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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 2207.PDF
and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER Editorial Director G. GEOFFREY SMITH, M.B.E. Editor - -CM. POULSEN Assistant Editor - MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. (W/NG CDR.. R.A.F.V.R.) Art Ed/tor - - JOHN YOXALL FIRST AERONAUTICAL WEEKLY IN THE W6RLD .• FOUNDED 1909 Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.I Telegrams: Flightpres, Sedist, London. • ...... Telephone: Waterloo 3333 (6J lines) COVENTRY: 6 - 10, CORPORATION ST. Telegrams : Autocar, Coventry. Telephone: Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM, 2: MANCHESTER, 3 : GLASGOW, C/2 : KING EDWARD HOUSE, 260, DEANSGATE. 26B RENFIELD ST NEW STREET. Te/eg.-oms : Hi ffe, Mane h ester *. ' ...„ ,-, Telegrams: Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone: Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines) Te/egroms . Mine Glasgow Telephone: Midland 7191 (7 fines). Deansgate 3595 (2 lines) Telephone. Centra! 4857 • SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Home: Twelve months, £3 Is. 0d. Six months, £1 10s. 6d. Overseas: Twelve months, £2 18s. 6d BY AIR: To any country in Europe (except Poland). Twelve months, £5 Is. Od. Six months, fX 10s. 6d. To Canada and U.S.A. Six months, $16 No. 2088. Vol. LIV December 30th, 1948 Thursdays, One Shilling Outlook 1948 in Retrospect CHOKING back on the year that is just closing, onefeels that although it was not one of the best inthe history of British aviation, neither was it among the worst. That it failed to fulfil all our hopes was scarcely surprising in view of the difficulties with which the whole world seems to be struggling, and of which this country has had its full share. Some of these were forced upon us; others must be admitted to have been largely of our own making. Perhaps the achievement which has most impressed the world is the Berlin air lift. Few would have believed that the Germans in the non-Soviet sections of Berlin could have been not only kept supplied with necessities, but that actually there was a small increase in stocks The Americans have shared with the R.A.F and civil British operators the honour of having foiled Russian attempts to drive us out of Berlin, and unless the weather decides to side with Soviet Russia, we look like being able to keep the Berliners from freezing or starving to death during the coming winter months. In civil aviation the year has had its d^ppomtmente. The Corporations have continued to make heavy finan- cial losses, and there is no good reason to hope that these will be turned into profits during I949- The most we can hope for is that the losses wiH be smalfe N« and more suitable aircraft types will help towards that end, but other measures will have to betaken to supplement the benefits which the new ^raft typf can bestow. A more realistic outlook, and better bus! ness management, will have to be achieved The Royal Air Force has had one of the ™8* <W6cuU years of its existence, and it cannot be saicUhaUhe steps which have been taken to encourage recruiting have been particularly successful. The new rates °f pay-and other improvements foreshadowed do no more than scratch the surface. In spite of the good work don. by individuals and units, struggling against heavy odds, the lack of man-power has had a serious effect upon the maintenance of service aircraft, and unless energetic action is taken, the proportion of aircraft wearing a "u.s." label is likely to increase. Pressure must, as Sir Philip Joubert stated in his article last week, come from the people if anything worth while is to result. In spite of all its difficulties, the Royal Air Force has some outstanding achievements to its credit, in addition to its share in the Berlin air lift. There was, for example, the first jet-propelled transatlantic flight (by a Vampire squadron), followed by a very successful visit to the United States. Several goodwill visits were paid to various countries, and some useful training flights to distant parts of the world were completed. The Auxiliary Air Force has been honoured by being given the Royal prefix, and as fighter squadrons has joined our first line of defence. It is to be regretted that its re-equipment with jet fighters has been slower than was hoped. The R.A.F.V.R. is still being stepmotherly treated in the matter of its flying equipment, and much enthusiastic support is being lost as a result. Technical ProgressW HEN it comes to flying equipment for the R.A.F. and for civil aviation, the year has been one of consolidation rather than of spectacular pro- gress. It is only necessary to mention, by way of an example, the very remarkable endurance tests made with several turbo-jet and turbo-prop units. These showed the remarkable degree of reliability that British firms have achieved in this field. The metallurgist has played an important and not always recognized part in this development, as well as in making possible gradually increasing output from a given unit. ^ On the military aircraft side, several new and extremely promising types are being developed, and some B I
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