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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0773.PDF
NOVEMBER 19, 1925 THE ROYAL London Gazette, November 10, 1925.General Ditties Branch r Flight Cadet A. W. A. Ricks having successfully passed through the R.A.F. Cadet College, Cranwell, is granted a permanent commission as a Pilot Officer,with effect irom and with seniority of Oct. 18. The following Pilot Officers are promoted to rank of Flying Officer : —F. W. C. G. Tussaud (June 15) ; V. W. Soltau (Sept. 14) ; A. E. P. Smith (Sept. 14) ; J. E. Clayton (Oct. 14) ; A. L. Macmillan (Oct. 15). Pilot Officeroil probation R. J. Stevens is confirmed in rank (Oct. 22) ; Flight Lt. R. S. Capon is placed on Retired List at his own request (Nov. 8). The following are transferred to the Reserve :—CLASS A.—Flying OfficerH. W. Beck (Nov. 8). CLASS B.—Flight Lt. F. C. Wilkinson (Nov. 11); Flight Lt. J. S. Holloway (Capt. Dorset Rcgt.) relinquishes his temp, cumin,on retirement from the Army (Nov. 6) ; Pilot Officer H. R. Gillespie is re- moved from the service (Nov. 11). Stores BranchFlight Lt. A. Latimer is granted a permanent cominn. in rank stated (Nov. 11) ; Squadron-Leader J. H. Wilford is placed on the Retired Listand is granted rank of Wing-Commander (Now 7). Accountant BranchFlying Officer E. F. Colman is cashiered by sentence of General Court- Martial (Oct. 26). AIK FORCE Medical BranchFlight Lt T T Thomas, M.B., is promoted to rank of'Squadron Leader (Nov 9); Flight Lt. (hon. Sqdn. Ldr.) E. A. Aldridge, M.C., B.A., relin-quishes his temp, cominn. on ceasing to be employed (Oct. 24); Hying onr. H. J. Henderson (temp. Lt. Dental Surgeon, General List, Army), relinquisheshis temp, cominn on ceasing to be employed (Oct. 26). Reserve of Air Force OfficersThe follg are granted commns, as Pilot Offr . on probation, General Duties Branch -—CLASS A.—R. N. Bullock, H. VV. Knott (Oct. 10). CLASS AA.— Snell is transferred from Class C to Class A (Nov. 1) ; Hying Onr. L. D. 1;. Morrison is transferred from Class B to Class C (Nov. 4) ; Hying Oflr. J. V. Roberts is transferred from Class A to Class C (Nov. 10). MemorandaThe permission granted to Sec. Lt. F. S. Rilcy to retain rank is withdrawn, on enlistment in the Territorial Army. The permission granted to Sec. Lt.E C Hale to retain rank is withdrawn, on enlistment in the Army. ROYAL AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE Appointments.—The following appointments in the Royal Air Forceare notified :— General Duties BranchWing Commander M. Spicer, to R.A.F. Depot, pending disposal on transfer to Home Estab., 30.10.25.Flight Lieutenants : P. E. Maitlaud, A.F.C., to No. 2 Flying Training Sen., Digby, 24.11.25. M. Ballard, to No. 70 Sqdn., Iraq, 22.10.25. C. Crawford,to R.A.F. Depot, on transfer to Home Estab., 17.10.25. C. Crawford, to No. 10 Group H.Q., Lee-on-Solent, 23.11.25.Flight Lieutenants : A. F. Somerset-Leeke to R.A.F. Depot, on transfer to Home Estab., 30.10.25. R. F. Durrant A.F.C. to R.A.F. Depot on transfer toHome Estab., 17.10.25. Flying Officers : E. H. Alliott to Armament and Gunnery Sell., Lastchurcn18 11.25; F. W. Barkley, to R.A.F. Depot on transfer to Home Estab., 17.10.25 G-E. F. Boyes to Inland Area Communication Flight, Northolt, 18.11.25 ;T* Humble, to AiTcraft Park, India, 6.10.25; F. L. Pearce, to No. 17 Sq., Hawkinge, 23.11.25; D. E. Godwin to No. 2;FlyingiTraining Sch., Digby, Pilot Officer: A. H. W. J. Cocks, to No. 99 Sqdn., BirchamNewton, 16.11.25- Stores Brunch.Flight Lieutenant T. E. Drowley, to Stores Depot, Iraq, instead of to Station Commandant, Iraq, as previously notified, 22.9.25. Accountan iBranch.Flying Officers: J. H. S. Richards, to No. 32 Sqdn., Kenley, lfi.11.25. B. E. Hume Wright, to H.Q., Cranwell, 20.11.25. Medical Branch.Flying Officers: G. M. Anderson, M.B., to R.A.F. Depot, 18.11.25; IS. L. Edwards, M.B., to R.A.F. Hospital, Halton, 18.11.25. NAVAL APPOINTMENTS The following appointments were made by the Admiralty on November Lieuts. (Flving Officers, R.A.F.) : L. C. Sharman, R. C. Allen, and G H.Birley to Columbine and for No. 405 Flight ; T. H. Villiers, to Furious and1 for No 404 Flight • T. O. Bulteel and R. A. Aldridge, to Columbine and for No. 406 Flight. 