FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1961.PDF
416 SERVICE AVIATION . . . R.A.F. aircraft will be controlled byA.V-M. G. R. C. Spencer, the A.O.C., 19 Group. The attacking force, which will includetwo snort-fitted A-class submarines and two Netherlands submarines under R.N.orders, will be supported by Lancasters and Sunderlands and Naval aircraftfrom Culdrose. The exercise will be controlled from Area Combined H.Q.,Plymouth. Royal Appointment THE King has approved the appoint-ment of H.R.H. the Princess Royal as Air Chief Commandant of the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service, with effect from October 7th. Her Royal Highness was formerly President of the P.M.R.A.F.N.S., which recently adopted rank titles similar to those employed by the W.R.A.F. University News November 1950 minimum period of service in -*- university air squadrons has now been reduced from five years to the minimum number of complete years covering the anticipated length of a member's university course. An increase in membership of the squadrons is ex- pected to result from this decision. Past members who are still serving their original five-year engagements will be notified of the change by their squadron or reserve centre, and will be permitted to end their engagements if they wish. VISCOUNT PORTAL of Hungerford(Marshal of the R.A.F. and a former Chief of the Air Staff) visited No. 3617(County of Hampshire) Fighter Control Unit at Bournemouth on November 5thto present the Unit with its new badge. He is seen decorating F/S. Burton, one ofthe regular N.C.O.s, with the Long Service Medal. GIBRALTAR—BRITAIN : Four Sea Hornet 21 two-seat night fighters of No. 809 Squadron, R.N., recently flew non-stop from Gibraltar to Lee-onSolent at 330 m.p.h. The pilots and observers, shown here on arrival at Lee, were (left to right) : Aircrew- man Gilbert, Lt. Elgar (pilot), Lt. Carey (pilot), Lt.-Cdr. Richards (CO. and pilot), Lt. Williams, Lt. Holdridge, F/L. Heather, R.A.F., and Lt. Maddocks (pilot). Minot Trophy Presented ON Wednesday of last week 100 mem-bers of No. 617 Squadron assembled in Buckingham Palace to receive fromHis Majesty the King the Laurence Minot Trophy, which is awarded annually to themost proficient bomber squadron. The Trophy, for which competition was re-vived last year for the first time since the war, was originally presented to theR.A.F. in 1926 in memory of Captain Laurence Minot, who was killed in 1917when serving with the R.F.C. in Flanders. Pilot and bomb-aimer of No. 617 Squad-ron's winning Lincoln were F/Sgt. Sobczak and Sgt. Colkin. Wearing the uniform of Marshal of theR.A.F., and accompanied by the Queen, the King inspected the Squadron beforehanding the Trophy to S/L. W. H. Thallon, the CO. In an address to theSquadron His Majesty said: " It is appropriate that this trophy should bewon by the squadron whose wartime record is recalled by such exploits as thebreaching of the Mohne and Eder dams and the sinking of the Tirpitz in AltenFjord, and by names like Gibson, Cheshire and Tait. I am glad to thinkthat your standard of marksmanship has been maintained over the seven yearswhich have passed since these outstanding wartime feats of accurate bombing andthat the squadron remains unsurpassed ki bombing technique." The King continued: " In presentingthe Laurence Minot Trophy to your squadron here to-day I wish to show youwhat store I set upon the maintenance of the splendid traditions handed on tothe R.A.F. by the R.F.C., and in so honouring you I pay my tribute to allthe squadrons of Bomber Command who, as the winners of this competition, youhave the privilege of representing here this morning." Among those present at the ceremonywere the Chief of the Air Staff, Marshal of the R.A.F. Sir John Slessor, Marshalof the R.A.F. Lord Portal of Hungerford (who was the commander of the firstsquadron to win the Trophy). African Journey THE recently appointed station com-mander of R.A.F. Ismailia, in the Canal Zone of Egypt, W/C. J. L. Barker, C.B.E., D.F.C., arrived at his new com- mand by car—having made most of the journey from the United Kingdom by road (or track). He bought a 24-year-old Rolls-Royce specially for the journey and drove 4,020 miles in 30 days. W/C. Barker, who was accompanied by his wife, took with him personal luggage and camping equipment. Starting from Llanferres, Flints, and crossing the Channel to Boulogne, the journey was made via Paris to Marseilles, from which the Mediterranean was crossed to Algiers, and then on through Tunis, Tripoli, Alexandria and Cairo. The long drive from Tripoli to Benghazi was made over the tracks of the Eighth Army, and the 196 miles from Benghazi to Derna, by way of the famous Tokra Pass and the Wadi-el-Cuf, were accom- plished without a single change of gear. "While-you-wait" Enlistment T TNDER a new, simplified procedure ^ applicants for the R.A.F.V.R. and R.Aux.A.F. can now enlist at their first interview if they appear suitable to the Auxiliary CO. or reserve-centre com- mandant. The recruit fills in attestation papers and takes the oath of alleg- ience without having to wait for the authorities to check his medical and Ser- vice history, and from that moment can begin ground training, becoming imme- diately eligible for pay and allowances. Aircrew recruits must await the results of a medical examination before they begin flying training. Some candidates will inevitably be found unsuitable for medical or other reasons; applicants are therefore asked to sign a declaration that they understand that their acceptance i& subject to con- firmation. Comman'ding officers may, at their own discretion, delay attestation if there seems any doubt as to the suitability of a candidate. y
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
