledesma”, first of several entries.
Appendix VII – Stan’s RAF Training
Stan did not talk much about his World War II experiences with us kids, apart from the occasional snippet such as the previous item about John Justin; his pleasure at flying the Lancaster (which was so forgiving of damage, and seemed to love staying airborne (there was a marked ground effect on coming in to land).
But one thing was very memorable that he told me. During instructor training it was emphasised that they should use straightforward language with their pupils. This was illustrated by the following poem, which I remember to this day:
Scintillate, scintillate, constellation vivific;
Fain would I fathom thy nature specific.
Loftily poised in the aether capacious,
strongly resembling a gem, carbonaceous.
I leave it to the reader to identify the well-known song.
Peter Dodwell
2019.
- Aviator -
1914 - 1993
[Image]
[ © 2016, Peter Dodwell ]
[Page break]
Stanley Dodwell was born on 31 May 1914 in Allahabad, India while his father, William Thomas Dodwell, was an Inspector on the railroad for the East India Company [photo: with his elder brother Leonard]. Until returning to England at age 6 his mother found him useful as an interpreter, as he had learned to converse in Hindi with the house staff. He later described himself as a “Hindu Pom”.
[Image]
His interest in flying stemmed from an early experience in 1919 when as a five-year-old boy he waited at Allahabad airfield, India, to see Keith and Ross Smith en route from Britain to Australia.
On their return to England in 1923 his schooling began at King Edward VI School, Nuneaton
(1923 - 1930).
[Page break]
In February 1932 he joined the Castle Bromwich Aero Club. He began flying lessons on 10 March 1932 in a DH60 Arrus Moth
(G-AABH) and flew solo in a DH60 (G-EBXT) on 7 July 1932, at barely 18 years age. He was later the youngest member of the Midland Aero club to gain his aviator’s certificate.
[Image]
In October 1932 he was selected by ballot to fly upside down with a barnstormer – William “Red” Mackay – at the Higham Lane Field, while strapped into the aircraft with garden twine [Note 1]. They set a record at that time flying inverted, close to the ground, for 3 minutes and 10 seconds, and this is recorded in Stan’s first logbook (2 October 1932; Avro 504N; G-EBIS). Sadly, Red McKay died in a crash a few months later.
[3 Images]
Below he is pictured in flying kit ready for his first dual instruction in G-AAFI, a Gypsy Moth he often flew.
[Image]
He gained his private pilot’s “A” licence on 3 April 1933 when he was still 18.
His father insisted on being his first passenger (8 April 1934, DH60 G-EBLT). This was to become a tradition of the Dodwell family.
[Page break]
In 1934 he joined the Midland Aero Club and also the Leicester Aero Club at Desford. That year he became well-known for assisting in a series of local raffles for which the winner was given a free flight (aerobatic or scenic, at the winner's choice).
In October 1934 he was accepted for the Royal Air Force Reserve and underwent training in October that year in Brough, Yorkshire (where he later met his future wife, Mary Brown). On 18 October 1934 his RAF logbook No 1 shows he climbed to 13,000 feet for a height test.
In May 1935, for his 21st birthday, his father (then a local councillor) bought him his own small aeroplane - a Parnall Pixie, G-EBJG, type IIIa, with Bristol Cherub III engine. It was tiny, with wings that folded so that it could be stored in a garage, and he would tow it behind his Humber car to the airfield. It could also be converted to a biplane by adding an upper set of wings. Its logbook showed it had once been flown by Flight Lieutenant Augustus Orlebar (Flight Commander of the RAF High Speed Flight 1927-31), who had won the Schneider Cup in 1929 and whose team-member Flt Lt John Boothman had won the Cup in 1931, the third time for the Flight -
In 1935 its previous owner had been a veterinary surgeon Mr CB Thompson, who had managed a forced landing when its propeller dropped off in 1933 over Stanford Park. He finally lost interest in it in 1934 after a loud bang and engine failure at 400 feet at Sywell aerodrome, near Northampton. The Dodwell family still have a wooden propeller boss (see Appendix IV) with markings showing it came from a Bristol Cherub III engine. The blades are not attached, and this may be the remains of the propeller that dropped off in 1933!
