Highball trials unit-where?

Not convinced that these photos are at Turnberry/Prestwick, there seems to be a lot of foliage behind the hut/aircraft for a coastal site? So could very well be East Anglia?

There were many trials of Highball, some of which are mentioned on other threads (eg in Scotland).

Concentrating on three matters mentioned here, Highball trials continued after WW2 in the UK under the code name of Card. I regret I have no further details. Remember that Upkeep was secret until the late 1950s and Brickhill's book, The Dam Busters, says nothing of how the bomb worked.

The Beccles trials were part of the hectic work-up for the Far East deployment and continued in parallel with attacks on HMS Malaya in Loch Striven and the issue of live mines by 28 MU at Buxton. 618 Squadron established a detachment at Beccles on 23 August 1944 and a record dated 15 September notes that all the squadron’s crews had been practising on a range at Wells-next-the-Sea for several days and had made 105 drops using 68 stores (some recovered and used again).

A dummy aircraft carrier deck was marked on the runway at Beccles during this time for maintaining currency (real carrier trials of the Mosquito simultaneously taking place from Renfrew aboard HMS Implaccable). There was also a target marked at the end of the Beccles runway for “checking ranges” which I take to mean for determining the exact point of weapon release.

During this time (15 September), Mosquito PZ295 swung on take-off at North Coates, its reason for being there going unrecorded.

Also as part of the work-up, 10 pilots went to RNAS Crail on 16 July 1944 for carrier deck experience on Barracudas off Rothesay, using HMS Rajah. That could explain the presence of RN officers in the photographs in Post 1.

The Spilsby ORB records that on 9 April 1946 - "RNAS detachment of two Mosquitos arrives".

It then states that on 25 April 1946 - "Detachment of two aircraft returned to RAF Eastmoor".

However, the station's Easter stand-down took place between 18 and 22 April, which would not have left much time for any trials flying.

One wonders if the pics might have been taken at Spilsby.

Further thoughts on my recent post.

Reference Post 17 and the accident to Mosquito DZ579/G on 25 October 1945, this aircraft was prepared for service in the Far East with 618 Squadron, and although delivered to the squadron on 11 September 1944 it was not shipped abroad. Instead, it was assigned to 27 MU on 18 November 1944 then Vickers on 18 December. As John says, it went to MAEE.

At least two Mossies were used for Card trials post-war, being TR33s TW228 and TW230/G. The TR33 had a solid nose, so these are not in the photographs opening this thread. However, they would be prime candidates for WJT’s Spilsby reference -- and handy for Wells-next-the-Sea range. (Earlier Highball trials here had been against HMS Malaya, which was by then decommissioned for “bombarding duties”. She was sold in 1948 so may have still been at Wells for Card trials.)

DZ579 should have windscreen wipers, which were a Far East mod. It is difficult to see if the photographed aircraft is thus equipped. It would also have had a hook and armoured windscreen.

With most of the Highball aircraft in Australia during 1945, the only ones remaining in the UK at the end of the war were:
DZ471/G Vickers
DZ530/G possibly extant
DZ541 became 6500M
DZ543 fate unknown (FE mods, but no later record)

That does not leave many spare glass-nosed Mossies as candidates. But, there again, it is difficult to see whether the aircraft in the picture has Highball mods.

I have now had the opportunity to track the two Card aircraft’s histories in a back edition of the BARG publication, Roundel. It should be added that they were unusual in having non-folding wings, as did the first 13 in the batch beginning TW227.

TW228
Delivered (from Leavesden to) Culham 30.11.45; then Vickers at Wisley 17.12.45 for special installation; "YG added 17.7.46" -- the meaning of which eludes me.
MAEE 4.9.46. for trials with a special installation, being based at Coningsby.
To Gosport (undated and surmised ATDU); then Vickers at Weybridge for removal of special installation.
To Stretton 23.8.46 (surely wrong date; perhaps 1947) until at least 7.49. With de Havilland by 1.50.; Lossiemouth holding unit 5.11.52., then sold to R. A. Short 31.8.53.

TW230/G
Culham 11.45.;Vickers at Wisley 1.3.46. for special installation; "YG addded 17.7.46.";
MAEE 4.9.46.for trials with a special installation, being based at Coningsby.
ATDU at Gosport undated; Cat B due to overshooting on landing on 4.12.47.
To Fleetlands 11.12.47. and disposed of

The Spilsby detachment was in April 1946 – supposedly from MAEE and while these two aircraft were on Vickers’ charge. That said, they were not necessarily in pieces at Wisley, just on charge to Vickers; they could still have flown from Spilsby on trials by the company, overseen by MAEE. That, or the Spilsby venture involved other aircraft, some possibilities listed above.

In that connection, I mentioned ex Highball aircraft DZ541 in my previous post. Its assignment of 6500M was on 5.1.48. and it went to Yatesbury for ground instruction from – interestingly – Vickers at Wisley (together with KB681/6498M).

