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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1106.PDF
698 FLIGHT, 8 June 1950 A WEEK-ENDS ENTERTAINMENT Big Crowds See Holiday Flying Events at Three Centres in the South AT WHITE WALTHAM ACROWD of some 20,000—from whose half-crowns theSoldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Associationshould benefit considerably — gathered at White Waltham on Whit Monday to watch an inter-Service ground-and-air display. Col. Rixon, of the S.S.A.F.A., and Miss M. Gore, M.B.E., managing director of the West London Aero Club, who shared responsibility for the organization, are to be con- gratulated on the variety of the programme they offered; beyond their control were a gloomy overcast—which cleared too late—and a chilly wind. Civil flying items were contributed by the versatile Auster stable, Messrs. Harrison and Leetham (Autocar and Autocrat) spraying imaginary crops and landing across the much less imaginary breeze; Chrislea Skyjeep and Super Ace (Donald Lowry), and the venerable but agile Hawker Tomtit (Neville Duke), who vanquished in mock combat a Magister (J. Milli), from which in due course descended Maj. "Dumbo" Willans per parachute. Two Tiger Moths of No. 8 R.F.S. performed the time- honoured instructor-and-dim-pupil act, and two Chipmunks from Reserve Command did some nicely timed '' syncro- batics." In the larger, faster and louder category, four Meteor 4s of No. 43 Squadron, led by F/L. G. Farley, per- formed brilliantly under the barely high enough ceiling, and F/L. S. W. F. Daniel was likewise Meteoric in an individual display; the Royal Navy contributed four Sea Furies from Yeovilton, which landed in mid-demonstration in order to fold and unfold wings ("they can do it in the air, to lose height quickly," averred an expert in the crowd); and three B-29S of the 301st Bomber Group made a brief and too-distant appearance. No. 38 Group, Transport Command, let Up a balloon from which, with occasional replenishments, descended an apparently inexhaustible stream of parachutists of the 16th Airborne Division. Missed by the early goers-home, for it was not announced in the programme, was the unique repertoire of the French Air Force Exhibition Squadron in their Nord Stampe S.V.40 biplanes—the show that had delighted visitors to the R.Ae.S. Garden Party a fortnight earlier. While the radial-engined leader performed an individual act in a neighbouring piece of sky, the remaining three aircraft, in fantastically close formation, dealt one new trick after another from the aerobatic pack. Among the various ground displays, that of the R.A.F. Police dogs clearly delighted the crowd. .,*•" " Flight " photograph. Close-up for the crowd : Two ChipmiHififc^t^White Waltham. ISLE of WIGHT RACE A LTHOUGH nature has not shown herself to be very •**• kindly disposed towards the efforts of air-rally organ- izers this year, enthusiasts who turned up at the Bembridge, Isle of Wight, Air Display during the Whitsun week-end could perhaps be forgiven for believing that summer had finally arrived. Sunday's fine weather exceeded even the most optimistic expectations of the " met. " man. Approximately 60 visiting pilots reached Bembridge by lunch-time on Sunday to witness what was to prove some versatile and entertaining flying. The programme opened with a well-timed parachute jump by Major WiDans, who, it appears, was also to be seen floating earth- wards at quite a number of other places that afternoon. Nine aircraft then lined up for the start of the annual round-the-island race. The handicapping (under the direc- tion of Messrs. Britland, Charmley and Lyons) enabled the eventual winner, a Tiger Moth flown by Mr. R. S. Spack- man, to get away first; last off was Mr. Geoffrey Alington (last year's winner) in his diminutive Miles Sparrowhawk. The race provoked a great deal of excitement among specta- tors and competitors alike—so much so, in fact, that one pilot, absorbed in the intricacies of racing navigation, seemed somewhat surprised at the " de-rated " performance of his machine until he realized that he had forgotten to retract his undercarriage. The even- ''< tual finishing order was: 1st, Tiger Moth (R. S. Spackman), 105 m.p.h.; 2nd, Miles Sparrowhawk (G. Aling- ton), 167.5 m.p.h.; 3rd, Miles Messen- ger (W. R. Bowles, Denham Aero Club), 128 m.p.h. A demonstration of aerobatics by Mr. C. A. N. Bishop proved that the Instant obedience : The R.A.F. Police showed how their highly trained guard dogs would sit, lie, walk and run at the sound of a whistle blast, in spite of the fact that the man in cha££.e_ of each animal was oil contrary evolution " Flight " photograph.
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