Proctor Comments and Corrections
Jan 2, 2020 15:55:58 GMT
Post by Paul Jackson on Jan 2, 2020 15:55:58 GMT
Part 2: Aircraft histories
Proctor Additions
General notes:
1. There are numerous mentions of “Brooklands Aviation, Weybridge”.
While I don’t have the full information to hand, I have the gravest doubts about this. The main Brooklands Aviation repair centre was at Sywell – and, most certainly, they repaired Wellingtons there (and Valettas and even Varsity components after WW2, some of the work being done at Little Staughton). I have no recollection of any element of Brooklands Aviation being based at Brooklands (Weybridge) in WW2. Known references give Sywell and Doncaster as Brooklands’ repair bases. That said, the same references do not credit Brooklands with any Proctor activity!
2. Abbreviations.
Inclusion of abbreviations in the main glossary is extremely patchy. Some which might be included are
BAFO British Air Force of Occupation
CBE Central Bombing Establishment
CGS Central Gunnery School
DVVM Depot Vliegtuigen en Vliegtuigmaterieel* (Aircraft and Air Material Depot, Gilze-Rijen)
HGCU Heavy Glider Conversion Unit
ITS Initial Training School
R&SU Repair & Salvage Unit
RNDA Royal Navy Deposit Account
SU Servicing unit
*‘DVVMII’ should be written as DVVM2; there was no DVVM1
3. Bases
The complementing of unit designations with their bases is most haphazard. Indeed, the common ones are regularly mentioned, whereas the rare ones are invariably not.
Individual aircraft
K201 P6122 from 173 Sq to MECS on 1.4.44 (name change). Ditto HM395 and HM483. HM415 and HM423 were with MECS in 1944 — from MECS ORB
K233 P6174 Clifton was probably Clifton, York, a detachment of 60 MU
K252 P6193 York Stn Flight was probably Clifton
H35 R7534 Bodenplatte — with an ‘e’ at the end
H45 BV545 6337M (not 6537M) 22.5.47.
H275 HM365 Allocation to 1316 Flt (within MCS) was 14.9.44.
Allocation to TransVA (6.46) was at Valkenburg; assigned Leeuwarden 15.1.49.; Leeuwarden depot 12.2.51. awaiting strike-off; to CW II [whatever that was]17.3.51.
K401 Z7212 HCMSU at Honiley 23.6.49. Then back to Turnhouse/66 Gp
H435 LZ663 Dale was a scrappy. No expectation of civilianisation
H565 NP158 assessed at Edzell by Dutch 27.8.46.; delivered Pershore 9.9.46. for acceptance and handover; Langham 10.9.46.; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 27.6.47. and then Gilze-Rizen; Fokker for MI 18.5.49.; returned Gilze-Rijen 13.10.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53.; to Twenthe 17.2.54.
H569 NP162 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. accepted and to Langham same day; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 27.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 6.4.49.; Gilze-Rijen 23.8.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53; Soesterberg 2.2.54.
H573 NP166 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. accepted and to Langham same day; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 1.7.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 20.12.49.; Gilze-Rijen 19.8.50.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53; Soesterberg 2.2.54.
H575 NP168 While Belgian, Cat 3 7.8.51.
H578 NP171 Damage on 10.5.49. was Cat 4
H599 NP192 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; Pershore 16.9.46. accepted and to Langham 17.9.46; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 27.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 17.8.50.; Gilze-Rijen 19.1.51.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 5.2.54.; Leeuwarden 5.2.54.
H609 NP213 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; provisionally rejected; re-tested and accepted 16.9.46. and to Langham date unconfirmed; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 24.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 31.8.50.; Gilze-Rijen 20.2.51.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53.; Eindhoven 28.1.54.
H637 NP241 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; Pershore 24.9.46. accepted and to Langham 25.9.46; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 2.9.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53; Eindhoven 28.1.54
H656 NP272 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; provisionally rejected; re-tested and accepted 16.9.46.; to Pershore 24.9.46.; departed for Langham 25.9.46 but precautionary landing at Bamcote with engine trouble; arrived Langham 29.9.46.; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 1.7..47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker ‘repairs’ 9.9.48.; Gilze-Rijen 15.4.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 16.10.53.; Leeuwarden 5.2.54.
H667 NP283 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; provisionally rejected; re-tested and accepted 16.9.46.; to Langham 29.9.46 via Kirkbride; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Valkenburg 11.7.47.; Gilze-Rijen 24.7.47.; Soesterberg Depot 16.11.51. SoC 16.10.53; Twenthe 17.1.54.
H703 NP332 Was in a scrapyard in Smithy Lane, Staining, Blackpool, in 1965. Also there at the same time was another Proctor that local wisdom had as ‘NP322’ — which was an unassigned serial.
H719 NP348 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. and to Langham; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 24.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 7.12.48.; Gilze-Rijen 6.1.49.; burnt 20.8.51. and awaiting SoC; Soesterberg 21.11.51.; SoC 25.1.52.
H721 NP350 While Belgian, Cat 3 23.4.52.
H731 NP360 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. and to Langham; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Valkenburg 11.7.47.; Fokker MI 6.1.49.; Gilze-Rijen 20.1.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53; SoC 27.10.53.; Eindhoven 23.2.54.
