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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 0056.PDF
FLIGHT JANUARY 9TH, 1947 SERVICE AVIATION squadron. In addition there is provisionfor a Territorial Air Force, consisting of a Fighter Wing, a Bomber Wing, anda Technical Wing and for an Air Training Corps of four wings. S.A.A.F. SpitfiresE ARLY this year 136 Spitfires will bedelivered to the South African Air Force. They will be flown by R.A.F.pilots to an assembly area in the Middle East where they will be collected byS.A.A.F. pilots and delivered via the east coast route. Anglo-US. Exchange Plan/ A SCHEME for-an exchange of officersbetween the R.A.F. and the U.S.A.A.F. has been officially an-nounced. Agreement has been reached covering the exchange of officers asstudents on courses or on attachment to Commands and Staff posts, and trainingwill cover staff methods, tactics and re- search. Initially between 30 and 40officers will be exchanged by each country but this number may later beincreased up to 100. So far the agreement has affected onlyhome stations. H.Q. R.A.F. MED/ME/ APART from one or two minorbranches which must necessarily re- main in Cairo until the move of the mainbody of G.H.Q., M.E.L.F., to Fayid, Headquarters, R.A.F., MED /ME com-pleted its move from Cairo to the Canal Zone on December 10th, 1946, thus end-ing an association of over thirty years between the H.Q. of the R.F.C., andsubsequently the R.A.F., and Cairo. The Middle East Brigade of the RoyalFlying Corps was established in the former Gezira Palace Hotel, Cairo, earlyin 1916, under the command of Brigadier General W. G. H. Salmon, D.S.O., andthis remained the headquarters until 1920, when H.Q., R.A.F. Middle East,as it had now become, was established at Villa Victoria. Here it remained untilthe amalgamation with G.H.Q., M.E.F., at the outbreak of war in 1939. The new Headquarters of R.A.F.MED/ME is located at Abu Sueir and Ismailia and occupies the permanentbuildings formerly used by the R.A.F. units stationed at these places. Pilots' "B" Licence Scheme*-'I T is now possible for pilots of R.A.F.Transport Command to study for civil flying licences in their spare time.Hitherto, many experienced pilots, in- cluding former bomber and transportcaptains, have found themselves on de- mobilization unqualified to enter civilaviation, for without the- Ministry of Civil Aviation's Class "B" licence themost competent ex-R.A.F. man cannot be employed as a pilot, or obtain hismaster pilot's certificate. To bridge the gap between Service fly-ing and flying for civil aviation, Trans- port Command has produced aone-volume study schedule entitled Pilots' Class " B " Civil Licences. In-tensive study of this syllabus should en- able any physically fit pilot to pass thetechnical examination for his civil ticket. Three hours' work a dav, for five davs /"Flight" photoijiai' STOWED STURGEON : The Sea Mosquito, seen on the pitevious page, is af adaptation of an R.A.F. fighter-bomber, but the Short Sturgeon^shown with wings folded, was designed primarily for Naval requirement^. a week, allows the entire course tobe completed in less than a month. The examination covers radio direc-tion-finding, control and procedure, lights and signals, navigation, meteor-ology, air legislation, and knowledge of Notices to Airmen. One concession tothe value of war experience is that prac- tical flying-tests will be waived, onproduction of a satisfactory R.A.F. log- book. Prospects in civil aviation are goodfor men with Service training and background. The main air transportcorporations and charter companies are already in urgent need of qualified pilots,but a "B" Licence is essential. Reconstitntion of King's Flight THE Air Ministry announces: -A/H.M. The King has approved the reconstitution of the King's Flight ofthe Royal Air Force and the reappoint- ment of Air Comdre. E. H. Fielden,C.B., C.V.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., as Cap- tain of the King's Flight. The Flightis based at R.A.F. Station, Benson, and Viking aircraft have been allocated forits equipment. Two Vikings have been prepared forthe personal use of Their Majesties. The Flight will leave for South Africa towardsthe end of January and is due to be at Capetown when the Royal party arrives. Search in Norway v' R.A.F. officers have recently spentro months in Norway in search of R.A.F. aircrew and their aircraft lostand miesing over and off the coast of Norway during the war. These officerswere members of the Missing Research and Enquiry Service, an organization setup by the Air Ministry soon after the war under the overall command ofG/C. E. F. Hawkins, D.S.O., who, with his team of officers, has initiated and inmany cases completed, search operations throughout France, Germany, Belgium,Luxemburg, Holland, Denmark and Nor- way. Under the command of S/L. H. Scott,D.F.C., and afterwards of S/L E. L. Hough ton, six Search Officers continuedtheir work through the winter of 1945/6 in conditions of extreme cold and snow,covering many thousands of miles over dangerous ice-covered roads. As a resultof their efforts, the total number of Allied airmen now lying in cemeteries iNorway amounts approximately to 5<- Of these only a very few will remam" unknown." The largest concentrations are at SolaCemetery, Stavanger; Mollendahl Cemetery, Bergen; Stavne Cemetery,Trondheim (where there are 137 graves); Vestre Gravlund, Oslo; and RossebCemetery, Haugesund. Before concentra- tion was carried out there were some 120burial places for aircrew. These have now been reduced to approximately 50! A large proportion of aircraft losseswere on anti-shipping strikes along the coast from the South-West tip of Nor-way, thinning out north of Trondheim, but continuing right round to theRussian border. These losses were borne mostly by 18 Group (Coastal Com-mand, by 38 Group (Transport Com- mand) on supply dropping missions,•and by Bomber Command, engaged on attacks against the Tirpitz, enemyoccupied airfields and factories. Reunions , u •I T is proposed to hold, in London, aSquadron Reunion of all past and present members of No. 38 Squadron onthe evening of March 8th, 1947. Will all who wish to attend communicate withSqn. Ldr. Price, D.F.C., Headquarters, J No. 3 Group? * * * f^FFICERS who served at Lynehani'*-' during 1943-46, when G/C. W. J. Pickard was in command, and who wishto attend a reunion dinner are asked to communicate with Hon Sec. LynehamReunion, 76, Southwark Street, London, S.E.i. A party has been arranged inLondon for Friday, January 31st, * * *F ORMER members of 2ndCommunications Squadron v•' • %^i-welcome at The Mitre Tavern, Ch&t:^^ Lane, W.C.2, at 7 p.m. on FebrVfary 14thand March 14th, and on the first Friday in each month thereafter. Communicatewith W/C. I. J. Spencer, Room 422,. Adastral House, Kingsway, W.C.2.* * # IT is proposed to hold a reunion dii:in London in the early part of 1 for officers who served at the Headqters, stations and units of No. zo6 Gr R.A.F. Middle East. All intersshould communicate with Group Cap" B. L. Blofeld, Air Ministry (P.6), Ldon, W.C.2.
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