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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 0663.PDF
MARCH IO, 1938. FLIGHT. 239 SERVICE AVIATION (CONTINUED) Navy Short'Service Officers - . FURTHER details have been published about the training of theshort-service officers who are to be accepted as pilots for theFleet Air Arm. The first stage will be three months at Devonport, where they will be introduced to naval discipline and traditions,and will learn certain naval routine, such as handling boats. They will then pass to K.A.F. civil and Service flying schools, butnaval personnel will be attached to these schools to exercise disci- pline over the naval pupils and to continue their naval education.This stage will last for ten months. The third stage will be instruc- tion in the specialised duties of naval mil work, such as deck land-ing and catapult training, navigation and wireless. This will last for six months and will be divided between the training bases ofGosport, Lee-on-the-Solent and Ford. This stage will culminate in a short cruise in the training carrier Furious. The officers will thenlx* appointed to either a carrier or a catapult ship, and will carry out full flying duties. Rating Pilots for Fleet Air Arm REGULATIONS have now been issued by the Admiralty for theselection of naval ratings for training as pilots in the Fleet AirArm. Candidates will be selected mainly from the ratings of the sea- man, signal, and telegraphist branches, between the ages of 21 and24 years. Initial training will be for about one year on shore and then for eight weeks in a training carrier. On completing theirtrailing candidates will be advanced to petty officer (confirmed). The normal period of service on full flying duties will be seven yearsfrom the beginning of training. Thereafter the ratings will pass into one of three categories: (a) A limited number will be allowed toextend their flying service for three more years, to complete time for pension; (b) those who remain fit for flying duties but are notselected for the first category will form a flying reserve inside the service, and will do a certain number of flying hours annually; and(c) those who cease flying finally. So far as possible men in the two latter classes will be employed in connection with the Fleet AirArm. It is expected that twenty men wiH.be needed for a course start-ing about May 1 next Medical examinations will be held by R.A.F. medical boards. T A Change in Title 'HE name of No. 2 Air Armament School, North Coates, is •hanged to No. 1 Air Observers School with effect from March 1. Vacancies for Apprentice Clerks FOR boys of school certificate, or approximately equivalent edu-cational standard, a substantial number of vacancies in theRoyal Air Force for apprentice clerk will occur in April next. Candidates are required to be not less than 15J years of age andnot more than 17J years of age on April 1 next. The conditions of entry are contained in A.M. Pamphlet 9, a copy of which maybe had, free, upon application to the Inspector of Recruiting, Royal Air Force, Victory House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2. Apprentice clerks receive a training for approximately 18 monthsand are attested for twelve years' regular Air Force service dating irom their eighteenth birthday. At eighteen years of age thecommencing rate of pay as airmen varies from 21s. to 31s. 6d. per week according to the degree of success on passing out of training. A limited number of airman clerks will be permitted to re-engageto complete twenty-four years' service in all, thus qualifying for a pension. On return to civil life ex-apprentice clerks who complete only the original period of twelve years may be allowed to enterthe Reserve and to draw a gratuity of ^100. Apprentice clerks may volunteer for training as airmen pilots. Cambridge U.A.S. Dinner '"THE Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Cyril Newall,X was the chief guest at the annual dinner of the Cambridge. University Air Squadron last Friday, and, in replying to the toastof " The Guests," he remarked that the squadron's annual dinner had become famous, and he had been looking forward to enjoyingit for the first time. He was a Sandhurst man himself, and his ideas on a university were that it meant three things—youth, comfort,and learning with progress. As regards comfort, he saw so many of his colleagues round the table that he felt sure there would beno work done in the Air Ministry next day. An evening like that was as good as a week's leave to an officer of the R.A.F. Aboutlearning he spoke with some hesitation, but he gave the highest praise to the research work being done at Cambridge. He brieflysummarised the progress of R.A.F. expansion, and ended by saying that the C.U.A.S. was a really fine show. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor H. R. Dean, proposing the healthof the Squadron, made a very witty speech. He said that the members of the Squadron could look down on all England (sic)from John o' Groats to Land's lind, except on their own university town. It was forbidden to Cambridge men to look down on Cam-bridge, and especially to look down on a professor lecturing. He paid a tribute to Professor Melvill Jones, and remarked on hisastonishment when he heard that the professor had recently been passed for solo and was then an " ordinary " member of the Squad-ron. He also mentioned that Flight Lieut. R. T. Gething, of the Long-distance Flight, was an ex-member of the C.t'.A.S. Mr. D. G. Pamall, of Downing College, returned thanks in a veryhappy speech. The Chief Instructor, Wing Comdr. C. E. W. .Lockyer, supportedby his adjutant and flying instructors, was a most admirable host, and the whole evening was as enjoyable as any of the numerousguests could possibly have desired. Flying Accident "CXJLLOWING the disappearance on February 24 of an aircraft-L of the Long Range Development Unit, Upper Heyford, the Air Ministry announces with regret that, as extensive air and groundsearches have failed to find the aircraft and its occupants, it must now be accepted that Fit. Lt. Frank Steight Gardner, F/O. GeorgeJames Douglas Thomson and Sergt. George Higgs lost their lives on that date. Fit. Lt. Gardner was the pilot. Reunion Dinners T^HE fourteenth annual reunion dinner of the R.A.F. Staff CollegeX Dinner Club will be held at Grosvenor House (Grill Room Entrance in Park Lane, W.i) on Friday, March 25, at 7.30 p.m. for8 p.m. Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., M.C., will be in the chair. Evening dress (tailcoat, no miniatures) will be worn. The inclusive charge will be 16s. Officers intending to be present should forward a cheque assoon as possible, to the Hon. Sec, R.A.F. Staff College Dinner Club, Andover, Hants. Cheques should be made payable to thehonorary secretary and crossed " Dinner Club A/c." No. 10 Squadron, R.F.C. and R.A.F., will hold its eleventh annualreunion dinner on March 26. All ranks are welcome. The charge will be 5s. 6d. Applications should be made to Mr. A. F. Williams,'• Rozel," Amersham, Bucks. " Fl'vjht" photograph MERLIN-POWERED : An Armstrong Whitworth Whitley heavy bomber fitted experimentally with two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. The installations are graced with all the latest advances, including ejector-type exhaust pipes. It may be that the engines are Merlin Xs, which give 1,040 h.p. at 2,500ft. and 965 h.p. at 13,250ft. " Maximum " figures are somewhat higher.
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