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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 1022.PDF
FLIGHT JULY 8TH, 1948 Vampire Venturers ._LL. responsibility will rest on the crews of the three convoying Mosquitoes supplied by Trans- port Command—the '' weather recce" machine, piloted by S/L. H. B. Martin, D.S.O. and bar, D.F.C. and two bars, and the two navigational aircraft (one for each formation of three Vampires) in charge of F/L. R. L. Bartley, D.F.C. and bar, and F/L. P. S. Anderson. Two of the '' Mossies '' carry a flight lieutenant navigator, and the third a Navigator 2. A great deal will also be demanded of the crews of the three Avro Yorks of No. 24 (Common- wealth) Squadron, captained respectively by S/L. J. R. Wood, D.F.C. and bar; F/L. N. A. Wickes, D.C.F. ; and F/X. Scorgie. Inclusive of the ground staff, who expect to do all their maintenance work without aid, though this will no doubt be readily available, the total of "bodies" engaged is 70. These, then, are the personnel. As for the materiel, this is already familiar to readers. Briefly, the six Vampires are of the latest Mark 3 pattern, powered with a D.H. Goblin 2 turbojet and each carrying two 200-gallon drop tanks, bringing the total fuel capacity up to 536 gallons. Without drop tanks the maximum speed is 531 m.p.h. and the service ceiling 43,500ft. The Mosquitoes are P.R. Mk 34s (Merlin 114 engines) fitted with Loran to assist in navigation, the Vampires having only their normal R/T, with a range of some 200 miles, and no radio compass or radio range. The Yorks are, quite standard. Casting and Rehearsal At Odiham last week, W/'C. Wilson-MacDonald told us something of the background of the flight and of the preparations. Originally the R.A.F. had been invited to be represented in the Air Day celebrations in New York, from August ist-8th, but it was subsequently decided to combine the visit with a "good-will" tour. Vampires were selected for their aerobatic capabilities and range, and No. 54 Squadron was authorized to draw on the fly- ing and ground staffs of other Vampire units stationed at Odiham. Cer- tainly there has been no "combing" of Fighter Com- mand. Detailed studies w ere written on meteoro- logical a nxi Pilot I S. Evans is assisted into his immersion suit, by F/L "Ricky" Wright. These suits have been loaned by the Roya! Navy. The men selected to pilot the Vampires on their long over-water trip : from left to right, Pilot I S. Evens, F/L R. W. ("Ricky") Wright, S/L R. W. Oxspring (Squadron Commander), F/L F. C. Woolley, Pilot I W. C. Wood and Pilot 2 R. J. Skinner. air/sea rescue aspects, and "survival," or "immersion," suits were borrowed from the Royal Navy. Squadron Leader Oxspring related how, for 2.\ months, his squadron has been continuously rehearsing formation aerobatics and practising cross-country flying, the longest trip undertaken being 820 miles—a little more than the longest leg of the crossing to Canada. Co-operation and Programme The maximum head-wind component tolerable on the over-water leg is reckoned to be ^ knots. Flying astern ot the Vampires., two of the three Mosquitoes will be responsible, in the event of any forced descent, for accom- panying the unfortunate aircraft down to sea level and bringing the A.S.R. organization into action. The American and Canadian authorities have been most co- operative in "laying on" B-17 Fortresses carrying air- borne lifeboats, and the Danes will make available some Catalinas, engaged on survey work in Greenland. This emergency rescue coverage will be supplemented by weather ships on all legs. Refuelling points are at Stornoway, Meeks Field (Ice- land), Bluie West (Greenland) and Goose Bay (Labrador). The lengths of the "hops" are: Stornoway-Meeks Field, 662 statute miles; Meeks Field-Bluie West, 757 miles; Bluie West-Goose Bay, 783 miles ; Goose Bay-Montreal, 817 miles. Night stops are to be made at Meeks Field and Goose Bay. Not only will the Vampires take part in the U.S.A.F. air support and air interception exercises, conducted under active-service conditions at the gth Tactical Air Force Base at Greenville, South Carolina, but will give aerobatic dis- plays in Canada and America, the schedule being: Montreal, Toronto and Trenton (during July) ; Washington (July 26th) ; Greenville (July 26th-2gth); Norfolk, Virginia (July 29th) ; New York (July 3ist-August 8th). Other displays, on unspecified dates, will be given at Idlewild and Mitchell Field Each aerobatic performance (by a flight of three machines, with one "individualist" to fill in the gaps) will last for about 15 minutes. RECIPROCATING JETS THS flight to Canada and America by D.H. Vampires (men-tioned above) is to be followed by one east-to-vvest trip, along a similar route, by sixteen Lockheed F-80 Shooting Starsof the U.S.A.F. Accompanying these jet fighters will be two C-54 Skymasters, one C-47 Dakota, one B-17 Fortress (forair-sea rescue) and a B-29 Superfortress. A visit to Germany is scheduled.
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