Note on early operations

Note on early operations

Comments that he did not have operation as second dicky but went straight on ops. Writes about special duties on Stirling with GH. Mentioned doing Lancaster Finishing School and comments on comparison of Stirling and Lancaster. On the reverse some decorating calculations.

1987-02-08

One page handwritten document

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MCuthillCR574146-180818-02

8/2/87 183

[underlined] NOTE [/underlined]

You may remember that in my [inserted] last [/inserted] letter letter [sic] I mention “you have to write” on what you knew then (present tense), & [deleted word] I know more about things now – well here’s a thing I’ve remembered!

[deleted word] I never did a second dicky trip – being taken a raid – I just went on my first trip like that. So when I took off on my first raid – that was the first time I had been on a fully loaded Lanc. [deleted] [indecipherable word] of [/deleted] The station had been on special duties.

So (apart from a [indecipherable words]) – I & my crew were thrown into the deep end in the head.

Sqn had been on Special Duties on Sterlings; When we arrived we flew Sterlings – mainly to practice GH. I think the special duty [indecipherable word] must have used GH, because we were taught by Sqn Personnel (Other [indecipherable word] Sqn [indecipherable word] at Special school) Meanwhile, [deleted] Sterl [/deleted] the [indecipherable word] pilots were steadily converting to Lancs (we’d already done L.F.S [deleted] ) [/deleted] – & at one time [deleted] I was [/deleted] there were only 2 Lanc pilots in the Squadron) – Lancs were being delivered.

Stirling were already equipped with GH so presumably they were already on leave or Spec. Duties. – I’ve learnt GH on Sterlings, where people [inserted] ex 3 [/inserted] I spoke to were.

Stirling to Lancs – apart from liquid cooled – engines & [inserted] hydraulics [/inserted] Sterlings – clear of the propellers on ground, but Lancs inboard ones could get you

[Page Break]

184

Plastic tiles (front room) – 19.7 “ [symbol]

[Calculations]

[diagrams]

88” mid point (in length)

6’6” = door to light

8’2” = lights to wall end