This page is likely to be updated as new information comes to light.
The photograph shows the distinctive black/white markings used for
identification purposes, as to some people Typhoons resembled FW190's!
Prior
to 'D' Day additional invasion stripes were added.
'JED' later went to 164 and 257 squadrons and finally to 57 O.T.U. before being 'Struck off charge' in June 1945. The photograph taken by Ken, at Ludham, Norfolk, before the move to Fairlop.
Photographs on this page are reproduced with kind permission of Kenneth Trott.
He considered JED to be his personal
aircraft
and decorated it with a 'popeye' motif!
The original artwork drawn on RAF notepaper used by groundcrew who painted it on the engine cowling.
The complete swastika underneath was used to get the
proportion right and not used on 'JED'.
Not to be outdone, his C/O Donald Taylor
painted Donald Duck on his Typhoon.
Ken and his fellow
pilots were quartered in the mess at Hainault Lodge, at the eastern end of
Forest Road on Hog Hill.
Whilst at Fairlop he was invited to visit the Plessey factory in Ilford where
they made cartridge starters for Sabre engines, used on Typhoons.
He went underground at Gants Hill to see the Plessey Engineering workshops in a newly completed tunnel,
later to become the Underground extension to Hainault.
He also visited the Napier Sabre Factory at Acton, to see engines being made and tested.
He was ordered to report to the M.T. Section for driving lessons, as all
pilots were required to be able to drive a motor vehicle.
Whilst Ken was
entrusted with a Typhoon and quite able to fly it, he was not qualified to drive!
He started off in a Bedford truck driving around the perimeter track and
having mastered the controls, his instructor allowed him out onto the highway
and on to Ilford Broadway.
Ken says it was quite useful to be about ten feet
of the ground and see all that was going on!
Extract of Kens operations with 195 Squadron from RAF Fairlop
| Date | Details of Operation |
|---|---|
| 20 October 1943 | Battle formation and Rendevous |
| 22 October | Fairlop to Manston. - flying time 30 minutes. Withdrawal escort to 36 Bostons. Light flak going in and no enemy aircraft seen. - 1 hour 20 minutes Manston to Fairlop - 30 minutes |
| 24 October | Fairlop to Coltishall - 30 minutes Air Sea Rescue Escort to Walrus 1 Marauder ditched. 1 Body picked up. Aircraft seen ditched in shallow water |
| 25 October | Coltishall to Fairlop - 30 minutes |
| 7 November | Fairlop to Manston. - 30 minutes. Escort to 3 Squadron (Typhoon F/B) |
| 9 November | Manston to Fairlop- 30 minutes |
| 11 November | Fairlop to Manston. -30 minutes Escort to Typhoon F/B. |
| 1 December | Manston to Fairlop- 30 minutes Fairlop to Manston. - 30 minutes |
| 15 December | Operation Rhubarb -1 hour |
| 19 December | To Hutton Cranswick (25 miles east of York) Air firing. |
| 3 January 1944 | Return to Fairlop -40 minutes |
| 9 January | Operation Rhubarb - 1hour. |
| 23 January | Dive bombing (France) - 55 minutes |
| 25 January | Dive bombing (France) - 1 hour |
| 29 January | Dive bombing (France) - 1 hour 5 minutes,. |
| February | 195 Squadron disbanded. Joined 197 Squadron at Tangmere. |
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