Miles M.9 Master. Part two. More Foreign Users

 

The Miles M.9 Master was a British two-seat monoplane advanced trainer which was designed and built by Miles Aviation Company. It was used mainly by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) but some other users also employed the type, among them, the following ones:

• Belgium: One Master II ,which previously belonged to the RAF (Belgian) training school at Snailwell (Cambridgeshire), was used as a ground instructional airframe at the Technical School of Saffraanberg in February 1946. Most likely this machine was destroyed in a fire that took place at the school two years later on 8th August 1948. The remains were scrapped as it didn't reappear in inventory when the school reopened at Tongeren.
• France: A small number of Master II were used by the French Armée de l'Air in Morocco from 1946 to 1948 serving in various piloting schools set up there. Odd enough, they bore RAF style markings and roundels but in French tones of red white and blue. 
  Some Master III (a version powered by the 825hp Pratt & Whitney engine) were also used by the École de Pilotage (Flying School) at the city of Cognac during 1947 and 1948. They were used as interim machines until the North American T-6 Texan were supplied in numbers. 
• Ireland: A total of twelve former RAF Master II were purchased by the Irish Air Corps. Six in 1943 and other six in 1945. They were employed as trainers until 1949, when it was decided to replace them by the Percival P.56 Provost in the 1950s.
• Portugal: As part of a treaty to use Azores Islands as bases, two Master III were delivered to Lisbon on 10th October 1941. These were followed by eight additional ones delivered during the month of April 1942. 
  The Masters were assigned to the Base Aérea Nº1 (No.1 Air Base) at Sintra, Lisbon, to train their pilots from fixed landing gear aircraft to retractable ones. In September 1942 two Masters were sent to Lajes Air Base, in the Azores, to train their pilots, as the old Gloster Gladiators based there were to be replaced by the Supermarine Spitfire. 
  In September 1943 four additional Master II were delivered by the United Kingdom and were assigned to Sintra Air Base. The Miles Masters in Portugal were kept in active service until 1950 (though some sources claim their use was stretched until 1958).

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Master

2. https://www.belgian-wings.be/miles-master-ii

3. https://www.traditions-air.fr/unit/ecole_centre/31500.htm (translated)

4. http://avions-de-la-guerre-d-algerie.over-blog.com/article-les-miles-master-et-martinet-116685844.html (translated)

5. http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/user/every/ireland-af-all-time-aircraft-used-listing.htm

6.https://altimagem.blogspot.com/2013/02/59-miles-master.html (translated)

Miles M.14 Magister, part three. Some European users.

 

The Miles M.14 Magister was a British two-seat elementary trainer aircraft of the 1930s which was used mainly by the Royal Air Force (RAF) but also by many other users such as the following ones:

• Belgium: After the war, three Magisters were transferred to Belgium on 3rd October 1946. They were employed as instructional aeroframes at the technical school in Safraanberg, Flanders. During the following year, the aircraft was made airworthy and was delivered to No. 367 Squadron of the No.169 Wing, based at Evere airport in Brussels. It was employed as a courier until 1953 when it was written off and sold to a private owner. Later, during the 1970s bought by the Belgian Royal Army Museum and is nowadays in display there.
• Estonia: The Estonian Ohukaitse (Air Defence) bought a single Miles Magisters in 1938. They were assigned to the 3rd Aviation Division based in Tallinn. It served alongside with another Estonian-built and designed PTO-4 as the basic trainer for the Estonian Air Defence and during 1939 it took part, together with another two PTO-4s in an official state visit to Latvia. In 1940, when the USSR invaded the Baltic countries, they were captured by the VVS (Soviet Air Force).
• Germany: The Sonderstaffel Buschmann (a Luftwaffe unit composed of Estonian volunteers) operated a single ex-Latvian Miles Magister registered as SB+AF. 
  It was also employed by an Ausbildungswessel, an unit established by the Luftwaffe in Latvia which operated ex-Latvian Air Force aircraft. During their service with the Luftwaffe they were only used as reconnaissance planes. 
• Ireland: In 1939 (though, according to some other sources it was in 1938) the Irish Air Corps bought 27 Magisters which constituted their basic trainer throughout the whole war and the postwar, as they were retired in 1952.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Magister

2. https://www.belgian-wings.be/miles-magister

3. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235039699-miles-m14a-magister-estonian-air-force-1938-1940-rs-model-172/

4. https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonderstaffel_Buschmann (translated)

5. https://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1392

6. Scale Aircraft Modelling - October 1997 - Miles Military Trainers

7. Putnam & Co. - Miles aircraft since 1925 

Avro Anson, part Eight, Dutch, Irish and Norwegian users

The Avro Anson is a British multi-role aircraft that was designed before World War II and was massively manufactured, and sold to many countries all around the globe. Among them, the following ones:

