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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1396.PDF
528 FLIGHT. MAY 27, 1937. AT THE NAVAL REVIEW Fly-past by Fleet Air Arm Machines : An Observer's Im pressions FOR the aeronautically enthu siastic the climax of last Thursday's review of the British fleet at Spithead by His Majesty the King was the fly past by the aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. The greater part of the naval side of the Royal Air Force took part in this extraordinarily im pressive ceremony. In addition to the three Fleet Fighter squadrons, and four squad rons each of Shark and Sword- fish torpedo-spotter-reconnaissance aircraft, there were also the Walrus, Shark, and Swordfish aircraft which ire normally embarked in the various battleships and cruisers. It was the writer's privilege to be given a seat in one of the Shark ship-planes participating, No. bio squadron from H.M.S. Courageous, preceded by Nos. 811 and 822 squadrons (H.M.S. Furious), and 812, 823, and 825 squadrons (H.M.S. Glorious), took-off from Gosport aerodrome, led by Vice- Admiral N. F. Laurence, C.B., D.S.O. (Vice-Admiral Commanding Aircraft Carriers), in a Blackburn Shark. Flying inland to get into wing formation, the squadrons then pro ceeded eastwards and were joined by No. 821 squadron (H.M.S. Cour ageous), from Lee-on-Solent; Nos. 800, 801. and 802 Fleet Fighter squadrons and 820 squadron from Eastleigh and the seaplanes from Calshot. The difficulties of station-keeping by a number of aircraft of different types and speeds was accentuated by low cloud and poor visibility. The coast was crossed near Bognor, and then, flying westwards along the coast, the formations passed to the south of Selsey Bill. Soon after wards the four main lines of British and foreign warships appeared out of trie naze, stretching from Spithead along the Solent, and flanked by smaller craft, ships of the Mer chant Navy, fishing vessels and yachts. Passing to the northward of the Royal Yacht, we proceeded over this vast gathering of naval might which had assembled to pay tribute to His Majesty on the occasion of his Corona tion. To the south of our great battleships Nelson and Rodney were the New York and the Dunkerque (France's latest battleship). whilst opposite the Resolution was the Admiral Graf Spee, one of the German " pocket battleships." The distinctive lines of a Japanese 10,000-ton cruiser, with her two seaplanes on catapults, stood out prominently. Almost opposite were the British aircraft carriers Glorious, Cour ageous, and Furious, succeeded by our two new 9,000-ton cruisers Southampton and Newcastle, and the aircraft carrier Hermes, lately returned from the Far East. After these ships came the destroyers of the Home and Reserve Fleets. (Top) Two Blackburn Sharks of the T.S.R. squadrons. Coming up astern is an impressive formation of fleet fighters—Hawker Ospreys and Nimrods. (Lower picture) "Long lines of British and foreign warships appeared out of the haze." The aircraft carriers are distinguishable. The original programme was to fly-past first in squadron formation and then in wing formation, but, owing to the bad visibility, the former was dispensed with. AERONAUTILUS. A Dutch Aero Show WHAT promises to be an extremely comprehensive inter national aero show, organised with the typical thorough ness of the Hollanders, is to take place at The Hague from July 30 to August 15. The show is to take place in the recently completed '' Houtrust'' exhibition hall near the seaside resort of Scheveningen. The organisers state that several British firms have already reserved space, among them De Havilland, Bristol, and Rolls-Royce. The Dutch aircraft industry, of course, will be present in full strength. It is intended to make the exhibition a bi-annual one, alter nating with the Paris show. Details are obtainable from the organisers at 'S-Gravenhage, Houtrustweg 108.
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