There were only three Parnall Pixies ever built. The first (type I, later converted to type II with a more powerful engine) crashed in 1939. Of the remaining two type IIIs, only Stan's aeroplane G-EBJG still exists (in 2012), having continued flying into the 1950s, and been the subject of the postcard shown below. Its remains, said to be about 80% of the original, are stored in the Midland Air Museum, Coventry having been donated to the (then) Midland Aircraft Preservation Society by Stratford upon Avon farmer James Rowe in August, 1967. It can be viewed by special arrangement.
[Image]
[Page break]
“The Pixie III did actually fly very well once the engine was replaced with the much more reliable Bristol Cherub. As I mentioned in an earlier post I have a photocopy of the logbook - which includes all of the flights in both the 1924 and 1926 Lympne Trials. It also details all of the work done on the aircraft, down to the component numbers of the individual parts. It was this discovery which led to the realisation that "No 14" in the 1926 trials was actually G-EBJG and not G-EBKK as had been published in the first edition of AJJ's "British Civil Aircraft".
[Image]
“After the trials it had a 10 year career with the Bristol & Wessex Aeroplane Club, amongst other owners, and put in plenty of cross-country flights without mishap.
“Out of all the Lympne Trials aircraft the Pixie III was the most successful - in terms of being flown as a practical two-seater. Remarkable considering the Cherub only puts out a nominal 32hp.”
It appears therefore, from the above quote, that it was G-EBJG which had come 4th in the 1926 Lympne trials! After becoming its new owner, Stan flew this aircraft between 6 October and 6 December 1935 (that last time “with passenger”, perhaps his father WT Dodwell). On one occasion during a cross-country flight intended as a 1-hour event (23/11/1935, Hinckley-Leamington) low cloud obliged him to land in a field for 20 minutes because of poor visibility.
On 30 July 1936 he joined the County Flying Club, and flew their Douglas Drone the same evening for 15 minutes (G-AEJS). On 1 November 1936 he flew the same Drone from Melton Mowbray to Ratcliffe aerodrome (privately-owned by the president of the Club, Mr W Lindsay Everard MP). This was so Herr Kronfeld could demonstrate how to use this aircraft (manufactured by him) to train beginners, after they had been familiarised via a Drone ground trainer. Arriving at Ratcliffe Stan encountered thick fog, and had to circle for about 30 minutes. Those on the ground could hear his aircraft but were unable to see him. Eventually a safe landing was achieved using six rockets to guide him (then landing lights, which he was able to see once he descended through the mist).
[Page break]
[Image]
Aged 23 he was commissioned (on probation,
13 January 1938, and confirmed 13 July) as a Pilot Officer in the Volunteer Reserve and he became the commanding officer of the local ATC. Later that year he was recorded as flying to 22,000 feet for an RAF height test (26 June 1938; Audax Kestrel, 55hp; K-8321), an adventurous effort when you consider later regulations about use of oxygen from about 13,000 feet.
Depicted here is a wallet and card showing it was a gift from his brother Leonard, on the occasion of his joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve early in 1938 (commemorated by the gold engraving on it).
Stan kept this wallet as a treasured possession and at his death in 1993 it still contained the gift card and a number of aeroplane cigarette cards, including the Comper Swift card shown above). Stan was nevertheless a lifelong non-smoker!!
[Image]
That year he also purchased a Comper Swift CLA7 aircraft (G-ABTC), a single-seater open-cockpit sports aircraft (it was one of the later models, powered by a Pobjoy R 85hp engine). "...probably no other aircraft built in such small numbers has ever broken so many records and won so many prizes. Amongst these achievements one of the most outstanding was Charles Butler’s record 9 days 2 hours flight to Darwin, Australia in October 1931" (see http://nickcomper.co.uk/ and also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comper_Swift).
Stan first flew his Comper Swift on 12/8/1938 to bring it from Tollerton to Braunstone. Subsequently he enjoyed a number of aerobatic flights with it. On 15 February 1939 he recorded climbing to 14,000 feet, then flew it for what turned out to be the last time (16 February 1939), before preparations for war intervened. Apparently this Swift was still airworthy until the early 2000s, doing display flying at air shows, and painted a beautiful blue.
