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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 1258.PDF
598 FLIGHT JUNE.lira, 1942 Correspondence The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents. The names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. HOPE DEFERRED Limited Capacity of Training Schools I THINK " 1516246" is looking at the question of his recall in the wrong light. The capacity of the training schools is obviously limited, and we must take our turn, hard as the period of waiting may be, I have been in the same position as your correspondent since February Oth, and although I am as keen as he to join a unit, I think we can rest assured that we are not being kept in "civvy street" for some unreason able purpose. [" 1717142."] IDENTIFICATION FOR H.G. Offer Still Under Consideration IN reply to "Identification for H.G." in Flight correspond ence (May 28th), prior to my discharge from the R.A.F. I instructed on aircraft recognition and signals at an E.F.T.S. Two local H.G. commanders enquired of my CO. if I could be loaned to them to give their companies a course on recog nition, to which my C.O. was only too pleased to agree. Surely ".Surrey" could work on the same lines, as I am certain that there must be airfields in his locality, and any R.A.F.'instructor would not mind spending a couple of even ings a week, as I did, to help the H.G. R. SIMMONS (Ex-Cpl., R.A.F.). SURREY'S" letter in Flight of May 28th on "Aircraft Identification" prompts me to reply, as this is a sub ject upon which I have been, until recently, lecturing to Army units. More than a year ago I offered to lecture to the Home Guard training centre at Denbies once a month, free, gratis and for nothing more than a railway warrant from London. In view of the importance of the subject I do not think that this was an extravagant price to ask, but the question has been, and for all I know still is, "under consideration"; anyway, I have heard nothing further, and therefore I must conclude that your correspondent, like myself, has over estimated its value. G. FANE. VAPOUR TRAILS Long and Short Over Together WITH regard to the correspondence on short vapour trails, I saw, during the Battle of Britain, a fighter squadron making long trails, which looked like railway lines, and another squadron making short trails, which looked like white tadpoles. These two occurrences took place within a space of ten minutes, at about the same height. During the fight in which Wieck, the German fighter pilot, was killed, I again saw specimens of both types of vapour trail. The Nazis were making long trails over the LOW. in a confused pattern. Three "tadpole" trails flew south towards them, and a little later two squadrons of "tadpoles" flew west, a dozen miles north of the dogfight. On both occasions the day was fine and hot, the aircraft were fighters, and they were at heights between 20-30,oooft. A. McKEE. " ODDITIES " Is England Really so Foolish ? W ITH reference to "Oddities" by "Indicator," on page 537 in Flight of May 28th, 1942, the statement that any one can land on an R.A.F. airfield without suspicion is manifestly absurd and far from convincing. Let us suppose that a person in civilian life owned a Percival Vega Gull, and camouflaged it in the correct manner, took off and, shall we say, landed on an R.A.F. airfield somewhere in England. "Indicator" firmly believes that this person by sheer bluff would be looked upon as an Air Ministry official, or a "test pilot of great renown" (to quote his words), and wouW he able -to stroll about the airfield and have a look at anything that might be of interest to him. Surely, when this person landed in his Vega Gull, the officer commanding-in-chief of the airfield would be notified as to his presence and find out just why he had landed, and what strange mission he was on? Of course he would ! I am afraid if this person said he was on a scheduled flight to some other airfield, and that he had run out of petrol, the A.O.C. would immediately doubt him, as all aircraft are filled up with well over the amount of petrol needed for their journey. Perhaps "X" could convince the A.O.C. that he was in the Air Ministry, but what a predicament he would be in when asked to produce his papers, or at least his badge with, I think, the letters A.I.D. on it. On the other hand, however, "X" might state hewS a "test pilot of great renown," but I am sure the A.O.C. would be greatly amused by a test pilot flying a Vega Gull or an ' other type of aircraft that was privately owned before the war. What would a test pilot be doing, flying such a small machine as a Vega Gull? I think with all this questioning, which, to my belief, would undoubtedly happen, " X " would not even be allowed to take off again until a thorough check up had been made establish ing his identity and occupation, let alone have a walk round the station or factory as the case might be. Theoretically, "Indicator" is definitely correct, but prac tically, "Indicator" is definitely incorrect. Surely, "Indicator," with all his knowledge and experience, does not really believe that England is as foolish as he tries to make people believe, in Flight of May 28th? If England had not taken precautions against such things, I wonder what position she would have been in to-day. Not a very comfort able one, I can assure you. JOHN DARLINGTON. CONCERNING GONGS The Unnamed Sgt. Pilot MAY I reply very briefly to the letter concerning " Gongs," contributed by C. Powell, in your issue of May 21st. As I am the father of the "Sergeant Pilot" mentioned I must own that it left a nasty taste in my mouth; I would add that my son was decorated with the D.F.M. for work carried out with the two officers shown, and he was also informed in France fhat he was to be commissioned for his work. Incidentally, his commission did not arrive until six months after he left France With regard to the merits or de-merits of the D.F.M. and D.F.C., I would add that my boy always told me that he was more proud of his D.F.M. than he would have been of the D.F.C. He stated, rightly or wrongly, that the D.F.M. was harder to win, and, secondly, that it showed to all and sundry he had started at the bottom and worked his way up. Unfor tunately, the said pilot is now posted missing, presumed killed in action; when lost he held the rank of Actg. Fit. Lt. %, "FATHER." ' POWER UNITS The Search for More B.H.P. MANY thanks for all the articles dealing with power units. I have enjoyed them immensely. I quite agree with the opinion expressed by your correspondent "R. P. G. J." that the trend of future design should be for more power for the same bore and stroke. With this in view I have for some time past been engaged during my spare time in designing a unit to give a worth while increase in b.h.p. for any given bore and stroke. I have accomplished this difficult task (on paper) to the extent of a b.h.p. increase of 80 per cent, on any single acting bore and stroke. It now only remains for me to construct to two-cylinder unit to test my theory and to prove that the design in itself is capable of standing up to modern requirements. Of one thing I am quite certain, and that is that the test unit will operate successfully and the power increase vfcfl De as stated, but whether the design will prove to be a commercial success only a complete thrashing of the test unit will disclose, Once again I thank you for all the fine articles on the many subjects covered by aviation. J. W. M.
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