The help Ireland gave to the allies during WWII

[Battletour]

Just found this, and can vouch for the truth of it - I remember my father telling me he saw it take off...
I vaguely remember him saying that there was difficulty in getting it to take off, and the German pilot had to assist in some way.

Superb photo of this aircraft in Gormo hangs in the Officers' Mess.

[GoneToTheCanner]

The German pilot had made a completely blind landing on a short grass airstrip, which is what gained British attention. He shouldn't have been able to do it but was able to because the radar was able to show an accurate coastline and he was able to make a safe approach and land. The great British test pilot, Eric "Winkle" Brown, who was already familiar with Ju88s, was well impressed with this feat and said so. He performed a very careful exam of the aircraft and was able to perform an equally daring takeoff, given that the runway was short and wet, having taken the advice of the German pilot. He was always full of praise for the quality of German aircraft and his books on testing enemy aircraft make fascinating reading.

regards
GttC

[Tony Kearns]

Mick,
I am not quite sure by your saying that the Luftwaffe pilot made a completely blind landing. He knew exactly where he was and came straight in off the sea through very low cloud/mist right over the airfield. His Gormo coordinates were all tapped into his onboard computer. He circled twice and came in after ascertaining wind direction and choosing the best run. His main concern on touch down was the wet grass as his Ju88 operated on concrete runways at Grove.
By the same token Capt Eric Brown was surprised at the landing on the small airfield, but after walking the field he just stood on the brakes and let go no problem, of course on a now dry airfield.
In late 1941 a Wellington (larger than a Ju88) took off no problem and in 1945 a four engined Stirling bomber got away under slightly more worrying conditions but nevertheless cleared the railway line , but just about, lucky no trains were passing.
If the Luftwaffe pilot had concerns I wonder why had did not opt for the concrete runways at Collinstown just down the road.

[danno]

Photos of the Ju also in AAA Quigleys memoirs of his days in the IAC.

[Turkey]

Err, I don't think Collinstown's concrete runways were completed until 1947.

[GoneToTheCanner]

Well, if he was so certain of his position, why would he pick the smallest of the three? perhaps he expected to be shot at with something heavy and decided to chance his arm with Gormo. I'm assuming from your accuracy here, Tony, that you spoke or corresponded with him or his crew.

regards
GttC

[Turkey]

I'm assuming that Gormo' was the nearest neutral airfield, being the most easterly of 5 possible landing sites( was tallaght still in existence at that time?)

[Tony Kearns]

Err, I don't think Collinstown's concrete runways were completed until 1947.

T you are correct of course, the only advantage for the Ju88 would have been a longer landing run, but in any eveny was not required.
Thanks for that.
Tony K

[kaiser]

great story the pic is also in the nco,s mess in gormo
with a little bit of the story beside it
maybe the full story should be there to, to pass on the history..

[Tony Kearns]

Well, if he was so certain of his position, why would he pick the smallest of the three? perhaps he expected to be shot at with something heavy and decided to chance his arm with Gormo. I'm assuming from your accuracy here, Tony, that you spoke or corresponded with him or his crew.

regards
GttC

I had only indirect contact with him through Paul Stormer (Waterford crash Aug 1942). A lot of incorrect and confusing information has been written about his arrival in Ireland and in a way understandable as he gave two different versions and reasons for and of the flight to The Army G2 and another to Capt Eric Brown ( Capt brown told me that he was allowed to interview him). I cannot explain why he chose Gormo except that Baldonnel and Collinstown were extensivly photographed by the Luftwaffe and would have shown defences on pictures.
Tallaght was not used as a base by the Air Corps

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all,
Tony, I did read that the radar in the 88 was regarded as the best of it's kind for look-down stuff, for finding ships and coast. Apart from that, when are you going to give us IMOers a lecture on all things Luftwaffe?

regards
GttC

[Turkey]

I knew tallaght was not an Air Corps base, I was only thinking of it as being a useable landing site, but i would be surprised if Gormo's defences were less then Bal's as it was an active base. My dad told me years ago that Collinstown was " spiked" by horse drawn vehicles when not in use, spiked was the phrase he used by the way.
I would love to hear the whole story....
By the way, Tony, was Gormo extended in anyway since the war?

[Flamingo]

Out of curiosity, why was the JU88 handed over? I cam guess the realpolitik reasons, but was the pilot interned here, or handed over as well?

[jack nastyface]

Theres a few left -

http://www.coastal-forces.org.uk/

http://mtb102.com/

http://www.bmpt.org.uk/

A marina not far from me used one up until about 10 yrs ago, until it was destroyed in a fire. The keel is all thats left.

Pity no-one thought to preserve any of the Irish MTB's.

There was the rotting hull of an MGB on the north bank of the Bann, on the approaches to Coleraine a few years ago, not sure if its still there, been a while since I sailed up there.

[GoneToTheCanner]

The RAF and associated tech people wanted the radar. The airframe was unimportant to them, in itself, but a live aircraft, fit for air tests, was very nice to have and they always wanted to be certain to keep abreast of German field modifications.

regards
GttC