AVM James Robb - Percival Q6 Flights
Robb, Logbook No 13
30 Jun 41. Q6 1.35. Hooton – Nutts Corner + Sqn Ldr Jessop, AC Neale + 2. Weather thick over Irish Sea. Compass needs swinging. Cruising 135. Elevator control poor when landing, buffetting takes place.
First Q6 Trip, 18 Jun 41 (Robb / RAF Museum)
30 Jun 41. Q6 1.00. Nutts Corner – Hooton. Return via LARNE and PORT PATRICK (look-out station to be circled at each place until white flag seen) came into HOOTON from N which is unpleasant in thick weather – too near the balloons. Ac again vibrated on landing – at speeds of 90 or below.
5 Jun 41. Q6 1.10. Hooton – Wyton + Sgt Rowall, AC Dean, AC Neale. 4500’. Excellent visibility, no wind. To see 2 Group and Lord S.
5 Jun 41. Q6 1.25. Wyton – Hooton. Return. Weather starting to deteriorate in W. Still vibration and loss of elevator control in final stages of landing.
11 Jul 41. Q6 2.35 Hooton – IOM Galloway – Hooton + Sqn Ldr Jessop, Sgt Keith, LAC Woodman. Set out for Limavady but found warm front running through IOM. Clouds down to Sea Level. Went North to LUCE BAY but conditions over N Channel just as bad. Returned via St BEES.
11 Jul 41. Q6 .25. Hooton. Testing landing methods owing to difficulty of doing normal landing, due to lack of elevator control when flaps down and engine off. In order to do good landing, throttle should not be closed until wheels are on, or a few inches off, the ground.
17 Jul 41. Q6 1 hr 30. Hooton – Aldergrove 4000’ + Sqn Ldr Jessop, Sgt Rowell, AC Woodman. Visiting Aldergrove and 254 (Hoskins) and 233 (Kidd). Good trip. Excellent weather and visibility.
17 Jul 41. Q6 1 hr 30. Aldergove – Hooton + F/O Whiting 233. Low clouds and rain on leaving Irish coast for 70 miles. Improved over N Wales & Wirral.
19 Jul 41. Q6. 1 hr 45 min Limavady – Hooton + Cdr J Broome, Wg Cdr Briggs + 2. Returning from exercises in HMS BROKE – Cdr Couchman, Lt Peter Scott, first Lieut (?). Excellent weather until 10 miles from Rhyl. Heavy rain over Hooton. Waited 15 mins until worst was over.
9 Aug 41. Q6. Hooton – West Freugh + Sqn Ldr Jessop, Sgt Rowell, LAC Woodman. Visiting STRANRAER. Direct from Point of Air to IOM. Good visibility, calm. Took photos of gannets, shags etc on SCAR ROCKS at entrance to LUCE BAY and bird cliffs on MULL of GALLOWAY. Viewed ????????? WIG BAY – half finished and American scheme started on E side of LOCH RYAN.
9 Aug 41. Q6. West Freugh – Hooton. Owing Met forecast of early approach of front, curtailed visit. Actually, front was further away than anticipated and vis. again v.good. Returned via St BEES and corssed coast at SOUTHPORT. Large numbers herring gulls, red sandstone cliffs at St Bees and B.headed still in large numbers at RAVENGLASS (sand dunes).
16 Aug 41. Q6. 1 hr 30 min. Hooton – Aldergrove + Sqn Ldr Jessop, Sgt Rowell, AC Deane. Occ showers. Vis good. Land A for petrol and to meet Gp Capt Bentley & Wg Cdr LeMay (?)
16 Aug 41. Q6. 40 min. Aldergrove – St Angelo (ROSSALLY). To visit Lough Erne and 240 Sqn. StA originally for MAP but being completed for fighters. One runway finished.
16 Aug 41. Catalina. 35 mins. Sqn Ldr Clayton + Robb + 5. First flight in Catalina, inspecting sites of American F/B bases and approaches to the Lough.
