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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0275.PDF
FEBRUARY IOTH, 1949 FLIGHT 179 Correspondence function is not normally combatant, but the Army never allowsany soldier to forget that he is first a righting man. In these corps, discipline and regimental pride are as proudly main-tained as in the purely fighting units. The R.A.F. has been less able to present the necessity for every man to be, at heart,a fighting man. Moreover, the functions of the airman's life come from separate sources; he has to look to different depart-ments for his work, domestic administration, and his experi- ences of justice. His loyalty is split by a broken chain ofcommand. Another result of the broken chain of command has alwaysbeen that there were a large number of officers with no respon- sibility for men. Such a situation always makes the otherranks disgruntled, and often induces a cynicism in the bene- ficiaries by which they do most to bring about the collapse ofthe structure which gratuitously supports them. Weymouth, Dorset. R. C. O. LOVELOCK,Ex-Wing Cmdr. MANNING THE R.A.F. Experiences of an Aircrew TraineeI HAVE been waiting for just such an opportunity as yourcorrespondent R. J. B. now provides with his article "Conscription and the R.A.F." (20/1/49) to give my im-pressions of life in an already very much criticized organiza- tion. I can, perhaps, best do this by providing you with aperfectly candid and truthful record of my own service. I entered the R.A.F. early in 1945, an ex-university student. selected foi training in aircrew. At that time prospects of wings and a commission appeared very bright. Young and notyet disillusioned, I, like many others, had been intoxicated by the glamour that the Battle of Britain pilots had already givensuch a force. That I should never become one of these heroes never entered my head. Six very interesting months were spent in some preliminaryflying-training, after which I was posted to Heaton Park, a station that any aircrew boy can only associate with a com-plete lack of organization. It was, officially, a holding-unit for aircrew trainees awaiting further courses. While I was there,I met fellows who had been "waiting" for as long as three years for such courses, and who had been drawing good air-crew pay for merely being somewhere in the vicinity and ready in case of posting, a prospect that had been dismissed by manylong ago. Some, who lived reasonably near The Park, were only seen on pay days, the pay roll being the only list on whichtheir names appeared. The phrase "couldn't care less" must surely have had its origin at Heaton Park ! In 1946, along with many other lads, I was made redundant.The R.A.F. no longer required our services as flying personnel. But a ground job in such an organization had about as muchappeal to me as a road-sweeping job in civilian life! That I eventually became a P.T. instructor, a trade that was held byso many in such Siwe, was due to my love of sports, a longing for an interesting1 trade, and a desire to be my own boss. ThatI became my own boss was, to a certain extent^ true, and I settled myself down to a life of complete leisure on a " static "camp in Scotland. P.T. was not even discussed. I sat in a sports store day after day teaching myself shorthand, chess,and how to do crossword puzzles. The commanding officer was happy without his P.T., and so was I, and of all the tradesmenon that camp the P.T.I, was the most popular. I eventually moved to a hospital in Southern England, and,for the first few days, 1 was a little wary, anxious to resume my inactive life, but careful lest I should discover my realduties on the camp. It appeared that I was there for rehabili- tation work, but that the doctors, quite correctly, thought itwould not be wise to allow an inexperienced person to exercise their patients. I would, they said, do them more harm thangood ! I heartily agreed with this assumption and prepared myself for another period of inactivity. But this time mysports store became a ".home-university." I fitted up a fire- place and built hidden- libraries for my books. And, aboveall, I constructed a device to warn me of the approach of visitors. I soon perfected a four-day week, the other threebeing spent at home, and found that, in time, I had no need for the proverbial slip of paper when wandering about thecamp. The whole idea of service life had become a fiasco! Demobilization was on the horizon, and to reach it was myonly ideal. And when that day arrived, my CO. who, bless his heart, knew me no better than the next fellow, describedme as an airman of very good character, very good conduct and very good trade proficiency. With such a memory behind me, how could I even begin tocriticize the R.A.F. ? The situation reminds me of the day I took leave of my commanding officer, and he asked mewhether I had enjoyed my stay in the Service. All I could do was to stand and stare and make no reply. I had so muchto say but knew not how to say it! " ALLAKEEFIK." Leamington Spa. Why Not a "Pools " System ?