Page 82 - Aviation News (February 2020)

Ldr Alexander ‘Sandy’ Maclntyre who, on
One of several 266 Sqn Typhoons to suffer structural failure
was Mk Ib, R7695/ZH-Z, which broke up over Dorset on August 15, led the escort to a ‘Circus’ to
October 24, 1942. 266 Sqn Records via author Guipavas in Brittany. Near the target Fw
190s of JG 2 bounced them and shot down
Maclntyre and Fg Off Fred Biddulph while
Fg Off John Small was killed by flak. In a
bad day, Flt Sgt Derek Erasmus’ claim of the
Focke Wulf that had shot down the OC was
little consolation. Sqn Ldr Peter ‘Pip’ Lefevre
took over as offensive flying increased. The
squadron moved to Harrowbeer, Devon
on September 21 and, when the ‘Jabos’
returned on October 15, two sections
scrambled from there. Two Fw 190As from
NAGr 13 flown by Oblts Volmar Klein and
Herbert Sell were brought down. The first
although in fact the victim was the first of by structural problems. In early January 1943, fell to Fg Off Norman Lucas who shared the
the new Messerschmitt Me 210s to fall to 266 Sqn moved further west to Exeter in other with Sgt Dougal Drummond.
the RAF. In the same area four days later, Flt Devon. On the 10th when, off Teignmouth, The squadron now switched completely
Lt Tony Johnson claimed another Me 210, Fg Off John Small in R8937/ZH-L splashed to offensive operations over occupied
VN+AV of Erp Gr 210. a Fw 190 fighter-bomber of 10./JG 2 flown Europe and in November began carrying
by Fw Joachim von Bitter. Another of these bombs on its Typhoons for fighter-bomber
DEADLY MISTAKE difficult targets fell to Fg Off Monty Bell on work. Brittany and the western Channel
On August 19, the Duxford Typhoon Wing the 26th. Patrols continued and exactly a remained the squadron’s patch and on
supported Operation Jubilee, the attack month later, nine Fw 190s of 10./JG 2 were December 1, eight Typhoons of 266 were off
on Dieppe in Normandy, initially escorting spotted low over the sea after attacking the Ile de Groix when Fg Off Peter Blackwell
a spoof raid. They later flew a sweep off Exmouth. Sqn Ldr Green in Typhoon in JP906/ZH-L shot down a minesweeping
the French coast where they engaged a EJ924/ZH-G closed on one, which he hit Ju 52. Later in the sortie a Ju 88 was shot
“The pace of operations quickened in the first months of 1944 with escorts and anti-shipping attacks being made over France.”

formation of Dornier Do 217s of KG 2, one before blasting a second, which blew up down. Norman Lucas combined with Fg Off
of which fell to Flt Lt Rowland ‘Rolo’ Dawson under the Typhoon’s formidable fire; the Waldo Mollett to destroy another Ju 52 in
in R7815. Two Focke Wulf Fw 190s were damaged Focke Wulf was finished off by Sgt this area on the 30th.
claimed as probably destroyed, but 20-year- Thompson. No.266 was in action again on The pace of operations quickened in
old Rhodesian Plt Off Wilf Smithyman was March 13 when some Fw 190s of 5/SKG10 the first months of 1944 with escorts and
lost and then, over the Channel, some were intercepted south of Start Point. Flying anti-shipping attacks being made over
Spitfires mistook the Typhoons for Fw 190s EJ932/ZH-N, Flt Lt Johnny Deall destroyed France and several more enemy aircraft
and Dawson was shot down and killed. one and shared a second with Sgt (later destroyed, though 266 was now primarily a
A month later, Green led 266 west to Fg Off) D S Eadie, though these were the ground-attack squadron. It suffered a great
Warmwell, Dorset, to counter Luftwaffe last victories for some time as the attacks blow on February 6 when ‘Pip’ Lefevre, an
‘tip and run’ raids on south coast towns. reduced. As the summer progressed some outstanding OC, was shot down and killed
Sections were held on alert to counter the offensive sorties to France were flown with during a shipping attack off the Aber Wrac’h
intruders and standing patrols were flown a consequent increase in losses, often to estuary in Brittany; he was replaced by Sqn
on occasions, although with little to show deadly enemy light flak. Ldr Joe Holmes on the 9th. That day near
for some time. To add to the squadron’s In early July, the ebullient Charles Green Évreux in Normandy, Fg Off Lucas and Fg
frustrations the Typhoons were still plagued was replaced by another Rhodesian Sqn Off John Miller shot down a Dornier Do 24
flying boat. Later on the sortie near Chartres,
Derek Erasmus claimed a Messerschmitt
Bf 109 though it was in fact ex-French
Dewoitine D.520 No 483 of JG 105 flown by
Uffz Wendelin Woll who was killed. The next
day during a ‘Rodeo’ (a sweep over enemy
territory looking for targets of opportunity)
to the Brétigny-Paris area Flt Lt Johnny Deall
in JR135 downed a Ju 88 and Fg Off Don
McGibbon three ex-French Yale trainers in
a very successful mission. However, 266
suffered a severe blow on February 15 when
chasing a group of Ju 88s – the Typhoons
flew over Lannion airfield, Brittany and three
were shot down by the flak.
During March the squadron moved
several times, arriving on the 23rd at
Tangmere, West Sussex, where it joined the
2nd Tactical Air Force (TAF) in preparation
for the invasion of France. In early April, it
After climbing out of Typhoon Ib, JP906/ZH-L, at Harrowbeer on October 15, 1943, Fg Off moved to the advanced landing ground at
Norman Lucas (third from left) describing how he had just shot down two Fw 190 raiders. P H T Needs Oar Point, Hampshire alongside 193,
Green Collection 197 and 257 Squadrons to form 146 Airfield

80 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2020

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