[Page break]
[Four Images]
In late 1938 Stan participated in an air race against homing pigeons (10 Sept 1938; Leopard Major, 130HP; G-ACSF), from Oxford to Nuneaton, giving the pigeons 40 minutes start.
This was repeated the following year (22/7/1939; Taylorcraft, 50HP; G-AFNW), and he won each time, but unfortunately the war interrupted such frivolity.
[Page break]
[Two Images]
[Image]
Stanley Dodwell and Mary [nee Brown] were married at
St Mary’s Church Ellougton, Yorkshire, in September 1939.
Not long after the onset of war his potential as an instructor was recognised. He was called up on 2 September 1939 and underwent training as a Flying Instructor. He commenced duties as an instructor on 7 December at Air Service Training Ltd, Hamble (near Southampton). He managed to feature in the Tatler of 13 March 1940 [see picture, and also Appendix III].
[Image]
In later years, when Stan took his family to see the 1953 movie “The Sound Barrier” at the New Brighton cinema in New Zealand, he related how during the war he had instructed its star, John Justin (real name John Justinian de Ledesma, of Argentinian origin – see Appendix V).
Justin in 1940 was fresh from completing the Alexander Korda hit movie “The Thief of Bagdad” for which Justin became famous as the young prince Ahmad. Stan’s logbook shows several entries from 11 to 24 September 1940, under the name Ledesma, on the B2 aircraft.
Justin/Ledesma went on to be a test pilot for Spifire production, until he was injured in a crash, after which he too became an instructor. After the war he apparently preferred stage acting to flying, but because of his flying experience was invited to star in “The Sound Barrier” (alongside Ralph Richardson and Ann Todd).
Stan was then an instructor at RAF Brough (March 1940 till March 1942). In March 1942 he then was transferred to Canada to continue training pilots for the RAF, as a Flight Lieutenant. He arrived first at 36 EFTS in Pearse, Alberta, transferring in July to 31 EFTS at Winton. On 31 August 1942 he began another Instructor’s Course at Trenton, then transferred to 39 SFTS at Swift Current in November 1942. His wife Mary and infant daughter Pat joined him later that year, coming via sea, with U-boats in the vicinity, the convoy pressing on as one ship blazed in the night. Their son Tony was born in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan in 1943.
On 16 November 1943 his log book recorded height testing of a Hurricane to 35,000 feet, and on 24 January 1944 he was assessed as “above the average” as a Flying Instructor.
He continued working in Swift Current, Saskatchewan until March 1944 when he returned to Britain (initially to RAF Dallachy, Scotland in May). In July 1944 he began flying Wellington III bombers at RAF Barford, underwent testing in the Decompression Chamber, and was certified as a Captain in August, being assessed as an “above average” Heavy Bomber pilot on 16 September 1944.
In October 1944 he was transferred to Bomber Command 5 Group (Pathfinder Force). He flew Stirlings that month, then converted to Lancaster bombers in December, initially stationed with 106 Squadron at Metheringham.
[Page break]
[Image]
For most of the remainder of the war however he was attached to 97 Squadron, based at RAF Coningsby (where the last remaining airworthy Lancaster bomber is now based). On February 7 1945 (Ladbergen), he began flying missions.
These included his longest, at 9 hours
45 minutes, a raid on Neubrandenburg
(8 Feb, see photo).
Later that month they bombed submarine pens at Horten (23 Feb, photo), and made further raids in March and April. Only once, fortunately, did he incur a direct hit on his Lancaster. This was when the port rudder of his Lancaster was damaged over Cuxhaven on a return flight from Germany (7 March 1945, to Marburg).
[Image]
Many years later, in 1991, a man who had flown as his flight engineer (Flt/Engineer Bill Cotton) wrote a letter of gratitude to Stan for his immaculate record in bringing them safely home "every time".
Bill also wrote in 1994 of a sortie to Lutzkendorf on 14 March 1945 (his birthday!) which had been a long flight of 9 hours 15 minutes (he remembered it as longer). They arrived back in England to be diverted from one aerodrome to another because of fog. With fuel guages reading empty, Stan relied on Bill Cotton’s fuel calculations and pressed on until a break in the fog revealed a runway lit up, and he managed a perfect landing without the usual joining formalities. Bill’s calculations were vindicated when the tanks were dipped, and he wrote “I was very proud that Stan had trusted me”. [see Appendix V]
In May 1945 after the cessation of hostilities he was involved in 2 flights repatriating POWs from Germany (24 each time).