16 Aug 41. Q6. 1 hr 40 mins. St Angelo – Hooton. Wind across the runway, swing started twice so went to other end where hill gave a lee. No trouble. Occ showers again but vis extreme. N.Wales seen shortly after crossing Irish coast – distance 80 miles.
3 Oct 41. Flies Speke – Reykjavik in a 224 Sqn Hudson flown by Fg Off Flynn & Fg Off Wright.
6 Oct 41. Flies himself & Sqn Ldr Jessop to Kaldadarnes in a Moth to inspect station (Gp Capt Daddo-Langlois) and 269 Sqn (Wg Cdr Kelly). 30 min outbound; 1 hr 30 min return leg via GULL FOSS, GEYSIR and THINGVELLER, to obtain photos of the two main centres of tourist interest in Iceland: “Weather Excellent. Very interesting flight over new country”.
Returned from Iceland in HMS Keppel (Cdr E J Broome RN), escorting convoy HK152.
HMS Keppel
13 Oct 41 Limavady – Speke in a 224 Sqn Hudson flown by Fg Off Pomeroy & Fg Off Knowles.
21 Oct 41. Q6. 1 hr Hooton – Millom + Jessop, Lt Cdr McCulloch + 2. To Barrow-in-Furness to see U-Boat captured by 269 Sqn. Landed at MILLOM – Nav & AG School, Gp Capt Wray, Wg Cdr Scott, Sqn Ldr Bell – ex 502.
U-570, after its surrender to a Kaldadarnes-based 269 Sqn Hudson, flown by Sqn Ldr James Thompson (IWM)
21 Oct 41. Q6. 50 min Millom – Hooton; return journey. Wind had abated.
22 Oct 41. Q6. 1 hr 30 min Carnarvon; Jessop + 3. Local Flight; photography of Conway. Menai Strait etc. Snowdon in cloud.
23 Oct 41. Q6. 1 hr 30 min @6000’ Hooton – St Angelo + Rowell / Woodman. To visit Lough Erne and 201 (Wg Cdr Abram) and 240 (Wg Cdr Clayton). Weather excellent with few clouds, good vis. Landed on No2 runway at St Angelo where Wg Cdr Manton now commanding.
23 Oct 41. Q6. 45 mins @1000’ St Angelo – Nutts Corner. To see Gp Capt Pritchett and 120 (Wg Cdr McBratney). Met Gates, Harrison, ???? etc. Bulloch who got U-Boat and attacked F/W on 22nd day off.
24 Oct 41. Q6. 1 hr 35 min @5000’ Nutts Corner – Hooton. Return, weather good but cloudy over Irish Sea, v thick Mersey and Dee areas.
27 Oct 41. Q6. 40 mins Hooton – Rhyl + Gp Capt Hill + 3. Local flying. Drizzle and low clouds over land. Hundreds of oyster catchers in Dee estuary.
1 Nov 41. Q6. 2 hrs Hooton – Limavady + Sgt Rowell / LAC Woodman. To visit BALLYKELLY (Gp Capt Hurley) and LIMAVADY (Gp Capt Ogilvie-Forbes). V thick haze at Hooton but after Point of Air weather v good calm, good vis. Stayed night Londonderry with Capt Ruck-Keene (CT note: must be Philip R-K)
2 Nov 41. Q6. 35 min Limavady – Aldergrove. To see Gp Capt Hampton and progress being made with new runways.
2 Nov 41. Q6. 1 hr 30 min Aldergrove – Hooton + Wg Cdr Russell + crew. Occasional heavy rain – storms but vis good over Irish Sea and reasonable in Liverpool area.
15 Nov 41. Q6. 1 hr 40 @4000’ Hooton-Holyhead + Sqn Ldr Jessop + LAC Hill x 2. To take photos of SNOWDON but again foiled by cloud. Inspected aerodromes at LLANDROG (CARNARVON), BODORGAN and VALLEY. Great numbers of Shelduck and Oyster Catchers in Dee Estuary.