Thus, from the aircraft histories, it seems that interest in Card/Highball had palled by the end of 1947, that according with the date of disbandment of the Coningsby detachment mentioned in Post 5 in this thread.

Further, BARG gives the code name of the follow-on system as Cord, whereas I have relied on Sharpe & Bowyer's Mosquito book for the name Card.

Hi Kevin: An enthralling story.

A look at the Air Britain 'Bases' CD shows nothing about any MAEE detachment to Coningsby in 1946/7. This is curious, because the Air Britain 'RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912" shows that a "Highball Trials Flight" arrived at Spilsby on 1 April 46, moving to Coningsby on 1 June 46. The unit is shown as remaining at Coningsby until 7 November 47.

Interestingly, the latter book two aircraft serial numbers are quoted, TW228 and PZ281. I think that the latter serial has not yet been under the spotlight.

However, I wonder about the accuracy of the latter document. There is the specific statement in the Spilsby ORB about the two Mosquitos departing to Eastmoor [sic] on 25 April and the station itself soon closed and was placed on care and maintenance. Perhaps that is where the 1 June date comes from. That said, the 540 grinds to a halt with the last entry dated 26 April - which leaves plenty of time for a Mossy or two to return.

Therefore, the only new thing to arise from the Air Britain documents is an additional serial - PZ281. I will see what I can find on that.

Bill

Edit: Sharp & Bowyer show PZ281 built at Hatfield as a FB VI with Merlin 25 engines and allocated to Vickers 16 April 45 to 12 March 48 for Highball development. They credit PZ281 as the first aircraft to undertake trials using Higball together with bombs and guns, making it an 'extremely potent weapon'.

Thanks for that, WJT -- I think we are getting somewhere.

There's an "elephant in the room" which none of us seems to have commented upon:

Surely, we are describing the hand-over of Highball from the RAF to the FAA....except that the latter seems to have decided, eventually, that it did not want it after all.

The FAA, if it had any sense, would have employed some RAF know-how to get it started. Could that be the reason for the mixture of personnel in the opening photograph of this thread? Not the Navy showing the RAF how to land a Mossie on a carrier; but the RAF showing the Navy how to deliver Highball?

Hi Kevin: Interesting lateral thinking there, but .......... On looking again at the original photos we seem to have only a small number of FAA people - the majority are wearing RAF uniform. Might that suggest an early stage of the transition?

Kevin wrote:

I have now had the opportunity to track the two Card aircraft’s histories in a back edition of the BARG publication, Roundel. It should be added that they were unusual in having non-folding wings, as did the first 13 in the batch beginning TW227.

TW228
Delivered (from Leavesden to) Culham 30.11.45; then Vickers at Wisley 17.12.45 for special installation; "YG added 17.7.46" -- the meaning of which eludes me.
MAEE 4.9.46. for trials with a special installation, being based at Coningsby.
To Gosport (undated and surmised ATDU); then Vickers at Weybridge for removal of special installation.
To Stretton 23.8.46 (surely wrong date; perhaps 1947) until at least 7.49. With de Havilland by 1.50.; Lossiemouth holding unit 5.11.52., then sold to R. A. Short 31.8.53.

TW230/G
Culham 11.45.;Vickers at Wisley 1.3.46. for special installation; "YG addded 17.7.46.";
MAEE 4.9.46.for trials with a special installation, being based at Coningsby.
ATDU at Gosport undated; Cat B due to overshooting on landing on 4.12.47.
To Fleetlands 11.12.47. and disposed of

The Spilsby detachment was in April 1946 – supposedly from MAEE and while these two aircraft were on Vickers’ charge. That said, they were not necessarily in pieces at Wisley, just on charge to Vickers; they could still have flown from Spilsby on trials by the company, overseen by MAEE. That, or the Spilsby venture involved other aircraft, some possibilities listed above.

In that connection, I mentioned ex Highball aircraft DZ541 in my previous post. Its assignment of 6500M was on 5.1.48. and it went to Yatesbury for ground instruction from – interestingly – Vickers at Wisley (together with KB681/6498M).

Thus, from the aircraft histories, it seems that interest in Card/Highball had palled by the end of 1947, that according with the date of disbandment of the Coningsby detachment mentioned in Post 5 in this thread.

Further, BARG gives the code name of the follow-on system as Cord, whereas I have relied on Sharpe & Bowyer's Mosquito book for the name Card.

I am wondering if the "YG installation" refers to the fitting of the H2S bombing radar as p363 of the Sharp and Bowyer "Mosquito" history refers to "...two Y aircraft (H2S machines).....attacked Nuremburg" in reference to 139 Squadron.

WJT;144175 wrote:

Hi Kevin: Interesting lateral thinking there, but .......... On looking again at the original photos we seem to have only a small number of FAA people - the majority are wearing RAF uniform. Might that suggest an early stage of the transition?

Fair point, WJT. I note on one of the photographs that a naval officer is holding a dog. Perhaps unlikely that the hound would have been taken on deployment, so it may be that the FAA chaps are 'at home' and the RAF is visiting their base.