FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1948
1948 - 1834.PDF
534 4 FLIGHT .NOVEMBER 4TH, 1948 Air Support handicapped by the drag and weight of its external stores.Regrettably, the demonstration was marred by a failure of the bomb gear when the pilot came in to display the offensivepowers of the Tempest replacement., Four Tempest 2s (8x6o-lb R.P.s), four Spitfires (4x6olbR.P.s) and four Seafire 18s (8 x 60-lb R.P.s) ably demonstrated the technique of the dive-rocket attack, but a Firefly I,scheduled to deposit sixteen 60-pounders on a group of derelict tanks, failed to arrive. A Mosquito 16 (master bomber) and a pair of similar aircraftacting as Pathfinders combined with eight Lincolns to demon- strate bombing technique employed by R.A.F. strategicbombers acting in direct support of land forces. The Lincolns put down eight 500-lb bombs and sixty-four 25-lb practicebombs, prompting remarks about mountains and mice. Later, half-a-dozen B-29S of the U.S.A.F. came over to show how theAmerican technique differs from that of the R.A.F., their method being to bomb "on the lead ship," i.e., to releasetheir bombs simultaneously. One mused on the dangers con- tingent on the failure of the leader to get his bombs away, afear which proved well founded, for the electrical system of the foremost B-29 did, in fact, "go on the blink" at thecrucial moment. The formation veered away until such time as the defect had been made good. Absenteeism A demonstration by Mosquitoes operating under ground radarcontrol was cancelled, the " Mossies " having experienced com- pass trouble. Regrettable as this was, it was less keenly feltthan the non-appearance of the promised Attacker, Gloster E.1/44, D.H.108 and Hawker N.7/46. By way of compensa-tion a single Shooting Star, showed that its rate of roll is exceptionally high and that its rate of climb, though inferiorto that of the Meteor, is to be respected. For sheer spectacle, however, the five '' transatlantic '' Vam-pires from Odiham were unrivalled. Especially captivating was one of the items in which only four of the aircraft partici-pated—a formation change from line astern to vie during a loop. The "individualist' charged with holding attention (Left) the /one aerobatic F-80 Shooting Star over Westdown ranges. (Right) the Universal freight container dropped by a Halifax l,5OOft over Netheravon. while the formation is positioning itself for the next manoeuvre,lived up to his name. He was especially fond of scampering over the grassy hills like a rabbit.On October 27th, at Netheravon, No. 38 Group put on a first-rate demonstration of transport support. A Valetta fromthe A.F.E.E., Beaulieu, dropped five dummy parachutists from 700ft, and two Dakotas from the Transport Support TrainingUnit, Netheravon, each put down a stick of twenty paratroops from the 66th Anti-Tank Regiment. From a Halifax of theT.C.D.U., Brize Norton, twelve paratroops of the R.A.F. Regiment made a smart exit and were soon in action. A novelevent was the dropping of twenty-four paratroops from the twin doors of one of the new Hastings, but that the olderHalifax is still capable of doing a very useful job was further illustrated when one of these machines delivered by parachute ajeep and a six-pounder gun, together with crew of six. Dakotas from Netheravon, a Halifax from Brize Norton, and a Hastingsfrom Beaulieu released panniers and containers from low level, and two Tempests from B.A.F.O. each contributed two 350-lbcontainers. A Firefly similarly demonstrated low dropping. Particularly impressive was the arrival out of the mist ofa Hastings / Hamilcar combination, and the subsequent landing of the great glider, which in due time disgorged a D.4 bull-dozer. Comparison was afforded by the lighter Valetta / Horsa combination, the Horsa likewise landing to unload a jeep,75-mm. gun and trailer. A third combination demonstrated was a Dakota/Hadrian. Having unloaded a motor team ofthe R.A.F. Regiment, the glider was " snatched " by a Dakota, the pilot of which displayed superb judgment. A Hoverfly helicopter from Brize Norton had been fitted witha litter to show how casualties might be evacuated by such aircraft. Plastic "blisters" may in future be used to protectthe patients, up to three of whom may be carried. The para- chuting of ordnance stores from 500ft and free dropping from150ft was illustrated by Dakotas, and a lull in the flying pro- gramme afforded an opportunity for the officers of the SpecialSenior Course to inspect troops and equipment. Six containers with delayed-action parachutes were to havebeen released from a Lancaster from Farnborough, flying at 3,000ft, but the Lancasterpassed over and disappeared with its load still aboard.Farnborough did, however, supply a Halifax, which re-leased , the massive Universal freight container, lowered bysix 42-ft parachutes. Three air bags take landing shock. While members of the iCourse were examining the • container a Dakota, Halifax, ;Valetta, Hastings, York and Lancastrian flew past at lowlevel, some on asymmetric power. The smallest and largest supply- dropping aircraft represented at Netheravon—a Tempest 2 and a Hastings. B 8
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