In July 1945, based with 50 Squadron at Sturgate, he flew what he described as the “Cooks Tour” of Germany undertaking daytime aerial photography of bombing damage (in Lancaster VN-Y).
[Image]
[Page break]
Then in August and September (from Pomigliano, Italy) he repatriated 20 more POWs in each of two trips, the first trip in Lancaster VN-T. [photo – Stan front row, 2nd left, hands on knees]
[Image]
In his book Pathfinder, AVM D. Bennett records the ‘battle’ he had to wage to have an airlift adopted instead of the far slower surface transport, which would have taken months to complete! These must have been emotional times, as typified by several grateful letters Stan received from (or on behalf of) his passengers (to whom he had sent “snaps” of the group of passengers).
On September 14th 1945 he piloted a Lancaster (with 113 sorties to its credit), to Wellesbourne, Mountford (near Warwick) for the “Battle of Britain Day”. He was demobilised 28 Sept 1945.
He returned to the family business, running Dodwell’s Garage, cafe, and engineering works with his brother on the Watling Street in Nuneaton, Warwickshire [In 2016 the service station still bears the Dodwell name, with W.T. Dodwell’s original grand 2-storey home behind it. Nearby there is still a Dodwell’s Road named after W. T, although a Dodwell’s Bridge seems to have disappeared].
Stan's third child, Peter, was born in January 1946 as a postwar baby boomer and all three children were christened on 30 April 1946 in St Mary’s, Elloughton, Yorkshire (the church in which Stan and Mary had been married).
[Page break]
On Sunday 14 October 1951 Stan and Mary migrated with their family to New Zealand, travelling by BOAC/QANTAS Super Constellation "Braemar" Flight 704/317 (Captain AM Carroll).
[Image]
They departed from Heathrow and travelled via Rome to Cairo (staying at the Heliopolis hotel 4 miles out of Cairo where they resisted local merchants' invitations to see the pyramids, and narrowly missed involvement in anti-British riots). Then they continued to Basra, Karachi, Calcutta, Singapore, Jakarta, Darwin, and Sydney.
Those were the days when, as was traditional on ships, the crossing of the equator was marked by passengers being given a “Line-Shooter’s Certificate”, signed by the captain!
A special moment too was being invited onto the flight deck and talking with co-pilot Canova who had been a Squadron Leader in 97 Squadron during the war ("A" flight; Stan was in "B" flight).
[Image]
After a week of travel the final leg of the journey was a luxurious flight via TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd, later to become Air New Zealand) in a Short Solent Mk IV flying boat ZK-AML 'Aotearoa II'. This left Sydney harbour in the dark at 1:30 a.m, arriving at Auckland at 7:15 a.m.
The remainder of the trip was completed by train (Monday 12th) to Wellington, spending a few days there, and then a DC3 flight run by NAC (National Airways Corporation, later merged with Air New Zealand) from Wellington to Christchurch (Thursday 15th).
For three years Stan managed a Caltex garage in the small town of Lincoln, in Canterbury. Then in 1954 they moved to Christchurch city and he resumed his flying activities as an assistant instructor with the Canterbury Aero Club based at Harewood aerodrome (now Christchurch International Airport). John Neave was the Chief Instructor. In addition to his work as an instructor, Stan was involved in the RNZAF Reserve as well as doing a fair amount of commercial flying, including scenic flights and other types of air charter work such as aerial photography. The aircraft types flown most frequently were the Auster Aiglet, Magister, Messenger and Dragonfly.
[Page break]
An interesting coincidence occurred when Stan first joined Canterbury Aero Club, when he noted hanging on the wall a full-colour photograph of a Lancaster bomber. Its markings were VN-N. Colour photos of aircraft were rare during the war. With a cry of recognition, Stan exclaimed “I flew that kite during the war”, and the next day he was able to bring his log book to prove it. This had been the aircraft which he piloted on 8 February 1945 on a raid to Neubrandenburg, his longest-ever mission (9½ hours total). His colleagues were so impressed that they gave him the photo to keep.
