FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1083.PDF
MAY 25TH, 1944 FLIGHT 565 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. V FLYING DESPATCH RIDERS Increased Chances of Getting Through !"N the training of despatch riders they are told that com- L munications always break down in actual warfare and it is left to the D.R. to get through. This is usually when the enemy either surrounds the position or his exact position is unknown, and I cannot help feeling that the D.R. (who must follow more or less established routes and advertise his course with the noise of his machine) stands a poor chance against an enemy determined to stop him. It therefore became an obvious answer to me that the time has long since arrived when we should have flying D.R.s. But where are they? Are we waiting for Germany to adopt the idea? I am sure that many a commander must already have wished he had such a man under his command, and, personally, I would prefer ten journeys of the above nature in an Auster to one on any motor cycle. The modern method of positioning p>^ H.Q.s would also favour the flying D.R. V The slogan is, "Modernise the D.R.s." C. G. HUTCHINS. IDENTIFICATION DIFFICULTIES Apathy and Ignorance in the H.G. I RE AD with alarm your editorial of May 4 th about the loss of 44 transports and 2,500 men due to fire from our own naval guns. That such a thing could happen shows a serious lack of either training in aircraft recognition or fire control. If that can happen in our active services, what on earth will happen if and when the Home Guard is mustered ? These men have always had (commendably enough) itching trigger fingers and desperate ideas, besides which they are well armed with automatic weapons and other assorted destructive instruments. The apathy and ignorance of aircraft recognition in the Home Guard is far greater than in the other services (I speak from experience). It is true that here and there are small bodies interested, but there is nothing official or widespread. I suggest that an order from the High Command should be issued to make aircraft recognition an optional subject for the proficiency test, and, secondly, that one or two nf those who qualify should be allotted to each platoon, or section if possible, and made responsible for the detection of enemy air- I craft and recognition of our own. Surely this is not unreason able? However, it seems as though accidents have to happen per sonally to people to make them realise these things, and until a General gets shot down in error, I fear nothing will be done. But let us hope differently. E. B. (LBV. AND STILL H.G.). [We suggest aircraft recognition should be made a com pulsory subject for the proficiency test.—ED.] LEAKAGE OF INFORMATION Restriction a Good Deal Overdone THE recent letters in Flight on the subject of leakage of information do not agree with my experience. We, in the A.T.C., at least in this squadron, do not receive our silhou ettes and amendments to A.P. 1480 ahead of the R.O.C. We always get ours a matter of weeks behind; maybe that is our misfortune. My experience is that most- of my up-to-date information comes from the cadets themselves. I am quite certain that the greatest source of leakage is in the Services. A.T.G. cadets are often far more up-to-date (or even a bit ahead) with infor mation than they would be if they depended on official sources, even supposing we gave them all we receive. In my opinion they come by a g^od deal of this on their visits to R.A.F. stations (official, or in passing by them, being observant lads) and a good deal of it from relatives and friends on leave. I am repeatedly being asked for details of aircraft of which I have sometimes never heard, have to deny all knowledge of them, and then receive the official silhouettes a week or two later! The R.O.C. in my opinion is on the whole very discreet, but I know of one instance of a cadet who was always bursting with hot "gen" and who lorded it over his more ignorant i»ethren. His father was in the R.O.C.! „^S J16, w,lsdom of the restriction of information, is it not a good deal overdone? It is absurd, for instance, to have to emphasise the secrecy of an aircraft that the boys see almost aaiiy, and in which many of them have actually flown, as was the case here recently. AN A.T.C. INSTRUCTOR. POST-WAR PRIVATE FLYING Flight Strips and Soaring Sites W ITH regard to the many plans which are now being made for civil aviation after the war, might I make a sugges tion concerning light aircraft landing grounds? The idea is to have short runways of a few hundred yards laid parallel to main roads in places where few airfields exist or where these might not be convenient to the individual. Most light aircraft can use roads when required (subject to wind direction, of^cdurse), but even infrequent traffic on a road would make this" practice undesirable except in emergency. Runways could be kept a short distance from the edge of the road and could provide limited refuelling facilities and also a place to "park" one's aircraft safely for a few houis. By placing such landing strips near roads, reasonably level ground and accessibility would be assured. One aspect of post-war sporting flying which appears to have had little attention is soaring (or gliding as it is unfortun ately often called). No one can say exactly what the economical factor will be for sporting flying after the war, but in this respect it is obvious that sailplanes, if produced in any quantity at all, could be sold for much less than the price of a car. Sites for this sport could be chosen, tentatively, so that immediately things begin to happen in aviation no undue delay would result. The A.T.C. has probably discovered some new areas suitable for sailplanes, and experience gained by some of their experiments will be useful. J. H. STATUS OF DRAUGHTSMEN A Charter to Protect Their Future M R. SHORT'S views in Flight of May 11 on the "Status of Draughtsmen" have come a little'late to have much effect on draughtsmen who have been the backbone of the profession for the past thirty years, as" such similar views were promulgated when I was a young and ambitious apprentice and nothing has-since come of them. As times and methods have changed the engineering pro fession out of all recognition as a remunerative occupation for the naturally gifted as well as the fully trained type of person, the draughtsman's job has been the last straw to which so many of the unsuccessful engineers have clung, because they thought it would at least lead to some other and better job. But they never cared one jot about "draughtsmanship" and all it implied as a profession and as a craft to be proud of; their only thoughts being what it would lead them to. Therefore, draughtsmanship fell into bad repute, and to-day is just a trade, to be used as and when the industry is in need of such service. It is my view that the status of the draughtsman should have been aired before this war, when we all should have gone fully out for a charter instead of higher wages, because when once such status had been obtained, the increase in wages would have followed. Where to-day doctors, engi neers, dentists, etc., are "chartered" practitioners, we draughtsmen and designers are just hired servants to be had as and when required. Having been engaged in the aircraft electrical equipment industry for 23 years, as draughtsman and designer, and after serving an electrical apprenticeship in all phases of the industry, I can testify that there is a need to protect the specialists qualified in designing and creating this or any other such equipment. As it is to-day their services are being extensively used in the war effort, only to be quickly neglected in the aftermath of war. Such a charter, if it existed, would be a protection for their future, and it is timely that the formation of such a professional body should be launched. I would suggest that the title be "The Institution of Engineering and Allied Industrial Techni cal Designers," because that is what we are, whereas draughts-
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