14.11.25 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents^ The names,™* addresses of the writes, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters intended for insertion in these columns. THAT CURTISS PURCHASE [2101] One need not hold a brief for all the Air Ministry does or ordains, to consider that your leader on this subject does that department something less than justice, and that it appears to have overlooked certain aspects and even bare facts of the case, which cannot but govern not only general policy, but the immediate working programme already decided amid general approval. A policy may be very admirable consistency even more so, in the all but eternal abstractions of politics. But action and achievement—may I suggest ?—are rather more important for the nation s business "Be British '" or " Buy British '' is quite admirable as a policy, but as a mere wood-carving it may be ridiculous. Action and business alike seem to demand the fluid solvent " if possible." Now on the very latest facts—for which I refer you to vour own news columns—and the aspects these create it does not happen to be possible in this case. If so—as I shall trv to show—should we not rather praise the Air Ministry for having at long last learned to face facts, and the business habit of securing what it wants when and where it can get it, while it is any use, instead of pondering and perpending the pedantries of policy. Let me review those facts. First some little time ago, one Mr. Fairey, m defiance ofall official experts, and at his own expense, succeeds in designing anc building a scout biplane which proves to bethe fastest Service aircraft—special racing machines excepted _in the world. But because (a) as such, it has to be anexceedingly narrow-bodied one, (b) there is only so much width, and not enough length for even a six much lessthe unreliable "straight eight.", he is compelled to fit an extreme Y-type engine, equally to afford the needed power. The second fact is that the Curt.ss engine happens to bethe only one of that extreme model within the length and of the required power in existence and current production, 773 since even the " Liberty " is a little too wide and long, and does not give that power. So he must needs fit a Curtiss, tearfully no doubt. . . The third fact is that the wonder-stricken Air Ministry " takes it all back," and has the business gumption—to say nothing of an amende—U> order 30 Fairey " Foxes." In view of which order Mr. Fairey naturally orders as many more Curtiss engines to complete it, he, too, being faced with the further facts that (a) with his factory resources he can build the machines in a very few months, but that (b) it would take at least a year to build as a tool-room model a British copy of the Curtiss, test and develop it for production, and perhaps another six months to organise that production. All rather a risky procedure, as there might be no certainty of continuance. The fourth fact—into which we have had our noses well rubbed—is the Schneider Cup. The fifth- which everybody repeats—is that it was lostperhaps more because our pilots were unpractised at these super-speeds than for any other reason.The sixth which the Air Minister is the first to seize and act upon—is his decision to form forthwith an " ExperimentalFlight " or corps d'elite of pilots to do nothing else but fly high-speed machines, as and when produced. And sincetheir first materiel possibly to hand will be those 30 Fairey " irnw "—Martlesham their prescribed headquarters notFoxes "'— Martlesham their prescribed headquarters notbeing precisely a marine centre—it is evident that they will begin training in them. The seventh fact—which consequently is the whole case for the Air Ministry's further purchasing—is that if that training is to be at all effective, let alone intensive, they will need a change of engines within the first four months at furthest, however carefully Mr. Fairry's originals are fettled. ' x. . Let us however, consider a few more. Without men turning names, a'mong"British engines we have two makes of radial,
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