• Netherlands: On 1st June 1940, after the fall of Holland, the No.321 (Dutch) Squadron was formed in the Royal Air Force with Dutch personnel. The squadron was formed at RAF Pembroke Dock, in Pembrokeshire, Wales, but it was shortly rebased to RAF Carew Cheriton, in Pembrokeshire too, later on 28th July where it became operational. The squadron flew coastal and anti-submarine patrols equipped with Avro Ansons Mk.I until 18th January 1941 when the squadron was disbanded due to the lack of personnel and merged with the No.320 (Netherlands) Squadron which also flew the Anson, among other aircraft in the same role from RAF Pembroke Dock, from August 1940 until July 1941 when they were re-equipped with Lockheed Hudson Mk.III.
  After the War, a total of 25 ex-RAF Anson Mk.Is were donated to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. They had previously been refurbished at RAF Pershore, in Worcestershire, and were delivered in Twente, eastern Netherlands. They were used by a number of different units like Depot Vliegtuigen at Soesterberg Air Base, in Utrecht, the Technical Training Unit at Deelen Air Base, in Gelderland, the twin-engine conversion unit at Gilze-Rijen Air Base, in Southern Netherlands, and the 334 Squadron which is a communications and transport squadron based at Valkenburg Naval Air Base, in South Holland.
  A single Anson C.19 was bought from Royal Aircraft Establishment Llanbedr, in Gwynedd, Wales. It was bought for £200, received the code 'D-26' and it was bought for being displayed at Militaire Luchtvaart Museum (Military Aviation Museum) at Soesterberg Air Base, in Utrecht province.
• Ireland: The Irish Air Corps ordered two Anson Mk.I in the mid-1930s and they were delivered to Baldonnel Air Base, in Dublin, on 20th March 1937. Two additional more were delivered on 19th January 1938 and formed the No.1 Reconnaissance and Medium Bombing Squadron. Five more were delivered on 2nd February 1939 as part of an order of 12 but the remaining seven machines were impressed by the RAF due to the beginning of the World War II before they departed Speke Airport, in Liverpool, and remained with the No.36 Maintenance Unit.
  During the War, the Ansons, together with the Irish Supermarine Walrus, operated from Rineanna aerodrome (nowadays Shannon International Airport) in County Clare. They were commited to perform coastal patrols from Wexford, in County Wexford, to Lough Swilly, in County Donegal, in the North-West coast of Ireland. The rough weather in this area caused accidents in which three Ansons were lost, though one of them was repairable. Two additional accidents happened and the Ansons were taken off from active service in late 1944 and scrapped.
  Three Anson Mk.XIX were ordered in 1946 and were delivered on 4th April that year. They equipped the General Purpose Flight, which was used for training, communications, freight and reconnaissance duties. Two were damaged in accidents and one was retained as a ground instructional machine but it was scrapped with the other remaining one in the early 1970s. One has survived and it's nowadays on display at the Irish Air Corps Museum. 
• Norway: The Royal Norwegian Air Force operated twelve Anson Mk.XII in the communications role before their country was liberated. They were rebased to Oslo-Fornebu Airport between 5th and 9th June 1945 but were disbanded when the RAF left from Norway in December 1945.
  Therefore, ten Anson Mk.Is were given to the Royal Norwegian Air Force in August 1947. Those machines weren't in very good condition, one of them being lost when delivered. The remaining ones were re-furbished in Kjeller, Oslo and used for radio and navigation training. One of them was modified for Search & Rescue role and were eventually sold for civilian use in various countries.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._321_(Dutch)_Squadron_RAF

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._320_(Netherlands)_Squadron_RAF

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Anson

4. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 53 - Avro Anson

Fairey Battle, part two

The Fairey Battle was a British light-bomber which was designed and manufactured by Fairey Aviation Company. Though not as successful as expected, it served as a trainer and target tow during the whole World War 2. It was exported to many countries:

