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Ernest Rodley - Aircrew Details - Aviation Directory

Ernest Rodley


Name : Ernest Rodley

Awards :
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Force Cross

Ernest Rodley initially joined the RAFVR in 1937 and was commissioned and posted to Bomber Command in 1941. Joining 97 Sqn flying Manchesters he was involved in the attack on the Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and Gneisenau whilst in Brest harbour and in the famous Augsberg daylight raid for which he received a DFC. At the end of 1942 he joined RAF Scampton helping to convert to Lancaster Bombers before rejoining 97 Sqn at Bourn as a Pathfinder. After a spell at Warboys as an instructor he took command of 128 Sqn at Wyton, flying Mosquitoes as part of the Light Night Strike Force and involvede in doing 7 trips to Berlin. Staying with this unit he finished the war having completed 87 operations. In 1946 Ernest Rodley joined British South American Airways flying Lancastrians across the Atlantic from a tented Heathrow. On 13th April 1950 he was checked out on the new Comet jet airliner by John Cunningham and became the worlds first jet endorsed Airline Transport Pilots Licence holder. Ernest Rodley retired from BOAC in 1968 as a Boeing 707 Captain, joining Olympic Airways a few days later. He amassed an amazing 28000 flying hours.

Citation for the DFC :

Squadron Leader Rodley has displayed great courage, skill and resource throughout his tour of operations. He has completed a very large number of sorties, involving attacks on industrial centres in the Ruhr and many other important targets. He has displayed outstanding devotion to duty and his example has inspired all.

Known Service Details :

Squadron

Rank

Start of Service

End of Service

Known Dates

Aircraft

Airframes

Notes

No.97 Sqn RAF

1941

unknown

Manchester

No.128 Sqn RAF

unknown

unknown

Artwork signed by this Pilot or Aircrew



Clipped Signature - Ernest Rodley.


Strike and Return by Robert Taylor (C)


Leading the Way by Gerald Coulson. (B)


Moonlit Lancaster by Gerald Coulson. (C)


Home Run by Gerald Coulson (B)


Winter Ops by Gerald Coulson.



Aircraft for : Ernest Rodley
A list of all aircraft associated with Ernest Rodley. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
AircraftInfo

Lancaster



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Manufacturer : Avro
Production Began : 1942
Retired : 1963
Number Built : 7377

Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster arose from the avro Manchester and the first prototype Lancaster was a converted Manchester with four engines. The Lancaster was first flown in January 1941, and started operations in March 1942. By March 1945 The Royal Air Force had 56 squadrons of Lancasters with the first squadron equipped being No.44 Squadron. During World War Two the Avro Lancaster flew 156,000 sorties and dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs between 1942 and 1945. Lancaster Bomberss took part in the devastating round-the-clock raids on Hamburg during Air Marshall Harris' Operation Gomorrah in July 1943. Just 35 Lancasters completed more than 100 successful operations each, and 3,249 were lost in action. The most successful survivor completed 139 operations, and the Lancaster was scrapped after the war in 1947. A few Lancasters were converted into tankers and the two tanker aircraft were joined by another converted Lancaster and were used in the Berlin Airlift, achieving 757 tanker sorties. A famous Lancaster bombing raid was the 1943 mission, codenamed Operation Chastise, to destroy the dams of the Ruhr Valley. The operation was carried out by 617 Squadron in modified Mk IIIs carrying special drum shaped bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis. Also famous was a series of Lancaster attacks using Tallboy bombs against the German battleship Tirpitz, which first disabled and later sank the ship. The Lancaster bomber was the basis of the new Avro Lincoln bomber, initially known as the Lancaster IV and Lancaster V. (Becoming Lincoln B1 and B2 respectively.) Their Lancastrian airliner was also based on the Lancaster but was not very successful. Other developments were the Avro York and the successful Shackleton which continued in airborne early warning service up to 1992.

Manchester



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Manufacturer : Avro

Manchester

Full profile not yet available.

Mosquito



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Manufacturer : De Havilland
Production Began : 1940
Retired : 1955
Number Built : 7781

Mosquito

Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose. Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly. The Mossie at it was known made its first flight on 25th November 1940, and the mosquito made its first operational flight for the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance unit based at Benson. In early 1942, a modified version (mark II) operated as a night fighter with 157 and 23 squadron's. In April 1943 the first De Haviland Mosquito saw service in the Far east and in 1944 The Mosquito was used at Coastal Command in its strike wings. Bomber Commands offensive against Germany saw many Mosquitos, used as photo Reconnaissance aircraft, Fighter Escorts, and Path Finders. The Mosquito stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1955. and a total of 7781 mosquito's were built.



Squadrons for : Ernest Rodley
A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Ernest Rodley. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
SquadronInfo

No.128 Sqn RAF

Country : UK
Founded : 1st February 1918
Fate : Disbanded 31st March 1946

Fulminis instar - Like a thunderbolt

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No.128 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.

No.97 Sqn RAF

Country : UK
Founded : 1st December 1917
Fate : Disbanded 2nd January 1967
Straits Settlement

Achieve your aim

Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.97 Sqn RAF

No.97 Sqn RAF

Full profile not yet available.




Last edited : 10:53, November 27, 2012
Last editor : kc

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