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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1985.PDF
FLIGHT, 8 December 1949 Royal Air Force and Na val A via tion Ne ws and Announcements SERVICE AVIATION Change of Title OOMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, British Air >—' Forces of Occupation, Germany, is the new official title held by Air Marshal T. M. Williams, C.B., O.B.E., M.C., D.F.C., who was formerly known as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, B.A.F.O. The R.A.F. in Germany is thereby brought into line with the other two over- seas components of the Service—Middle East Air Force and Far East Air Force. New Fighter for Australia FROM Australia comes confirmation ofthe report (quoted in Flight last week) that the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, at Fishermen's Bend, Vic- toria, is to produce a new jet fighter. Design study of the aircraft has been in progress for nine months, and the initial results—which are to R.A.A.F. specifi- cation—have been approved. Funds of £A500,ooo have been alloted to C.A.C. for design, research and development work in the prototype stage. Two proto- . types are likely to be built, and construc- tion of the first is expected to begin in che second half of 1950. The aircraft will be a long-range, all- JET-TO-JET : A Meteor 8 as viewed from an accompanying Mk. 7 two-seater. This latest version of the R.A.F.'s standard intercepter is characterized by a new tail con- figuration, longer nose and " bubble " canopy. The fitting of an ejector seat (externally indicated by the " inverted triangle " below the cockpit hood) is also an innovation, and the Meteor 8 is likely to be the first British aircraft so equipped to go into service. weather attack fighter closely resembling the American Lockheed XF-90. Its power units will be two of '' the latest Rolls- Royce centrifugal jets." Nenes, already produced in Australia by the Common- wealth corporation, are likely to power the first prototype, but the aircraft is probably intended, in final form, to take the later Tay turbojets. Unlike the American machine, the Commonwealth fighter will be a two- seater, carrying search radar in its "needle-type" nose. Wing and tail sur- faces will be swept back approximately 35 deg, the cabin will be pressurized for operation at 30-40,oooft, and an ejector seat is specified. The Lockheed XF-90 is a heavy aircraft (its gross weight is ap- proximately 25,000 lb), but the new C.A.C. project will, it is officially stated, be much larger and heavier, the specification ap- proaching that of a light bomber. W.R.A.F. GRA- DUATION : A.V.- M. D. A. Boyle, Director - General of Manning, was - the reviewing of f i ce r when twenty newly com missioned officers (among them were mem- bers of the first entry direct from civilian Ii fe) graduated recent- ly from the W.R.A.F. Depot, Hawking*. Sir John Slessor Returns A YORK of Transport Command,carrying Air Chief Marshal Sir John Slessor, Commandant of the Imperial Defence College, touched down at North- olt last Saturday, completing thereby a 35,000-mile tour of R.A.F. stations over- seas. Sir John Slessor has made this series of visits in preparation for taking over his new duties, early next month, as Chief of the Air Staff, in which he succeeds Marshal of the R.A.F. Lord Tedder. On landing, Sir John stated that there is little wrong with the present state of the R.A.F. At most of the stations he had visited accommodation was good, but there were instances where there was room for improvement. In some places married couples received insufficient money. The C.A.S.-designate spoke well of National Servicemen and stated the only complaints referred to the short duration of their stay overseas. Middle-East Appointment AIR Commodore Francis W. Long leftEngland recently to take up a new appointment as Senior Air Staff Officer at Middle East Air Force H.Q., Ismailia, with the acting rank of Air Vice-Marshal. Until recently, A. V-M. Long was at the Air Ministry as Deputy Director ot Operations. Before receiving this appointment, a year ago, he spent over a year as Director of Ground Defence. He was formerly S.A.S.O. at Air H.Q., India, where he,, went in March, 1945, after having been Director of Combined Operations (Air) at Combined Opera- tions Headquarters in London for two years. He served in North Africa from October, 1942, to March, 1943, first as S.A.S.O., No. 242 Group, and afterwards in a similar capacity at H.Q., Eastern Air Command. A. V-M. Long, who js 50, joined the R.F.C. in 1917 and was commissioned the following year. During the inter-war years, his activities
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