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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 1396.PDF
M FLIGHT JULY 2ND, 194a THE RAF. REGIMENT Its Constitution, Organisation and Functions AN Air Ministry Standing Order has laid down the con stitution, organisation and functions of the Royal ^ Air Force Regiment, which came into being on February 1st, 1942. The following are the more important extracts: — The Air Ministry will undertake, as the agent of the War Office, the responsibility for executing all local defence arrangements at airdromes administered by the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Aircraft Production in the United Kingdom. All executive action to this end will be implemented through the R.A.F. chain of command in accordance with a policy laid down by the Commander- in-Chief, Home Forces. The Royal Air Force Regiment will be the chief instrument for fulfilling these responsibili ties, although all R.A.F. personnel will be trained to play their part in the defence of their stations. D.-G.G.D. and Commandant A Director-General of Ground Defence has been appointed who will be responsible for implementing Air Ministry policy, regarding the defence of airdromes and all R.A.F. stations and establishments. He will also be Commandant of the Royal Air Force Regiment. The Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, will inform the Air Ministry of tie tactical methods of defence to be adopted, and will have the right to satisfy himself, through his subordinates, that appropriate measures to implement his policy for the defence of airdromes are being taken. Officers will be drawn from the following sources: — (i) Suitable officers at present employed on full-time ground defence duties. These officers will be transferred to the Royal Air Force Regiment in their existing substan tive, temporary or war substantive ranks and seniority. (ii) Direct entrants who will be commissioned in the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve (Royal Air Force Regiment) for the duration of the present emergency. (iii) Army officers who may elect to relinquish their Army commissions and be appointed to emergency commissions in the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve (Royal Air Force Regi ment). (iv) Airmen who are commissioned on passing out of the officer cadet training Unit. Commissions will be for the duration of the present emergency, regular airmen being commissioned in the Royal Air Force (Royal Air Force Death of Chris. Staniland T HE aircraft industry was shocked to learn of the death, in an air accident last week, of Fit. Lt. Christopher Staniland, Fairey's chief lest pilot. No details of the circumstances have been disclosed. Christopher Stainbank Staniland was born in Fincbley on October 7th, 1905. He was educated at Tonbridge and entered ihe Royal Air Force in 1924. In 1928 he was serving with No. 41 fighter squadron, and later that year was transferred to the High-speed Flight of the R.A.F., which competed in the Schneider Trophy contests. He was also a well-known racing car driver, and his sense of speed and distance, plus a pair of sensitive hands, made him outstanding in both piloting and driving. Staniland transferred to the R.A.F. Reserve in 1929, and joined Simmonds Aircraft, Ltd. (then controlled by Mr. Oliver E. Simmonds, now an M.P.). From there he went to the Fairey Aviation Co., where he remained until his death. To the company and to Staniland's relatives Flight offers sincere sympathy. New Short Director H IS many friends in the aircraft industry will be glad to learn that Mr. C. P. T. Lipscomb has been appointed to the board of directors of Short Brothers. Mr. Lipscomb, as older readers of Flight will know, is one of the "old-timers" at Shorts. During the period when Mr. Arthur Gouge was chief designer Mr. Lipscomb was his second-in-command, and when Mr. Gouge became general manager Mr. Lipscomb took Regiment) and others in the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve (Royal Air Force Regiment). (v) A number of Army officers who will be loaned by the Army to the Royal Air Force for staff and other duties with the Royal Air Force Regiment. Gunner vacancies will be filled by: — (a) Airmen already mustered as gunners, group V. (b) Aircrafthands, including those now employed on ground defence duties, who are suitable for remusterjng and willing to be remustered. (c) Airmen who are redundant in their trades and other airmen who are willing to serve with the Royal Air Force Regiment and are recommended for training as gunners. (d) Recruits from civil life. Suitable candidates will be entered as gunners, group V, in the classification of air craftman 2nd Class. Existing R.A.F. rank titles will be adopted. Loaned Army personnel will retain their Army rank titles. The standard dress for all R.A.F. officers and airmen of the regiment is that of the Royal Air Force, i.e., blue-grey. Loaned Army personnel are to wear their army uniform. When actually on duty the working dress will be R.A.F. heavy duty dress (i.e., of the same pattern as the Army battle dress with R.A.F. rank markings and badges). Army pattern equipment is to be worn. This heavy duty dress is to be worn by officers and airmen, including loaned Army personnel, but the latter are to wear Army badges of rank. Arm Badges All ranks, including loaned Army personnel, are to wear distinguishing arm title badges, consisting of " R.A.F. Regiment" in light blue on a dark blue background, on heavy duty dress, service dress and great coat. Airmen, except warrant officers, are, in addition, to wear the badge, arm, eagle, of the Royal Air Force. The rate of outfit allowance payable to officers appointed to commissions after March 19th, 1942, in the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve (Royal Air Force Regiment) will be ^35. If they are subsequently transferred to ordinary R.A.F. duty, they will be required to provide themselves with a second suit of blue-grey service dress and will then become entitled to the difference between this rate and the standard rate of £45. over the post of chief designer, a position which he still occupies. His appointment to be a director of the firm is in keeping with Mr. Oswald' Short's policy of finding all his key men within his own works. The success of the firm bears witness not only to the soundness of that policy, but also to Mr. Short's ability to select his team. Controller-General, M.A.P. MR. ALEX. DUNBAR, previously director-in-charge, Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., aviation section, has been appointed Controller-General at the Ministry of Aircraft Pro duction. The post at Vickers-Armstrongs has been held by Maj. H. R. Kilner, M.C., since June, 1941. Canadian Post-war Plans TUTR. H. J SYMINGTON, president of Trans-Canada Air -*-*-*- Lines, stated to a Parliamentary Committee some time ago that as soon as the war is over there will l>e a direct air route between Toronto and Winnipeg, using four-engined air craft. At present, with no machines of this class available, a detour is made north of Lakes Superior and Huron. It is thought that the more direct route will save about two hours' flying time. In spite of the Trans-Canada Act, there have been references to possible future opposition to the main-line arrangement, but Mr. Howe expressed the view that the Canadian Parliament was not likely to revise the Act, and that while the Act stands there can be no competition. Presum ably the opposition expected was from the C.P.R.
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