[Image]
Peter remembers vividly the day he flew with Stan in an Auster Aiglet from Christchurch to Hanmer Springs on a delivery trip. He was 10 years old, and his teacher granted him the day off on the condition that he told the class about it the next day. His father let him handle the controls a little en route and the whole trip was magnificent, in that little aircraft. But mostly, he remembers returning home to a hero's welcome, finding that his brother and sister had hung a welcoming banner from the roof of the house. He was exhausted that evening, and still treasures the typewritten 2-page speech which his father wrote lovingly for him that night to present next day to the class.
A favourite aircraft was the DH90a 'dragonfly' ZK-AFB. He did a variety of scenic work, as well as the occasional flight of a stretcher case or of a coffin. His most famous passengers on a scenic flight would have been Sir Ralph and Lady Richardson on 1 December 1955. Stan reminded Sir Ralph that they had met previously when Stan was a new instructor at RAF Hamble in 1940. Sir Ralph was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm, and came with a visiting squash team.
[Image]
[Page break]
After a brief interlude running a bookshop, Stan returned to flying in May 1961 and spent six years doing aerial top dressing for Airwork (NZ) Ltd based at Harewood aerodrome, flying Piper Pawnees, usually ZK-BOP (colour photos below) or ZK-CEN. The monochrome photo below, of CEN, was at Molesworth Station in north Canterbury; and at bottom was a publicity photo.
[Four Images]
[Page break]
For almost a month (around December 1961-January 1962) he once more flew his beloved dragonfly ZK-AFB for a number of scenic flights. This was just one month before it went missing, piloted by Brian Chadwick on a flight to Milford, after which the wreckage was never found. A photo of Stan from that time (checking the aircraft at Franz Joseph glacier) was featured in a recent book about this aviation mystery ("Lost- Without Trace?", Richard Waugh 2005, ISBN 0-473-10157-2).
[Image]
1962 saw Stan’s eldest, Pat, becoming an air hostess (as they were then called) for NAC. She later became a check and training hostess, and was working in this role when her brother Tony was also flying for NAC as a First Officer.
In 1963 Tony aged 19 gained his private pilot licence, and Stan confirmed a family tradition by being his first passenger (as had his own father before that), on 29 July 1963 (Tony has subsequently flown for NAC, Air New Zealand, & Gulf Air). This particular tradition was continued by Stan’s youngest son Peter when his son Tim gained his private pilot licence in 1998.
In keeping with the aviation flavour of Stan’s family, Peter qualified as a specialist in aviation medicine, becoming Principal Medical Officer for the Civil Aviation Authority of NZ for 10 years (1988 – 98).
In one of his few handwritten notes available from that time, Stan described the Pawnee 180a (with which in 1963 he topdressed the grass area of Harewood aerodrome) as “...the only one in the world, Airwork fitted a 180HP Lycoming engine into a 150 HP airframe, added a constant speed prop, all for better performance. Before it was ready for the job Piper sent to New Zealand the new 235 HP 6 cylinder Pawnee (which I now have). So of course no one wanted the Air work conversion...”. Much of his subsequent flying was done in North Canterbury (such as at the Molesworth spread) and over Banks Peninsula.
[Page break]
1963 saw Stan being asked to contest the Avon electorate in Christchurch as the National candidate, but he was unsuccessful (having been pitted against the long-time Labour candidate Mr ‘Jock’ Mathieson). However, Stan caused a small stir in the news media one Saturday by flying directly from his top dressing work in Canterbury to Paraparaumu where there was a National Party conference. Arriving in his work overalls, he quickly changed outfit and was ready for the conference! He was also possibly the first election candidate to use an aerial banner, flown over Christchurch, to promote his campaign.
[Image]
Stan was at his happiest sharing the joy of flying with others, whether as an instructor, or in chat. He seemed to make friends wherever he went.
