28th April 1957
Location - Christchurch Airfield, Air Cadet Unit Hangar
0930: A group of Air Cadets were here to fly their T21s and T31s. The staff instructors had a Gull 1a glider available for advanced Gliding. Today the Gull was allocated to me and what follows is the preparation and story of a 'Cross Country' I flew in the Gull.
1000: Hurn Met. gave us a max. temp. of 24ºC with light winds NNE early and a sea breeze front likely around midday and Cu scattered and developing well inland from coasts. Hurn ATC gave us the OK to cross their 'SRZ', but we must be East of 26 runway threshold with a minimum height of 3000ft.
1030: A flight plan was made, aircraft D.I'd whilst the cadet group were laying out the airfield with winches and vehicles etc. and gliders were being positioned at the launch point. The task was set and the goal selected was R.N. Yeovilton. I prepared the barograph, map, sandwiches and drink and waited for the weather to be just right.......
1130: A cool SSW breeze moved in - this was accompanied by the forming of some 'wispy' cloud overhead, also a line of growing Cu was spreading along the coast about one mile inland. It looked as though Hurn Met. were right and these effects were developing into a classic 'Sea Breeze Front' and the system was starting to track inland. This would be my 'stepping stone' to help me in the task ordained.
1300: My wait now over and so to 'catch' the front I carried out final checks and took a launch. Immediately after cable release I dipped the nose down to 'mark' the barograph, then left the circuit area and headed out over Highcliffe Golf course and the adjacent cliffs where I contacted some weak lift, working it to 1900ft. Above it and to port an embryo Sea Breeze Front was forming parallel with the coastline, indicated by 'white haze' cloud and the onset of an onshore breeze. Well inland patches of summer cumulus were also forming. I decided to go for it and set course for the first part of my task, North to the turning point at RAF Ibsley. There is agricultural land all the way, which is good for thermals - and also for out landings!
Over Burton Fields a fine thermal took me to 3000ft. Now I was ahead of the SBF which was sprouting good cumulus and spreading in size. By cloud shadows, I estimated the frontal progress at 5 - 10 knots. The day was warming up fast and very buoyant. Another thermal took me to 3500ft.
Because of the ground speed differential between the frontal progress and the Gull's 35 knot cruise and 38 knot best glide angle, it would be a nuisance to have to dash around the task. I thought 'Okay, let's explore this SBF so I took a 180º turn and flew back under the front and spent twenty minutes under cloudbase in very smooth air, cruising at about 40 knots. I nearly forgot about the turning point and so turned back and headed for RAF Ibsley to photograph the T/P.
It was here that I had a camera fumble which cost me a thousand feet and only managed two shots! Now to complete the task - with 2250ft left, back to the SBF, heading 280º. All I had to do was to fly this heading all the way to my goal at R.N. Yeovilton - or so I thought.
Cloud Base was now 1500 ft and the air was less smooth than before. Passed Tarrant Rushton to port and then Sturminster Newton to starboard and then reduced height to get a visual reference - ahead the cloud became ragged and the lift was depleting. The escarpment between Yeovill and Castlecary was clouded in low down - or was it a rain curtain? With no radio and no IFR capability, the decision was to abandon the task and head South to the sunshine where I knew of some suitable landing areas.
And so I left the SBF with 2500ft to go, passed the Jolly Giant and the western edge of Dorchester in sunshine and was very surprised to find some lift on the face of Maiden Castle. Only a small area, but I managed to work it for twenty minutes - must be the sea breeze. This had the advantage that I was able to carry out pre-landing checks and had no problems finding a field. Is it big enough? Does it slope? Any approach obstructions? Any livestock? Is the surface okay? What's the wind direction?
A wide circuit was carried out followed by a normal landing at 18.30hrs The field was alongside the Weymouth road and a layby complete with ice cream salesman and lots of holiday folk and small boys hanging on the gate.
The farmer turned up within minutes and was most helpful in ringing up for my retrieval crew etc. The local newspaper man turned up as well.
N. B. I didn't expect to do any sloping that day. Can't be bad, can it!