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{{Short description|British pilot}} |
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{{about||the ambassador|Sir John Crampton, 2nd Baronet|the Anglican priest|John Crampton (priest)}} |
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Squadron Leader '''John Crampton''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|DFC|AFC}} (21 August 1921 – 12 June 2010) was a British pilot who conducted [[Surveillance aircraft|spy flights]] into the Soviet Union in the early 1950s. |
Squadron Leader '''John Crampton''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|DFC|AFC}} (21 August 1921 – 12 June 2010) was a British pilot who conducted [[Surveillance aircraft|spy flights]] into the Soviet Union in the early 1950s. |
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== Early life == |
== Early life == |
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John Crampton was born in [[Weybridge]], [[Surrey]] in 1921 and was educated at [[Harrow School|Harrow]]. He joined the [[Royal Air Force]] in 1940 and trained as a pilot in [[Canada]]. On his return to England he joined [[No. 76 Squadron RAF|76 Squadron]] in [[RAF Bomber Command]] flying [[Handley Page Halifax]] bombers. The Halifax squadrons flew their last bombing operation on 25 April 1945 when they pounded the heavy gun emplacements on [[30.5 cm SK L/50 gun#Coast defense mounts|Wangerooge Island]], which guarded the entrance to the key port of [[Bremen]]. When the war ended, Crampton was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]. |
John Crampton was born in [[Weybridge]], [[Surrey]] in 1921 and was educated at [[Harrow School|Harrow]]. He joined the [[Royal Air Force]] in 1940 and trained as a pilot in [[Canada]]. He qualified as a flying instructor and instructed at the Royal Air Force flying school in [[CFB Moose Jaw|Moose Jaw]]. On his return to England he joined [[No. 76 Squadron RAF|76 Squadron]] in [[RAF Bomber Command]] flying [[Handley Page Halifax]] bombers. The Halifax squadrons flew their last bombing operation on 25 April 1945 when they pounded the heavy gun emplacements on [[30.5 cm SK L/50 gun#Coast defense mounts|Wangerooge Island]], which guarded the entrance to the key port of [[Bremen]]. When the war ended, Crampton was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fYrfAAAAMAAJ&q=john+crampton+raf+flying+instructor&pg=PA378|title = Early Cold War Overflights, 1950–1956: Appendixes: Biographies of contributors|year = 2003}}</ref> |
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== Spy pilot == |
== Spy pilot == |
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In the early postwar years, Crampton transitioned from [[Rolls-Royce Merlin|piston-engined bombers]] to [[Fighter aircraft|jet fighters]]. In July 1951 he was selected to lead a special duty [[Flight (military unit)|flight]] that would train on [[USAF]] [[North American B-45 Tornado|RB-45C]] reconnaissance aircraft. Code-named [[North American B-45 Tornado|Operation Ju-jitsu]], four [[North American RB-45C Tornado]] aircraft were stripped of their USAF markings and repainted in RAF colours. |
In the early postwar years, Crampton transitioned from [[Rolls-Royce Merlin|piston-engined bombers]] to [[Fighter aircraft|jet fighters]], piloting the [[Gloster Meteor]] as part of [[No. 12 Group RAF|12 Group]] at [[RAF Horsham St. Faith]]<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iyeNDwAAQBAJ&q=john+crampton+raf+gloster+meteor&pg=PT54 |title = Silent Warriors, Incredible Courage: The Declassified Stories of Cold War Reconnaissance Flights and the Men Who Flew Them |isbn=9781496822819 |last1=Samuel |first1=Wolfgang W. E. |date = 19 February 2019}}</ref> and later the [[de Havilland Vampire]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://thetartanterror15.blogspot.com/2007/11/sqn-ldr-john-crampton-dfc-afc.html |title=Military Pilots: Sqn Ldr John Crampton DFC AFC* 1921–2010}}</ref> In July 1951 he was selected to lead a special duty [[Flight (military unit)|flight]] that would train on [[USAF]] [[North American B-45 Tornado|RB-45C]] reconnaissance aircraft. After extensive training at [[Barksdale Air Force Base]], his crew which included his navigator [[Rex Sanders]] and two others began covert operations. Code-named [[North American B-45 Tornado|Operation Ju-jitsu]], four [[North American RB-45C Tornado]] aircraft were stripped of their USAF markings and repainted in RAF colours. Based at [[RAF Sculthorpe]], the aircraft were tasked with flying deep level reconnaissance missions over the [[Soviet Union]] to gather [[Signals intelligence|electronic]] and [[Imagery intelligence|photographic intelligence]]. The special duties flight conducted missions during the period 1952–54.