The Irish Air Corps and the Emergency 1939-45

[FiannaFail]

Came across this interesting web page about the IAC and the Emergency:

http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/aercrpst.htm

Has anyone else got any interesting stories about this time? I remember reading somewhere (unfortunately cant remember the source) about the night when the Air Corps were scrambled to intercept unknown aircraft in the Dublin sky (thought to be German) possibly after the Short Strand bombings had taken place.  They had been picked up by search lights and if I can recall correctly, warning AA shots were let off.  Of course the IAC were dispersed around the country at that time.

FiannaFail

[dp_burke]

Hello all,
Thanks for the link above FF, that's the old part of my site and I keep promising to take that down as its very out of date and lacking in proper 'research' content.  The only active part of my site is the link below.

Consider it for reference only!!!  There are many more 'interesting' sources out there for IAC topics.

Dennis

Foreign Aircraft and their Crews in Ireland 1939-45:
www.skynet.ie/~dan/war/crashes.htm

[Gnat]

Came across this interesting web page about the IAC and the Emergency:

http://www.csn.ul.ie/~dan/war/aercrpst.htm

Has anyone else got any interesting stories about this time? I remember reading somewhere (unfortunately cant remember the source) about the night when the Air Corps were scrambled to intercept unknown aircraft in the Dublin sky (thought to be German) possibly after the Short Strand bombings had taken place.  They had been picked up by search lights and if I can recall correctly, warning AA shots were let off.  Of course the IAC were dispersed around the country at that time.

FiannaFail

I am sure that the RAF would not have been involved in the SHORT STRAND bombing up here in Belfast and certainly the IAC would not be operating up here. either, so you ere probably right they were German.
Question; is FF on a bonus scheme that we do not hear about ie all the bumping!
Gnat
(I sting)

[FiannaFail]

Sorry Gnat, meant to write "North Strand" not  Short Strand!  Old age catching up!  At least there is a "north " connection.  Of course Dev sent up the Dublin Fire Brigade to help out  the inferno in Belfast after the German bombing of the city.
FiannaFail

[dp_burke]

In the lateness of late nights post I neglected to suggest a recent publication which might be much more interesting than my website,

It is a book released last year called 'Guarding Neutral Ireland'.  It has (IMHO) a very good chapter on the North Strand bombing.  (I say that as someone who has not researched the military archives on the subject.)

http://www.fourcourtspress.ie/product.php?intProductID=785

I would say however that a night time interception by the IAC in 1941 would rather more than unlikely with the equipment to hand, Gladiators.  Going by my own dodgy website, the first Hurricane did not enter service until late 1942 and there was only one of them.  It was July 1943 before we got four more Hurricanes.

If Tony see's this thread he can set you on the correct course.

Dennis

[Gnat]

If Tony see's this thread he can set you on the correct course.

Dennis

Tony who??
Gnat
(I sting)