25 Nov 41. Q6. I hr 40 @6000’ Hooton – Port Madoc – Barmouth – Bala + Sqn Ldr Jessop + 2. Another attempt to get photos of SNOWDON but again in cloud. Jessop took many others, clouds, St ??????, Harlech etc. Very clear day. Passed over aerodrome at LLANBEDR near HARLECH.
28 Nov 41. Q6. 1 hr 20 @6000’ Hooton – Snowdon + 3. Unable to fly Aldergrove due fog in NI. Very calm. Liverpool smoke over Hooton and Speke. Clear over sea & N.Wales. Flew around top of Snowdon. No light for photographs.
5 Dec 41. Q6. 1 hr. Hooton – Southport + Sgt Rowell / LAC Woodman. Took off for W.FREUGH to meet 228 Sqn at STRANRAER but entered front at Knowsley. Conditions got worse and at Formby clouds down to ground level.
8 Dec 41. Q6. 1 hr 40 min Hooton – Aldergrove + Sgt Rowell / LAC Woodman. Headwind and some rain but visibility fairly good. Only stopped one hour owing to threat of weather closing down with front approaching.
8 Dec 41. Q6. 2 hrs Aldergrove – Hooton. Rain had started and clouds on ground on direct route but managed to get through via LARNE. Large flocks of oystercatchers on coast between Ravenglass and Southport. Mallard and Shelduck in Ribble estuary.
16 Dec 41. Q6. 1 hr 40 min Hooton – IOM – West Freugh + Plt Off Hull, Sgt Rowell, LAC Goodman. To meet 228 Sqn (Wg Cdr Brookes) recently returned from West Africa. With Gp Capt Cliff (?) to inspect new site. Came direct route. Wind 30-35. Occ showers.
16 Dec 41. Q6. 1 hr 15 min West Freugh – Hooton. Return via St BEES HEAD and down coast. Some heavy hail showers and as usual v thick in Liverpool area.
5 Jan 42. Q6. 50 min Hooton local + Hill & Neale. Fresh air flight but cut short owing to usual lack of visibility over the Wirral – due to Liverpool smoke.
9 Jan 42. Q6. 2 hrs 15 min Hooton – Islay + Sqn ldr Jessop, Sgt Rowell, LAC Woodman. Via, IOM, Mull of Galloway, Mull of Kintyre. Headwind of 20-25 but excellent visibility. Took photos of SCAR ROCKS (LUCE BAY) and WIG BAY. To inspect GLENEGEDALE and BOWMORE commanded by Gp Capt Parkhurst.
9 Jan 42. Q6. 1 hr 55 min Islay – Hooton. Return. Conditions still good but more cloud. V large flock of oystercatchers on sandbank off HESTON (on DEE).
4 Jan 42. Q6. 45 min Hooton-Conway + Jessop + 2. To get photos St Tudwal’s islands but turned back owing bad weather approaching from West. Hooton under snow, only small strip available for landing.
10 Feb 42. Q6. 1 hr 45 min Hooton – Nutts Corner; Crew Sgt Rowell, LAC Woodman. Strong headwind. Sea crossing took 1 hr 10. Overcast and showers.
11 Feb 42. Q6. 45 min St Angelo – Ballykelly. By road Belfast – St Angelo.. Wg Cdr McBratney (?) flew Q6. Visiting Americans at Killadeas then on to Lough Erne. In afternoon by air to BK (Gp Capt Hurley).
12 Feb 42. Q6. 1 hr 30 mins Ballykelly – Silloth. Strong winds & v.cloudy. Via Larne & Port Patrick. Called up by Commordore of OS19 who wanted position of Belfast position. Gave it. Ran into front, heavy rain S of Burrow Head and made for Silloth (Gp Capt Jock Halley (?))
