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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 1619.PDF
i78 FLIGHT AUGUST I6TH, 1945 IT MUST NOT HAPPEN AGAIN moval by the Nazis of tooling and machinery plant from occupied countries. (2) No training on powered aircraft of any size, no gliders and no parachute-jumping should be permitted. To impose rigidly this regulation is absolutely essential since, if per- mitted, in no time would these activities be used—as they were in the past—to build up cadres for the air force. The D.L.S.V. (Deutscher Luftsportverband—German Air Sport League), which started as a civilian organisation, soon became an organised cadre reservoir foi the Luftwaffe, totalling by 1935 over half a million members organised in 2,500 branches. Germany was allowed to glide after the last war—and look where she had glided to by 1939! (3) All private-flying activity, the private ownership of air- craft or any other airborne equipment should be prohibited. Even dispersed ownership would sooner or late? lead to their use for pre-military training., " To allow Germany any private aircraft in the period immediately after the war would almost surely lead to the formation of flying clubs in which each individual aircraft would be' kept in continuous and intensive service in order to give practice for the largest possible number of pilots. A large section of the pilots remaining to the Luftwaffe at the end of hostilities would thereby ' keep their hands in,' " says E. P. Warner (Future Controls over German Aviation, Foreign Affairs). Control of Research Research facilities and air transport problems would require a more positive plan. Here a brief reminder might be neces- sary for the benefit ol those who view as distasteful any en- croachment upon the freedom of " pure " research and might consider it as an attempt to strangle Germany's intellectual outlets. After the last, war there was, apart from Gottingen, no sizeable research institutions Jeft in the Reich; but no time was wasted in starting again under military patronage. Luft- wissen. the official publication of the German Air Ministry (1943- Vol. 10, No. 5, p. 154-5), thus described these efforts:— " The personnel of the D.V.L. scattered in all directions, and only small supporting units (Stiltzpunkte) remained, cautiously supported by the Inspectorate of Armed Forces and alter its dissolution on May 8th 1920, by ' special quarters ' within the Reich Deience Ministry. One of these small bases ' of aviation was the remnant of the D V L at Adlershof " From its very inception in 1920 the gliding movement, the entire technical work on the Wasserkuppe and later on at another place, were co-ordinated in special commissions co-operating with the D.V.L. " The framework of activity of the D.V.L.—sponsored in " Waddyamean—over your dead body ? " 1923 by the Armed Forces Office (Truppenamt) of the Army Weapons Office (Heereswiffenamt) and later transferred to the Reich Ministry of Transport—had been substantially en- larged by 1927, and since that year a. special allocation was secured for it in £b.e Government Budget." Research institutions and their equipment might be dealt with as under (1), except those which are either immovable or which the Allies might consider it practicable to retain in Germany. The formation of an International Holding Corporation might therefore be practicable, with the Occupation Powers and such members of the United Nations as are Germany's geographical neighbours as shareholders. Endowed with permanent and exclusive concession rights for the possession and exploitation of specified institutions, airfields and installations, this Corpora- tion would be responsible for: (r) research institutions; (2) the maintenance of ground facilities including meteorological stations, etc ; (3) for international trunk routes which the control commission might decide to operate in the interest of European economy. A small share in the administration and operation of the Corporation might t>e allotted to carefully selected and " vetted " German nationals But to safeguard the continuity of the Corporation's work and its control, the controlling in- terest should be permanently vested in a non-German majority, while provisions might be made for the German share to increase gradually on an escalator scale. Such increases should not come into operation automatically, but by a majority vote of shareholding Stales taken at regular intervals of, say, four years, the maximum ceiling of German participation being so fixed as never to exceed the participation share of any one of the major Allied powers. The Corporation would closely co-operate with the Allied Control Commission and act through representatives in each of the occupational zones, thus not disturbing the regional set-up of the occupation The existence of a purely practica joint organisation would ensure a uniformity which, if im portant in other spheres, is essential in aviation. But the advantages accruing from setting up such a Cor- poration owned by several nations, internationally staffed and controlled, extend heyond tne immediate control tasks. It would this time give selected German scientists and technicians an opportunity of contributing towards human progress and of rehabilitating the name of German science which has con- tributed so much evil for the world. It might equally serve as a unique test ground and valuable experiment for practical regional co-operation in civil aviation and as a nucleus for some wider organisation in the future. R.A.F. PIGEONS TO BE "DEMOBBED"W ITH the consent of the National Pigeon Service Com- mittee, Per Ardua, the R.A.F. pigeon which cut the British 1,000-mile record in hali, is to be offered for sale at the Allied Forces Mascot Club Fete at Chelsea Hospital Grounds, Chelsea, London, on Saturday, September 8th, in aid of the R A.F. Benevolent Fund and the Allied F'orces Animal War Memorial Fund Other distinguished wai pigeons bred by the R.A.F., includ- ing Ruhr Express, a Dickin Medal winner, and the parents of Per Ardua may also be auctioned at the same time in the same cause. Per Ardua''s record flight was from Gibraltar to Gillingham. Kent, 1,090 miles, which she covered within 12 days. AWARDS WON BY R.N.Z.A.F. SINCE the outbreak of the war, 1,345 honours and awardshave been won by members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. That figure is correct to June 16th. It excludes mentions in despatches, which total 245, comprising 164 in jtfie European zone and 81 in the Pacific. ^ New Zealand airmen in the Pacific won 30 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the total of 75 awards was gained in that area, including 19 American decorations. The D.S.O. was gained by 67 airmen, four of whom received Bars. In Europe and the Middle East, 770 airmen won the Dis- tinguished Flying Cross, 70 received Bars to it, and four gained the signal honour of winning two Bars. The Dis- tinguished Flying Medal was won by 168 airmen in the Euro- pean zone and seven in the Pacific Only one Bar was re- ceived to this decoration. The Air Force Cross was won by 67 members of the R.N.Z.A.F. and two Bars to it were also won. The Air Force Medal was awarded five times. Two members of the R.N.Z.A.F. have won the Victoria Cross. Other decorations include four George Medals and five Conspicuous Gallantry Medals.
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