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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1108.PDF
28 FLIGHT JULY IOTH, 1947 Braving it at Blackpool The three Naval Seafires, which demonstrated deck-landing procedure,just prior to breaking formation. of the magazine programme, attractively listing the eventsoriginally planned. These must go on record as it was hoped to carry out the full performance on July 9th and 16th. Alow-level attack by six Hornets of 64 and 65_Squadrons was to be followed by A.T.C. and Naval gliding; aerobatics by asingle Seaiire; fly-pasts by a Sea Hornet, Sea Mosquito, Sea Vampire, Sea Fury, Swordfish, Sunderland, Sea Otter and byformations of nine Lancasters, six Mosquitoes, six Meteors and six Hornets; aerobatics by a Hornet, a Meteor III and aVampire; and flying by a Lancaster on progressively fewer Merlins. The 1909 Bleriot and Sikorsky R-4 helicopter werebilled, C.F.S. Tiger Moths were to show haw and how not to fly, and a Lancaster and Spitfire would illustrate combatmanoeuvres and evasion. The Transport Command contribu- tion was to be supply-dropping by Halifaxes of 38 Group, anda glider snatch. Tlie Hare-Raising Vampire The programme which materialized, as announcer CharlesGardner put it, "off the cuff," was very properly opened by F/O. Carter in a de Havilland Vampire. Other "Vamps,"which had arrived in appropriate style and in perfect weather on the previous day, did not perform. Pre-vented by cloud from rolling, Carter did over-the-vertical batiks alter low runs, his wing-tip trails showing clear cutunder the murk. One very low pass was a beat-up in the true sense; a fat hare streaked terrified clean across the 2s 6denclosure. Attaining the airfield, Puss had ample time to regain his breath while 17-year-old Leading Cadet Cobb of theBlackpool A.T.C. and a Flight Lieutenant instructor were winch-launched in training gliders. As Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge was about to departfor Lee-on-Solent in his Expeditor, three Seafires of 807 Squadron, fitted with ventral tanks, showed up and, breaking formation, went smartly into their landing-on drill, bei:.,,guided on to the watery " deck " by a genuine batsman. After a repeat performance, one remained behind, but we can con-firm that he was experiencing only mechanical trouble and not a desire for a companionable evening in Blackpool. The Navy followed up with Lt. K. M. Reid, complete withimmaculate cap, at the helms of the Sikorsky R-4. Could he have seen (and possibly he did see) the sheer incredulity ondozens of faces, he would have felt amply rewarded for his masterly performance. F/L. Whitehead was next away. In a 64 Squadron Hornethe skimmed the enclosed public by less than ten feet and, carefully ^gauging his distance from cloud to cloud, managedto squeeze in some low, slow rolls. Everyone was most appre- ciative but suffered some disappointment on hearing that theSea Fury had to return to Stretton without demonstrating. Becoming airborne, however, the pilot—Lt. Elliott, we believe:—discovered a relatively clear patch and performed a short selection from the Sea Fury's repertoire, including a beautifullvrendered hesitation roll. F/L. Willis on a Harvard from the C.F.S. found his own "rolling patch" and got in some verysmooth work. From the Central Fighter Establishment a silver, short-spanMeteor IV had arrived, and this now took off for one of the most remarkable displays ever seen on the type. S/L. Lomasappeared quite undaunted by the murk, and streaked over with the Derwents at full thrust. Suddenly the Meteorappeared to form what can best be described as visible shock waves, very large, bright and shimmering along the wholewing. This it did several times on encountering critical con- ditions. The effect was at once beautiful—rather reminiscentof a hydroplane—and frightening. One wondered if the pilot was aware of the phenomenon. In any case, he*went on toroll, fly inverted, and, finally, to pass the enclosures as slowly as the Meteor's stubbywings would allow. * W/C. Burke, in aSpitfire 2i, gay with the markings of 41Squadron, had bad luck. Having starteda programme of up- ward rolls into tiiegrey, he was signalled down. From take-off one of his wheel covers had stuck, andthis, we believe, was the reason for h'recall. F/L. Smyth thereupon steppedinto the breach with a fighter-bomber Mos-quito, which formed its full quota ofva pour-• trails and generally behaved likea Hornet, though it went one better . bymaking a run with bomb doors open. The Sikorsky R-4 Hcver- fly "doodles" for tte diversion of the damp, but not downcast, visitors.
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