One of his favourite stories of the Banks Peninsula days was when he was doing “crop dusting” taking off from a grass strip in the vicinity of Akaroa Harbour. He noticed a fairly large passenger ship cruising up the harbour and concluded that that this was a commercial cruise liner containing tourists. He decided that they would be interested in top dressing, which was a relatively new technique in the 1960s, so he did a pass “fairly near” to the ship and dropped a small amount of superphosphate into the water. The effect may have been spoiled by a small amount of drift of dust back over the ship. In telling the story, he used to swear that it was not until his return journey to Harewood later in the afternoon that he learned that the ship was the Royal Yacht “Britannia” with the Queen Mother on board (a visit which had not been publicised beforehand). His display had indeed been appreciated, particularly by the ship’s gunners who had kept him in their sights for much of the time and he was told they valued the practice!
In a handwritten summary of his topdressing days Stan recorded carrying a total of 5000 tons ("super + carrots + seed + 428 acres of spray") up to 15 Mar 1964, and doing 13,402 loaded takeoffs and 14,154 landings onto 108 different airstrips, working 1055.57 hours. The same document recorded a number of mechanical problems and incidents, such as tail wheel dropping off, throttle sticking at 1500, and "wrecked Beaver - forgot flaps for T.O.").
[Page break]
He did his final topdressing work in March 1967 in South Canterbury. Stan was still in good health, but he had experienced a couple of “nearlies” and felt that it was best to quit while he was ahead. One of these incidents had involved an engine problem after takeoff in a Beaver with a full load of superphosphate. Stan had some anxious moments attempting to dump the load as swiftly as possible before making a forced landing and, as he put it, “tripping over a fence” (see detailed account in Appendix II). He walked away from both accidents, but decided that a third test of fate was not warranted.
The last record in his logbook was a flight in a Piper Pawnee a year later, 8 May 1968, a local flight of 30 minutes (no doubt “for old times sake”). In 1969, at the age of 55, Stan retired from the RNZAF Reserve.
For a year he worked selling real estate around Christchurch, and then for the next few years he “flew a desk” for the Ministry of Agriculture in Wellington before his retirement in the early 1970s.
Unfortunately, his marriage to Mary had broken up in the early 1960s. In his retirement he settled down with Peggy Wheeler, whom he had met via the RSA. She had been in the WAAFs, and had been unfortunate enough to have two husbands in succession killed in action during World War 2. The pair moved to Tauranga in 1973 in Stan’s retirement. They continued to have an active interest in aviation, often going to the annual air show at Ohakea and were daily regulars at the RSA in Tauranga until Peggy’s death.
[Image]
Stan treasured a photo taken of him sitting in the pilot’s seat of the newly-restored Lancaster at the Museum of Transport & Technology in Auckland. In this photo he is holding his personal copy of the pilot’s notes for the Lancaster III aircraft.
[Page break]
In 1990 Gary Bridger of Tauranga had built a particularly good replica Lancaster bomber and that November gave it to Stan in a glass display case. The Bay Sun did a pictorial item about it, featuring photos taken at a local airfield [see following photos].
[Four images]
[Page break]
Stan died on 18 April 1993, after a series of strokes, one month short of age 79. At his request, his ashes were scattered from an aircraft by his eldest son Tony, and he is remembered via an RSA plaque in the Tauranga cemetery.
Stanley Lester Dodwell was at his happiest sharing the joy of flying with others. The Lancaster replica, as previously agreed with Gary Bridger, was bequeathed by Stan to the Museum of Transport & Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland. Sadly, when it was put on display there was no mention of the bequest from Stan Dodwell, former RAF instructor and operational Lancaster pilot (although it was correctly credited to Gary Bridger). It is to be hoped that this will one day be corrected, in memory of a passionate early aviator.
Appendix I: Total flight experience, SL Dodwell
Stan Dodwell’s total experience had been 7,396 hours and 50 minutes, from 1932 to 1968.
