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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1196.PDF
and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2114. Vol. LV. THURSDAY, 30 JUNE, 1949 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR G. GEOFFREY SMITH, M.B.E. EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT EDITOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. ART EDITOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices : DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.I. Telegrams : Flightpres, Sedist, London. Telephone : Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices : COVENTRY 8-10, Corporation Street. Tetegroim : Autocar, Coventry. Telephone : Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM, 1. King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams : Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone : Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER, 3 260, Deansgate. Telegrams : lliffe, Manchester. Telephone : Blocfcfricrs 4412 (3 lines). Deansgate 3595 (2 lints). GLASGOW, C.2 26b, Renfield Street. Telegrams : Iliffe, Glasgow. Telephone : Central 4857. SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home : Twelve months, £3 Is. Od. Six months, £1 10s. 6d. Overseas : Twelve months, £2 ISs. 6d. BY AIR : To any country in Europe (except Poland). Twelve months, £5 Is. Od. Six months, £2 10s. 6d. Canada and U.S.A. Six months, $16. In this issue: The Air Exercises- - 752 Day Among the Models 756 Meteoric Progress - - 763 North Pacific Navigation 765 Rotor Testing - - 771 "National" Nominations 772 l? 3 Healthy Exercise STEADILY and patiently the progress toward unification of operational mode andpolicy among the nations of the Western Powers goes ahead. Substance ispiven to the intent by a variety of events, not the least important example of which is the present Air Exercise. Superfortresses and F.8os of the U.S.A.F and Meteors of the Dutch Air Force are operating alongside units of our own; Belgian and Dutch personnel are helping to man flying-control and reporting staffs, and officers from all the partnership countries are acting as observers. Although this particular exercise is designed to give practice to, and show up the operational standard of, the several components which go to make up the air defences of Great Britain, the lessons learned can have only a beneficial effect on the defensive and offensive forces of our partners in political solidarity. No matter how much is planned and postulated theoretically, it is only by means of factual experiment that the smoothness and effectiveness of the system can be determined. The air-defence system of these Isles is a most complex organism. Attacking forces must be found, tracked and their threat assessed if the defensive action in terms of fighters or guns, or both, is to be most effectively deployed. Once put into action the defensive measures need direction and control. It is on the efficiency of the warning and filter systems and on the ability of the controllers that the quality of punishing defensive action primarily depends. Quite what proportion of the defensive system is made up hy auxiliary and terri- torial units cannot be disclosed, but last week-end, in addition to R.Aux.A.F. squadrons, nearly 8,ooo members of the Royal Observer Corps and all available Territorial Regiments of Anti-Aircraft Command took part in the exercise, and the same strength will be applied during the coming week-end. Competition is a salutary thing, and pitting one's wits against those of the other fellow is a sharpening process. An exercise of this kind is therefore not only tacti- cally and strategically useful but, in addition, contributes to the healthiness of all the participating elements. It is intended that each year there shall be two main Air Exercises, respectively with a fighter and a bomber bias, and this we deem to be a good rule. It might well be to wider advantage, however, if some future exercise could be organized on an even more multilateral basis; for example, Bomber Command could profitably deploy their skill against the air defences of, say, Belgium and Holland. Valuable Hobby SPORTS and hobbies, in general, are admirable things from every point ot view ;even if we regard the question in its least charitable light, it can truthfully besaid that many high-spirited young people faithfully follow the paths of recti- tude because their utter absorption in leisure-hour pursuits leaves them neither the time nor the inclination to entertain themselves with more questionable forms of amusement—or, what is perhaps worse, with no sort of amusement at all. Some hobbies, such as collecting matchbox labels, are of limited use either to the individual or the community ; others are of very real value, and in the forefront of this class we would place the building and flying of model aircraft. The thought is prompted by a visit to the Northern Heights Model Gala Day, some notes on which appear in this issue. At this event, which annually attracts thousands of aeromodellers from all parts of the country, there were to be seen models which show not only the finest degree of manual skill in construction, but also a very real understanding of aerodynamic principles. As Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Tedder said after inspecting some of the miniature aircraft on this occasion, we have among these enthusiasts a most reassuring reserve of air-mindedness and the clearest evidence of high technical ability.
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