FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1937
1937 - 0603.PDF
MARCH n, *937- FLIGHT. A Staffel of the Second Gfoup.Richthofen Squadron, Taking-off from Damm ATrodrome. The view shows the open nature of the country. damage is dealt with at air stations; damage in excess of that percentage requires the aircraft to be sent to a major repair depot. They are not returned to the production factories. Our own Air Ministry should make arrangements for repairs not to interfere with the work of production factories. Such work as was suggested in Parliament the other day, might be carried out by existing non-contracting firms. The fourth hangar, which was closed, we did not enter. At the fourth hangar we entered Major Meyer's car and drove round the aerodrome. The surface was excellent. A shooting range stood amid trees in a hollow on one side of the aerodrome, with targets placed against large artificial mounds of earth. There were two ranges, one of ioo metres and the other of 200 metres. The shorter range was suitable for the sighting of machine guns. The longer range was rather great for the alignment of aircraft machine guns, but suitable for the sighting of light ground machine guns, or the testing of aircraft canons. Save for the hangars and administrative building and an experimental Lorenz D.F. equipment, there were no obstructions to the flying approach to the aerodrome. All fuel tanks lay underground. Life of the Personnel I was asked if I would like to look at the barracks. Externally, they reminded me of modern British council houses. Each block had ample sanitary and washing accommodation, with showers instead of baths, an eminently hygienic method of bathing. The troops were apportioned five to a room of ample size for the number. There were two double cots with beds one above the other and one single cot, and chairs, table and metal lockers for the personal belongings of the occupants. The quarters were comfortable and well lighted and heated. It was obvious that discipline was strict, but easy to see that there existed between the troops and the Commanding Officer a genuine regard for authority on the one hand, and on the other a sympathetic concern for the welfare of the men. We went to the canteen, where the troops can purchase special requirements of their own, and from there passed mto the common hall where the men had already begun midday dinner. On our entry they were called to atten tion, and stood up, but Major'Meyer immediately gave the order to sit down and continue their meal. They looked a neaithy, happy crowd as we passed down the lines of tables and benches to the kitchens. The kitchens, staffed by "omen cooks and assistants, were beautifully clean. Large CMMK • al metal vessels were used for cooking. Thev , tlpped forward on gimbals to facilitate service. The hff ? -^Peared to be made of monel metal, and were 111,- Steam from a seParate boiler house. i looked mto one of the blocks of buildings for the accom- cornnllT 0i' officers- Toilet and bath accommodation, unit of f Wlth baths and showers. was provided for every httle iffUr r00ms- Externally, the buildings looked very ternaUv t[ent h-°m those Provided for the troops. Ba the fedf - main difference appeared in the furnishings the Gov r°°ms' whkh' of course, were provided by ^alitv simT"*". Furniture and fittings were of good c°mfortaH y attractive. The quarters were certainlv %aiAirFor ^ CqUal °f an>'thin& we have in th"e Sorjie of th * * * ""> younger officers had already assembled in the ante-room. I was introduced to those I had not met in the hangars. All the officers wore trousers similar to those of the Royal Air Force. • With breeches, typical German field boots are worn. Recently, however, Colonel Udet, the famous war pilot, had to jump by parachute. He reported that had he been wearing field boots he might have been unable to get away. Now, the Air Ministry is considering the abolition of field boots for the Air Force and the substitution of a kind of ski-ing trouser for flying duties. The German Air Force uniform is a smart blue, with white piping, and the distinctive Air Force badge worn on the right breast. The pilot's flying brevet is a separate metal badge worn lower down, on the left side of the tunic. Blue soft shirts and black ties are worn with the open-neck tunic. Different coloured badges on the upper lapels of the tunic distinguish the various categories in the Air Force. Most of the officers around me wore the gold badges which denote the flying officers. The officer from the Air Ministiy wore black badges. Other badges are white, crimson, brown, green, dark and light blue, thereby distinguishing at a glance Generals, Anti-Aircraft, Engineers, Signals, Ob server Corps, Medical and Air Force Reserve. All air defence and offence is grouped within the German Air Force under the Air Ministry. This is contrary to the British system, where, of course, the major part of the ground defences, composed of searchlights and anti-aircraft guns, are the responsibility of the War Office and operated by the Army and the Territorial Army. Personally, I believe the German system to be the correct and more efficient organisation. National Heroes On the wall of the Mess were photographs of Hindenburg, Hitler and Goring, and the two famous leaders of the Richthofen Squadron who died in battle—Boelcke and Richthofen. After lunch I was shown over the remainder of the Mess. There was a small billiards room equipped with a small German billiards table, without pockets. Beyond was a little winter garden, facing south, with numerous examples of cactus on the shelves about the windows. On the floor below was a Bavarian bar, with the verses of quaint Bavarian songs painted on the walls ; but no translation can reproduce their original meaning in the Bavarian dialect. Before I left the aerodrome of Damm I had to sign the visitors' book. Just above my signature were those of two R.A.F. officers. Our party was photographed on the steps of the Mess just before the officer from the Air Ministry and I re-entered the Mercedes to return to Berlin. I drove away from Damm with the feeling that, if I had visited the Richthofen Squadron in France during the Great War, though I would have seen a change to the conditions one found in the Field, I would have encountered no greater esprit de corps. This Squadron, that ceased to exist for fifteen years, has been reborn, and with its rebirfh has come a fresh enthusiasm determined to uphold the magnificent tradition of its famous forerunner in the field in France and Flanders. (The next article in this series will deal with. Guidonia^- Italy's National Air Laboratory.)
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
