Hinaidi To Fritzlar - An RAF Fitter's Photographs

These photos are a few from a collection of photographs belonging to Leslie Champion Rogers during parts of his career in the RAF. His photos are specifically from Iraq during the period 1934-1939 and later in Fritzlar, Germany, in 1946. Chris Thomas has once again helped with comments to some of the photos!

Redspan Solutions Ltd has given The Hawker Tempest Page the permisson to reproduce these fantastic photos below.

Please visit the website Hinaidi To Fritzlar to watch all of Leslie Rogers' photos!:

Hinaidi To Fritzlar

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33 Squadron Hawker Tempest Mk. IIs, RAF Fassberg, Germany, 1945

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33 Squadron Hawker Tempest Mk. IIs, RAF Fassberg, Germany, 1945

Chris Thomas' comments to the photos below:

"The 33 sqn/Fritzlar shots cover the detachment of Tempests to 27th FG in April 47. I think it was an exchange - maybe 4 a/c each way. I know about it as one of the pilots, Bill McKerrow, lives about 7km from me (he's the guy with hand on hip and a forage cap). It was his aircraft, U, involved in the accidents.

First one was 1 Apr 47, Lt Col J.H.Sherwood, braked too harshly on landing and the nose tipped (the Yanks were not used to foot operated brakes). The a/c (PR786 5R-U) was repaired but on 15 Apr 1st Lt V.E.Sansing ran off the runway and ran into soft ground - the nose tipped again. PR786 was repaired and returned to 33 sqn, later flying with that unit in the Far East. It is the same a/c as in the Beavins shot.

5R-E seems to have been taken on the same detachment (those are USAAF goggles!) but is not necessarily the a/c with 4 on the u/c door, in fact it is most likely PR689, which was E in the right time frame. There are too many candidates for the aircraft with '4' on the door."

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