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Aviation History
1935
1935 - 0085.PDF
JANUARY IO, 1935. FLIGHT. 43 Flight Photograph.) THE RAF. and a YEAR of PROMISE Service Activities During 1934 Important Re-equipment Moves : Aerodrome Developments : Some Noteworthy Long-distance Flights THE year 1934 was for the Royal Air Force a year of much promise and of some perform ance. The promises outweighed everything else in importance. First, the Air Estimates provided for raising three squadrons and two flights of the Fleet Air Arm during the year, in addition to converting the two paper squadrons at Martlesham Heath, Nos. 15 and 22 (Bomber) Squadrons, into real operational units. In a leading article on the Estimates Flight described this last move as '' very clever," because it did not add to the number of our squadrons as reported to Geneva, but actually increased our warlike strength by twenty-four first- line bomber aircraft. No. 15 B.S. has been equipped with '' Harts,'' and is stationed at Abingdon, while No. 22 B.S. has received " Vildebeests " and is stationed at Donibristle, where it comes under the command of the Coastal Area, although it is reckoned as p^rt of the Home Defence Force. But No. 100 B.S. at Singapore is also reckoned as part of the same force. The three new squadrons which were raised under thd Estimates are No. 65 (Fighter) Squadron at Hornchurch, which flies the two-seater "Demon," No. 142 (Bomber) Squadron, flying "Harts," which was raised at Netheravon but is being moved to Andover, and No. 130 (Flying Boat) Squadron, which is at Pembroke Dock. The last- named is using " Southamptons " as a temporary measure, but is ultimately to receive the "Singapore 3." Development Plans The Air Estimates aroused only modified enthusiasm. It was generally felt that the time had come to pay less regard to the Geneva influence and to take some practical steps to increase our own security. The policy of dis arming in the hope of persuading other nations to follow suit had obviously failed. Accordingly, in July, Mr. Bald win announced a five years' plan, which provided for raising thirty-one new squadrons for the Home Defence Force and six new squadrons for the Fleet Air Arm and Overseas Commands over and above the new units sanc tioned in the Estimates. This scheme presumably still holds the field except in so far as it was modified by the two years' plan announced at the end of November, which provided that twenty-two new squadrons for the Home Defence Force and three for the Fleet Air Arm should be raised by the end of 1936. A fair amount of re-equipment of squadrons has been put in hand during the year. It has been decided to con vert three Auxiliary squadrons (Nos. 600, City of London, 601, County of London, and 604, County of Middlesex) from bombers into fighters, and to give them '' Demons '' instead of "Harts" and "Wapitis." It has also been decided to give the Gloster "Gauntlet" to No. 19 (Fighter) Squadron, which is stationed at Duxford, in place of the "Bulldog." No. 8 B.S. at Aden is to have the "Vincent" instead of the Fairey IIIF, No. 30 B.S. at Mosul is to have the '* Hardy " in place ©f the "Wapiti," No. 41 F.S. at Northolt is to have the "Demon " instead of the "Bulldog," No. 84 B.S. at Shaibah (the first squadron of all to receive the "Wapiti") is to get the "Vincent," No. 10 B.S. at Boscombe Down will exchange the "Virginia" for the "Heyford," and No. 205 (Flying Boat) Squadron at Singapore is to get the "Singapore III" in place of the "Southampton." This last replacement is being made the occasion of an interesting flight, for No. 210 (F.B.) Squadron will fly the " Singapores " out and hand them over at Singapore, and will then fly the "Southamptons" back to England. On completion of the flight No. 210 F.B.S. will receive the "Scapa." No. 202 F.B.S., at Malta, is at last to receive flying boats instead of Fairev IIIF floatplanes, the new equipment being the " Scapa." No. 36 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron at Singapore is to get the '' Vildebeest in place of the "Horsley." No. 209 F.B.S. at Mount Batten has received the "Perth " in place of the "Iris." Finally, No. 605 (County of Warwick) B.S. at Castle Brom- wich is to exchange the " Wapiti " for the " Hart." This is a fairly satisfactory list of re-equipments, but it must be owned that most of the items belong to the category of promise rather than of performance. Not very much can be said about new types chosen as standard equipment for the R.A.F., a« most of the new selections have been in existence for over a year before receiving the full approval of the Air Ministry. They in clude the " Vincent," the " Scapa," the " Valentia " troop- carrier, the "Perth," the "Hendon," the " Overstrand," the "Shark," and the "Gauntlet." There has been a certain amount of rearrangement o! squadrons. Nos. 3 and 17 F.S. moved from Upavon to Kenley, as the former aerodrome has been handed over to the Coastal Area for the use of Fleet Air Arm units, and fighter squadrons obviously ought to be located in the inner ring of defence aerodromes round London. No. in F.S. has moved from Hornchurch to Northolt, No. 101 B.S. from Andover to Bicester, No. 33 B.S. from Bicester to Upper Heyford, No. 99 B.S. from Upper Heyford to Mildenhall, and No. 142 B.S. (as mentioned above) from Netheravon to Andover. Mildenhall has been opened as a new aerodrome for heavy bombers. The Flying Training School at Digby has been
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