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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 1020.PDF
FLIGHT APRIL 22Nr>, 1943 Shannon Airport Manager I T has been announced in Dublin thatColonel Patrick Ma her, former Direc- tor of Artillery in the Eire Atmy, hasretired from the Army. He has been appointed manager of the Shannon Air-port, Foynes, Co. Limerick. Aircraft Production in Canada CANADA'S aircraft output has showna remarkable increase. Some figures recently announced disclose the fact that 400 aircraft a month are now produced, whereas the output for the 12 months before the war was only 40 machines. Australian Personnel in R.A.F. MR. A. S. DRAKEFORD, AustralianAir Minister, has announced that Australians serving in the R.A.F. are to be grouped into complete air crews aud squadrons, subject to operational exigen- cies. This grouping will also enable Austra- lian officers to attain higher commands than has been possible with Australians dispersed among the R.A.F. Berets for R.A.F. Regiment BERETS which are to be worn by theR.A.F. Regiment will in all prob- ability be in Air Force blue, although the exact shade has not yet been decided. The manufacture of these berets has not yet begun on a large scale, so replacement of the field service cap will be very gradual. The R.A.F. Regiment is following the general Service trend towards berets in preference to the field service cap. Sir Archibald Sinclair has said that the possibility of the R.A.F. generally changing over to berets is under con- sideration, but a decision may not be reached for some time. Swell Job! AIR VICE-MARSHAL SIR ARTHURCONINGHAM has sent the follow- ing message of congratulation to the Commander of the U.S. Army Air Force day bombers in Tunisia: "Let me congratulate you and your squadrons on the courageous, persistent and successful way in which you attacked La Fauconnerie. The combined air and army operations which led to the break through at Gabes was materially assisted by your action. The air officer com- manding, Desert Air Force, who was with me to-day, confirmed the attacks, and reported that upwards of twenty-five destroyed aircraft were left by the enemy. Well done; we all send you our thanks." Air Letter Service Extended '"FHE 6d. air letter service has now -*• been extended to H.M. Forces (and to men of merchant ships calling at the ports) in South Africa, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasa- land, Mauritius, Seychelles, China, North America, South America, Australia and New Zealand, and to all other countries " COME UP AND SEE ME SOME- TIME." Demon- strating how a man might be picked up or land- ed in enemy terri- tory by a Sikorsky helicopter. to which there isan ordinary air mail service. Air letters willnormally be con- veyed all the wayby air to bases in Africa and toother Countries served by all-airroutes. Where air : ervices are notavailable all ' the way (for example, to Australia and NewZealand) they will be used to the maxi- mum extent. And Do It Now!T HE setting up of a Commonwealth Airboard to represent the British Commonwealth of Nations, and compris- ing men from the Dominions with ex- perience of civil flying, was suggested during last week's debate in the Com- mons by Mr. Granville, who said they should meet in an aircraft, and not in any circumstances in a Government Department! New US. CarriersA T Washington recently Col. Knox, Secretary of the Navy, stated that the United States now has dozens of new auxiliary aircraft carriers in action. The new ships are enabling American air power to spread out over all the vital supply lines of the United Nations, and scores more of them are being built. Civil Aviation in Western ScotlandF URTHER developments in the post- war planning of civil aviation in the West of Scotland is revealed by the motion of Glasgow Chamber of Com- merce to appoint a committee under Sir A. Steven Bilsland, Bt., M.C., D.L., to investigate the future of air transport. The Junior Chamber of Commerce has been invited to appoint two representa- tives to the committee, which has the power to add to its number. Extended Airline FacilitiesA ER LINGUS TTA (Irish Air Lines) announces that negotiations have now been satisfactorily concluded with West Coast Air Services, Ltd., of Great Britain, and the British railway com- panies, whereby it will be possible to ex- tend the following facilities to passengers travelling between Ireland and Great Britain. Combined Air-Rail bookings may now be effected, and a further facility in- cludes the interchangeability of air and rail and/or steamer tickets. Arrange- ments have also been completed for the acceptance of railway bulk travel • vouchers, for travel 'via the existing air services operating between the two countries. A Chance in the AT.A. ? MEN not eligible as pilots in theR.A.F. or Fleet Air Arm have often written to Flight asking if there was any way of learning to fly at the present time. The answer has always been that, if a person has had previous flying ex- perience, A.T.A. may take him or her for training as a ferry pilot, but that otherwise there was no hope. That answer, however, may not be true for all time. The number of thost: with pre-war flying experience who have hitherto been available for the A.T.A. must be strictly limited, and, if that is so, what is to happen when that source begins to fail and A.T.A. has to look farther afield? It is not unreasonable to suppose that when that time comes men with no flying experience will be needed to be trained ab initio. It would obviously be the older 1. .a who would be affected, since those below 31 are, if fit, eligible to fly in the R.A.F. But those above that age may well find themselves presented with the chance for which they have waited so long. We would, therefore, suggest that any enthusiasts who are prepared to take a chance might well send in their names to the A.T.A., so that when the time that we envisage does actually arrive they will at least be the first on the list. Hurricane 11D Tank-BustersT OO late for this issue official photo- graphs were released this week of the R.A.F. Tank-Buster Hurricane IID. Fitted with heavy-calibre guns designed primarily for attacking armoured vehicles, Hurricane IID carries two 40-millimetre guns, one being fitted in each wing. They are capable of auto- matic or single-shot fire. This new weapon has been designed specially fot aircraft use and weighs only 320 1b. The Hurricane IID is used for attack on tanks, armoured fighting vehicles and transport in the Middle East and N. Africa. The aircraft arc known as tank- busters, but the squadrons using them prefer the term " tin-openers." Illustra- tions will appear in the next issue of Flight.
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