Proctor Additions
General notes:
1. There are numerous mentions of “Brooklands Aviation, Weybridge”.
While I don’t have the full information to hand, I have the gravest doubts about this. The main Brooklands Aviation repair centre was at Sywell – and, most certainly, they repaired Wellingtons there (and Valettas and even Varsity components after WW2, some of the work being done at Little Staughton). I have no recollection of any element of Brooklands Aviation being based at Brooklands (Weybridge) in WW2. Known references give Sywell and Doncaster as Brooklands’ repair bases. That said, the same references do not credit Brooklands with any Proctor activity!
2. Abbreviations.
Inclusion of abbreviations in the main glossary is extremely patchy. Some which might be included are
BAFO British Air Force of Occupation
CBE Central Bombing Establishment
CGS Central Gunnery School
DVVM Depot Vliegtuigen en Vliegtuigmaterieel* (Aircraft and Air Material Depot, Gilze-Rijen)
HGCU Heavy Glider Conversion Unit
ITS Initial Training School
R&SU Repair & Salvage Unit
RNDA Royal Navy Deposit Account
SU Servicing unit
*‘DVVMII’ should be written as DVVM2; there was no DVVM1
3. Bases
The complementing of unit designations with their bases is most haphazard. Indeed, the common ones are regularly mentioned, whereas the rare ones are invariably not.
Individual aircraft
K201 P6122 from 173 Sq to MECS on 1.4.44 (name change). Ditto HM395 and HM483. HM415 and HM423 were with MECS in 1944 — from MECS ORB
K233 P6174 Clifton was probably Clifton, York, a detachment of 60 MU
K252 P6193 York Stn Flight was probably Clifton
H35 R7534 Bodenplatte — with an ‘e’ at the end
H45 BV545 6337M (not 6537M) 22.5.47.
H275 HM365 Allocation to 1316 Flt (within MCS) was 14.9.44.
Allocation to TransVA (6.46) was at Valkenburg; assigned Leeuwarden 15.1.49.; Leeuwarden depot 12.2.51. awaiting strike-off; to CW II [whatever that was]17.3.51.
K401 Z7212 HCMSU at Honiley 23.6.49. Then back to Turnhouse/66 Gp
H435 LZ663 Dale was a scrappy. No expectation of civilianisation
H565 NP158 assessed at Edzell by Dutch 27.8.46.; delivered Pershore 9.9.46. for acceptance and handover; Langham 10.9.46.; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 27.6.47. and then Gilze-Rizen; Fokker for MI 18.5.49.; returned Gilze-Rijen 13.10.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53.; to Twenthe 17.2.54.
H569 NP162 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. accepted and to Langham same day; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 27.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 6.4.49.; Gilze-Rijen 23.8.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53; Soesterberg 2.2.54.
H573 NP166 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. accepted and to Langham same day; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 1.7.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 20.12.49.; Gilze-Rijen 19.8.50.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53; Soesterberg 2.2.54.
H575 NP168 While Belgian, Cat 3 7.8.51.
H578 NP171 Damage on 10.5.49. was Cat 4
H599 NP192 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; Pershore 16.9.46. accepted and to Langham 17.9.46; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 27.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 17.8.50.; Gilze-Rijen 19.1.51.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 5.2.54.; Leeuwarden 5.2.54.
H609 NP213 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; provisionally rejected; re-tested and accepted 16.9.46. and to Langham date unconfirmed; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 24.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 31.8.50.; Gilze-Rijen 20.2.51.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53.; Eindhoven 28.1.54.
H637 NP241 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; Pershore 24.9.46. accepted and to Langham 25.9.46; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 2.9.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 27.10.53; Eindhoven 28.1.54
H656 NP272 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; provisionally rejected; re-tested and accepted 16.9.46.; to Pershore 24.9.46.; departed for Langham 25.9.46 but precautionary landing at Bamcote with engine trouble; arrived Langham 29.9.46.; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 1.7..47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker ‘repairs’ 9.9.48.; Gilze-Rijen 15.4.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53.; SoC 16.10.53.; Leeuwarden 5.2.54.
H667 NP283 tested at High Ercall 10.9.46.; provisionally rejected; re-tested and accepted 16.9.46.; to Langham 29.9.46 via Kirkbride; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Valkenburg 11.7.47.; Gilze-Rijen 24.7.47.; Soesterberg Depot 16.11.51. SoC 16.10.53; Twenthe 17.1.54.
H703 NP332 Was in a scrapyard in Smithy Lane, Staining, Blackpool, in 1965. Also there at the same time was another Proctor that local wisdom had as ‘NP322’ — which was an unassigned serial.
H719 NP348 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. and to Langham; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Twenthe 24.6.47. and then Gilze-Rijen; Fokker MI 7.12.48.; Gilze-Rijen 6.1.49.; burnt 20.8.51. and awaiting SoC; Soesterberg 21.11.51.; SoC 25.1.52.
H721 NP350 While Belgian, Cat 3 23.4.52.
H731 NP360 tested at Edzell 27.8.46.; Pershore 10.9.46. and to Langham; depot Vliegtuigen at Langham with wings folded at census 28.1.47.; to Valkenburg 11.7.47.; Fokker MI 6.1.49.; Gilze-Rijen 20.1.49.; DVVM2 14.9.53; SoC 27.10.53.; Eindhoven 23.2.54.