A Remarkable Night Fighter 29 Sqdn Log Book importantly once signed off by Guy Gibson and containing many other renowned names.

A Remarkable Night Fighter 29 Squadron Log Book — Guy Gibson, Bob Braham and Alan Whitby Offered here is a genuinely evocative piece of RAF night-fighter history: the wartime flying log books of Alan Whitby, an observer/radar operator who served with No. 29 Squadron at RAF West Malling during the crucial development of Britain’s airborne radar night-fighter force. The first log book dates from September 1941, when 29 Squadron was operating Bristol Beaufighters from West Malling. The squadron had arrived at the Kent airfield in April 1941 and was becoming one of Fighter Command’s foremost night-fighter units with airborne interception radar. Whitby’s Log Book’s greatest historical relevance is the signature of Squadron Leader Guy Gibson. At this stage Gibson was already an experienced and highly regarded night fighter pilot, having served with 29 Squadron since 1940 and having commanded its ‘A’ Flight. Only months later he would leave 29 Sqdn and embark upon the remarkable career that culminated in his command of 617 Squadron and the Dambusters Raid of May 1943. Whitby's own story makes the log book still more compelling. His first flight with 29 Sqdn was in a Beaufighter with another pilot destined to greater things, Hugh Verity, placing him immediately within the heart of the squadron's operational night-fighter environment. The Beaufighter and its radar were at the cutting edge of RAF interception work, requiring close co-operation between pilot and radar operator. The log book was subsequently signed by Flight Lieutenant Bob Braham, Whitby's Flight Commander. Braham was one of the RAF's outstanding night-fighter aces and developed his formidable reputation with 29 Squadron at West Malling where he worked closely with radar operators to perfect the interception techniques that made the Beaufighter such an effective weapon. Whitby went on to prove himself operationally. As recorded in the accompanying account, on the night of 7–8 May 1942, flying with Pilot Officer Roy Carr, he guided the interception of a Heinkel He 111. Carr attacked from close range, setting the bomber's port engine ablaze; the German crew subsequently bailed out, although two were killed on landing. The Heinkel crashed near Brabourne in Kent. This was a particularly interesting action involving a specialist Luftwaffe aircraft from KG100, an experienced unit employed in precision attacks. Whitby's wartime career did not end there. He later flew with Beaufighters with 255 Squadron in North Africa and Italy, then with Mosquitos firstly with 219 Squadron then with 157 Squadron with 100 Group on night-intruder operations over Germany, carrying forward the same fundamental combination of pilot, radar operator and airborne interception that had been pioneered in the Beaufighter years. Log Book 2 only records a few operations between 14th March 1945 and 2nd May 1945 with his final Op (Low Level over Skrystrup, Denmark). His grand total of hours being in excess of 1100 hours. For the collector of RAF log books, the appeal is therefore unusually broad: a named operational radar operator; a 1941 29 Squadron West Malling provenance; a first flight with Hugh Verity; the signature of Guy Gibson; the endorsement of night-fighter ace Bob Braham; and the subsequent combat career of Whitby himself. This is far more than a flying log. It is a personal document connecting the development of RAF airborne radar, 29 Squadron's Beaufighter night fighters, Guy Gibson's pre-Dambuster career, Bob Braham's night-fighting achievements and the later Mosquito operations of 100 Group. Selling with a small quantity of notes and sketches made during training and the 29 Sqdn group photo which was taken prior to Guy Gibson being posted away. This important known photograph features Guy Gibson, Bob Braham and Hugh Verity. Dimensions given are for the complete bundle which includes 2 relevant books for reference. Main Log Book itself is the standard Log Book size of 14cm x 21cm x 1.5cm.…