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/metz/other/U-2/mixson-1.html |title=Marion "Hack" Mixson |website=c-and-e-museum.org |publisher=Military Communications and Electronics Museum}}</ref> It was not until 1994 (under the "fifty year rule" of the [[Public Records Act 1958]]) that the existence of the spy missions became public knowledge.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rafsculthorpeheritagecentre.org/operation-jiu-jitsu.html |title=Operation Jiu Jitsu |website=RAF SCULTHORPE HERITAGE CENTRE}}</ref> During the final mission, Crampton's aircraft came under anti-aircraft fire and was nearly intercepted by [[MiG 15]]s. In the aftermath, the Jiu Jitsu flights were folded up.{{cn|date=July 2021}} Initially, Squadron Leader [[Micky Martin]] of [[Operation Chastise|Dambusters]] fame was chosen to lead the operations but he failed a mandatory high altitude pressurisation test and Crampton was selected instead.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://spyflight.co.uk/operations/ |title=Operations | The Spyflight Website V2 |website=spyflight.co.uk}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)|Air Force Cross]] on 10 June 1954.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=40188 |date=10 June 1954 |page=3291 |supp=y |quote=John CRAMPTON, D.F.C., A.F.C (131910), Royal Air Force.}}</ref> |
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==Later career== |
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After the Jiu Jitsu missions came to a temporary close, Crampton was posted to [[No. 101 Squadron RAF|101 Squadron]] flying [[English Electric Canberra]]s at [[RAF Binbrook]] in 1952. He took part in several formation air displays around Europe to show off the Canberra's abilities.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D7XNDwAAQBAJ&q=john+crampton+raf+canberras&pg=PT387|title=The History of RAF Aerobatic Teams from 1920: Smoke on . . . Go!|isbn=9781783031603|last1=Watkins|first1=David|date=13 June 2011}}</ref> He retired from the RAF in 1957 and joined [[Hawker Aircraft]] where he became Technical Sales Manager. His main assignment was to promote the [[Harrier jump jet]]. He retired from the aviation industry in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?6215-131910-Sqn-Ldr-John-CRAMPTON-D-F-C-A-F-C|title=131910 Sqn Ldr John CRAMPTON D.F.C., A.F.C.|website=www.rafcommands.com}}</ref> |
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Crampton became vice president of the British Model Flying Association in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bmfa.org/The-BMFA/Awards-and-Honours/Presidents-Vice-Presidents|title=Presidents & Vice Presidents|website=bmfa.org}}</ref> |
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A motor racing enthusiast, Crampton owned a [[Maserati 8C]] which he used to compete at the [[Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb]] in 1948.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.psychoontyres.co.uk/fatal-exhaust-maserati-8c-3000-3002/|title=Crampton}}</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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* {{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/7921263/Squadron-Leader-John-Crampton.html |title=Obituary: Squadron Leader John Crampton |date=1 August 2010 | |
* {{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/7921263/Squadron-Leader-John-Crampton.html |title=Obituary: Squadron Leader John Crampton |date=1 August 2010 |work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=1 August 2010}} |
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* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjlw ''Timewatch: Spies in the Sky.''] BBC2 1994. |
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjlw ''Timewatch: Spies in the Sky.''] BBC2 1994. |
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* [http://www.cmlx.co.uk/hawkerassociation/hanewsletters/hanewsletter005/wordsfromsalesman.html ''Words from a Salesman.''] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Crampton, John}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crampton, John}} |
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[[Category:1921 births]] |
[[Category:1921 births]] |
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[[Category:2010 deaths]] |
[[Category:2010 deaths]] |
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[[Category:British expatriates in Canada]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:59, 19 November 2023
Squadron Leader John Crampton DFC AFC (21 August 1921 – 12 June 2010) was a British pilot who conducted spy flights into the Soviet Union in the early 1950s.