12 Feb 42. Q6. 1 hr Silloth – Hooton. Gale force in gusts at take off but better after St Bees. Vis good. Track St Bees to Southport.
14 Feb 42. Q6. 30 mins Hooton – High Ercall + Sqn Ldr Jessop & crew. Cancelled proposed visit GCFS owing to bad visibility and decided to visit Shawbury instead. Runways under construction and in thick haze landed High Ercall (3 min away) by mistake.
14 Feb 42. Q6. 20 min High Ercall – Shawbury. Gp Capt Flynn & Sqn Ldr S-????, SFTS – Oxfords.
14 Feb 42. Q6. 1 hr 20 min @6000’ Shawbury – Hooton. Return via Snowdon & Caernarvon. Snow lying about 2000’ level. Continuous Str-Cu over North Wales. Good vis. North Wales coast.
26 Feb 42. Q6. 2 hr 15 min Hooton – Tiree + Sgt Rowell, LAC Goodman. Long delayed visit (through weather) to Western Isles. Vis still bad at Hooton and very thick over sea up to I of Uran (?). Climbed above it. First visit to Tiree (Gp Capt Tuttle – later Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Tuttle) – station not finished but aerodrome excellent.
27 Feb 42. Q6. 40 min Tiree – Benbecula. First visit to B (Sqn Ldr Ford). Station unfinished but aerodrome good. Strong wind blowing.
27 Feb 42. Q6. 35 min. Benbecula – Stornoway + crew. Wind up to gale force and had to take off across runway. Gale from South. In Harris and Lewis waterfalls over coastal cliffs were blown into spray before reaching sea. Met on landing by Gp Capt L R Briggs.
1 Mar 42. Q6. 1 hr 45 min. Stornoway – Islay + crew. Return delayed owing bad weather in South. Extreme vis over first part of flight. Snow level down to 700 feet on hills. Came E of Skye, over EIGG. Over TOBERMORY through I of MULL to CONNEL (landing ground nearly finished) looked at ACHNACLOICH then OBAN and past JURA to ISLAY.
1 Mar 42. Q6. 2 hr 5 min. Islay – Hooton + crew. Landed for petrol, met CO (Gp Capt Pankhurst) End of good weather. Now bumpy and vis deteriorating. Passed through diffuse warm front between CAMPBELTOWN and I of M. Patches of stratus, various heights and poor vis but no rain. After I of M clear above but vis reduced to under 1000 yards for long stretches.
14 Mar 42. Q6. 2 hrs. Hooton – Bardsey Is + Jessop & crew. Thick haze as usual at Hooton. Far side of aerodrome obscured at take off. Took photographs of Snowdon but consider too much cloud. Went on to St Tudwals Islands to photograph submerged reef at request of James Fisher. Not seen but obvious burrows seen of guillemots or puffins. Also large no of gulls. Had a look at BARDSEY – all cultivated on N side.
27 Mar 42. Appointed Deputy Chief of Combined Operations (Chief was Lord Louis Mountbatten).
7 Apr – flew Stinson from Hendon to test for suitability as AOP.
2 Apr – Vega – Wyton & Back.
14 Apr 42. Q6. 35 min Hendon – Netheravon + Brig Lushington [Godfrey Edward Wildman-Lushington RM?] & crew. To see Airborne Division demonstration. Parachutists, gliders, tugs and equipment. Demo attack with smoke cover took place at Everleigh.
14 Apr 42. Stinson Vigilant. 15 min. Netheravon. Test of Stinson ‘V’ as Air OP flown from landing craft. ‘V’ is on lines of old HP G?????? – fully slotted wing. Weight 3250lbs with pilot. Observer and W/T. Excellent view, gets off in 35-40 yds in still air but is unmanageable in in wind strength ignored by other modern aircraft.
14 Apr 42. Q6. 45 min Netheravon – Hendon. Return. Headwind. Hazy (?) but weather on the whole excellent.
