Over land and sea

摘要

In May 1939, No 224 Squadron, RAF became the first unit equipped with the Hudson, stationed at Leuchars in Fife. By the start of the war that September, 78 Hudsons were in service. To get a new type into use so quickly had been remarkable, given that in 1939 British air and ground crew, plus administrative staff, were unfamiliar with American aircraft and American ways of working. Before acceptance, select crew from No 224 Squadron had been sent to the British Airways training school at Heston, Middlesex to convert to type, the carrier's Model 14s having full dual controls. They also undertook a fortnight's ground instruction there. Meanwhile, the Hudson went through a full programme of tests and documentation with the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, with 'B' Performance Testing Flight under Wg Cdr R. W. P. Collings. No 224 Squadron was issued with dual-control Hudsons N7210 and N7212.