1 Air Division

I was transfered on a restricted posting from Rivers Manitoba to Uplands in January of 1957 and I ultimately served with 412 Squadron as an Aero Engine Tech between 1957 and 1971. I had been told that I would be going on the Comet course in February of 1957.

The two RCAF Comets had been grounded in April of 1954 and they were initially placed into storage at de Havilland's Canadian factory at Downsview, Toronto. Somewhere along the way - these aircraft were moved from Downsview to Uplands because I had heard that the Comets were in #10 hangar at Uplands priot to their departure for England and modifications in 1956. When the aircraft were taken from the hangar and being readied for flight to England they were completely covered with bird droppings and had to be washed by hand using scrub brushes resulting in a considerable amount of bitching from the riggers and fitters!!. The crews that flew them to Hatfield flew at low level for the obvious reason.

When I reached Ottawa and 412 Squadron the Comets had already departed for England and I was then told that there had been a delay for the start of my course. Some of the techs who had been with the Comets when they first were taken on strength in 1953 were at Hatfield at this time. I do not recall the exact number of personnel (Techs) but I suspect that there were some from all of the necessary trades. When they finished their training they returned to the squadron. In July of 1957 I proceeded to Hatfield England via an RCAF 426 (T) Squadron North Star out of Dorval. The aero engine course was three weeks given by deHavelin instructors. When we finished the course it was decided by the powers to be that we would stay in Hatfield for the pilot training. I think that some of the techs who completed training previously returned to Hatfield to bolster up the detachment. On completion of the pilot training course both aircraft were readied for a long range training flight to Johannesburg. Some of the techs who had first been at Hatfield returned to take this voyage. I do not remember how many there Techs there were as passengers during this flight but I seem to recall that both of the Comets were full. Jimmy Rae was a rigger at Hatfield who refused to fly on the Comet and stayed at Hatfield when we went to Johannesburg. Airmen by the names of Bauer and Began returned from Hatfield before the mission was completed. I do not know why but I think they were transfered out of the program.

I recall that our Comets could not take off from Hatfield with a full load of fuel. They flew to London which was about 20 miles away to top up for our long range trip to Johannesburg. As can be expected, there were a number of local flights of various durations during the testing period before the RCAF accepted the modified Comets from deHaviland. Some flights were at maximum altitude of 45 thousand feet and I was on one of these flights over the North Sea. Normally the altitude reached was 32 thousand.

On long range flights after the Comet was placed back in service and especially when flying from Uplands to Marville two engines would be shut down to conserve fuel. The jet stream along the way, a ploy used by the Yukon's when I was with 437 Squadron. I remember flying from Trenton to Marville aboard a Yukon and looking out the window and seeing the two inboard engines feathered. I was told that on freighters out of Trenton the crews often did this.

At Uplands, after Comets were back in service, the techs worked on other aircraft but when the Comet came in for inspections the ones who had been at Hatfield always were called on to do the inspections. Tech reps would arrive from Toronto for these inspections and with great skill cut out and replace a four inch square of the skin. Sometimes a portion of a rib would also be removed and sent back to Toronto for testing. The techs were never told the reason for this and when they asked the tech reps, they were told it was not their concern. There was a rumour to the effect that they were testing the metal for stretching and metal fatigue. I think that over the years in service the skin stretched and weakened.