FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1949
1949 - 2056.PDF
822 During the summer, new equipment and technique, developed by Flight Refuelling, Ltd., kept this Meteor airborne for twelve hours. THE YEAR PAST . . . . The last week of June saw another eventful Northern Heights model meeting, and the beginning of two large- scale and highly effective Service exercises—code-named Foil and Verity. In these manoeuvres, together with the autumn bomber exercise (Bulldog), members of Flight's staff were enabled to participate in, and report on, daylight bombing from 35,000ft, head-on attacks in a Meteor 7, tactical strikes in Fireflies and Lincoln night raids. The increased scale of air activity inevitably occasioned by the summer months was further apparent in July. There were air rallies in Spain and France, several air displays each week-end, Naval air days . . . the pace had probably never before been exceeded in this country. News which acted as a national tonic came in August—the completely successful maiden flight of the D. H. Comet. At Cowes, construction of Britain's " flying ship," the first Saunders- Roe Princess-class S.R. 45 was well under way. Then came two important '' National'' events—the Air Races and Gliding Contests. It was unfortunate that, during the best British summer for many years, climatic Widely differing types of aircraft, finished in racing colours, flewin the National Air Races at Elmdon last August. (Top) One of the most successful American service aircraft was theBoeing B-50 bomber. This type made the first non-stop global flight and also played an important part in our own air exercises.U.S. supersonic research is illustrated by the Douglas Sky-rocket. hindrances should have affected the flying on both occasions. Nevertheless, the Air Races demonstrated not only the excellence of British aircraft and piloting skill, but—also important—a deep popular interest in aviation. Many lessons were learned, and next year's Races will be watched with close attention. The excellent sport of gliding also shows signs of expanding popularity, as witness the recent announcement of increased A.T.C. gliding facilities and the formation of an R.A.F. gliding and soaring association. September brought two of the year's greatest events: the long-awaited first flight of the mighty Bristol Brabazon, followed by the unsurpassed S.B.A.C. Show at Farn- borough, with its inevitable crop of surprises but remark- ably few disappointments. On Battle of Britain Day came the traditional fly-past over London and other parts of the country (in the almost traditional bad weather), and the commemorative week was concluded by the cus- tomary air displays at many R.A.F. stations, and the service at Westminster Abbey. The scale of the Berlin Air Lift had been progressively reduced since the lifting of the Russian blockade earlier in the year, and the final flight was made on October 6th, by the R.A.F., the U.S.A.F. having ceased "lifting" a week earlier. Two noted civil concerns celebrated anniver- saries about this time—K.L.M. (30 years) and Airwork (21). Pioneer British jet-propulsion development was recalled by the presentation of two early Power Jets tur- bines to Britain (late in October) and America, early in November; at like same time, modern progress was exemplified by the Comet's startling proving-flight to Africa, and return to London the same day. In high-speed research, America still held the lead, and no fewer than four separate designs were reported to be capable of supersonic level flight. Lincoln was the fitting scene of a deeply moving ceremony on November 17th, when Rolls of Honour, containing the names of 21,000 Bomber Command aircrew lost during the war, were con- signed to the Cathedral. The progress of the year, also, has not been won without loss, and justifiable satisfaction must be tempered by thoughts of several test pilots, together with civil and Service casualties, who have given their lives in under- taking the exacting and dangerous duties on which achievement is founded.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
