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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0406.PDF
266 FLIGHT MARCH 3RD, 1949 Service Servicing ..... to consider design specifications. He. stated that examinationof a number of specifications revealed a striking lack of promin- ence given to ease of maintenance requirements. The aircraftdesigner should be asked to exercise his skill in simplifying and reducing the work of servicing personnel equally as much asin meeting any other requirements of the specification. De- signers should, therefore, be given the clearest possible direc-tions on maintenance requirements so that ease of servicing may be regarded as complementary to the operationalperformance. In summing up, the lecturer said he thought there was nodoubt that, during the recent years, maintenance difficulties and costs have tended to increase, and the incidence o£ un-serviceability to prolong the periods of servicing, decrease the utilization rate to uneconomic levels, and make the provisionand supply of tradesmen, spares and associated equipment a problem of the first magnitude in the Royal Air Force. Al-though the R.A.F. always endeavours to provide high quality tradesmen to maintain its aircraft in peacetime, it would bewrong to suppose that the same quality of tradesmen will be available in war. It is, therefore, no good designing aircraftwhich need supermen to maintain them. The theory of the Servicing Cycle, which was produced bythe Air Ministry Operational Research Section, and details of servicing operations in the Royal Air Force, were included inthe published paper, respectively as Appendix A and Appendix C. TROJANS IN REVERSE The Epic Story of Stalag-Luft III IT is not surprising that one of the most talked-of bookspublished in recent weeks is that containing the story* by Eric Williams of his escape with two fellow prisoners from Stalag-Luft III. It is a true account, and the author (who calls himself F/L. Peter Howard in his book) tells it in such a way that the reader can share the common experiences of many wearing months in the prison camp and can feel .limself cne of the fine bunch of men who feature in the preparations for escape, but can experience it without suffer- ing the misery, frustration and dreary routine which formed a background to the vital and courageous action of the narrative. It is the duty of every P.o.W. to try to escape and in both wars many tried and a lew succeeded. This is by no means the first story-, true or in fiction, to be written about them, but it will most probably come to be considered the greatest. The account of the tunnelling, preparations and eventual break-out rises in a crescendo of suspense and excitement. One admires the incredible patience and cool, calculating By Eric Williams. Win. Collins. Ltd. Pricr* The Wooden Horse.10s 6d. courage and physical endurance of the young men who were? the prisoners, but it is probably the plain, human reality ofc the principal characters, and the authentic ring of their coni servation, action and even thoughts, that places The Wooden;^ Horse in a class above other escape stories. f No one who has read this book will look at a box-type^ vaulting horse again without thinking of a sweating maa|" ears and nose full of sand, " moleing" beneath it, and ot" his mate filling trouser-leg bags with the sand for disposals Many, too, will recall the tireless, unselfish action of the vaulting team, underfed and tired, who almost daily, for a period of months, distracted and amused the guarding "goons" and "ferrets" while the tunnelling went on. Peter and John eventually got home safely together, as did the other Army man, Phillip, whose real name is Oliver Philpot. He it was who organized the vaulting, and in return was offered the chance to escape through their tunnel to make his way home alone through Sweden. The description of the two men's train journey to Stettin and the search there for a Swedish boat, the success and the final stages c^ the escape, themselves form a tension-filled epic. R.A.E. COLLEGE PIM/M.IVI\4. EXACTLY twelve months ago, Sir Stafford Cripps openedthe R.A.E. Technical College at Farnborough. During the year that has elapsed, the foundations have been laid of BOMBER REUNION The Albert Hail has been divided into sectors and these have in turn been allocated to Groups in order that the men of Bomber Com- mand may more easily fmd their friends at the great Reunion which is to take place on March 12th. All tickets are now sold. an institution among the best of its kind. The College has sent one Ministry of Supply Scholar and eight Major County Scholars to Cranfield; one M.o.S. Scholar and one Royal Scholar to Imperial College; two State Scholars to Cambridge University; and two State Scholars to Birmingham University. Prior to the distribution of prizes for the scholastic year 1947-1948 by Air Chief Marshal Sir Roderic Hill, the Principal ,of the College, Mr. R. D. Peggs, M.A., M.I.Mech.E., A'.F.R.Ae.S., stated that although when they moved into the new buildings the accommodation had seemed palatial, the fact that the number of College entrants had been doubled now made the accommodation somewhat cramped. The outstand- ing achievement of the year was that the University of London had granted the College the right of examination for the London external degrees in science. This Mr. Peggs inter- preted as an acknowledgment of the work of the staff and; an indication of the suitability of the students. t" The Principal concluded his speech with a homily in whioir1 he stated that the qualities of leadership, judgment, quickness of decision and the ability to take part in activities other than their work were matters not given sufficient importance by the students, and he urged that they should think not so much of themselves and personal advancement, but rather aim for the higher and broader issues in thinking of others and doing their best for mankind. "The man or woman who now thinks only of himself or herself," stated Mr. Peggs, " has no civilized future." Sir Roderic Hill, K.C.B., M.C., A.F.C., the Rector of Imperial College, told the assembly that it was 32 years ago to the week that he had started work at R.A.E. and that, as he looked around, he saw many faces he had known through the years in different situations. The Air Marshal said that, even in the United States, he had not seen bettered the range of scientific and engineering scope of education available at the R.A.E. College. It was pretty well unique. AUSTER A.O.P.8 BEST described as a "cross" between the Auster A.OP.6and T.7 variants, a new sub-type, designated A.OPS, has been developed by Auster Aircraft, Ltd., Leicester. Ttafe engine is a Gipsy Major 7. "- D 12
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