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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0636.PDF
FLIGHT, JULY 1, 1932 HOME AGAIN : The " Wapitis " of the three London A.A.F. Squadrons returning after their display. (FLIGHT Photo.) Air Co-operation with Ground Forces The work of Army co-operation aircraft offers plenty of scope for an interesting display, and that arranged for this year was typical of the varied duties which the Army Co-operation and Bomber-Transport Squadrons have to undertake. The event was divided into four phases, each dealing with different and distinct duties. The scene was laid in the desert (represented by the grass of Hendon Aerodrome!), and, to quote the words of the well-produced programme : — " A small Desert Mechanical Transport Column is sent out to guard certain wells, which a desert raiding party is expecting to use. On arrival, the Officer commanding the Desert Column reports by wireless to Headquarters that information from friendly natives, which is believed to be reliable, leads him to expect that he will be attacked in force. He therefore asks for reinforcements, and states that within twelve hours he can clear sufficient ground of boulders and scrub to permit aircraft with reinforcements to land. " Meanwhile supplies are dropped for the column by six ' Atlas ' aircraft (' Jaguar ' engines), and the same aircraft pick up dispatches. Later, Bomber-Transport aircraft, Vickers ' Victorias ' (Napier ' Lion ' engines), land and de plane a reinforcement of airmen with machine guns and mortars. To impress the friendly local chiefs, the whole Force gives a demonstration of fire power. Sick airmen are taken on board the Bomber-Transports and the aircraft depart for their base." Phase I was the dropping of the supplies by the " Atlases," of which there were two flights, each of three aircraft from No. 16 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, commanded by Sqd. Ldr. A. K. Churchman, D.F.C. The two flights each passed over the " Desert Column " twice and dropped their supplies. These supplies are packed in special containers and are attached to small parachutes, which open automatically when released. The " Desert Column " consisted of four motor-lorries with their crews, and these men, dressed for the part, rushed out and secured the supplies as they came down. Phase II was the message picking up and dropping part of the display. Here again the " Atlases " took part. They first of all flew across in line astern with their picking-up hooks lowered, and secured their messages from the lines erected by the men on the ground. After having picked-up in line astern, the two flights flew across one after the other in Vee formation and picked up further messages while still in formation, and finally they repeated this, but both flights flew in together and gathered their messages from lines raised either side of the lorries. Answers to these messages were then thrown down from the aircraft, as it was assumed that the ground force had no wireless equipment. These messages were in small bags with streamers attached and were dropped when the aircraft flew low over the objective. Duties like these would normally be carried out by only one aircraft, but for the purposes of the Display, doing them in formation makes it all appear more attractive as a spectacle. By this time we may assume that the boulders had AIR DRILL : Two of the " Hart " Squadrons during their evolutions. (FLIGHT Photo.) all been removed as the " Atlases " came in and landed. A booming noise then heralded the arrival of three Vickers "Victorias" (Napier "Lions"), a type of aircraft which was used to evacuate the Europeans from Kabul in 1929 and also for transporting troops to places where disturbances have broken out in Egypt and the East on many occasions. Mortars and machine-guns were unloaded from the "Victorias" in double-quick time, and in a very few minutes the " demonstration of fire-power " was in full 588
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