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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 2155.PDF
I7ECEMBER l8TH, 1947 FLIGHT 687 (Above) Principal of the College, Mr. Ernest F. Retf, is asking Mr. Tomlinson to examine the rocket motor in the tail of the captured Me/63. ' (Right) The recently installed drop test rig. Professor Lickley, chief of the aircraft design department, stands beside the equipment. guests, which was attended also by the Board of Governors and the staff and students of the Col- lege, the Chairman of the Board, Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt, G.C.B., G.B.E., C.M.G., D.S.O., M.C., said that this was a time when scientists and tech- nicians had come into their own, and that the superior performance of aircraft had had a great effect. Fighter pilots in the Battle of Britain had held their own against the enemy, even when flying aircraft of inferior perform- ance. When they were given better aircraft they swept the sky. Bomber pilots, too, were happier when they knew that they could hit their targets. This showed the advan- tage of having technicians. The Air Marshal added that the Royal Air Force felt the need for highly skilled operators as devices increased and improved. Such things permitted safer but not simpler operation. The country was now dependent on technical development for solutions and its own development, and so required the help of highly skilled types. It had been shown recently that not enough were available, hence this College. While it was possible to provide training, talent could not be provided, and this must continue to be attracted. The College would be judged by results, and it would take 10, 12 or even 15 years to show whether the right men had been drawn or not. The Chairman went on to say that the speed of development of the College BOARD OF GOVERNORS CHAIRMAN Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt, G.C.B., C.B.E.,C.M.G., D.S.O., M.C. ; Members Dr .W. Abbott, O.B.E., H.M.I. (Min. of Education) ; J. Fearn (S.B.A.C.) ; Air Marshal Sir W. Alec Coryton, K.B.E., C.B., M.V.O., D.F.C. (M.ofS.) ; Sir Charles Darwin, K.B.E., M.C., D.Sc. F.R.S. (Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research) ; Sir Roy Fedden, M.B.E., D.Sc, F.R.Ae.S. (R.Ae.S.) ; J. Ferguson, M.A., B.Sc, H.M.I. (Scottish Education Dept.) ; Sir Harold Hartley, K.C.V.O., C.B.E., M.C., F.R.S. (Independent) ; Prof. Sir Melvill Jones, C.B.E., A.F.C., M.A., F.R.S., F.R.Ae.S. (The Universities) ; Prof. E. B. Moullin, M.A. D.Sc. (Institution of Electrical Engineers) ; J. D. North, F.R.Ae.S. (S.B.A.C.) ; Sir Frederick Handley Page, C.B.E., F.R.Ae.S. (Independent) ; W. C. G. Cribbett, C.M.G. (Ministry of Civil Aviation) ; Rt. flon. The Earl of Selkirk, O.B.E., A.F.C. (Secretary of State for Scotland) ; Air Marshal Sir Ralph Sorley, K.C.B., O.B.E., D.S.C., D.F.C. (Air Ministry) ; Dr. H. Roxbee-Cox; D.I.C., B.Sc., F.R.Ae.S.(R.Ae.S.); Sir WiHiam Stanier, F.R.S. (Institution of Mechanical Engineers) ; Vice Admiral Sir Philip Vian, K.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O. (Admiralty) ; W. E. F. Ward, C.M.G., M.A. (Colonial Office) ; A. Cde. U. E. Ewart (Government of Australia). Vacant seats : the Government of India and The Universities. THE STAFF PRINCIPAL : Ernest F. Relf, C.B.E., A.R.C.S., F.R.AeS., F.R.S. •; Professor of " Aerodynamics : W. J. Duncan, D.Sc., A.M.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S. ; Professor of Aircraft Design : Robert L. Lickley, B.Sc., D.I.C., F.R.Ae.S. ; Head of Dept. of Aircraft Propulsion : N. S. Muir, B.Sc., F.R.Ae.S. : Head of Dept. of Flight : G/C. R. C. Hockey, D.S.O., D.F.C. ; Registrar : V. F. Knight. had not been commensurate with requirements, and thatbuilding had been held up, and there were some obvious deficiencies at the present time. For this reason there hadso far been no formal opening. At present the number of students in college is low due to the lack of accommo-dation, but he was very grateful to the R.A.F. and Air Ministry for the use of one of its best permanentR.A:F. stations. Mr. George Tomlinson made the point that althoughState-provided the College was independent, and he hoped, therefore, "to get back the best of both worlds." Helooked forward to technical advances in consequence of which flying would become safer and would be of use toall, not just a branch of the community. Air Experience When it first opened, the College shared Cranfield withthe Empire Test Pilots School, but this has now moved to Farnborough because the accommodation was inade-quate for both. It was agreed by many people that the association of the two units was of great value and theneed for separation rather unfortunate. However, there is within the College organization a flight section equippedwith Ansons, Halifaxes and Tiger Moths. Students will, therefore, get air experience while taking practical obser-vations in the air and, in addition, flying instruction as pilots up to A-licence standard. For a nominal fee of 10san hour students will also be able to continue their instruc- tion and put in some solo flying. That it is advantageousfor technicians to have some experience of the practical side of flying is recognized. The relatively large proportion of German equipmentused for instructional purposes was the subject of some comment* and criticism, but it was suggested that theundeniable skill of the German technicians as demonstrated by this equipment, which had nevertheless proved to beinsufficient to win the war, gave an indication to students of the standard at which they themselves must aim. With regard to the accommodation and amenities ofthe College., there is no doubt that students of most of the universities could hardly fail to envy their contem-poraries at the College of Aeronautics, were they to see the comfortable and spacious lecture rooms, laboratories andquarters into which the fine R.A.F. buildings have been skilfully converted.
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