Air Fronts: Theaters of Operation - European Theater of Operation: Hubert Griffith - R.A.F. in Russia - 5. Interlude - The Winkle-Barge
R.A.F. IN RUSSIA; by HUBERT GRIFFITH; DEDICATED TO WING-COMMANDER H. N. G. ISHERWOOD, D.F.C., A.F.C., Order of Lenin, and MAJOR - GENERAL KUZNETSOV, Red Air Force ; to the Fighter-Boys of No. 151 Wing, R.A.F. and to their Soviet opposite numbers. LONDON 1942.
CHAPTER V - INTERLUDE-THE WINKLE-BARGE
August
AN intermezzo now occurs. It is filled in with the doings of what was called the " Erection Party " - the Wing's Engineer-Officer (F/Lt. Gittins), Warrant-Officer Hards, and the gang of rank-and-file technical airmen, who were left behind at Archangel to uncrate and build a certain proportion of the Hurricanes that the Wing had brought out with it in the Convoy.
The Erection Party was billeted in an ancient river paddle-steamer, looking like something out of Mark Twain's " Life on the Mississippi," moored off Keg-Ostrov (" Keg Island ") on the side of the river opposite Archangel. The craft came to be nicknamed either the Missouri Scow, or, more frequently, the Winkle-Barge. Her lower deck contained billets for the troops - abandoned after one night, for reasons afterwards stated. Her upperdeck contained officers' cabins and a dining-saloon and kitchen. The vessel was always a centre of life - for high Russian officials, Colonels and Generals, used to frequent it to see the Hurricanes in process of erection. Lower-ranking Russian personnel were observed to be stroking the wings of the Hurricanes as they were assembled ashore. . . . The Russians like a new toy. They turned out to be extraordinarily efficient in the handling and manipulation of their own already-existing toys (as the Germans were in process of learning). But the Hurricane was, at that time, a quite new one on them. They knew its reputation. They anticipated its performance. And the technical expertness of the show given by our Winkle-Barge party was regarded by outside observers with something of the excitement of a circus-performance. It may be mentioned in passing that the Hurricanes-to-be-assembled were dumped about, folded up in their crates, in an uneven-lying mud flat ; that each 4 1/2-ton craft presented its own problem in the way of getting it into the neighbouring hangar ; and that, partly owing to haste in loading the convoy in England, and partly to difficulties in unloading the convoy in Russia, many essential assembling-tools - airscrew spanners among them - were missing, and had to be improvised by rule-of-thumb methods by the Russians before assembly proper could start. In the event, the achievement of the small detachment in erecting and getting flying-fit fifteen Hurricanes in nine days, was a feat that let the Russians know that we meant to do business-and knew how to do business-from the very beginning.
The rough diary of the Engineer-Officer sketches in events as they occurred. It runs
September, 1941 First day
Party consisting of two officers, one warrant-officer, three flight-sergeants, two sergeants, and thirty airmen, left the liner at 9.20 a.m., and went upstream in a river-steamer, reached Keg-Ostrov Aerodrome 10.15. Wireless equipment for the ground-station was taken to the hangar, and party then proceeded to unpack one aircraft, the intention being to use the packing-case for W/T station. Unpacking began at 10.45, and by 11.45 the aircraft was clear of the case. All tools had to be borrowed from the Russian Engineer-Officer, who was extremely helpful.
Midday-meal was taken at 12, and consisted of cabbage-soup, beefsteak and rice, with stewed fruit as dessert. At 1.30 work was resumed, one party taking second aircraft from case while the other party with the wireless personnel erected the W/T station. Petrol and oil were obtained from local sources, and by 2.30 accumulators were being charged. At 3.30 the second aircraft, complete with components, was being pushed up to the hangar. At 4.30 work ceased for tea - tea (Russian style) in a glass without milk, dark brown bread, and butter so pale that it looked like lard, but wasn't. 5 p.m., work begun on the third aircraft, and this was pushed into the hangar at 6.3o. The W/T station was completed by 6.5o and attempts were made to contact the main station at Moscow, but nothing was heard from them. At 7 p.m., owing to lack of lifting-tackle, work ceased. Supper was taken, consisting of fried fresh pike, minced-meat cutlets, and cocoa. W/T personnel maintained watch from 7 o'clock to 11.30 and attempted to get in touch with base (Murmansk-Vianga), but without success. General reception was however very good. About one o'clock in the morning I was awakened by two airmen who had come up from the lower-deck of the Winkle-Barge covered with bumps and blood - stating that they had been bitten by some insect or other. Went down to their cabins and found the whole place alive with bugs. I made the men put the lights on in their cabins, and told them to leave the lights on all night.
