Air Raid On No. 3 Squadron Camp
Jul 4, 2022 19:07:28 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 4, 2022 19:07:28 GMT 12
“AIR RAID” ON CAMPS
SURPRISE ATTACK IN EARLY MORNING
AERO CLUB’S SUCCESSFUL VENTURE
Bombs raining from the sky rudely awakened men of No. 3 Squadron, Territorial Air Force, at their advance camp at Ashburton airfield at 5.30 o’clock yesterday morning. The unit was being attacked. Frantic movement within the tents lasted only seconds before men began to spill out into the open from all directions. Pyjama-clad groundcrew men raced amid a hail of missiles for the Mustangs covered and tethered about 100 yards away. Pilots hastily dragged on flying suits over their night attire and “scrambled.”
The cause of the trouble and the reason for the early and simultaneous rising of every man in the camp was a flight of six aero club aircraft (a Tiger Moth, two Miles Magisters, and three Auster Aiglets) which flew happily about over the field dropping bags of flour and rolls of paper on the chaos below.
Within 10 minutes of the first “explosion” one Mustang was in the air looking for the intruders. Covers over the aeroplane had kept oil temperatures in the motor high enough to make preliminary warming relatively short.
Most of the members of the squadron apparently thought at first that they had been raided by No. 4 (Otago) Squadron of the Territorial Air Force, whose Mustangs have been not infrequent surprise visitors on the Canterbury men. Flying much lower than the vengeance-seeking Mustang, which had taken off in pursuit, the six light aircraft cruised back to Harewood without incident.
To the war-experienced pilots of the squadron the raid was not anything new, but the large proportion of 18-year-old trainees in the ground staff began to learn quickly. With very creditable dispatch they collected their senses and set about their part of the business of making ready their aircraft.
PRESS, 30 NOVEMBER 1953
SURPRISE ATTACK IN EARLY MORNING
AERO CLUB’S SUCCESSFUL VENTURE
Bombs raining from the sky rudely awakened men of No. 3 Squadron, Territorial Air Force, at their advance camp at Ashburton airfield at 5.30 o’clock yesterday morning. The unit was being attacked. Frantic movement within the tents lasted only seconds before men began to spill out into the open from all directions. Pyjama-clad groundcrew men raced amid a hail of missiles for the Mustangs covered and tethered about 100 yards away. Pilots hastily dragged on flying suits over their night attire and “scrambled.”
The cause of the trouble and the reason for the early and simultaneous rising of every man in the camp was a flight of six aero club aircraft (a Tiger Moth, two Miles Magisters, and three Auster Aiglets) which flew happily about over the field dropping bags of flour and rolls of paper on the chaos below.
Within 10 minutes of the first “explosion” one Mustang was in the air looking for the intruders. Covers over the aeroplane had kept oil temperatures in the motor high enough to make preliminary warming relatively short.
Most of the members of the squadron apparently thought at first that they had been raided by No. 4 (Otago) Squadron of the Territorial Air Force, whose Mustangs have been not infrequent surprise visitors on the Canterbury men. Flying much lower than the vengeance-seeking Mustang, which had taken off in pursuit, the six light aircraft cruised back to Harewood without incident.
To the war-experienced pilots of the squadron the raid was not anything new, but the large proportion of 18-year-old trainees in the ground staff began to learn quickly. With very creditable dispatch they collected their senses and set about their part of the business of making ready their aircraft.
PRESS, 30 NOVEMBER 1953
