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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0934.PDF
FLIGHT, SEPTEMBER 16, 1932 SQUADRON LINE ABREAST : No. 603 B.S. has to contend with weather. Firth of Forth is covered with haar or sea mist. (FLIGHT Photo.) are able to boast or complain that they have had no tennis for three years. On one occasion the squadron was chosen to fly to Hendon on a public holiday. Three of the officers were in London on business, so on the eve of the holiday they all took train to Edinburgh and next day flew back to Hendon with the squadron. Next day they flew back to Edinburgh and then took train to London once more, to resume their business. The number of flying hours put in by the squadron is very large. The pilots get lots of practice, and, consequently, the formation flying is of a very high standard. Our photographs show that they practise various formations and do all of them well. This keenness makes discipline easy. It is not easy to get admitted to the squadron, and those who have been chosen value the privilege. If spirits ever get too high, the mere threat of being forbidden to fly for a month would so appal any officer that he would immediately be reduced to what every young subaltern should be. The Esher Trophy is another stimulus to hard work. The Edinburgh squadron has not yet won it, and it means to do so before universal disarmament takes place. They say it is a grind to have to work for it, but the trophy is a great incentive. The average merit of the pilots in flying is very level. When the A.O.C. No. 1 Air De fence Group visited Turnhouse, he went up as a passenger with each of the officers, and they all, even the newest pair of wings, gave him good flights. The squadron is fortunate in having lots of good company. Renfrew is well within half-an- hour's flying, and the members of the two squadrons constantly visit each other. Just across the water are Donibristle, where No. 100 (Bomber) Squadron lives, and not far off in Fife is Leuchars, the shore base of flights of the Fleet Air Arm. It is good for both when regulars and Auxiliaries can see a good deal of each other, and the sight of " Horsleys " landing on Turnhouse is not un common. The visitors will soon be " Vildebeests." Recruiting A.A.F. airmen in Edinburgh is easy, and the squadron could be doubled in numbers at short notice if required. The men seldom work at their own trades in the squadron, and they are by no means all engineers. One of the best N.C.O.'s is a postman. A chemist who joined up was thought likely to be keen on the explosives in bombs, but he preferred the photographic section. One air gunner is the son of a minister of religion. Whatever their calling in civil life, they do their work very well in the squadron. The " Wapitis " are kept in splendid con dition, and the test-bench, shown in one of our photo graphs is a joy to the fitters. A distinguishing feature of the squadron is its pipe band, The OFFICERS OF NO. 603 B.S. : (Left to right) P/O. P. Gifford, F/O. T. M. McNeil, F/O. A. M. Mitchell, Mr. G. Gatturall, P/O's. E. H. Stevens, I. D. Shields, F/O. D. M. T. MacDonald, F/O. C. H. W. Bolders, P/O.'siG. A. Reid, I. Kirkpatrick, Fit. Lt. I. E. C. Watson, F/O. A. Wallace, Sqd. Ldr. H. R. Murray-Philhpson, CO., Fit. Lt. J. Jack, M.C., Fit. Lt. R. Legg. (FLIGHT Photo.)
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