Brithish seaplane combat victories

[alan peacock]

I have been looking through the Forum archives for info. on
seaplane combat victories.
Has anyone any info. on British seaplane pilot victories, did any
pilot achieve 'ace' status on seaplanes ?
Any info. appreciated.

Alan.

[TomVrille]

Greetings alan

Some notable victories were scored by Brititsh seaplanes against German airships, contributing to the establishment of air supremacy over the North Sea. On 14 May 1917, a Curtiss H-12 'Large America' flying boat intercepted the L-22 off Terschelling Light Vessel around 0500 hrs. The airship was on a mine-spotting patrol, and was only at an altitude of some 3000 ft. The H-12, piloted by FSL robert Leckie with co-pilot J. O. Galpin, was at 6000 ft when the target was sighted. The H-12 dove on the airship, firing incendiary bullets, and the L-22 fell in flames. Leckie and Galpin both received the DSO for this action, and the two ratings on board were decorated as well.

Leckie and Galpin also engaged the L-40 on 24 May and 5 June, but in these encounters the airship had an initial altitude advantage, and was able to climb quickly out of range. On 14 June, however, the L-43 was patrolling over minesweepers roughly 40 miles north of Terschelling at below 2000 ft. The airship was engaged by an H-12 flown by FSL B. D. Hobbs and R. F. Dickey, who dove on the L-43 and sent it down in flames.

In response to this harassment by flying boats, a minimum patrolling altitude of 13,000 ft was established for airships operating over the Heligoland Bight, hampering their effectiveness in the reconnaissance mission. Additionally, German fighting seaplane strength in the area was increased, both in numbers and in quality.

Since this post is in the 'People' forum, let me add a few closing notes about Robert Leckie.

Although he was not an "ace", Leckie probably had a greater impact on the air war than many flyers who were! Among his accomplishments were the first long range night patrol over the North Sea by a British flying boat (30 May 1918), and lead pilot in a formation of five flying boats that took part in the largest seaplane action of the war (4 June 1918), a dogfight with over a dozen German seaplane fighters. Continuing his vendetta against airships on the evening of 5 August 1918, Leckie was manning the Lewis gun in a DH-4 flown by Maj. Egbert Cadbury when they downed the L-70, the newest and largest airship of the German Naval Airship Division. Among the casualties of this action was Fregattenkapitän Peter Strasser, Chief of the Naval Airship Division, and leading proponent of the military Zeppelin. Leckie survived the war, and rose to the rank of Air Marshal in the RCAF in WWII. Not a bad career resume for a seaplane pilot!

[Graeme]

With Leckie and Galpin in Curtiss H.8 (H.12 after being re-engined with 250-hp RR Eagle engines) "Large America" flying boat number 8666were Chief Petty Officer, 3rd Grade Vernon Frank Whatling and Air Mechanic, 2nd Class John Robinson Laycock, each of whom received the Distinguished Service Medal (London Gazette number 30147, 22 June 1917).

Galpin served in the Royal Naval Air Service from 1914 to 1919, seeing action in Gallipoli and in the North Sea Patrol. After the war he worked in the Air Ministry and from 1922 to 1925 he was financial adviser to the RAF in Palestine, Egypt and the Sudan. From 1933 to 1936 he was private secretary to Lord Londonderry and Sir Phillip Cunliffe-Lister as Secretaries for Air.

With Hobbs and Dickey in Curtiss H.8 (not converted to H.12 specificaton until about August 1917) "Large America" flying boat number 8677 were Air Mechanic, 2nd Class Henry Martineau Davis and Air Mechanic, 1st Class Arthur William Goody, each of whom received the Distinguished Service Medal (London Gazette number 30194, 20 July 1917).

From http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/.../hobbs_b.html:

"Basil Deacon Hobbs DSO OBE DSC was the second most highly decorated pilot in Canada. Born in Arlington, Berks, England, he moved to Canada with his family as a young man.

