Flying

EXPLORE EXPERIENCES

Pilots & their cars

02nd March 2017
Mark Hillier

It was one man’s experience of driving his MG around the perimeter track in 1941 that lead to the idea of its use for post-war racing. This pilot was, of course, Tony Gaze of 610 Squadron.

  • Goodwood Aerodrome

  • WWII

  • RAF Westhampnett

jonnie-houlton-of-485-squadron-with-his-bsa.jpg

Sergeant Alan Smith (later Sir Alan Smith DFC) was one of Tony Gaze’s contemporaries at Goodwood. He had the honour of flying as wingman to Wing Commander Douglas Bader with 616 Squadron in 1941. Alan was one of the many pilots who had purchased his own little MG Midget, but getting fuel was often a problem due to wartime rationing. Nick-named ‘Fear not’, he often took his car around the perimeter track and recalled that Douglas Bader would often turn a blind eye to the goings on with pilots and their cars as he knew they needed to let off steam.

However it wasn’t always such plain sailing and there was one such incident with the military police that could have ended in disaster.

We all had little old rusty motor cars and I had a 1932 MG Midget with a spare wheel on the back

Sergeant Alan Smith

Sergeant Alan Smith recalled. “Many of us had these and we filled them with aviation fuel. One lunchtime we were hanging around when the military police came around and started testing the fuel in the cars. Of course, they found a number with aviation fuel and were set to arrest us all!

Thankfully, a car pulled up and Bader got out, saying ‘what the hell’s going on here’. The military policeman tried to explain what was happening but Bader started on the poor chap and cut him down stating something along the lines of ‘get your buggers out of here, and fast, or I will sort you out’. They left and we never heard any more about it”.

It is clear that the fighter pilots loved their motor cars as much as they did their aircraft and the two often went hand in hand.

  • Goodwood Aerodrome

  • WWII

  • RAF Westhampnett