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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 1004.PDF
APRIL 6, 1939 FLIGHT. 34i TRACTIVE EFFORT : Capt. J. H. Cordes retracts the under carriage of a Hampden as he passes—on the L.M.S. line skirting Handley Page's Radlett Aerodrome—a "Garratt" type locomotive, which is capable of a tractive effort of 45,620 lb. The combined take-off output of the Pegasus engines of the Hampden is between 1,900 and 2,000 h.p. The Cities and Their Squadrons T HE linking of R.A.F. squadrons with cities may be taken as a birthday present for the R.A.F. Over fifty cities have now adopted a squadron as their own, and mutual visits and other friendly gestures are to follow. It is a happy thought, for in the Army the territorial names of regiments have done much to foster esprit de corps and fighting spirit. The Auxiliary squadrons have always been on a territorial basis, but the regulars have had no spur to their esprit de corps other than a number and the memory of what that number had meant to airmen during the Great War. To the public a number does not suggest an entity with a proud fighting spirit; it is merely a mathematical ex pression rather difficult to remember. This affiliation will go a long way to give life and meaning to the numbers. It would have been better still if things had been carried a little farther and a squadron had been allowed to carry the name of the city to which it is affiliated ; but that may come. Incidentally, where a squadron is re-equipped, its civic patrons will presumably not be allowed to visit it until six months have passed, lest a foreign agent be told what he can see for himself by looking over the aerodrome wall. DIARY OF FORTHCOMING EVENTS—Page 764 Delays in Air Mails I N the bad old days when Air Conferences used to be held every year at the Guildhall, constant appeals were regularly made to the General Post Office to support the cause of flying by granting mail contracts. The conferences were always attended by the late Sir Frederic (then Brig. General) Williamson and his reply always took the line that the G.P.O. would do so as soon as aircraft could guarantee regularity, but that it preferred reliability to erratic speed. The Empire air scheme introduced in the last few years was based on the supposition that air lines now were reliable (and so far as the qualities of the engines go they ought to be quite reliable) and therefore all letters along the Eastern and Africa routes are now sent by air. Yet complaints are coming to hand from both Sydney and the Cape to the effect that British mails are late in arriving, not only occasionally but far more often than they ought to be. Figures published in Sydney show that between July 19 last year and February this year forty-four British aircraft arrived on time but forty- two were late by one day or more. The record of the K.L.M., we are informed, was very much better. A correspondent of the Daily Telegraph and Morning Post, writing from Cape Province, complained recently, not of late arrival of the mailplanes, but of late delivery of letters. The burden of his complaint was that there was no guarantee that a letter would travel by any par ticular mail even though posted in good time. This may be due to faulty organisation by the G.P.O. or to shortage of aircraft or to a combination of both. In both cases the only real cure would seem to be the use of special mailplanes. It does not matter much if passengers arrive rather late, provided they arrive safely, but mails ought to be delivered on time.
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