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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1274.PDF
In this pleasing scene are Mosquitoes of Bomber Command's Marker Force, undergoing first-line servicing on an airfield in Lincolnshire. BOMBER COMMAND . . . bers intend to live up to their motto—-" Strike hard, strike sure "—as did their predecessors during the war. They realize that the best contribution to lasting peace they can make as individuals is to be highly efficient and fully pre- pared, for they recognize that the very existence of a power- ful retaliatory striking force is one of the strongest deter- rents to a potential aggressor. The Command has two Groups, No. i, with headquarters at Bawtry, and No. 3, with headquarters at Mildenhall. At the moment it is principally equipped with its standard bomber, the faithful Lincoln, and also has Mosquito squad- rons to undertake special marker duties. Normal opera- tional conversion, and training for duties with the B-29S acquired from America, are also undertaken by units within the Groups. The work of the Central Bomber Establish- ment, recently disbanded, has now been allocated to squad- rons of the Command. The squadrons are to be re-equipped with Canberras and B-29S pending the introduction of a standard four-engined jet bomber which it is hoped will have a radius of action of 2,000 miles and be capable of operating at something like twice the height and speed of the Lincoln. The Canberra (two Rolls-Royce Avons) has already shown itself to be a first-class aircraft and squadrons should be equipped with this type next year. Variants could—and almost certainly will—be produced for a number of other roles, i.e., target marker, tactical bomber and, possibly, intruder. There are many problems, in peace as in war, associated with improving bombing accuracy and techniques by developing equipment, training and organization. Modern types of aircraft already fly at much greater speed, greater heights and over far greater distances than those used dur- ing the war, and all these factors increase the difficulties of finding and hitting the target. Future development is tending towards some form of automatic navigation and bombing aids. The aim is to halve bombing error and, by so doing, to increase the striking power of the Command, perhaps as much as fourfold ; this will result in fewer casual- ties and less effort and, because one attack will suffice in place of four, the strain on the nation's resources will be reduced in proportion. Great emphasis is being placed on the training of flying crews and at least equal emphasis upon the training of personnel who maintain the aircraft; their importance is, in fact, increasing every day in readiness for the approach- ing new era in which will be demanded all the skill and imagination of the country. Extremely expensive and complex modern aircraft will require the most highly quali- fied from among the nation's youth to operate them to the full advantage. The B-29S being delivered under the Mutual Defence Assistance Programme will in this interim period raise con- siderably the current fighting efficiency of the Command. The U.S.A.F. are training R.A.F. crews and ground staff in the handling of the aircraft and, for the time being, are also helping in the major maintenance and overhaul. The following account indicates the type of realistic training exercise undertaken at regular intervals by squad- rons of Bomber Command, flying for the most part in Lin- A No. 7 Squadron Lincoln receives attention from its ground crew. " Behind-the-scenes " impression from the bomb dump at Upwood.
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