Flight Sub-Lieutenant Stuart D. Culley

Angiolillo · 24 July 2003, 04:26 AM

Sorry, search on the forum does not work too much. Maybe the subject is well known, but...

Was Stuart D. Culley a Flight Sub-Lieutenant in august 1918 when he flew the Imperial War Museum Sopwith Camel?

Which unit did he belong?

Thanks a lot!

Andrea

MikeW · 24 July 2003, 09:29 AM

Angiolillo,

Quote:

Sorry, search on the forum does not work too much.

It does, but you have to use the correct "search" icon which is situated on the header bar above the
main screen. If you use the "search" at the bottom of the page or the one on the side buttons you just get a search of the web site. Use the one at the top to search the postings.

Quote:

Was Stuart D. Culley a Flight Sub-Lieutenant in august 1918 when he flew the Imperial War Museum Sopwith Camel?

No, he was a Lieutenant - the rank of Flight sub Lieutenant was a Royal Naval Air Service rank, and the RNAS was merged with the RFC to form the RAF on 1st April 1918.

I'm sure someone else can provide an exhaustive list of Culleys postings, but here's something to be going on with:

I think Culley was based at Martlesham Heath in July and August but was attached to various ships for naval experiments - he shot down Zeppelin L53 after taking off from a towed lighter (behind HMS Redoubt).

Culley served on HMS Vindictive in *Baltic Russia in 1919.

Mike

Angiolillo · 25 July 2003, 01:29 AM

Quote:

It does, but you have to use the correct "search" icon which is situated on the header bar above the
main screen. If you use the "search" at the bottom of the page or the one on the side buttons you just get a search of the web site. Use the one at the top to search the postings.

I do, but I fear that my server is too slow to be able to search properly. If I ask for more than a few dozen days, I get a broken page as an answer.

As far as Culley is concerned, just to be clear, I am just trying to put proper writings on the cards of a game. The format is

Fokker Dr.I
Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen
Jasta 11
Luftstreitskräfte

For Culley, with the plane now at the IWM in London, I have:

Sopwith Camel
Lieutenant Stuart D. Culley
-
Royal Air Force

Any suggestion?

Thanks,

Andrea

25 July 2003, 04:16 AM

CULLEY, Stuart Douglas, Lieutenant, Royal Air Force - unit ? - Distinguished Service Order - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 November 1918 - Born 23 August 1895 in Omaha, Nebraska of English father and Canadian mother; educated in California and Vermont; summer home was Dixie, Quebec; joined RNAS in Ottawa, 19 April 1917; in UK 21 May 1917; at Calshot, 10 November 1917; at Falmouth, 23 February 1918; to Felixstowe in autumn of 1918. Appointed to permanent commission in the RAF, 1 August 1919 in rank of Flying Officer. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 1 January 1924. To RAF Depot on transfer to Home Establishment, 10 January 1924. As of 14 March 1933, S/L S.D. Culley, DSO, posted to No.39 (Bomber) Squadron, Risalpur, to command. His feat is best described in "Camel Lighters" by Dick Cronin, Cross and Cockade (Great Britain), Volume 26 No.2 (Summer 1995) which is an excellent study of "lighters" used with Naval Camels.

"Ascended to a height of 19,000 feet, at which altitude he attacked an enemy airship, and brought it down in flames completely destroyed. This was a most difficult undertaking involving great personal risk, and the highest praise is due to Lieutenant Culley for the gallantry and skill he displayed."

Frank_Olynyk · 25 July 2003, 08:06 AM

According to Sturtivant & Page: Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Squadrons (reviewed elsewhere in the Book Reviews section of the Forum), he was in 487 Flight.

Frank

25 July 2003, 08:18 AM

Nice painting here, for anyone else (like me) having trouble envisioning a "lighter" take-off:

http://www.aviatorart.com/ferris/f-just.html

Angiolillo · 25 July 2003, 10:20 PM

Quote:

According to Sturtivant & Page: Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Squadrons (reviewed elsewhere in the Book Reviews section of the Forum), he was in 487 Flight.

Thayt exactly in August 1918 it seems to give machines to the 230 Squadron.

http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn226-230.htm

Thanks a lot to everybody!

Angiolillo · 29 August 2003, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Nice painting here, for anyone else (like me) having trouble envisioning a "lighter" take-off:
http://www.aviatorart.com/ferris/f-just.html

I also have trouble envisioning that he "landed along side". What do they mean? Into the water?

PeterL · 29 August 2003, 01:36 PM

Quote:

I also have trouble envisioning that he "landed along side". What do they mean? Into the water?

Yes, alongside a ship. The hope being that the various floatation devices fitted to the 2F1 would keep it afloat long ernough for the pilot to be picked up. Some of these chaps must have had muscles in thier spit!

Rick · 29 August 2003, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Yes, alongside a ship. The hope being that the various floatation devices fitted to the 2F1 would keep it afloat long ernough for the pilot to be picked up. Some of these chaps must have had muscles in thier spit!

Man, planes were cheap back then. *Wouldn't you love to have a Sopwith Camel now-a-days!!! * *R.