Early life
[edit]John Crampton was born in Weybridge, Surrey in 1921 and was educated at Harrow. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and trained as a pilot in Canada. He qualified as a flying instructor and instructed at the Royal Air Force flying school in Moose Jaw. On his return to England he joined 76 Squadron in RAF Bomber Command flying Handley Page Halifax bombers. The Halifax squadrons flew their last bombing operation on 25 April 1945 when they pounded the heavy gun emplacements on Wangerooge Island, which guarded the entrance to the key port of Bremen. When the war ended, Crampton was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.[1]
Spy pilot
[edit]In the early postwar years, Crampton transitioned from piston-engined bombers to jet fighters, piloting the Gloster Meteor as part of 12 Group at RAF Horsham St. Faith[2] and later the de Havilland Vampire.[3] In July 1951 he was selected to lead a special duty flight that would train on USAF RB-45C reconnaissance aircraft. After extensive training at Barksdale Air Force Base, his crew which included his navigator Rex Sanders and two others began covert operations. Code-named Operation Ju-jitsu, four North American RB-45C Tornado aircraft were stripped of their USAF markings and repainted in RAF colours. Based at RAF Sculthorpe, the aircraft were tasked with flying deep level reconnaissance missions over the Soviet Union to gather electronic and photographic intelligence. The special duties flight conducted missions during the period 1952–54.[4] It was not until 1994 (under the "fifty year rule" of the Public Records Act 1958) that the existence of the spy missions became public knowledge.[5] During the final mission, Crampton's aircraft came under anti-aircraft fire and was nearly intercepted by MiG 15s. In the aftermath, the Jiu Jitsu flights were folded up.[citation needed] Initially, Squadron Leader Micky Martin of Dambusters fame was chosen to lead the operations but he failed a mandatory high altitude pressurisation test and Crampton was selected instead.[6] He was awarded the Air Force Cross on 10 June 1954.[7]
Later career
[edit]After the Jiu Jitsu missions came to a temporary close, Crampton was posted to 101 Squadron flying English Electric Canberras at RAF Binbrook in 1952. He took part in several formation air displays around Europe to show off the Canberra's abilities.[8] He retired from the RAF in 1957 and joined Hawker Aircraft where he became Technical Sales Manager. His main assignment was to promote the Harrier jump jet. He retired from the aviation industry in 1983.[9]
Crampton became vice president of the British Model Flying Association in 1974.[10]
A motor racing enthusiast, Crampton owned a Maserati 8C which he used to compete at the Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb in 1948.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Early Cold War Overflights, 1950–1956: Appendixes: Biographies of contributors". 2003.
- ^ Samuel, Wolfgang W. E. (19 February 2019). Silent Warriors, Incredible Courage: The Declassified Stories of Cold War Reconnaissance Flights and the Men Who Flew Them. ISBN 9781496822819.
- ^ "Military Pilots: Sqn Ldr John Crampton DFC AFC* 1921–2010".
- ^ "Marion "Hack" Mixson". c-and-e-museum.org. Military Communications and Electronics Museum.
- ^ "Operation Jiu Jitsu". RAF SCULTHORPE HERITAGE CENTRE.
- ^ "Operations | The Spyflight Website V2". spyflight.co.uk.
- ^ "No. 40188". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 June 1954. p. 3291.
John CRAMPTON, D.F.C., A.F.C (131910), Royal Air Force.
- ^ Watkins, David (13 June 2011). The History of RAF Aerobatic Teams from 1920: Smoke on . . . Go!. ISBN 9781783031603.
- ^ "131910 Sqn Ldr John CRAMPTON D.F.C., A.F.C." www.rafcommands.com.
- ^ "Presidents & Vice Presidents". bmfa.org.
- ^ "Crampton".
- "Obituary: Squadron Leader John Crampton". The Daily Telegraph. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
- Timewatch: Spies in the Sky. BBC2 1994.
- Words from a Salesman.