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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1197.PDF
F LIC HT EXERCISE\\ FOIL Combined Forces Test of the Air Defences of Great Britain : Westerji^&nionPar twi Ullnstrated by '• Flight " Photographs AT noon on Saturday, June 25th, therebegan a co-operative air exercise which,divided into three phases, is scheduled to end at dusk next Sunday, July 3rd. With over 500 aircraft taking part, it is certainly the largest operation of its kind to have been organized in this country since the war—and probably ever. Again, the fact that B-29S of the Third Air Division and F-8os of the 36th Fighter Group, U.S.A.F., are taking part, to- gether with Meteors of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, lends a touch of realism to the concept of Western Union defence. In that Foil—for that is its code-name—is an exercise primarily with a fighter bias, it is being directed by Air Marshal Sir Basil Embry, A.O.C. in C, Fighter Command, with A.V-M. E.J. Kingston-McCloughry, S.A.S.O., head- ing the directing staff; this from the underground opera- tions-room at 11 Group H.Q., Uxbridge. The attacking bomber forces are being controlled by Air Marshal Sir Aubrey Ellwood, A.O.C. in C, Bomber Command, and Major-General Leon Johnson, Commanding General, Third Air Division, U.S.A.F. Air Marshal Ellwood has the whole of Bomber Command to draw on for his attacks, including Mosquitoes of the Marker Force; Lancasters, Mosquitoes, Wellingtons and Ansons of Flying Training Command ; four Hornet squadrons seconded from Fighter Command; two Mosquito squadrons from B.A.F.O., Germany; aircraft from the Central Photographic Establishment, and other specialist types for such duty as dropping Window (the code-name employed during the war for the metal-foil strips dropped to confuse radar detection). One or me returning 5-2 |crmo£/ons was attacked as its home run- ways came into view. The "lead ship's" bombardier is putting in tome fast work with his camera, in simulated control of the four-gun front upper turret. At 3S,C00ft, 30Qyd-comrails fcamed in the wake of the bombers. Although the cabin glazing of the photographic B-29 showed signs of frost, its interior was warm and comfortable. One of the interesting features of the exercise is that Fighter Command ops. room is not being used. The Air Officers Commanding, 11 and 12 Groups—Air Vice-Marshals S. F. Vincent and G. Harcourt-Smith—are f-ghting their own battles independently, and arrange between them- selves the necessary tactical reinforcement and handing- over of aircraft. The exercise area is bounded to the north by a line between Mablethorpe, Lines, and Southport, Lanes, and to the south by a line from Dover tj Llandow, Glam. A line running roughly N.-S. between Sheffield and Farnham, Surrey, divides the area into an eastern section, where the air activity is mostly concentrated, and a western section, where the warning elements of the system are active, but over which none of the exercise as such is designed to take place. The eastern box is divided by a line running from Fenny Stratford to Halstead, and thence up to Great Yarmouth, the northerly sub-box being 12 Group area, and the southerly sub-box 11 Group area. Form and Reality As to the form of the action, it is divided into three phases, the first (noon, June 25th to dawn, 27th) in which Regular squadrons and units were supplemented by Auxiliary and Territorial elements; the second (dawn, 28th, to dusk, 30th), in which the Regulars have been supplemented by such Auxiliaries and Territorials as are at Summer Camp ; and the third (dawn, July 2nd, to dusk, July 3rd), during which the same complement will be mus- tered as for Phase I. The present account deals with the development of Phase I ; the remaining phases will be de- scribed next week. Before going on to describe the sequence of events as seen from 11 Group H.Q., it should be pointed out that Foil is officially regarded as not being a war game. That is to say, there will be no assessment of " victory." Rather is there co-operation between the opposing sides. Bomber Command will do their best to give the defending organiza- tion exercise in those areas and methods in which they are most required ; nevertheless, some measure of competition is inevitable in any game where sides are involved, and a very good thing, too. Something should also be said about the lack of war- time verisimilitude. In war, actions will be furthered in the teeth of poor weather conditions; fighters will dive
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