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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0536.PDF
JUNE 28, 1928 FUNCTIONS OF SERVICE AIRCRAFT By MAJOR F. A. de V. ROBERTSON, V.D. THE R.A.F. Display continues to attract its thousands andtens of thousands. That it is one of the most popular events of the summer in London is beyond question. Nor is thereason far to seek. The London public shows its discrimi- nation by deciding that landplane racing is a very dull andboring spectacle and may be disregarded (the same would not apply to seaplanes, were there any opportunity of watchingsuch a beautiful sight as a seaplane race), but that aerial stunting and formation flying are quite as attractive as themusical rides of the Greys and the Royal Horse Artillery. At the Hendon Display stunting and formation flying areseen at their most excellent, and many other thrilling and attractive sights as well. Moreover, there is no doubt aboutit that the Royal Air Force is popular. All our fighting services are popular, even though our populace is as peace-loving as any in the world. It is true that as yet the airman has not won the supreme distinction of a name like " TommyAtkins "or" Jack Tar,"and the music halls and revues do not ring with songs like " Oh, listen to the band " and " It's theNavy, the fighting Navy," which were once so popular. The air force is still too young to be thus celebrated. But thepeople know that it did its bit, and a bit more, in the war ; and they know that its training now is worked up to asupreme degree. It is perhaps inevitable that the populace should go to Hendon, to the Tournament at Olympia, and to the Tattoo at Aldershot, in much the same spirit as they go to a circus.They want to be amused and delighted by seeing wonderful feats. We must accept that spirit-as inevitable in most of thespectators. But the Display would fail of much of its purpose if serious-minded citizens gleaned nothing more fromit than amusement. There is ample evidence of rapidly spreading airmindedness in the nation, for which we have tothank mainly the fine enterprise of the Air Ministry in fostering light aeroplane clubs and University squadrons.The very numerous young men and women who now know all about a " Moth " do not accept aeroplanes as just aero-planes. They like to know about the -different types and their why and their wherefore. At schools, too, where theAir League recently conducted a campaign of lecturing, the intelligent interest displayed in the subject by quite smallboys is surprising. Though Jones Minor may not be able to spell " Schneider," he has distinct ideas on the rival merits ofair-cooled and water-cooled engines, and he demands a lucid explanation of why a Siskin has such a funny under-carriage. Added to all this, the growing interest in flying mattersreceived a distinct impetus from the air exercises last summer. John, of London, wanted to know why he was bombed sooften. He began to grasp the fact that Foxes were un- commonly fast bombers and proved a tough nut for thedefending fighters to crack. He was disturbed at seeing his • Rehearsing for the R.A.F. Dis- play: This photo- graph shows several Fairey III F. machines making a turn in formation. [" FLIGHT " Photograph 484
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