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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0927.PDF
MARCH 28, 1940 291 Trainer rooms, in which the pilots spend three hours a month on blind-flying or Lorenz beam practice, the CO. drew our attention to the comprehensive system of Tannoy loud-speakers through which instructions and warnings can be broadcast to every part of the aerodrome buildings. On the wall of one of the Link rooms was a photograph of German Air Force pilots receiving instruction on what appeared to be almost identical equipment. In the para- chute section (in charge of a corporal and run on a 'station," rather than a "squadron," basis) we recalled also that the German parachutes are similar in design to our own. Later, in a sombre Bellman hangar through which we passed (this is a lofty corrugated iron affair which is quickly erected and dismantled) we saw fitters removing a cylinder block from a Merlin engine. Six ethers—two to a blade—• bore off the big De Havilland v.p. airscrew. Relaxation A walk between the hangars beyond brought us to the rest room used by the pilots commanded by Wing-Com- mander Farquhar, one of the station's D.F.C.s. Within, this was essentially homely and the mural decorations were not all aircraft-identification charts ; obviously the pilots' appreciation of streamlining is not confined to their Spitfires. The '' stand-by '' pilots receive action warnings over the loud-speakers. If not relaxing on one of the beds they may divert themselves with a game of chess. In daytime they are normally released for meals, but if this is im- practical food is sent from the mess in thermos containers. More impersonal, though to our mind of supreme interest, was the armoury, where a Warrant Officer spared himself no trouble to explain his deadly charges. That its thin insect-like wings can house so unobtrusively such a destruc- tive concentration as eight 0.303m. Browning machine guns with their long ammunition belts, feeding, heat- ing and firing arrangements, is but one of the remarkable points of the Spit- fire. On both the Spitfire and the Hurri- cane the eight guns, which are fired by compressed air, are housed entirely within the wings although the group- ing is different in each machine. On the Spitfire there is one gun just outboard of the airscrew arc; then there is a considerable space before the leading edge is pierced by a pair of closely spaced ports; and Relaxation in the pilots' rest room.As will be seen in the lower view Flight identification drawings are inevidence though these—be it said— are not the decorative motif! On the left is Group Captain C. R. Keary, Officer Command- ing a fighter station in Scotland. In black overalls is Wing Commander A. D. Farquhar, D.F.C., who has three Heinkels to his credit. beyond these is another wide space, the fourth gun being well out toward the wing tip. The belt boxes (or "ammunition tanks" as they are sometimes called) are loaded into the wing from beneath, being held in place by spring clips, and the first round of each belt is pulled through with a piece of webbing, being loaded from the top surface of the wing, which has detachable panels. The webbing idea was first thought out in the squadron con- cerned, and is now standard throughout the Service. It is said to effect a considerable saving of time in rearming. The rate of fire is approximately 1,200 rounds a minute per gun. The Warrant Officer told us that he is con- tinually impressing upon his men the impor- tance of their work. We watched them coating the Brownings with anti-freeze oil, cleaning the barrels and making up ammunition belts. Obviously, they are conscious of their responsi- bility. The belts are composed of cartridges held together by metal links. Each round is a finger-tight fit into its link, but the final align- ment to ensure correct feeding is done on an ingenious machine. Evenness of feed is abso- lutely essential, for the guns, being placed in the wings, are not accessible from trie cock- pit and it is not considered worth while to
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