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Operation Records Help!

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Ros, Sep 9, 2025.

  1. Ros

    Ros Member

    I have come across this written in the Operation record book of 611 Squadron - "Sgt Fair’s bird fell out of the aircraft which must have provided no small diversion but with the rate they are being fetched down space does not permit details of all the plain and fancy shooting that goes on daily."

    Does anyone have any idea what the bird would be - I asked Ai and it thought it was his cockpit canopy ?

    Any ideas much appreciated or if you can point me in the direction of finding out

    Thanks loads

    Ros
     
    Ros, Sep 9, 2025
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  2. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    It would be helpful to see the ORB entry Ros, but to speculate, it may refer to the shooting down of an enemy fighter with its pilot bailing out.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2025
    Richelieu, Sep 9, 2025
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  3. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    I'm sure some aircraft carried homing pigeons at some stages of the war, as emergency back-up to normal means of communication.

    One for RAF COMMANDS Ross methinks. He will know if I've recollected correctly, or spouting mis-remembered nonsense :)

    EDIT 20:10hrs 09/09/25: I'm going with "spouting nonsense" on my part! Fighter squadron, so doubtful. Very.

    Richelieu has it methinks.

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2025
    JimHerriot, Sep 9, 2025
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  4. P-Squared

    P-Squared Well-Known Member

    That was my immediate reaction - glad you pointed out that we’re talking fighters here!
     
    P-Squared, Sep 10, 2025
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  5. Ros

    Ros Member

    Thank you for your reply, Sorry I wasn't sure if that would be ok
     

    Attached Files:

    Ros, Sep 10, 2025
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  6. JDCAVE

    JDCAVE Well-Known Member

    I don’t think S/E fighters carried homing pigeons. Not a chance. I think it’s some sort of RAF slang or inside joke. Sometimes the intelligence officers write all sorts of inside jokes in the ORBs for their self amusement. Lost in the halls of time, I’m afraid.

    Jim
     
    JDCAVE, Sep 10, 2025
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  7. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    No 611 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron formed in 1936..."weekend flyers" first as a bomber squadron then in 1939 converted into a fighter squadron.

    At the start of the war bomber aircraft and the like used homing pigeons to relay a fix where an aircraft might be at a particular event.

    Fighter aircraft did not use this communication method being normally single seater. This squadron by the outbreak of war were equipped with Spitfires.

    The reference to the "bird" might be that of shooting down a "bird", "bird" being the enemy aircraft despite the given log.
     
    Harry Ree, Sep 10, 2025
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