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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1064.PDF
556 F LIG BRITAIN'S OVERSEAS \A :r^t- tarm foundedly cold place early on a January morning. In spite of great coats and pullovers we found it neces sary to walk and run briskly up and down while the port engine of the Warwick decided whether it would start or not. Lunch at Jodhpur's splendid State Hotel, and in the e\p*f- ing back again at Karachi, where I was under appointment tcf visit both the land and marine airports. January ioth-20ih.—The "C" class flying-boat Cleopatra and the journey to Cairo in reverse, a welcome difference being the much later morn ing calls, as we travelled westward with the sun. One deviation of our route was necessary; a high wind had whipped up the surface of the Dead Sea near the usual halt, and we had to get down at a smoother place some yo miles farther south. One minor . result—no lunch. January 24th.-—Almaza airport, Cairo, on a cool dark morning, and the aircraft—a Doug las C.47 (Dakota)—a black mass on the tarmac. Four passengers only for the run to West Africa—three Arabs and myself. m Cairo to Lagos I had had the opportunity of taking the more pic turesque flying-boat run by way of the central African lakes and the Congo, but the time element—and my exigent schedule—obliged me to choose the quick two- day journey to Lagos by Dakota. Undoubtedly this semi- martial version of the DC.3 is -an excellent transport aircraft. Even the stripping of most of the interior fur nishings has not made it unduly noisy. Thece are 21 seats, 16 of them with adjustable head-rests. F#? the non-stop flight to Khartoum 650 gallons of fuel—20 gallons less than the maximum—had been put into the tanks. Our all-up weight was approximately 27,000 lb., which is the gross loading adopted by B.O.A.C. for African operation. As the maximum permissible landing weight is 26,000 lb., we had excellent one-engine performance at all times—a very reasonable and admirable equality. One night halt (El Geneina) was unexpectedly attractive. The evening was hot, but not humid, and I was told there was good hunting right up to the airfield boundaries, including big game. With every sympathy for airport personnel marooned so far from home, I had already saro many worse places, and the contented atmosphere An air view of Basra airport showing the proximity of the flying boat alight'ng area on the Euphrates to the airfield. among B.O.A.C., Royal Air Force and American personnel was evident. January 25th.—Visibility at Maiduguri was said to be only 200 yards, because the Harmattan was blowing. This hot dry wind from the north causes a curious milky opales cence of the air which resembles mist, but is not typically damp. Its advantage is that it dries the air, and the humidity which is the main drawback of West Africa is greatlyr mitigated. The captain was prepared, therefore, to by-pass Maiduguri and fly non-stop 950 miles to Kano. In fact, the air had cleared -and there was a thousand yards' vision in every direction at Maiduguri, where accordingly we set down to pick up two passengers for the run to Lagos. In spite of the dry wind the descent at Lagos resembled arrival in a steamy bathroom—at least for a traveller making his first visit. For the first time since leaving England my greatcoat seemed entirely redundant; it was, \^ indeed, the subject of good-humoured if ribald comment on the way to the B.O.A.C. rest-house, which,"*with its all-enclosing exterior mosquito netting, splendid dining- room, bar lounge and other amenities is one of the show- places of West Africa. The C.47 must fall under modern criticism because it lacks adequate cruising speed for main-line flying. The 3,200 miles between Cairo and Lagos were flown at the respectable average of 156 m.p.h. (take-off to touch-down), but,,if anything, we were helped by the wind. (Later in ini^iw MHBMBiniiaiii •• • • • • • • PPfrlBn*!^! iiiiiiii mem m The imposing airport buildings at Karachi. It is here that censorship regulations are very str'ct.
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