• Belgium: An order of 16 Battles were ordered to Fairey by the Belgian Military Aviation. The Battles, contrary to popular belief, were built at Fairey's plant in Stockport, United Kingdom. They were delivered in March 1938 and were differentiated from the British ones in having a longer radiator cowling and a smoother camouflage finish.
  They were assigned to the 5e Escadron, 3éme Regiment d'Aeronautique, (5th Squadron, 3rd Aeronautical Regiment) based at Evere airfield, near Brussels. Initially conceived as a reconnaissance unit, this squadron was quickly reformed into a bomber unit. During the period known as the "Phoney War", the British and Belgian authorities realised that the Battle was very vulnerable to German fighters due to its slowness, poor manoeuvrability and poor defensive armament and was, therefore, becoming obsolete. That's why Belgian authorities cancelled the initial supplementary order for additional machines. They instead tried to obtain, too late Bréguets, Douglas and Caproni bombers.
  The Belgian Battles became famous on 11th May 1940 when they took off on a suicidal mission to destroy three bridges (Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven and Briegden) on the Albert Canal. From the nine Battles that took off, six of them were destroyed (some other sources claim that all nine were destroyed) and, due to the light bomb load they were carrying, not a single bridge was destroyed.
• Greece: Back in 1939 nine Battle were ordered by the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF), but because of the war, the order was cancelled and the production was reinstated for the RAF. However, British authorities changed their mind later and eleven Battles were delivered to the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF) in late February 1940 as part of an order to twelve (the last one was sunk by a torpedo when it was aboard the merchant ship). They were given by the RAF to the Greek authorities as a compensation for 12 Bristol Blenheim IV that were sold in poor conditions due to war shortages. The Battles were assigned to the 33rd Bomber Squadron and they saw extensive action during the Greco-Italian War. On 28th October 1940 the 33rd Squadron, based at Koúklaina, was already in action. Battles bombed the Italian airfield in Koritza, in Italian Albania, destroying a Caproni Ca.133 and damaging four fighters for no Greek losses. Two Battles and two Blenheims were later engaged in another raid against Koritza airfield but they were intercepted by Italian Fiat Cr.42 and were shot down killing their crews and badly wounding another one.
  During the Greek counter-offensive in late November, three Greek Battles attacked a retreating Italian column between Koritza and Pogradets on the 22nd. Later, on 11th March 1941 the CO of 33rd Squadron was intercepted and shot down between Nivitsa and Slatinia.
  The remnants of the squadron were rebased to Menidi, due to the German advance in April 1941 and, as they couldn't hold off Luftwaffe's attacks, they were moved on to Tanagra, South of Athens, where the remaining machines were destroyed on the ground by the Luftwaffe.
• British Raj: The Indian Air Force received four Fairey Battles in 1942. A single Mk.I one and three target tows. They were sent to the Anti-Aircraft School in Karachi.
• Ireland: The Irish Army Air Corps approached the British authorities for a number of aircraft to meet their needs during the World War 2. In 1941 they asked for 13 Hawker Hurricanes, 10 North American Harvard and three Fairey Battle Target Tugs. The resulting offer was amounted later to 10 Hawker Hector biplanes, offer that the Irish authorities accepted. However, in an unexpected way a Battle TT registered as V1222 arrived on 24th April 1941 when it flew, at the hands of a Polish pilot from No.4 Observer School based RAF West Freugh, Scotland, and had to force-land at Corbally Strand, Tramore, in Ireland. The aircraft wasn't damaged and was flown to Baldonnel where it was officially interned. In June 1944 it was decided to put the Battle into use so target-towing equipment was fitted and received a new code, 92. It carried out camera gun exercises with Hurricanes and joined No.1 Squadron in September 1944 (note: our source claims it was in 1940, it must be a mistake) for air-to-air firing duties. It was withdrawn and flown to a maintenance unit in May 1946.
• South Africa: Thanks to the Joint Air Training Scheme, around 190 Battle were allocated for South Africa. But eleven were lost at sea, during delivery, other eleven were sent to Southern Rhodesia, four to India and four to Australia, so a total of 123 were destined to serve with the South African Air Force (SAAF), of which 51 were target tugs and 5 trainers. During the East African Campaign the SAAF used the Battles in their intended role, as light bombers. On 19th May 1940 R. Peller, CO of No.11 Squadron led the squadron to Nairobi, in Kenya, equipped with 24 Hawker Hartebeests and just a single Battle. The Battle was used for a reconnaissance flight over Mogadishu, over Italian Somaliland on 17th June. When it was leaving the area, they saw a Caproni Ca.133 parked near Afmadow, southern Italian Somaliland, and made a strafing run, only to be hit in the radiator by a stray bullet. Because of that, the Battle had to crash land, and the surviving crew set the machine on fire. The crew was eventually rescued.
  During mid-June the No.11 squadron was called back to South Africa to be re-equipped with 15 Battles, allowing them to strike hard on the enemy. They did that on many occasions, targeting Italian airfields, positions and vehicles with some successes but at the cost of sever losses. By June 1941, when No.11 Squadron SAAF was disbanded and their aircraft transferred to the No.15 Squadron, only four Battles were left active and one of them was soon lost on an accident. The remainder carried on until 19th August when the final example flew its last mission. The unit then withdrew to Kenya to be re-equipped.
• Turkey: The Turkish Government ordered some Battles before the World War 2. Four of them were being manufactured at Fairey's plant in Stockport (they had even been painted in Turkish Markings) but with the war in Europe, the deal was cancelled before they were delivered. After protracted negotiations, the British Government agreed to deliver 30 Battles which were initially destined for Poland and diverted them to Turkey instead.
  It was agreed that Flt. Lt. Sam Moseley would oversee and test-fly the Battles as they were assembled in Turkey, but when he arrived in Turkey, the enthusiastic Turks had already offloaded them from the ship, assembled the aircraft without any manuals, instructions or drawings and ferried them to Eskisehir, with the undercarriages deployed and flaps locked up because the hydraulics didn't work.
  Moseley's logbook confirms that 28 Battles were flight-tested with another two used for spares. A single Battle Target Tug arrived in May 1940 but plans for three more were called off. According to a memo from Turkish authorities, on 22nd January 1943 there still 25 Battles active, even though, Moseley said that Turkish pilots had a strong penchant for very low and fast flying.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Battle

