ROYAL NAVY HMS DAEDALUS ENGINEERING SCHOOL RECRUITING FILM 56114

This 1973 short film promotes the H.M.S. Daedalus, the Naval Air Engineering School. The film opens with a shot of helicopters taking off from an aircraft carrier (00:16), then cuts to scene of a student doing a flight simulation with a Wessex V mockup (00:36). The school’s female students, known as wren air mechanics (01:30), also study naval engineering. Students learn about and work on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, such as the Sea Vixen fighter plane (02:42). The men and women at H.M.S. Daedalus learn to load aircraft with bombs (04:50) and mount machine guns (05:38), as well as reading instruments in mock cockpits, such as one in a Westland Sea King helicopter mockup (06:31). Students enjoy having the opportunity to build their own small aircraft too, such as a Kittiwake (07:41).
Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) was one of the primary shore airfields of the Fleet Air Arm. First established as a seaplane base in 1917 during the First World War, it later became the main training establishment and administrative centre of the Fleet Air Arm. Situated near Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire, approximately four miles west of Portsmouth on the coast of the Solent at grid reference SU560019, the establishment has now been closed down. The airfield hosts the Solent Enterprise Zone.
The Mitchell Kittiwake is a British single engine sporting aircraft designed for amateur building. Plans were available for both single-seat and two-seat versions, but only four were constructed. In addition to the prototype, two Kittiwake Is were built, one by Royal Navy apprentices in 1971 for glider towing. For this role a larger diameter (6 ft 4 in, 1.93 m) propeller is fitted, increasing the rate of climb by 24%. A tow release hook is fitted under the tail. Only one Kittiwake II, the prototype, was built. One Kittiwake was active until at least at 2005 and the other is still active. They remain on the UK Civil Register. These are the prototype, G-ATXN and the ex-Naval G-BBRN. The latter is painted, as in its Naval days, as XW784.
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[@CoherentChimp]

As a youngster my dad got a draft down to HMS Ariel as it was then in 1965. We lived on the camp in a bungalow on Implacable Rd. right next to the small Tailors shop, which itself was right next to an Aircraft hangar which had Gannets inside. It was a great place for two young lads to roam about, wed get freindly with loads of instructors and even officers, and they'd let us sit in the plane cockpits. No health and safety in those days! For some reason they changed the name to Daedalus.
My dad was with the Fleet Air Arm gun crew for 3 years. He let us fire the cannon in the equipment shed one time! It was like a huge adventure playground for me and my brother. Loved it!

[@colcot50]

Loved Daedalus, it was a great place , did my WL training there back in 1989

[@kibeard007]

Fabulous film this.

[@dkoz8321]

"Of course all the heavy jobs are left to the lads in the shop". Of course it figures!

[@archives2128]

10/10

[@michaelpeckover6047]

I was at Daedalus A/L course 1973 B73/11 L&R (if my memory is still ok) PO Bannerman & CPO Vance