His list of aircraft types flown included Hawker Hart & Hawker Hind (including the trainer version of each); Hawker Audax; Fairey Battle; Avro Anson Mk 1 & 1a; Airspeed Oxford; Cessna Crane; Miles Mentor; Harvard 1 & 1a; Blenheim IV; Bolingbroke, Hurricane IIb; Stearman PT17; Fairchild Cornell; Avro Cadet; Hawker Tomtit; Blackburn B2 trainer (2 types); de Havilland 82, 82A, 82C, 60G, 60M; de Havilland Moth Major; Leopard Moth; Puss Moth; de Havilland 89 Dominie; de Havilland 90a Dragonfly; DHC 2 Beaver; Wellington III; Lockheed X & XII; Lockheed Hudson; Short Sterling; Avro Lancaster I & III; Miles Falcon, Magister, & Messenger; Parnall Pixie IIIa; Comper Swift; BAe Drone; Kronfeld Drone; Dutch Trike Pusher Scheldemutche; BA Swallow (2 types); Taylor Cub; Taylorcraft D; Aeronca; Aeronca Chief; Chilton; Fletcher FV24; Proctor V; Beagle Airedale; Piper Cub; Piper Cub Coupe, PA18A (135 hp), PA18, 1880 (150hp); Piper Apache; Piper Tripacer; Piper Colt; Piper PA 25 Pawnee (150, 180, 235hp); Piper PA28 Cherokee (140, 100 50, 160hp); Auster Aiglet (3 types); Auster Autocar; Cessna 170, 100 80, 188 (Agwaggon).
[Page break]
Appendix II: account of a topdressing crash
[from a handwritten account by SL Dodwell, dated about 1968]
“My most tense trip occurred in a Beaver with a full load of super which failed to take off at the usual point. In strict rotation the following took place. Pulled dump lever (load refused to drop out). Converged on the fence on left, removed three concrete posts leaving port elevator, tailwheel & 2½ inches of one prop blade in exchange. Further on, starboard wheel hit gate post (concrete) damaging post & undercart leg. Luckily hopper mouth went under post which caused load to run out slowly. Beaver and a 16 foot steel gate now airborne.
“It was not easy I can tell you. Vibration was on the high side, owing to now unbalanced prop, & stick forces were high. On attempted removal of right hand to throttle back, lower revs or retrim, the left hand could not cope with the force required to hold the nose up. However, by the time I had completed a normal circuit the load had run out which improved matters considerably. 200 pounds of super was not ready to flatten me should I prang.
“On ‘finals’ I managed, through quick movements, to throttle back, ditto mixture control, odd reachable switches and by golly the “fire button” was jabbed just in case. Well, when I could no longer hold up the starboard wheel on the landing run we slowly sank until both prop blades had cut three notches on the turf before the final very gentle nose-over onto our back.
“Holding on with one hand I released the harness catch with the other but still received a bruise on the starboard shin from the fascia panel, my sole injury.
I had to finish off that job with a Piper Cub next day.
“Last year in a similar Beaver prang the pilot was killed. It all depends on the area you are working in a guess.”
[Page break]
Appendix III: The Tatler, 13 March 1940
[Image]
[Page break]
Appendix IV: Stan's two aircraft
[Image]
Parnall Pixie IIIa
Of the three built, only Stan's Pixie G-EBJG still existed in 2012. Its remains are in deep store in the Midland Air Museum, Coventry! It can be viewed by special arrangement.
Comper Swift G-ABTC
This too still exists, and is airworthy, having flown in various airshows and (1982) attempted, but failed, to emulate the record-breaking 1931 flight to Australia.
Photo taken in August 2011:
Website about its creator, Nick Comper:
And Forum discussion here:
[extract below]
pobjoy pete
6th February 2006, 22:00
THE COMPER SWIFT
G - ABTC IS STILL ALIVE, AND SOON TO BE REBORN (2006)
AFTER HER TRIP TO IRAN (1982) (ON A FAILED TRIP TO AUSTALIA) SHE DID A FEW MORE YEARS BUT HAD TO BE LAID UP DUE TO WORK.
IN THE MEANTIME I GOT INVOLVED WITH OPENING, AND RUNNING PERRANPORTH AIRFIELD,AND SPENT THE NEXT FEW YEARS FIGHTING THE LOCAL COUNCIL, WHO TRIED TO CLOSE US DOWN.
THATS ALL IN THE PAST NOW, AND SO TC WILL FLY AGAIN, AND MAY EVEN HIT THE AIRSHOW SCENE AGAIN.HER FIRST OUTING AFTER I BOUGHT HER WAS THE BIGGIN HILL AIR FAIR (1974)
POBJOY PETE
pobjoy pete
6th February 2006, 22:12
Thanks Ewan,
By recently I mean that I'd seen colour pictures in Flypast in the late twentieth century (!), from which I drew the conclusion that this aircraft was a possible/the most probable future flier - it carried the legend "Spirit of Butler" in recognition of Cecil Butler's epic flight to Oz, my surname's Butler so it struck a bit of a chord and I've loved them since...