2. http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/interbellum/Fairey%20Battle%20I/Fairey%20Battle%20I%20frontpage.html

3. https://www.haf.gr/en/history/historical-aircraft/fairey-battle-b-1/

4. http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2018/02/17/the-lost-battle/

5. Aeroplane Database June 2016 - Fairey Battle

Supermarine Walrus, part two, foreign users

The Supermarine Walrus was also used by many foreign countries, the ones covered in this post are:

• France: In September 1943, after the liberation of Corsica, the French Navy's Escadrille 4.S was formed equipped with 12 Walrus Mk.I and Mk.II. They were based at a naval base called "Campo dell'Oro" close to the city of Ajaccio. They served with the Free French Air Force, acting mostly on the Mediterranean Theatre, and attacking even some submarines. They were rebased in 1944 to Bastia, at the Northern part of Corsica to take part in the Operation Dragoon, the invasion of the Southern part of France, after which they were rebased to B.A.N. de Cuers, to operate from French mainland. The French Walruses served there until January 1946 when they were replaced by captured Dornier Do.24s.
  The remaining Walruses were reassigned to the Flotille 2.F, based at Hourtin, close to Bourdeaux. This unit was transformed in April 1946 into a hydroplane piloting school and renamed Escadrille 53.S. They were flown until 1951 when they were withdrawn from active service.
  Other squadrons which flew the Walrus were the 50.S, which was the squadron of the school of the flying staff and the 52.S which was the training squadron of the Naval School of Lanvéoc, in Bretagne. 
• Ireland: The Irish Air Corps bought three Walruses in 1939. They were to be delivered on 3rd March to be used as a maritime patrol aircraft during the Irish Emergency. They were scheduled to fly from Southampton to Baldonnel Aerodrome, in Ireland. Only one of them made it successfully to Ireland. One had to be rerouted to Milford Haven, in Wales and the remaining one had to ditch the aircraft, damaging the hull, close to the Irish city of Ballytrent, south of the former United States Naval Air Station Wexford, off the south-eastern coast of Ireland. This machine was transported to Baldonnel where it was repaired and served with the Irish Air Corps.
  This last machine was stolen on 9th January 1942 by Irish nationals who intended to fly the machine to France to join the Luftwaffe. They were intercepted by Supermarine Spitfires and escorted to RAF St. Eval, in Cornwall. The aircraft and its occupants were returned to Ireland. After the war the aircraft was given over to Aer Lingus which never flew it and sold in 1946 to a private owner. It was flown for recreation purposes until 1949 and abandoned in a dump until 1963 when it was recovered and restored and has been displayed at the Fleet Air Arm's museum since 1966.
• USSR: One Walrus Mk.I was shipped to Arkhangelsk, in Russia, on the British Convoy PQ 17. After having sustained damage, it was repaired and assigned to the 16th Air Transport Detachment of the Soviet Air Force (VVS). It flew until the end of 1943 and its fate is unknown but it was, most probably, destroyed. 
• Turkey: Five Walruses were sold to Turkey in early 1938. They served with the Turkish Air Force through the World War II and most probably late 1940s. However their fate is uncertain.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Walrus

2. http://avions-de-la-guerre-d-algerie.over-blog.com/article-supermarine-walrus-francais-116117945.html (translated)

3. https://defenceoftherealm.wordpress.com/2015/05/07/the-irish-walrus-defection-attempt/

4. http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/ah1900/suprod.html