Wigsley 1654 HCU

Wigsley 1654 HCU

After completing his tour Bert Adams was posted to RAF Wigsley as an instructor. Describes training crews for Tiger force. Mentions a little about his work in the air and on the ground.
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One page handwritten document

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[underlined] WIGSLEY 1654 HCU [/underlined]
After our Tour ended, with a spot of leave including a trip to London to get new uniform (from Savile Row) I found I was posted to Wigsley (Training Command) as an instructor. Our pilot joined Transport Command, & did quite a few long flights to the Middle East & India, mainly in Liberators. The rest of our crew went on indefinite leave … Sid & Eric getting jobs in breweries.
At Wigsley, along with other Con Units, crews were training ready to join squadrons destined for bombing Japan, mainly to fly in in [sic] Lincolns (plus the modified Lancs of 617 & 9 Squadrons) … the Tiger Force. Initially, Tiger Force was to be quite big, but the U.S. air force reckoned they had the job under control with increasing production of B29’s … they wouldn’t give up an airfield to the RAF until political pressure ensured that Okinawa could be used … but the number of squadrons in the Force, was curtailed.
On cross-country navigation exercises I went along as (instructor) for a total of about 64 hours, but most of our work was in class-rooms. Mainly doing “dry-swims” … simulated long-distance flights with enough information for navigators to produce detailed log & chart for a “trip”.
We also flew some ferry trips … Sterlings to Northern Island [sic] & Lancasters to Roughton (a fighter ‘drome in Devon?). Also did a “Cooks” Tour including some of the places we bombed.
We were still in a classroom when the Atom Bomb was dropped … instruction ceased … adjoun [sic] to the Mess.
2 anecdotes: Twitcher Kennedy
Intrusion by Me 110’s duty Nav.