109 Squadron DeHavilland Mosquito signed Flight Lieutenant Andy Hutchison BSc CEng MIMechE

£10.00

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No 109 Squadron was first formed in 1918 as a bomber training unit and disbanded in 1919. In December 1940 the squadron was re-born from the Wireless Intelligence Development Unit (WIDU). Using Anson and Wellington aircraft it was engaged during the next two years in development of radio counter-measures and also new radar aids, notably the blind bombing system known as Oboe. In August 1942, No 109 moved to Wyton to become one of the original units of the Pathfinder Force. In December it converted to Oboe Mosquitoes and made history by flying the first Oboe sortie over enemy territory on a calibration raid against a power station at Lutterade in Holland.

On the night of 31 December 1943, it made history again when it pioneered Oboe target marking for a following force of heavy bombers. One of No 109's most outstanding successes was on 5/6 March 1943, when its Mosquitoes led Bomber Command's devastating assault on Essen which laid waste more than 160 acres of that city and heralded the Battle of the Ruhr. Included among the squadron's many other wartime claims to fame is the claim that the last bombs to be dropped on Berlin were dropped by one of its Mosquitos at 2.14am on 21 April 1945.

The cover is cancelled with BFPS 2695 postmark for the 60th Anniversary of the formation of the Pathfinder Force dated 15 August 2002.

Hand signed by Flight Lieutenant Andy Hutchison BSc CEng MIMechE MBAC
150 Signed, Numbered and Certified

Andy Hutchison was a Mosquito pilot with No 109 Squadron between 1945 and 1947. He joined the RAF 1943 and qualified as pilot at RAF College Cranwell joining No 109 Squadron in 1945 flying Mosquitos through to 1947. During 1952-57 was pilot in RAuxAF with Nos 616 and 603 Squadrons. Graduated from Edinburgh University in 1950 (BSc Eng) and joined Rolls Royce, Derby. He worked on engine development, overhaul and production planning on joint overseas projects, and then set up his own private consultancy service in 1972 - Aero Engines Economics Ltd. He is still active in retirement on the restoration of Meteor and Comet aircraft.