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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0383.PDF
FLIGHT, 23 February 1950 255 No. 4 SQUADRON The History of One of Our Most Famous Units WHEN the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers ceasedto exist and the newly authorized Royal Flying Corpscame into being in 1912 the establishment allowed for the Central Flying School and seven operational squadrons in the Military Wing. The old airship company became No. 1 Squadron, its com- panion aeroplane company was renamed No. 3 Squadron, and No. 2 Squadron was formed from a nucleus of pilots at Farn- borough. As recruits became available from C.F.S. at Upavon, so these earlier units were able to throw off branches, and in September of the same year a flight from No. 2 Squadron be- came the nucleus of No. 4 Squadron. In command was Major G. H. Raleigh, who had served with distinction in the Boer War, and who had been seconded from the Essex Regt. to the Air Battalion just before the birth of the R.F.C. As soon as establishment was complete a move was made to Netheravon, and there the unit started to practise reconnais- sance, artillery co-operation, and cross-country and night flying. The first aircraft taken on charge were five Breguet biplanes, a Cody and some B.E.s. The Breguets, which rejoiced in the soubriquet of "Coffee-Pots," had single struts and spars and spring-loaded variable incidence; there were, of course, snags: either the air loads overcame the springs, or the springs tired and would not return the wing to its normal incidence. Lt. P. H. L. Playfair (now Air Marshal Sir Patrick Playfair, K.B.E., C.B., C.V.O., M.C.), one of the very early members of No. 4, recalls for us some of the peculiarities of "these air- craft, "I was," he writes, "posted to No. 4 Squadron when it was formed by throwing off a flight from No. 2 Squadron, which latter squadron I joined on being seconded to the R.F.C. from the Royal Field Artillery in August, 1912. The unit was then equipped with B.E.2AS and Breguets—the latter a strange aircraft, which, to the best of my recollection, had three marked eccentricities: wheel steering; a very flexible warping wing, so that while taking-off there was no control until flying-speed was reached; and a 100 h.p. Monosoupape engine, in which the intake was through the crankshaft and up through the piston heads. To follow its later career, it went to the bad completely after it was fitted with a stationary engine; in fact, I think I am right in saying that hardly one escaped crashing on the delivery flight to Farnborough." With its other aircraft, the B.E.2AS (which were designed and test-flown by Mr. (now Sir) Geoffrey de Havilland at the Royal Aircraft Factory) No. 4 was very active. Its air mileage for 1913 was nearly up to that of the older units, all of which did over 50,000 miles each—at an average speed of about 45-50 m.p.h. In 1913 also began the elements of finding a night-flying technique. Capt. G. S. Shephard and Lt. K. P. Atkinson experimented with an electric searchlight on their aircraft, and in November trials were started with Miiller parachute flares to enable pilots to select suitable ground with a view to land- ing by the aid of their searchlights. It was found, however, better to release two flares, one at 1,500ft and the other at 800ft, and then to land by their light alone. The Muller flares fell at 500 ft/min. These night-flying experiments led to the evolution of the landing " L " as laid down in the 1914 R.F.C. Training Manual, and so far-seeing were these instructions that they remained unaltered in the 1916 edition. During June, 1914, a concentration camp (using the word in its true military sense) was held at Netheravon, and the whole Military Wing of the R.F.C. forgathered. Though exer- cises, training and lectures were the order of the day there can be little doubt that the opportunity to get together and talk " shop " was the most useful feature of the camp. It was at this camp that some emphasis was placed on the Tise of wireless signalling for aircraft. The two authorities on the subject were Lts. Lewis and James of No. 4 Squadron. These two went to France as a wireless flight with the unit, and from this flight grew the whole complicated W/T and R/T system as we know it in the R.A.F. to-day. Events moved fast in the summer of 1914 and on July 30th the Army Council agreed to send No. 4 to Eastchurch to reinforce what was then known as the R.F.C. Naval Wing, but which the Admiralty stubbornly refused to recognize as anything but the Royal Naval Air Service. By the evening of August 12th, eight days after declaration of war, the aircraft of No. 4, together with those of Nos. 2 and 3 Squadrons, were assembled at Dover, whence they took- off for France the following day. "C" .flight of No. 4 was left behind to continue the naval patrols. Not all the air- craft got over without incident, for some were damaged on the way through following their leader, Capt. F. J. L. Cogan, one of the flight-commanders, who forced-landed because of engine failure. For a picture of these naval patrols and the flight to France we are again indebted to Sir Patrick Playfair. "Before going to France," he recalls, "we were re-equipped with B.E.2AS and Maurice Farmans. I can remember going out in one of (Left) At Lilbourne, during the army manoeuvres of 1913. Standing: Lt. P. H. L. Playfair, Lt. Mills, Capt. Soames, Capt. Broad, Capt. Connor (No. 5 Sqn.). Maj. Raleigh (CO.), Maj. Higgins (No. 5 Sqn.), —. Sitting: —, Lt. Gould, Lt. Small, Lt.^p (No. 5 Sq.), (Right) September, 1912: Capt g (), j gg ( q) g eigh out for earty morning flying in one of the squadron's Breguets at from Sir Patrick Playfair's album. "* rarn ^^^tm0K0tt^^
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