Post by Diarist on May 20, 2016 18:52:50 GMT 1
We didn't stay long at the hotel last night. We took Mum with us and much to my surprise, Lady Gort dropped to invite Mum to a couple of events this weekend. I told Mum that Saffron Walden is her new home and she needs to meet people and make friends. So she is busy over the weekend. At home I wrote a letter to Wilhelm Canaris recommending a nice hotel restaurant in Lisbon where I stayed in the summer. I also invited him and his family to my wedding festivities in the first weekend of November.
Beaverbrook is expected at 09:00 so I had time to organize the documentation required by the 24th Squadron and talk to COL van Voorhis about his trip to Salisbury yesterday. They have found a country 'retreat' with twelve bedrooms and everything else one can desire. The entire hotel has been reserved for the whole month of October, before then only rooms as required. The operation is taking shape. General Gort has talked with the GOC of 1st Infantry Division and we have the A9 ISV's. A second battery will be operational before the FTX begins so we're taking both of them. If MG Wavell asks for them his request will be denied but he won't be informed that we have them. We've also reserved a battalion of light tanks from the Royal Tank Corps but I'm not sure which tanks they are equipped with.
Lord Beaverbrook was punctual and I met him at the main entrance. After he signed in I asked, "is Earl Grey fine?"
"Wonderful."
General Gort's door was open and when he saw Beaverbrook he said, "Come in Max, I heard you would be visiting us today. I'm surprised you haven't been here earlier. This is where all the action is." I went to my office but I could hear a change of tone after the pleasantries. "Tell your so-called editors at The Express to stop criticizing one of my officers. CPT Wales, Prince Edward, is a fine officer and while your apes were drinking and whatever else they do, Wales was in Africa kicking Italians in the crutch. Put an end to it Max. I don't want to have to discuss this again. Understood?"
He opened the connecting door to my office, "Major Carter can answer all your questions concerning the Bristol aircraft. All three designs were rejected by the Air Ministry and we concurred." He left the room and closed the door behind him. I poured tea for three and said, "I've asked the project officer to join us. He has the complete dossier."
Edward knocked on the door and entered. "Good morning, Lord Beaverbrook."
"Your Highness."
"I'm CPT Wales here."
"You are here because the Bristol Type 142m was rejected. Is that correct, sir?"
"Yes, the aircraft is faster than all RAF fighters..."
I cut him off, "At the moment, but within 6 months there will be at least 5 prototype fighters flying with a max. speed of almost twice that of the 'Blenheim'. In fact, one of them will be have more than twice the speed." I continued, "Secondly, if you had read the rejection carefully, we wrote that it is rejected in its current form. We didn't say that about the other two aircraft. We didn't reject the whole design, just its current design. We are sending it back, not burying it. We believe there is room for improvement. May I continue?"
"Please."
"The Mercury engine belongs in a museum, it's at the end of its evolution. The defensive armament is a joke and wouldn't deter any enemy fighter. The aircraft is much too cramped with vital controls BEHIND the pilot's seat and I'm not even going to mention the stupid bomb doors."
"That is too harsh." he countered.
"Your opinion, sir but it remains rejected and nothing can change that. Are you on good terms with the people at Bristol?"
"I am."
I asked Edward for the AM draft and gave it to Lord Beaverbrook. "This is what we need, a land based torpedo bomber/bomber/patrol aircraft for RAF Coastal Command. They need to prioritize their Taurus and Hercules engine designs. This design needs the Hercules."
"Based on the Blenheim design?"
"Yes but larger, more spacious, with two twin-gun turrets. It'll need a crew of four therefore the Hercules engine is required."
He asked a few more questions but by ten o'clock he had left TRADOC. "Another satisfied customer," I commented to Edward.
Beaverbrook is expected at 09:00 so I had time to organize the documentation required by the 24th Squadron and talk to COL van Voorhis about his trip to Salisbury yesterday. They have found a country 'retreat' with twelve bedrooms and everything else one can desire. The entire hotel has been reserved for the whole month of October, before then only rooms as required. The operation is taking shape. General Gort has talked with the GOC of 1st Infantry Division and we have the A9 ISV's. A second battery will be operational before the FTX begins so we're taking both of them. If MG Wavell asks for them his request will be denied but he won't be informed that we have them. We've also reserved a battalion of light tanks from the Royal Tank Corps but I'm not sure which tanks they are equipped with.
Lord Beaverbrook was punctual and I met him at the main entrance. After he signed in I asked, "is Earl Grey fine?"
"Wonderful."
General Gort's door was open and when he saw Beaverbrook he said, "Come in Max, I heard you would be visiting us today. I'm surprised you haven't been here earlier. This is where all the action is." I went to my office but I could hear a change of tone after the pleasantries. "Tell your so-called editors at The Express to stop criticizing one of my officers. CPT Wales, Prince Edward, is a fine officer and while your apes were drinking and whatever else they do, Wales was in Africa kicking Italians in the crutch. Put an end to it Max. I don't want to have to discuss this again. Understood?"
He opened the connecting door to my office, "Major Carter can answer all your questions concerning the Bristol aircraft. All three designs were rejected by the Air Ministry and we concurred." He left the room and closed the door behind him. I poured tea for three and said, "I've asked the project officer to join us. He has the complete dossier."
Edward knocked on the door and entered. "Good morning, Lord Beaverbrook."
"Your Highness."
"I'm CPT Wales here."
"You are here because the Bristol Type 142m was rejected. Is that correct, sir?"
"Yes, the aircraft is faster than all RAF fighters..."
I cut him off, "At the moment, but within 6 months there will be at least 5 prototype fighters flying with a max. speed of almost twice that of the 'Blenheim'. In fact, one of them will be have more than twice the speed." I continued, "Secondly, if you had read the rejection carefully, we wrote that it is rejected in its current form. We didn't say that about the other two aircraft. We didn't reject the whole design, just its current design. We are sending it back, not burying it. We believe there is room for improvement. May I continue?"
"Please."
"The Mercury engine belongs in a museum, it's at the end of its evolution. The defensive armament is a joke and wouldn't deter any enemy fighter. The aircraft is much too cramped with vital controls BEHIND the pilot's seat and I'm not even going to mention the stupid bomb doors."
"That is too harsh." he countered.
"Your opinion, sir but it remains rejected and nothing can change that. Are you on good terms with the people at Bristol?"
"I am."
I asked Edward for the AM draft and gave it to Lord Beaverbrook. "This is what we need, a land based torpedo bomber/bomber/patrol aircraft for RAF Coastal Command. They need to prioritize their Taurus and Hercules engine designs. This design needs the Hercules."
"Based on the Blenheim design?"
"Yes but larger, more spacious, with two twin-gun turrets. It'll need a crew of four therefore the Hercules engine is required."
He asked a few more questions but by ten o'clock he had left TRADOC. "Another satisfied customer," I commented to Edward.