Quote:
Originally Posted by 41Sqn_Banks
Now that's a interesting find. The page without amendments only give +12 boost for take-off, but the 1939 documents states +12.5 boost for take-off.
However it's still clear from the June 1940 "List of content" that the page that contains the +12 emergency boost was not contained at that date and was added later and at that date only the page without +12 emergency boost was contained.
IMHO the easiest would be to get the combat reports of the "units concerned" (pun intended  ) to find one that proofs the use of +12 in a Spitfire II or search in the National Archives for a similar doc like the one that clears the use of +12 emergency boost for Merlin XX. |
With regard to the pilot notes, RAF Air Publication (AP) amendments are well known for being behind the times as far as up-to-date common practise at the front line is concerned. It may be many months and over a year or so before an AP is fully updated to reflect what is actually taking place on the ground and in the air.
A fighting force does not wait for the AP to be updated before taking actions that are operationally required to provide an advantage in combat (AP amendments are not a priority when fighting a war). In the mean time, RAF personnel may be informed and corporate knowledge developed by other means of authorised advanced information contained in a variety of communication methods, such as signals, memos, letters, advanced information leaflets (destroyed once formal amendment leaflet is incorporated into the AP), briefings and local training.
The date an Amendment Leaflet is issued is not an indication of when the subject practise was first authorised or carried out. Moreover, the vast number of aircraft AP copies in existence would not have all been amended with updated changes on the same date; different copies of the same AP held across the RAF at squadron and flight level will have different dates recorded on the amendment leaflet record for the incorporation of the amendment. Also, it is not unusual for amendment leaflets to go missing in transit and for a unit to receive an amendment leaflet out of sequence, or for the AP to have a number of missing amendment leaflets; no system is perfect.
As for the pilot in the air in a life and death situation over his own territory, given a situation where extra boost is available, I do not believe that he is going to wait for authorisation to use extra boost if it enables him to win a fight, survive another day or save the life of another pilot or people on the ground. After all, pilots were known to ram enemy aircraft and such authorisation will not be found in AP pilot notes (tongue in cheek, LOL).