(Working hours of day, 6 1/2).
Second day
Work began at 8 a.m. and various attempts were made to lift the next aircraft, but we came to the conclusion that the safety-factor of the tackle provided was not large enough to take the risk. I managed to borrow three 5,000 kilo cranes, some cable, and some bolts. By making a three-point suspension, i.e., one from each of the upper front wing attachment-bolts, and the third from the front engine slinging-ring, we managed to lift the aircraft by winding up (by hand) on all three cranes together, and by 12.10 the aircraft was standing on its undercarriage. During the morning visits were made to the hangar by a number of high local Army and Navy Air Arm officers. At 12.15 lunch - potato soup, steak, roast potatoes and stewed fruit. At 1 p.m. work resumed on lifting the second aircraft, this completed by 2.5, and the third aircraft was pushed under the cranes. W/T kept constant watch for a call from Base, but without result. Armourers went ahead fitting Nos. 5 and 6 guns to all Hurricanes. The working-party was split into three gangs and carried on fitting tail-units, as it was not thought advisable to unpack any more aircraft owing to weather conditions (rain), and the lack of facilities to erect them. 4.30 tea-(Russian). 5 p.m. work resumed on the fitting of main-planes, and by 7 o'clock two air-craft had wings loosely bolted into position. Supper - ham, cucumber, etc. ; and then work continued on wings of third aircraft. Owing to the vermin episode of the previous night, I asked for temporary accommodation elsewhere for the men so that the steamer could be disinfected. A house was found and prepared, and at 8.3o I went and inspected it, and found that it was very clean and comfortable but was rather a long way from the 'drome, about four miles. The Russian authorities immediately offered to provide two lorries and a car for our use. I accepted. At 11 p.m. the transport arrived, and the men took their small kit and went to their new sleeping-quarters.
(Working hours 12 3/4).
Third day
At 7 a.m. the men arrived from their billets for breakfast - smoked salmon, breakfast sausage (warm), and potatoes. Work began at 7.30 on the three aircraft with wings loosely fitted, and good progress was made until 12.15. Dinner consisted of potato-soup and meat - rissoles (by now called " Archangel-rissoles " by the airmen), potatoes and coffee. By 2.50 the fourth aircraft was removed from its case and undercarriage lowered and pushed into the hangar. Medical officer arrived to see one of our airmen suffering from tummy-trouble. Fifth aircraft taken from its case at 3.50 and pushed into the hangar. 4.30 tea, usual style, and work continued on aircraft in hangars. 7.00 supper - the weirdest dish yet, called Byelooga, which is minced meat wrapped in white cabbage leaves. After supper, main-planes of the fourth and fifth aircraft were fitted. Work on fitting airscrews was held up owing to the fact that the necessary spanners could not be found on the stores-ship, nor could sparking-plugs be fitted, for the same reason of lack of appropriate spanners. At 7.52 brief contact was established by the W/T with Base and the transmission lasted for six minutes, closing with the information that Base would call up at to a.m. tomorrow. Work ceased at 11 p.m.
(Working hours, 12 3/4).
Fourth day
Work began at 8 a.m., after a breakfast of ground-rice cutlets in butter gravy. I contacted the local engineer-officer, and asked him if he could produce two spanners if I gave him the necessary details. He said he would, so I sketched him what I wanted and gave him an airscrew for a sample to work to. Our own work mainly consisted of completing erection, and filling with coolant and oil. Dinner 12.15-cabbage-soup, steak and potatoes, and coffee. At 2 p.m., as the spanners had not arrived, we unpacked the sixth aircraft and brought it up to the hangar. Work continued on five aircraft getting them prepared for ground-test. 4 p.m. our engineer friend arrived with the spanners, and we went ahead and fitted five airscrews and inlet sparking-plugs. Tea-usual. After tea I contacted the authorities and asked for some petrol and they promised it for 6 p.m. The petrol (" bentzine ") arrived to time, with a chamois-leather funnel and a comic pump to extract it from the barrels. We managed to find out how the pump worked, and to fill the first aircraft. Excitement was by now really great among our Russian friends who were to see the first Hurricane engine actually running. At 8.35 we turned the engine over by starter-battery until the oil-gauge showed a movement. (We had to use this method as there were no facilities for making a priming-pump.) At 8.37 the main switches were put on and the engine sprang to life, all instruments reading correctly. There were plenty of cheers and clapping on the part of the spectators. The aircraft was pushed back into the hangar to have the final trimmings put on ready for the air-test tomorrow. Work ceased at 9.45 p.m. as the weekly bath for the men was arranged for 10 o'clock.
