Little black book of secrets found

[robinbird]

Out of the blue dad's little black book of secrets has turned up. A member of a local flying club contacted me to say they had a World War 11flying log for a R.H. Bird. Was he any relation? It is dad. The period covers 1941 to 1943 logging his flights between 1941 and 1943 firstly with Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment then the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment. Robert Henry Bird, Bob Bird, signed the official secrets act as a photographer of aircraft trials. It is officially rubber stamped MAEE/RAF Helensburgh ,Dunbartonshire. Aircraft serial numbers and pilots are all logged, flying times, purpose of trial and even the weather on the day. It is a strange feeling digesting the entries in dad's handwriting. In hindsight he flew in a Sunderland days before it crashed killing crew members.

 

[robinbird]

BOB FLEW IN THE FIRST BLACKBURN BUILT SUNDERLAND T9042 ON DELIVERY 7&8 AUGUST 41 AND LATER THAT MONTH, i.e. Fairlee anti submarine bomb trials filmed with Sinclair camera. T9042 also flew on three engines during a trial to assess an engine failure. T9042 was then assigned to Coastal Command Training Invergordon but then 'disappeared off my radar.' I believe it failed to return sometime in 1944 but cannot confirm. Does anyone know what became of it?

 

[Hood]

The IWM have a photo of T9042 during its conversion as the Mk.III prototype: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205127063

 

[robinbird]

Hood: thank you for your interest. I have seen this photograph. Some where in dad's photos I have T9042 arriving at Rhu via the Gareloch. I do like to trace what happened to aircraft that were at Helensburgh and stories about its pilots. T9024's fate is a mystery. There is that one report, unconfirmed, that T9042 'failed to return' with its crew.