G-ABTC STILL IS NAMED SPIRIT OF BUTLER, AS SHE CARRIED ON THE AUSTRALIA ATTEMPT (1981). FORCED DOWN BY A DOUBLE ROTOR ARM FAILURE JUST OFF THE COAST OF IRAN SHE HAD TO MAKE A LANDING ON THE OLD IMPERIAL AIRWAYS STRIP AT JASK!!
AFTER INCARCERATION FOR 11 DAYS SHE WAS ALLOWED TO RETURN TO DUBAI, BUT NOT CARRY ON TO PAKISTAN.THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN OUT OVER THE SEA ON ONE (DUBIOUS MAG), AND MANAGED TO GET BACK.
THE WINGS, AND AREA BEHIND THE COCKPIT HAD BEEN FILLED WITH FOAM BLOCKS IN CASE SHE CAME DOWN IN THE SEA (NO LIFERAFT) THEY ARE STILL THERE!!
PP
The Blue Max
6th February 2006, 23:27
Be fantastic to see BTC up and about again, i know she to was resident at Sywell for many years with G-ABUS but as far as i know Dad only flew BUS.
davski
7th February 2006, 09:59
That's tremendous news - very much looking forward to seeing the aircraft fly again... perhaps even tempt you to one of our bash's at Breighton?
All the very best.
Dendrobatid
[Page break]
Appendix V - Pathfinder memories, Bill Cotton
[Image]
[Page break]
Appendix VI - John Justin, Actor
from Wikipedia
John Justin (24 November 1917 - 29 November 2002) was a British stage and film actor.
John Justinian de Ledesma was born in London, England, the son of a well-off Argentine rancher. Though he grew up on his father's ranch, he was educated at Bryanston School, Dorset.[1] He developed an interest in flying and became a qualified pilot at the age of 12, though he was not allowed to fly solo at the time because of his age.
The acting bug bit him early. By the age of 16, he had joined the Plymouth Repertory. In 1937, he briefly trained with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but did not like it and soon joined the repertory company of John Gielgud. In 1938, he auditioned for and won the role for which he is perhaps best remembered, Ahmad in the 1940 version of The Thief of Bagdad, opposite Sabu.
World War II broke out during the film's production. After completing the picture, Justin joined the Royal Air Force, serving as a test pilot and flying instructor.[1][2] He also worked on two films, The Gentle Sex (1943) with Leslie Howard, and Journey Together (1944) with Edward G. Robinson.
With the war's end, Justin returned to acting. He made more films, such as David Lean's The Sound Barrier (1952), Island in the Sun (1957) and Lisztomania (1975), but his strong preference was for the stage. He became a member of the Old Vic company in 1959. He made his Broadway debut in 1960 in the play Little Moon of Alban. In 1979 he played the ghoulish lover in the BBC's dramatisation of Le Fanu's "Strange incident in the life of Schalcken the painter", one of its Christmas ghost stories.
[Page break]
[Image]
From SL Dodwell’s 2nd logbook, Sept 1940… “Ledesma”, first of several entries.
Appendix VII – Stan’s RAF Training
Stan did not talk much about his World War II experiences with us kids, apart from the occasional snippet such as the previous item about John Justin; his pleasure at flying the Lancaster (which was so forgiving of damage, and seemed to love staying airborne (there was a marked ground effect on coming in to land).
But one thing was very memorable that he told me. During instructor training it was emphasised that they should use straightforward language with their pupils. This was illustrated by the following poem, which I remember to this day:
Scintillate, scintillate, constellation vivific;
Fain would I fathom thy nature specific.
Loftily poised in the aether capacious,
strongly resembling a gem, carbonaceous.
I leave it to the reader to identify the well-known song.
Peter Dodwell
2019.
Collection
Citation
Peter Dodwell and Bill Cotton, “Stanley Lester Dodwell - Aviator,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed June 7, 2026, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/58101.
Item Relations
| Item: Neubrandenburg | dcterms:relation | This Item |
| Item: Horten | dcterms:relation | This Item |