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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0410.PDF
268 FLIGHT MARCH 3RD, 1949 Correspondence smarten up, even though we were skilled tradesmen; but later on we derived the benefit from it, for it made us automatically keep our billets clean, bed tidy and our personal appearance at a high standard. And while we were on leave, the public, who were critics, used to pass remarks about the quality of the R.F.C. The idea of doing away with kit inspection and F.F.I.s is beyond me. How can an airman without a kit inspection expect to be properly dressed ? I do not say all, but quite a lot would neglect their kit, and the question of F.F.I, is surely a medical one. Any decent-living lad has no objection to an F.F.I.; in fact it is, or should be, the other way about, they should welcome one, knowing that when they are passed, they are clear of disease, scurf, skin troubles, etc. Regarding the question of booking in and out, there cer- tainly must be a check here, or are personnel just to walk in and out of camp just when they like, just to save the services of a few S.P.s? What would happen, I wonder, on a camp w-ith, say, between three and four thousand airmen? Finally, I cannot quite see a flight of fitters leaving the 'drome after Servicing and Daily Inspections, going to lunch, changing into best blue, and adjourning after lunch into the ante room in easy chairs. Without opening the hangar doors, I would mention I served in the R.F.C., and also 1939-45, and the discipline I obtained in 1916 stood me in good stead throughout the last war. Weston-Super-Mare. J. W. McKECHNIE. New Aircrew Ranks Unpopular ? —'" MAY 1 add my complete agreement to the views of yourcorrespondent " J'y suis, j'y reste" (Flight, February 10th), and congratulate him on his bold, straightforward andtruthful facts? I am an ex-aircrew type, serving six years in Coastal,Bomber, Airborne, and finally Transport Commands. I, too, enjoyed, and still enjoy, flying, and during those six unfor-gettable years was proud to wear the uniform of the then "finest Air Force in the world." It was my desire, as it wasof so many others, to continue serving and make the Air Force my career, but my ideas were quickly changed when the newaircrew ranks were introduced. They were further shattered when, during my last few months in the Air Force, I met apilot of our squadron, who a few months before had been demobbed, found himself unable to settle in "civvy street,"and re-enlisted. He was given a promise that he would go back to aircrew, but alas, was just posted back to India, wherehe had been just prior to his demob, as ACH/GD. The Air Force would get a bigger response to their recruitingdrive for aircrew if they once again reverted to "stripes" instead of '' stars.'' We held our squadron reunion a few weeksago, and among the 80-90 present there were several who were ready to re-enlist if this happened. Surely the N.C.O. aircrewhave to earn their " tapes" as well as their ground-crew coun- terparts; both have to swot over numerous examinations toreach the sergeant standard, so, in reward, why not both enjoy the privileges on reaching that standard instead of onebeing given the hideous title of Pilot Grade 2 ? Bowness-on-Windermere. J. ATKINS. R.A.F. DISCIPLINE Officers Not Taught to Look After Their MenO N the strength of having served both hi the W.A.A.F. and as aircrew during the war, and having had, through my father and my late husband, an intimate knowledge of the Service over a number of years, I wonder if 1 might be per- mitted to make one or two observations on the subject of the deterioration of discipline in the R.A.F. which has aroused such a storm of dissentient opinion in your columns of late. The R.A.F. suffers from one difficulty which does not affect the other Services so much. Its officers, of necessity, must be specialists first and officers afterwards. That is, they are com- missioned as aircrew or in a trade and, apart from the Admin. Branch, the question of their ability to command men is a secondary one. As an example, my husband seconded from the Army to the R.A.F. during the early days of the war, and his first reaction was one of horror at the slap-dash fashion in which the func- tional duties of an officer were carried out. He soon fell into line, but on more than one occasion he incurred the good- natured jeers of his fellow officers by his solicitude for the welfare of his crew. In the W.A.A.F. I was fortunate in that the G. Officers under whom I served were capable and sympathetic, but the same could not be said for those in the specialist trades. Apart from the admin, types, the same criticism applied to the N.C.O.s. Often an L.A.C.W. would receive her tapes on the grounds of seniority and then, purely