Royal Flying Corps, Hythe

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

Hi, stumbled across this old thread.


Hythe was an RFC gunnery school. Part of their training involved shooting technics. "Vanishing Targets" are targets that pop in and out of view. Training on these improves reaction in aerial shooting. So has same meaning as "snap shooting".


https://www.rifleman.org.uk/Sub-target_devices.html


https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=k_VDBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=pilot+gunnery+clay+pigeon&source=bl&ots=j4iHidaTqt&sig=ACfU3U3GoLrf51uXtNts4ZMODKL7nEGmvw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiZhdb-v_zpAhWSUcAKHX_AADMQ6AEwAHoECAIQAQ#v=onepage&q=pilot%20gunnery%20clay%20pigeon&f=false

[Nemo]

"Near the flying field and where the RH&DR line now runs stand four long brick-built sheds. Two of them were used for photographic laboratories and dark rooms.  All the film taken by the air crews of the mock dog fights, aerial gunnery and target practice were processed there. Edith Nesbit, the author, owned two sheds that were later turned into bungalows. In fact she lived there for some two years and most of the time was in ill health.  Her husband Captain Tucker named the bungalows Longboat and Jollyboat. Both still stand today and can be seen at the bottom of Nesbit Road."

https://theromneymarsh.net/stmarysbayairfield

[Nemo]

http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/people_index.html


Complicated, no?

[grandarog]

Ha Ha , I saw the Sqdn of Pigs fly over heading your way for an air display.

[grandarog]

 Probably ,but in some cases where an Officer has transferred to the RFC from his Army Regiment I understand he would take his Army Batman with him. Presumably the chap would then transfer to the RFC .
 Bear in mind the RFC was the flying body of the ARMY, until it became independent as the Royal Air Force in 1918. Most of the Officer/Pilots and Observers still wore their Army Uniforms and retained Army ways. My Godfather was an Air Mechanic in the RFC and the RAF from 1916 with 70 Sqdn  in France and finally Germany. If you look at the Pictures below of 70 Squadron Officers and other ranks taken on a Deer Hunt during  1917 you will see the Officers are still wearing the Cap Badges of their Regiments. Sid is the Chap bottom left with the grin in both Pics. The second has all the men named.

[grandarog]

The Flying in a circle system is still in use today ,mainly with Helicopters. The Americans used it a lot in Vietnam.
The aircraft circling concentrates the inboard beam of downward fire to the target point at the ground centre of the circle.
Back in 1918, 4 or more aircraft could do it, with the observers firing the guns from the rear cockpit very effectively.

[Smiffy]

Hello Mike, nice to see you on the new forum.       

I wonder if the "Invisible Target" reference has anything to do with the dazzle camouflage that was being experimented with at the time and being applied to shipping. Perhaps the RFC were inspired by this and working on something similar that could be related to aircraft camouflage?

[grandarog]

I am afraid your servant must have purloined the wine, Mike the delivered case contained 2 bricks. (Not Otterham's unfortunately)



Presume you already have consulted these links,


https://www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk/story/the-strange-death-of-stuart-tinne/
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1065070
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/401482/TINNE,%20STUART%20CHRISTIAN
https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/266089/
http://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=4504&termRef=Stuart%20Christian%20Tinne

[castle261]

I have read several accounts of Captain Stuart Tinne today, can offer no explanation, at present.

[grandarog]

Ha Ha 
                 Got you in .in the end.
                 Welcome to the Forum Mike, good to have you. We look forward to your Contributions and Queries .
                 For the benefit of our Members ,Mike is a prolific researcher and contributor to Bygone Kent where he has had many articles published . Also he has several Journalistic awards for his efforts.
                 I am sure he will be an asset to the Forum .
                 

[Mike Gunnill]

Hello from me for the first time, thanks for letting me in! If you want to blame someone, it was a posh fellow from the other end of my village.


I am researching Captain Tinne 1895-1918. He was attached to the Royal Flying Corps and just before his death.  Does anyone know what the RFC were doing prior to March 1918?


On the morning of March 1st Captain Tinne was found dead in his room. Grateful if this wasn't shared outside the forum, thx.




Mike