Duty Pilots - Fighter Squadrons WW2
Posted: Sun 02 Oct, 2016 11:49 pm
What was the role of the Duty Pilot when so assigned on a Fighter Squadron during WW2?
On what basis were Duty Pilots so assigned?
My father a Sgt.Pilot was Duty Pilot with 234 squadron when 'sent up' on his own to join the rest of his flight who had got involved in a scrap with some Me109's. In my research about about aspects of life on the squadron, an ex 'erk' mechanic remembers Flying Officer 'Bertie' Wootten (later Air Commodore) having a close escape from a German bombing raid when he was Duty Pilot at RAF Warmwell in the spring of 1941.
Thanks
John Martin
On what basis were Duty Pilots so assigned?
My father a Sgt.Pilot was Duty Pilot with 234 squadron when 'sent up' on his own to join the rest of his flight who had got involved in a scrap with some Me109's. In my research about about aspects of life on the squadron, an ex 'erk' mechanic remembers Flying Officer 'Bertie' Wootten (later Air Commodore) having a close escape from a German bombing raid when he was Duty Pilot at RAF Warmwell in the spring of 1941.
Thanks
John Martin