(Working hours, 11 3/4).
Fifth day
Work began at 8 a.m. but full programme could not be carried out as racing-launch had to be sent back to ship to bring pilots to view aerodrome. Two Corporals down with tummy-trouble. All already-erected aircraft ground-tested. Dinner - fish cutlet, with stewed fruit. Air Vice-Marshal Collier and Group-Captain Bird to lunch. Work on un-crating the seventh aircraft, and putting the final touches to the remaining six. After tea, main-planes fitted to No. 7 and work ceased at 7 o'clock, as men were wet through. A large party to supper, A.V.-M. Collier, G/C. Bird, General Grigorieff, Col. Eelegin (Naval Air Service), and Major Kuznetsov, Commandant of the Keg-Ustrov Aerodrome.
(Working hours, 9 3/4).
Sixth day
Work began at 8 o'clock. All serviceable aircraft pushed out of hangar for test-flights. 11.30 a.m. F/Lt. Rook, P/O. Holmes and P/O. Woolaston arrived from liner to test aircraft. Arrangements made to warn the local garrison that British aircraft would be flying. Lunch consisting of Gooloopsi, potato-soup, and stewed Oornik. (British pilots, fresh off the transport, and tasting Russian food for the first time, had mixed opinions on the matter.) At 2.45 our first three Hurricanes took the air. After half-an-hour's flying, showing off their paces (necessarily restricted, as the cloud-base was 1,000 feet) they landed, and taxied to their dispersal pens. During tea a message came saying that the People's Commissar of the Fleet, an Admiral, accompanied by the Admiral of the Archangel Naval Force, with his Chief-of-Staff, were on the aerodrome and would like to see some Hurricanes flown. After tea, two Hurricanes took off and gave a show for the Admirals, who were impressed. After tea three further aircraft were taken out of their cases, with the help of some Russian soldiers, and taken into the hangar. Supper at 7 p.m. - for a change we served some English food, bully beef, tinned potatoes and pickles, which the men thoroughly enjoyed. After supper the three sets of wings were loosely attached to their fuselages. Work ceased at 11.45 p.m.
(Working hours of the day 12 1/2.)
Seventh day
Work began at 8 a.m. on erecting the aircraft that had been brought into the hangar overnight. Oil and Petrol Engineers arrive from Moscow, and ask in-numerable questions regarding oils and fuels. Air-testing of assembled aircraft goes on. Free issue of beer to airmen at supper tonight. Three more aircraft ready for ground-test tomorrow morning. First three aircraft now armed with six-hundred rounds per gun. Hostile aircraft reported in the area. . . .
* * * * *
The diary continues in the same strain. " Twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth aircraft were duly pushed into the hangar, and had their main-planes and tail-units fitted, were fuelled, and armed. . . ." More Russians and Russian Admirals come to see the show. The pilots arrive from the liner, test the aircraft, cautiously at first, and then have a grand low-flying beat-up of the Archangel area for good measure. An interim landing-ground is arranged at Afrikanda (heaven knows whence such a place, lying in the Arctic Circle, gets its name) to be a re-fuelling ground on the flight of the craft to Murmansk. The aircraft set off, and arrive. . . .
* * * * *
One or two points emerge from the severely technical diary. The working-hours of the party were, except on exceptional occasions, between eleven and twelve hours a day. Remembering the conditions-that airmen were billeted four miles off from their place of work, that they were working on a muddy and uneven aerodrome, with frequent rain, this is not a bad record. It is interesting to note that though the Russian food was good, rich, plentiful and frequent, the traditional fondness of the British airmen for bully beef and tinned potatoes survived. (" The airmen were much delighted that we had bully beef tonight.")
Fifteen aircraft were uncrated, jacked-up, lowered on to their undercarriages, their wings and tail-units were fitted and bolted home - and the finished aircraft were flown off the ground for a long cross-country trip, in nine days - the assembling having been done by a few hand-wound cranes, and a few spanners improvised by the Russians.
Those who know best the conditions prevailing at Keg-Ostrov aerodrome, Archangel, will agree that it was a good job well done. The " Erection Party " finally arrived at Murmansk-Vianga (after having seen all their charges off the ground) by Douglas aircraft.
