Officers Mess Party

Officers Mess Party

Seven officers at the top table, one is standing. Two airmen are partly visible with their backs to the camera. On the table are glasses of drinks and a trophy. Captioned 'Officers Mess Party 1937 Group Captain D'Arcy Craig, Station Commander One time co-pilot of Schnieder trophy aircraft, soon to become famous 'Spitfire' 1939-1945'. Additional caption explains how the flash was set up for the photograph.

1937

One b/w photograph mounted on an album page

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PBanksP15020046

THESE TWO PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN BY A TECHNICAL FLUKE. FLASH BULBS WERE SYMPATHETICALLY AND ACCIDENTALLY FIRED ON THE BENCH WHEN TWO OR MORE BULBS WERE TOUCHING, GLASS TO GLASS. THESE BULBS WERE THE SIZE OF NORMAL 40 WATT BULBS AND FILLED WITH MAGNESIUM FOIL. SO, BY SETTING 1 BULB IN FLASH HOLDER AND 4 OTHERS FIXED BY ELASTIC BANDS IN LARGE PAN (SEE DRAWING) ALL 5 GO OFF TOGETHER, THUS 5 TIMES THE POWER.
[drawing]
[photograph]
OFFICERS MESS PARTY 1937
GROUP CAPTAIN D’ARCY CRAIG, STATION
[underlined] COMMANDER [/underlined]
ONE TIME CO-PILOT OF SCHNIEDER TROPHY AIRCRAFT, SOON TO BECOME FAMOUS ‘SPITFIRE’ FIGHTER 1939-1945