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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0638.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 26, 1931 TOO LATE FOR THE WAR : THE HANDLEY-PAGE V-1500 FOUR-ENGINED BOMBER CAME OUT TOO LATE TO TAKE PART IN THE WAR 1914-1918. BUT WAS USED TO BOMB KABUL IN 1919, AFTER A FLIGHT FROM EGYPT TO INDIA VIA BAGHDAD. (FLIGHT Phuto.) of the R.F.C., but in the:-meantime went back to theirregiments. The four squadrons mentioned above were formed and proceeded to explore the possibilities of work-ing with the Army. In the Army manoeuvres of 1912 both aeroplanes and airships took part. This was a greatopportunity for the flying officers to learn how to help the troops, and for the generals to estimate the value ofthe help given. The aeroplanes in those days did not carry wireless (the sets of those days were much tooheavy for the machines of those days), but the airship " Gamma " did carry an outfit and used it with greateffect. After the manoeuvres, General Grierson wrote of the aircraft:—"The impression left on my mind is thattheir use has revolutionised the art of war. So long as hostile aircraft are hovering over one's troops all move- ments are liable to be seen and reported, and thereforthe first step in war will be to get rid of the hostile air* craft. He who does this or who keeps the last aeroplaneafloat will win, other things being approximately equal . The airship, as long as she remained afloat, wasof more use to me for strategical reconnaissance than the aeroplanes, as, being fitted with wireless telegraphy Ireceived her messages in a continuous stream and immedi- ately after the observations had been made." These remarks by one of the ablest generals of the day(General Grierson unfortunately died while on his way to meet the Germans at Mons) are rather higher praise thanone would have expected in 1912, when everything was in an experimental stage. They show, however, the urgentneed for the development of fighting in the air. To get rid of the hostile aircraft was the first step in war, accord-ing to General Grierson, for otherwise every movement of troops was known to the enemy. In those days there wasno means of getting rid of the hostile aircraft. Anti- aircraft guns were never very deadly, and there wasnothing else until aeroplanes were enabled to shoot down other aeroplanes. That is why we now have the Bulldogsand the Furies—in fact, a whole Area (as it is called) of fighter squadrons. The War We come then to the period of the war. Our fouroriginal squadrons crossed to France with no other idea than that of reconnoitring for the Army. No. 4 Squadronwhen it went to France had a flight attached to it which was called a Wireless Flight, as its machines were pro-vided with wireless equipment. Wireless is used for report- ing, which is a branch of reconnaissance. Afterwardsthis flight was used as a nucleus from which our whole wireless organisation was developed. It was the exigenciesof war which brought other work to the aeroplanes. Bombing began by Uirowmg hand grenades over the sideof the fuselage. Fighting began when the observers fired pistols and carbines at each other. Photography startedby holding hand cameras over the side of the machine. Before the war was finished each of these branches of airwork had been highly developed, and special machines had been designed for each class of work, and these were fittedpermanently with suitable gear. WARTI ME FLYING BOATS: ABOVE,ON LEFT. THE TYPE F.3. AND ON RIGHT, THE F.5. FIRST ATL ANTIC FLIGHT: THE VICKERS "VIMY" (CENTRE) WAS USED BY ALCOCK AND BROWN IN FLIGHT ACROSS ATLANTIC IN 1919. FIGHTER AND TROOP CARRIER: THE ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH "SISKIN" (LEFT) WAS THE FIRST ALL-METAL SINGLE-SEATER FIGHTER TO BE ISSUED TO THE R.A.F. THE VICKERS "VERNON" (RIGHT) IS; A TROOP CARRIER. AND IS A DEVELOPMENT OF THE VICKERS VIMY- COMMERCIAL. (FLIGHT Photos.) •:-••;•: -*l:-:.:-::': •:.::•:': . ' ,- • 592 " * . -" .
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