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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0222.PDF
T48 FLIGHT FEBRUARY 3RD, 1949 Royal Air Force and Naval Aviation News and Announcements SERVICE AVIATION Sir Bertram Rumble THE death has occurred, at the ageof 73, of Sir Bertram Rumble, honorary treasurer of the R.A.F. Benevo-lent Fund, and honorary secretary of the appeals committee of the fund since1941. Lord Kiverdale, chairman of the council, writes that Sir Bertram'sstaunch friendships and his devotion to the cause he was serving entitled him tothe highest praise. Berlin Record TRANSPORT Command aircraft flew J- 1,014 short tons into Berlin during the 24 hours ending mid-day Sunday, January 23rd—the highest R.A.F. air lift tonnage for the winter. They also flew out 473 passengers, 69 tons of mail and 16 tons of freight. British civil aircraft flew in 527 short tons during the same 24-hour period, made up of freight, petrol and diesel oil. The previous R.A.F. record figure was during the summer when 1,048 long tons were flown into Berlin on September 19th. Air Lift Congratulations FOLLOWING his recent visit to Ger-many, the Chief of Air Staff, Mar- shal of the Royal Air Force Lord Tedder, sent messages to the Air Officers Com- manding B.A.F.O. (Air Marshal T. M. Williams), and Transport Command (Air Marshal Sir Brian Baker), expressing his congratulations to all ranks engaged in the Berlin air lift. To the British Air Forces of Occupa- tion; the C.A.S. said: "I have returned from Germany with many vivid impres- sions of the precision with which the R.A.F. is getting en with the job. Such precision through every second of the day and night is vital for the operation of the air lift, and it would meet with public acclamation if carried out in a spectacular parade in a vast arena. All of you engaged on the air lift—both air- crew and ground staff, both Service and civil—are living by stop-watch, and the comparatively short hauls involved little ' opportunity of regaining valuable seconds once they are lost." In his message to Transport Command he referred to the '' drastic test of effi- ciency, discipline and morale" imposed by the air lift on the R.A.F. in general, and the Command in particular. That test was being passed with flying colours, and Transport Command had added honour to its record unsurpassed even during the war. In co-operation with B.A.F.O., the Command was writing a glorious page in the history, not only of the Royal Air Force, but also of the world. " Seeing that job done," said Lord Tedder, "has made me more than ever proud to be a member of a Service that, in the face of so many difficulties, has achieved so great a miracle." The mes- sage concluded: "Operation Plainfare STREET PHOTO- GRAPHER: R.A.F. aircraft have recently photographed 50 square miles of London to assist the Ordnance Survey in compiling 53 inch-to-the-mile maps of the city. One of the machines en- gaged, this Anson displays its three- camera installation. has thrown a spotlight on what the Royal Air Force can do, and I am sure I am voicing the general feeling in our Service in giving the verdict—good show, Transport Command and B.A.F.O." R.A.F. Boxing ''THE R.A.F. Boxing Association wil) -L stage its first Officers' home fixture against the Royal Navy and Royal Marines since the war at R.A.F. Station Hullavington, Wilts, on Friday, Febru- ary 4th, at 8 p.m., in a hangar seating about 2,500. The Dtrke of Beaufort will present the prizes. The following have been selected to represent the R.A.F.: Featherweight: F/O. J. A. N. Davies (Hemswell); F/L. W. C. Sinclair (Halton). Lightweight: W/C. F. M. Thomas (Old Sarum); F/L. B. M. Brown (H.Q. 41 Group). Welter- weight: F/L. J. Pugh (Wyton); F/O. E. Rutter (Little Rissington); F/L. H. J. Smith (Upper Heyford). Middle- weight: S/L. A. F. Simmons (Milden- hall); F/L. L. Ross (Stafford). Light Heavyweight: F/L. Shelly (B.A.F.O.); P/O. S. Hawkins (Abingdon). Heavy- weight: F/L. R. Stirling (Norton Disney); S/L. J. Midwood (H.Q., N. Ireland). Reserves: F/L. Cawthorne (St. Athan); F/L. Crozier (Boscombe Down); F/L. Blaszak (St. Athan). R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. ReunionN O more tickets are left for the reunion party, at Londonderry House on March 31st, of those who served in the R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. A few tickets, if any are returned, will be kept for some of those now abroad, who may be able to return in time for the reunion. Mar- shal of the R.A.F. Viscount Trenchard of Wolfeton will be joined in re- ceiving the guests by Marshal of the R.A.F. Sir John Salmond, Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Long- more, A.V-M Sir Phillip Game, and Vice-Admiral R. Bell Davies, V.C. Cer- tain other officers of the R.F.C. and R.N.A.S. have been invited to join in this reception, but have not yet replied. Lord Trenchard will propose the loyal toast. Lord Tedder, who served in the R.F.C., will speak on behalf of the present-day R.A.F. The reunion promises to be a great gathering of pioneers, and many famous pilots of the past have bought tickets. A Guard of Honour will be mounted by cadets of No. 291 (Chelsea and Westmin- ster) Squadron, A.T.C., in whose Recruit- ing area is Londonderry House. R.A.F, Appointments •; APPOINTMENTS have been an- ** nounced for three officers of air rank who spent last year at the Imperial Defence College. A.V-M. C. H. Sharp, D.S.O., A.F.C., became A.O.C. No. 38 Group, Transport Command, on January 17th, and in this capacity attended the Brize Norton air ambulance demonstra- tion described in Flight of January 27th. Before going to the Imperial Defence College, A.V-M. Sharp was the repre- ' sentative of the Air Council Member for Supply and Organization on the Air Ministry Manpower Economy Commit- tee, to which he went early in 1947, after , more than a year as Director of Accident Prevention. He was appointed Deputy ' Chief of Staff of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in 1943 and given Command of No. 54 (Pathfinder) Base, R.A.F. Bomber Command, early in 1944; later' in the same year he was appointed Air Officer in Charge of Administration, Base Air Forces, South-East Asia. In April, T945, he was given af similar post with • "Tiger Force," which would have gone into operation against Japan but for the Japanese surrender. Also at the Defence College last year, A. Cdre. D. Macfadyen, C.B.E., and . A. Cdre. H. D. Jackman, C.B., C.B.E.,
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