as an afterthought, would be sent on a Discip. Course. Whether or not she inspired the respect and obedience of her fellow Waafs was a matter left purely to chance. In regard to aircrew, the new classifications may do some- thing towards eliminating the anomaly, bixt it will take time before the effects are felt, and I am convinced that a great deal could be done in the meantime to impress upon prospec- tive officer material that, whether they fly a bomber or whether they will command a section, the well-being of those under their command is as much their responsibility as it is that of any platoon commander among the much-maligned Brown Jobs. His Majesty commits his "Trusted and Well-Beloved" to a greater duty than that of merely wearing a brevet and a ring or two. R. L. B. London, S.W.14. DIPLOMATIC B.E.A. American Visitor Takes Home a Good Impression I SHOULD like to record my appreciation of a generousaction, and at the same time, save any of my fellow- countrymen who may read this from following me into anembarrassing situation. American visitors are supposed to be dripping with dollars, I know, but the finances for my visitto Europe were planned to close limits, and so was the schedule of visits. I had reservations in Paris and planned to travel byBritish European Airways. The ticket clerk examined my passport and confirmed that my papers were in order. What_was overlooked, it seems, was that American citizens need a: visa to enter France. When I landed in France there wastrouble at once when my lack of visa was noticed. I played dumb, then smart, and I pleaded to be allowed to 'phone theconsulate, but had to fly right back to London just the same.; ;After obtaining the visa I flew back for a shortened visit to; France, and with my pocket lighter to the extent of one returnairline fare. Later, I wrote to B.E.A. and told them of my troubles andsuggested that their clerk might have warned me about the visa. The result was a very agreeable surprise which I shallnot forget—the refund of one return fare with a polite note regretting the inconvenience. VIRGINIA RUSSELL. • Winchester, Va. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Mar. 5th.—Old Comrades Association. R.A.F. Stations Hum, Harwell and Rivinhall, No. 38 Group : Third Annual Reunion. Mar. 5th.—Rugby Football, Twickenham, Royal Navy versus The Army. Mar. 5th.—Royal Aeronautical Society : Full day Discussions on Air Safety. Mar. 7th.—R.Ae.S. (Derby) : " Helicopters—The Technical Point of View,1 Capt. R. N. Liptrot, C.B.E., B.A. Mar. 8th.—R.Ae.S. (Southampton) : Lecture by A. G. Pugsley, O.B.E.. D.S.C. Mar. 8th.—R.Ae.S. (Belfast) : " Helicopter Design," T. E. Goligher, B.Sc., D.I.C., A.F.R.Ae.S. Mar. 9th.—R.Ae.S. (Weybridge) : " Air Force Requirements and their Origin." A. Cdre, G. W. Tuttle, C.B., C.B.E., D.F.C. Mar. 9th.—R.Ae.S. (Preston) : " Recent Developments in Aircraft Pro- duction Engineering." Professor J. V. Connolly, B.E., A.F.R.Ae.S. Mar. 9th.—R.Ae.S. (Leicester) : " Charter Flying," S/L. Wright. Mar. 9th.—R.Ae.S. (Reading): " Attention to Detail," G/C. A. F. Bandit. Mar. 10th.—R.Ae.S. (Isle of Wight) : Lecture by N. E. Rowe, C.B.E., D.I.C.. B.Sc., F.R.Ae.S. (Provisional). Mar. 10th.—Timber Development Association : " Modern Adhesives— Their Present and Future Application." D. A. Hubbard. Mar. llth.—R.Ae.S. (Portsmouth): "The 'Debunking' of Aeronautical Sciences," C. G. Grey, F.M.R.Ae.S. Mar. 12th.—R.A.F. Bomber Command: First Reunion. Albert Hall. Mar. 12th.—British Interplanetary Society : " Review of Progress in Astronautics Since the War." A. V. Cleaver. Mar. 12th.—The Science Museum : " Gliding and Soaring Flight," G. Tilghman Richards, M.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S. Mar. 15th.—Aero Golfing Society : Match with R.A.F. Golfing Society. Royal Wimbledon Course. Mar 15th.—Londonderry House ; Films, " Hollandia Campaign in Dutch New Guinea, 1944," W. Courtenay, MM. Mar. 16th.—R.Ae.S. (Brough) : " Supersonic Flight," J. R. Ewans, B.Sc., D.I.C., A.F.R.Ae.S. Mar. 16th.—R.Ae.S. (Hatfield): Annual General Meeting. M»r. 17th.—Royal Aeronautical Society : "The Design of Propellers," J. Mullin, B.Sc. (Eng.), A.F.R.Ae.S.. and C. G. I. Gardiner. Mar. 17th.—R.Ae.S. (Coventry): " The Automatic Pilot," A. I. O. Davie*. Mar. 17th.—R.Ae.S. (Manchester): "Personal Experiences of Early Aero- dynamic Research," Prof. Sir B. Melvill Jones, C.B.E.. A.F.C., F.R.S., Hon. F.I.AE.S., F.R.Ae.S. Mar. 18th.—Institute of Navigation: "The Use of Radar Beacons." K. A. B. Gilfillan. M.B.E. Mar. 22nd.—R.Ae.S. (Belfast): "Civil Aviation—Present and Future," P. G. Masefield, M.A., F.R.Ae.S., G.I.Mech.E. Mar. 22nd.—Royal Aeronautical Society : Joint Meeting with the Airport Engineering Division of Civil Engineers. p r6
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