The last flight of the Hamilcar Glider.

[Jenks]

From my Dads Jottings..

THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE HAMILCAR GLIDER?

The last GPR# unit to fly Hamilcars was a flight from “B” squadron based at Netheravon, which was detached to RAF Fairford. #Glider Pilot Regiment#

All Hamilcar flying except for the odd demo finished in 1948 and the flight rejoined the squadron at Netheravon. I believe all the heavy stuff for the Airborne Forces was to be dropped by parachute. The RAF were testing what was called a “Paratechnicon” which was a large box dropped and supported by 2 or 3 very large parachutes, with a large bag under which filled with air on the way down and acted as a cushion on impact. There was talk of dropping complete infantry platoons, which no doubt was not popular with the PBI.

At this time when a Hamilcar was required for a demo the only pilot in current practice was a taciturn Yorkshireman named Sergeant Stephenson who went to Abingdon on occasions - Abingdon being the Air Transport and Development Centre. There were two NCO glider pilots permanently based there but they were mainly concerned with glider snatch.

To come to how I became involved was the fact that “Steve” was due for demob and at that time I was the only pilot who was PQ (Passenger Qualified). To be PQ required so many tows on gliders plus a certain number of hours in light aircraft in the previous month - almost impossible with the sparse amount of flying available to the whole GPR. I was delighted to go with Steve to RAF Little Rissington and collect a Hamilcar from the MU. The senior fitter told us that most of the remaining gliders were u/s due to glue deterioration, which could only be detected by “smell”.

The trip to Abingdon counted as 20 minutes dual plus a further take-off from Abingdon for a 2000’ release which was a further 20 minutes and then a solo trip. I managed a further solo 4 hours 20 minutes before a demo for the School of Land/Air Warfare plus others.

This demo, which I claim as the last flight of the Hamilcar, was on 9th October 1950: Tom Pearce was my co-pilot.

The load to be carried was a bulldozer plus two sappers who after landing in front of the spectators were to drive out and away. The load was I believe a max AUW of 36000 lbs, the tare weight of the aircraft being 18000 lbs which I reckon made the Hamilcar the most efficient load-lifter in service. The Hamilcar was not allowed to fly empty but carried a ballast box weighing 8000 lbs for training or ferry.

The briefing was simply a 2000’ release downwind to release on command from the tug pilot via a telephone cable running through the rope (in the event of intercom failure a green light from the astrodome) to land in front of spectators, turn 90 degrees towards them, slide down from the cockpit, undo the door. Things didn’t go according to plan (do they ever?).

Take-off seemed to be normal, followed by a turn at low level (nothing like the briefing and no contact with the tug, a shallow dive towards the ATC and a low pass over the field. For a short while I thought the tug was having trouble but we then climbed round for what I thought was a downwind release. I was expecting a green to release but all I got was a flashing white Aldis light. Deciding not to pull off until I could sort myself out (Tom was equally perplexed) we suddenly cottoned on that they were sending Morse much faster than I could read, especially when flying a strange aircraft. The next time round I pulled off and, not knowing anything was amiss, made a smooth landing and turned 90 degrees and came to a standstill, and leaving the aircraft was amazed to find the starboard undercarriage was missing (it had fallen off on take-off). The sappers hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

After this trip I didn’t fly a glider again and was posted to Middle Wallop for Auster flying. I note from my log book that I gave “Bomber” (O.W.) Harris a PQ check in a Horsa on the same date (9th October 1950). Was this also a last?

[ovenpaa]

Nice write up, thank you for posting it Jenks, I just love things like this. I had to Google the Hamilcar Glider, they were huge things!