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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1658.PDF
i6o FLIGHT AUGUST IOTH, 1944 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor doe* not hold kmisel] responsible /or the views expressed by correspondents. The names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. FUTURE OF THE HELICOPTER More Attention Needed in Britain PERUSING American technical periodicals, one is struck by the wide interest in the helicopter. Indeed, the helicopter has come of age—and if a considerable field for development is still left, it is already quite clear that it will play an im portant part in post-war civil flying. This interest in the U.S. is manifested by the fact that about forty different firms are engaged in the development or design of different helicopters. Is it not time that more attention be paid in this country to the further development of this type of aircraft, a lot of its initial success being due to British effort. The small inter-urban operator, the airport to town service, and last, but not least, the private flier in this country and throughout the Empire, will need helicopters. Who is going to supply them? "SPOT LANDING." "OUT OF EVIL " Why Not Jet-driven Crewless Mail-planes ? WHILST it is typical of the Germans that they exhibit most of their ingenuity in evolving new methods of destruc tion, may not post-war good spring from the present evil of the air torpedo ? Perhaps my suggestion has already been forestalled, but it has occurred to me that the jet-propelled pilotless aircraft could be developed for the express delivery of mail. Radio control could be employed to guide the "jet-mail" to its precise destination and to bring it down in one piece, and it would, of course, need to be far less thirsty on fuel than the disgusting doodle-bug. One can imagine that the general public may well be some what lacking in enthusiasm for jet-propulsion in any form after their unfortunate introduction to its practical application, but I understand that the Whittle type of unit makes quite a different sort of noise, and thus the handicap of an unpleasant "association of ideas" might not be inflicted on the jet-mail. The main point seems to be, how far away is it—technically —from being a reasonably economic proposition ? "REALIST," POST-WAR A.T.C. Chance for a Commonwealth Youth Service AS we are gradually approaching the closing stage of the war I believe that some post-war plan for the A.T.C. should be adopted. This organisation has done wonderful work i# building up keen personnel for the R.A.F. during this war. But what of the future ? It has been stated that the A.T.C. will continue after the war and that the training will be of value in civil aviation. So far so good. But should not more definite plans be formu lated on the lines of our plans for other branches ol the national effort? Some such plan would do much io offset the inevitable dis appointment felt by many cadets at the recent announcement that during the war they are likely to be switched over to the Army. Incidentally, would it not be beneficial to establish the A.T.C. as a truly Empire youth service in which young men of all the Dominions, Colonies, etc., could take active part? Such an organisation should provide for A.T.C. units even in the re motest corners of the Empire. Flying is a "language" all young men understand and can therefore provide a bond of fellowship among the rising generation of this Commonwealth. "FLYING CITIZEN." ANONYMOUS SQUADRONS Why this Silence Abou: R.A.F. Units ? T HROUGH the medium of your columns I should like to appeal to the Air Ministry to be more free than hitherto in mentioning the identity of the squadrons of the R.A.F. which distinguish themselves in the present operations. Of course, I do not suggest that anything should be pub lished which would be of use to the enemy; but surely the time is past when the publication of the identity of the squadrons engaged could do anything to set the Luftwaffe on its wings again. Regiments engaged are now mentioned periodically, though the campaigns in which they are fighting are not over. I admit that to state that the Black Watch or the Devon Regiment is engaged in Italy or Burma gives the minimum of information, because every regiment has a number of battalions, some regular, some Territorial, and some raised for duration only. All the same, I fail to see how the announcement that Squadron No. 5,000, or whatever it may be, has done something over Normandy or near Iceland could help the Luftwaffe. Some squadrons are mentioned occasionally in Air Ministry bulletins, mostly those squadrons which before the war be longed to the Auxiliary Air Force, but which are now absorbed into the general R.A.F. pool. The County of Warwick Squad ron, for instance, does not now necessarily consist entirely or mainly of Birmingham men. One also reads at times of the doing of the City of Edmonton Squadron, which belongs to the Royal Canadian Air Force. But a veil is drawn over the doings of the ordinary squadrons of the R.A.F. The mention of particular squadrons in connection with an especially good piece of work would have a stimulating effect on all ranks, and would be a source of pride to the friends and relations of the men who belong to that squadron. "TENDERFOOT." "YOU AND ME" ^-"S Is Luftwaffe Short of Personnel ? G ERMANY must be at her wits' end to know what to do. That is the only possible interpretation of her use of such contraptions as the air torpedo and her recent tentative essays with composite aircraft. Neither can possibly have any appre ciable influence on the course of the war. It is, of course, true that the air torpedo has caused casualties in London and Southern England, and the material damage is certainly not negligible, as the Prime Minister's figures revealed. But by this time, when our production of all sorts of war material is so enormous, the man-hours lost by reason of the air torpedoes cannot affect our quantitative superiority. The Germans must be perfectly well aware of this, and had they been able to start these attacks at the time when we stood alone, andj'when we were hard pressed in building up our war production, the result might well have been far from negligible. Just as difficult to understand is the enemy's use of the com posite aircraft. The Short-Mayo Composite had a very different purpose, and so had the Pemberton-Billing "slip-wing" scheme, although the "You and Me" (Ju and Me) stunt has some features in common with the "P.B." Again, it would seem that Goering has missed the boat. If, as seems likely, the idea' is that the pilot of the fighter aircraft should perform the double role of guide and fighter cover for the Ju 88 after release, he is apt to have his hands pretty full. Had the posi tion been reversed—that is to say, had it been Germany instead of the Allies who had air superiority amounting almost to air supremacy—the scheme might have been of some use. As it is, our pilots have aptly described the new weapon as "a beautiful target." One wonders whether the Luftwaffe is running really short of highly trained personnel. Both the air torpedo and the "You and Me" reduce aircrews to a minimum, the former to nil and the latter to one man for two aircraft. " NORMAN D." " It must be something to do with the remarttabjBondercarriage 4 i jt
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