FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0661.PDF
MARCH 7, 1940 211 Here and There AVIATION in RHODESIA R.A.N.A. Now a Communications Squadron THE Government of Southern Rhodesia has purchasedall the assets of the Colony's only aviation service,Rhodesia and Nyasaland Airways, Ltd. R.A.N.A. has now been absorbed into the Rhodesian Air Force, and its planes are now operating as a " communications squadron." The Government, operating under the title of "Southern Rhodesia Air Services," will maintain R.A.N.A.'s commercial services with the surrounding territories. Rhodesia and Nyasaland Airways started operations in 1933, having purchased the assets of the old Rhodesian Aviation Co. as a feeder service for Imperial Airways. In 1933 it had two single-engined planes whose two pilots flew less than a quarter of a million miles. In 1939 the com- pany had six twin-engined aircraft and three single-engined aircraft, and its nine pilots flew 875,000 miles. In the six years of its career R.A.N.A. planes covered over 3,000,000 miles, equal to 120 times round the equator, without the loss of a single life. Next to South African Airways, which operates in the 'Union, R.A.N.A. was the biggest aircraft operating com- pany in Southern and Central Africa. Its planes were well known in South Africa, Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, and Portuguese East Africa. Southern Rhodesia has greeted the announcement that the Colony is to be the centre of a new Empire Air Train- ing scheme with the greatest satisfaction. The general reaction is that at last the Colony has been given an oppor- tunity to make her best contribution to the Empire's struggle. Southern Rhodesia deserves credit for being the first country in the Empire to send troops beyond her borders (which she did on the day war broke out), and she has earned the gratitude of the other British States in Africa by the speed with which she sent troops to garrison these countries. But the Rhodesians on active service in Africa have so far served only under peacetime conditions (they are training native regiments in East and West Africa), and there has been a feeling that perhaps the Colony is not doing enough. The air training scheme has changed all that. Another cause of satisfaction is the recognition that Britain has given to the importance of the strategical posi- tion occupied by Southern Rhodesia in Africa. An air force concentrated in the Colony could reach any part of the African continent in a very short time, and could be in England in two or three days. Yet, unless the war spreads to Africa, the country is safe from attack, so that training can proceed with the greatest confidence. The Rhodesian scheme, combined with the Canadian and Kenya schemes, ensures for Britain an inexhaustible reservoir of trained air- men for the war zone. The suitability of Southern Rhodesia for air training has long been admitted by airmen who have visited the country. Fog is unknown. The nearest approach to it is the " guti " (Scotch mist) which sometimes shrouds cer- tain areas, but normally the plateau regions are free from this inconvenience, and, in any case, "guti" seldom lasts long. Usually, the air is sharp and clear, and for seven months in the year there is no rain to interrupt flying activities. Airmen know that for at least eleven months out of the twelve the air is fit for flying. Rhodesians will feel a glow of pride when Rhodesian squadrons are flying beside their counterparts from Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The British Govern- ment has promised that when the Rhodesian squadrons are ready they will retain their identity in the R.A.F. I Empire Air Scheme in Rhodesia THE location of the training schools to be established inSouthern Rhodesia for the Empire Air Scheme will be at Salisbury, Bulawayo, and a third place yet to be chosen. Million-mile Pilots *"PHE ten commanders of Qantas Empire Airways flying boats•*- had logged an aggregate of 80,000 flying hours up to October 31, 1939. Five have now passed the coveted million-mile mark, and even the junior commander has more than 5,000 flying hours to his credit. • Try Again, Canada ! A WAR song has been written by two officers of the first **• detachment of the Canadian airmen to arrive in England: Pompey, Darius and CyrusWere all defeated one by one; Gh-engis Khan and AlexanderReally lost the wars they won. There's a medieval tyrantLiving in the world to-day; He will never last as long as they didNow that we are on our way. Chorus: Up boys, into the blue sky Up boys, that's where the foe fly, Up boys, we've got a war to win; We'll make history tremble With our might, and assembleOn the streets of Hitler's old Berlin! We're the eyes of the forces; Instrumental resources.Without us action can't begin; And when we convince the Nazi His Government will collapsy. In every house there'll be a maiden—waiten' We're got a lovely war to win! We know the Canadians can fly and their radio concert ofa-few nights ago left no doubt as to their ability as enter- tainers, but we confess to some haunting doubts on the choice of word to rhyme with '' Nazi.'' The penultimate line is amost unfortunate one, apart even from the rhyming. One might be pardoned for thinking, no doubt wrongly, that theCanadians were out to claim what Ghengis Khan regarded as the rightful spoils of war. Translated in the enemy and neutralcountries this would not be good propaganda for us. If history can "tremble," it will not be this "lovely" song which willmake it. Thursday March 14th.MILITARY AIRCRAFT NUMBER HE annual survey of trends in the design of modern fighting, bombing, reconnaissance and other types of machines which will appear in FLIGHT next week will attract unusually wide attention. LATEST types of British and Foreign military aircraft will be referred to, and their outstanding features, functions and likely developments commented upon. TABLES of data indicating the main characteristics of the principal military machines of the world will be included. ENGINE development as affecting military aero- nautics will also be dealt with. A definite order for FLIGHT :hould be placed with newsagents and bookstalls '0 ensure a copy
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