* I AM sure J. S. Pole (20/1/49) would appreciate a furthersuggestion ti^" toss into the arena." Why not pick the officers for each day irom a hat ? Thisway all personnel would have a sporting chance, and the oppor- tunities for "Pools" to brighten the life of the R.A.F. isobvious. J. BOWER. London, N.W.11. THE R.A.F. AS A CAREER Disillusion Forecast '"PHE young man who answers the call of those glowing adver- •*- tisements to "make the R.A.F. your career" is going to be disillusioned. Having applied himself with diligence to his work in foreign parts on a lower salary than that of a postman, at the end of five years he will find himself bundled out with a venomous confidential report. Further, he will find that he will then have to return to school to learn a profession, his R.A.F. experience not being required in civil life. Having qualified in some civil trade at the end of a further five or ten years, he will then find that he will be too old for pension employ, as his R.A.F. service will not be deducted from his age. This former CO. in the R.A.F. will wish him "the best of luck." , , ••-- • G.M.BRETT. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Feb. 10th.—Royal Aeronautical Society : The Second Louis Bleriot Lecture: " French Practical Aerodynamic Methods," Monsieur Brocard and Monsieur Hussenot. Feb. llth.—Institute of Transport (Chelmsford): "The Future of British Internal Air Services," J. F. Parke. Feb. I Ith.—R.Ae.S. (Portsmouth) Short Papers by members of the Branch. Feb. llth.—Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators, and Air League of the British Empire : Ball in aid of the Guild's Benevolent Fund and the Air League's Young Pilots' Fund. Feb. 12th.—Rugby Football Twickenham, Royal Navy versus Royal Air Force. Feb. 12th.—British Interplanetary Society : " The Design of Liquid- Propellant Rocket Motors," J. Humphries, B.Sc, G.I. Mech.E. Feb. 14th.—The Institute of Transport: The Brancker Memorial Lecture "Off the Record: The Influence of Records on Air Transport," Major R. H. Mayo, O.B.E., M.lnst.T. Feb. 14th.—R.Ae.S. (Derby) " Pictures in the Air," C. E. Brown, F.I.B.P., A.R.P.S. Feb. 15th.—Londonderry House : Films : " Pacific Air Route," W. Courtenay, M. M. Feb. 16th.—R.Ae.S. (Brough) ; " Jet Engines," W. T. Winter. 16th.—R.Ae.S. (Preston) : " The Propeller-Turbine Aero-Engine," F. H. Owner, M.Sc, F.R.Ae.S., M.S.A.E. 16th.—R.Ae.S. (Gloucester and Cheltenham) " The Design of an Aeroplane." Prof. R. L. Lickley, B.Sc., D.I.C., F.R.Ae.S. At Cheltenham. Feb. 16th.—R.Ae.S. (Hatfield) '"The Probable Role and Influence of Aircraft in Future Warfare," Air Marshal Sir Robert Saundby. K.B.E., C.B.. M.C., D.F.C., A.F.C. Feb. Feb. Feb 17th.—Royal Aeronautical Society : " Planned Servicing in the Royal Air Force," S/L. E. A. Harrop, O.B.E., A.F.R.Ae.S. Feb. 17th.—R.Ae.S. (Coventry) " The Londoh-Sydney Air Route," C. H. Jackson. Feb. 18th.—Institute of Navigation : " Operational Aspects of Marine Radar." A Symposium of Papers. Chairman : Sir Robert Watson-Watt, C.B., F.R.S. Feb. 22nd.—R.Ae.S. (Belfast) : Lecturettes and Informal Discussion. Feb 24th —R.Ae.S. (Manchester) " The Development of the Mamba Engine," A. S. Lindsey, M.A., A.F.R.Ae.S. Feb 24th —Royal Aeronautical Society : " Flutter and Stability," Prof W. J. Duncan, B.Sc., F.R.Ae.S., M.I.Mech.E., F.R.S. Feb 24th.—R.Ae.S. (Isle ofWight) " Naval Aircraft," Lt. Cdr. E. M. Brown. O.B.E., D.F.C., M.A., A.F.R.Ae.S. Feb. 26th.—Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers South Eastern Area Lecture. " Airframe Repairs," G. C. Banks, Manson / House,26, Portland Place, London, W.I.,at 3 p.m. Feb. 26th.—Helicopter Association of Gt. Britain : " Helicopter Trans- mission Systems," K. Watson, A.R.Ae.S. Feb. 28th,—Institute of Public Administration : "The British Overseas Airways Corporation," J. O. Blair-Cunynghame. Mar. 2nd.—R.Ae.S. (Luton) " Evolution of a Modern Aeroplane," Prof. R. L. Lickley, B.Sc., D.I.C., F.R.Ae.S. Mar. 2nd.—R.Ae.S. (Graduates' and Students' Section) "The Develop- ment of the Brabazon I," G. P. Hebden, A.F.R.Ae.S. Mar. 3rd.—R.Ae.S. (Gloucester and Cheltanham) " Electrical Aircraft Instruments," E. B. Moss, B.Sc., F.lnst.P., M.I. Mech.E. At Gloucester. Mar. 5th.—Rugby Football, Twickenham, Royal Navy versus The Army. Mar. 5th.—Royal Aeronautical Society : Full day Discussion on Air Safety. B 3I
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