In 1915, he joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a Flight Lieutenant. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1917 as well as the Distinguished Service Order. In November the same year, he was awarded a "Bar" to his DSC and was "Mentioned in Dispatches." In 1919 he returned to Canada as an RAF Major.

He joined the Canadian Air Force in 1920 and was shortly thereafter appointed Director of Air Operations in Ottawa. In 1927 he resigned to establish an importing business in Montreal.

In 1924, he was the sole pilot for the first long range air survey undertaken in Canada, over the northern region of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The official history of these flights quotes it as "certainly the greatest ever flight undertaken for aerial survey, and when considered in the light of practical results, it is one of the most brilliant achievements in the history of flying".

Recommissioned into the RCAF with the rank of Group Captain at the beginning of World War II, as a commanding officer at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, he was employed in anti-submarine warfare training and operations.

Hobbs was named posthumously a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1987 with the following citation: "This man truly reached for the stars and through his flying achievements and ability through peace and war brought honour to the aviation fraternity of Canada." "

Cadbury (1893-1967) was a member of the chocolate-manufacturing family (information from http://www.cadbury.co.uk/EN/CTB2003/...st_links.htm):

"In 1919, after the First World War, J.S. Fry & Sons Ltd merged their financial interests with Cadbury Brothers Ltd of Bournville Birmingham (founded in 1831) forming the British Cocoa and Chocolate Company.

A young member of the Cadbury family, Egbert (known as 'Major Egbert' in recognition of his distinguished war career), joined the Fry side of the business and was a dominant influence until his retirement in 1963.

During the Great Depression Fry's had to fight hard to maintain its position, and 189 new lines were introduced in the inter-war period, in a desperate policy to keep up sales. 'Crunchie', introduced in 1929, was a real winner and is still one of the top selling brands for Cadbury.

In 1935 Fry's became a wholly owned subsidiary of Cadbury. The Somerdale committee was set up, comprising five directors from Bournville with Laurence Cadbury as Chairman and Major Egbert Cadbury as the Somerdale representative.

The involvement of the Fry family was declining, although the factory maintained its identity as J.S. Fry & Sons Limited, a subsidiary of Cadbury Group Limited, until the 1967 re-organisation of the business.

In 1969 Cadbury Schweppes Limited came into being, following the merger of the Cadbury Group Ltd and Schweppes Ltd, the soft drinks company dating from 1792."

Graeme

[alan peacock]

GRAEME,

Thankyou for your reply, the info. is much appreciated
and detailed as ever.

Cheers.
Alan.

[TomVrille]

Originally Posted by Graeme

With Hobbs and Dickey in Curtiss H.8 (not converted to H.12 specificaton until about August 1917) "Large America" flying boat number 8677 ....
Graeme

Thank you for the Chocolate-covered update. I was unaware of the date of the engine upgrades to the Curtiss machines! ......TV

[Graeme]

Tom

"Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1919" indicates that 8650 to 8699 were ordered as H.8 "Large America" (Improved Type) flying boats from Curtiss in Toronto to be powered by two 160-hp Curtiss engines. The upgrade to H.12 spec, achieved by re-equipping with 250-hp Rolls Royce Eagle engines, doesn't seem to have been conducted according to a timetable, with examples not being up-engined until March/April 1918. 8650 was tested with RR engines and acted as the Felixstowe F.2 prototype, so never became an H.12.

More seriously, I must admit that Crunchie has been one of my favourite chocolates since my childhood - I was quite amazed that it had been introduced as early as 1929. I had previously thought the chocolate manufacturers had waited until the late 50s to invent all that delicious stuff that ruined the teeth of whole generations of kids


Graeme

[TomVrille]

Originally Posted by Graeme

I had previously thought the chocolate manufacturers had waited until the late 50s to invent all that delicious stuff that ruined the teeth of whole generations of kids
Graeme

Being from this side of the waters, I grew up ruining my teeth with Hershey bars. Out of curiosity, I tried looking up the date of origin of this marvelous confection, and learned that Hershey milk chocolate bars were provided to the doughboys of the AEF during WW1!