Joe in his Tempest.

Joe 4th from left.

Joe's log book for April 1945.

Photos and text:
Joe and John Kendall

From Peter Celis, author of the book Runways To Victory, we have received four photos of different Tempests. Thanks Peter! 

 Tempest Mk. V EJ744, 274 Sqn at B-70 Deurne/Antwerp.

Flying Officer O´Connor (486 Sqn) at B-80 Volkel in October 1944.

 150 Wing at B-80 in October 1944.

 Tempest Mk. II EG-T (unknown serialnumber) at Fassberg, late 1945.

Photos:
Jack Douay
RNZAF Museum
Royal Army Museum - Brussels
P. Celis Collection
All photos via Peter Celis

Photos:
© Peter R Arnold

 Wg Cdr Charles Harold Dyson flying his C-D (MW835).

Hawker Tempest Mk. II C-D (MW835)

After a sort period of preparation at 13 and 20 MUs, MW835 was allocated to 247 Sqn at RAF Chilbolton where the squadron was in the process of converting (from Typhoons) to Tempest IIs, the second unit to do so. However, it seems that the Wg Cdr Flying, R.P.’Bee’ Beamont (of 609Sqn Typhoon and Tempest V-1 killing fame, and later Canberra, Lightning, TSR2 and Tornado test pilot) chose the aircraft for his own use as an accident report (forced landing following engine overspeed) and his log reveal that by 2 October 1945 MW835 was coded ‘R-B’ and now belonged to Chilbolton Station Flight.  According to ‘RB’ himself, his initials were split, one either side of the roundel, and the spinner was painted yellow, as per his earlier Typhoon and Tempest. However, on 24 October 1945 Beamont was posted to the Air Fighting Development Unit; his replacement, Wg Cdr Charles Harold Dyson DFC and bar, having arrived two days earlier. Dyson had vast and varied experience which extended from pre-war service with 33 Sqn, continuing with that unit in North Africa and Crete where he claimed an amazing 6 victories in a day.  After spending 1942 and half of 1943 as a test pilot in India he returned to the UK and the AFDU, followed by the Central Gunnery School, before commanding a number of armament related units, including No 2 Sqn of 3 Tactical Exercise Unit - the major training unit for Typhoon pilots going to the 2nd TAF in the latter half of 1944.

Dyson’s logbook for the period confirms that he first flew the newly-repaired MW835 on 5 December 1945.  It is quite possible that the photograph that started this research was taken the next day as ‘photography with Vengeance A/C’ is recorded in his log.  The photo clearly shows the previous codes had been overpainted and ‘C-D’ (not C-O as originally thought) applied, as well as the extraordinary lightning flash along the nose.  The colours in the drawing are speculative but match well with the tones visible in the roundel; as mentioned earlier, MW835 already had a yellow spinner.  Charles Dyson continued to fly MW835 though 1946, retaining the aircraft when Fighter Command was reorganised in April 1946, when he became Wg Cdr Flying Southern Sector, Middle Wallop.  Dyson was posted on a number of courses before becoming Station Commander at Church Fenton early in 1947.  

In February 1948 MW835 went to 6 MU for what would be 11 months storage, before undergoing a year-long repair at Hawker and then storage at 20 MU before being sold to the Ministry of Supply in 1954 (probably for use Shoeburyness weapon tests).

Many thanks to Paul Wilson for bringing to our attention this Tempest in its startling and uncharacteristic scheme and to Wg Cdr A.S.Thomas and his colleagues at RAF Benson, Gp Capt HCA Cormack and MACR G Attridge.  

Tally Ho!

Chris

Photo:
Paul Wilson
Text and colour profile:
Chris Thomas

249 Squadron at Deversoir in 1949, C.O. Sqdn.Ldr. Scott-Voss.

Photo via Mike Evans.

Photo:
Mike Evans

Photo:
Ashley Lamb

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Images:
Robin Stanbridge

Comment from Chris Thomas:
"I am positive the hangar in the background and large number of Tempests identifies the location as the Hawker factory/airfield at Langley. It is likely the ETPS students went there on a visit from Boscombe Down while on the course."

Text:
Frank Schwarz
Chris Thomas
Photos:
Jürg Läderach

These photographs were taken outside the Ministry of Information building in London on September 8th 1944. Pictures show, from left to right:
S/Ldr Joe Berry (Tempest Pilot) – Wg/Co R.F.G. Lea (Observer Corps) – Corporal Cairns (Balloon Company) – Wg/Co Roland P. Beamont (Tempest Pilot) – Wg/Co E.D. Crew (Mosquito Pilot). All attended a conference of RAF pilots and defence staff on the battle of the V-1s at the Ministry of Information, London.

Aircraft Skin panels from an (almost) WW2 era Hawker Tempest II - HA557/MW404. Fortunately my wife gave me the go-ahead to splurge on this one, as long as I kept it in the garage and out of her way! Now hanging on my garage wall. 12 feet long -- too long to hang above my fireplace!

Jagan Pillarisetti

Hawker Tempest MK. II MW404 

Photos:
Jagan Pillarisetti