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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0430.PDF
r FLIGHT, 2 March 1951 SERVICE AND INDUSTRY represented at the R.A.F. Reserves Club Ball at Grosvenor House on Saturday last (see page 249). On the right, Marshal of the R.A.F. Lord Trenchard and Air Chief Marshal Sir Guy Garrod. Left: Mrs. Murphy, Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Neville Duke hold court at the Hawker table, with Mr. George Anderson (sales manager), Mr. Neville Spriggs (works director), Mr. Frank Murphy (chief production test pilot) Mr. Michael Golovine (soles director, Armstrong Siddeley), and S/L Neville Duke (experimental test pilot) in attendance. SERVICE AVIATION . . . under six headings : instrument ratings; weapons training; number of operationally trained pilots; effective flying hours; atten- dance; and ground training. No. 603 Squadron has won the Trophy once before^-in 1938, the last year of pre- war contest. The 1949 winner was 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron, which gained second place in the 1950 contest. Third position was taken by 616 (South Yorks.) Squadron. The winning squadron flies Spitfires and is based at Turnhouse. Its present CO. is S/L. P. J. Anson, D.F.C., but for the greater part of 1950 it was commanded by S/L. J. W. E. Holmes, D.F.C. Cadets' Flying Scholarships SIXTY cadets of the A.T.C. and of theR.A.F. section of the Combined Cadet Force attended the February selection board for the award of flying scholarships at Headquarters, R.A.F. Home Command. Fifty-four were successful and will begin their flying training at civil flying clubs within the next few weeks. To date, 244 flying scholarships—each valued at £150—have been granted, and already 77 cadets have gained their Private Pilot's Licences. Another selection board will meet in about a month. Instructors WantedT HE Air Ministry hopes that 200 volunteers will be found in the R.A.F.V.R. to act as flying instructors for 18-month periods. Recall will become compulsory if there are insufficient volun- teers. Letters now being circulated to the V.R. and regular reserves point out that, under this scheme, pilots may volunteer for longer than 18 months, thereby becoming eligible for short-service gratuities—vary- ing from £I25 a year for a three-year engagement to a total of £1,500 for eight years' service. R.A.F.A. in Paris THE opening in Paris, on Saturday,February 24th, of the first continental office of the Royal Air Forces Association profited by the presence of high officers of the R.A.F., including Sir John Slessor, Chief of the Air Staff, and became a function of most happy augury. Describing the ceremony, a correspon- dent writes: The incomparable, and indeed almost irreplaceable, Air Attache1, A.V-M. "Bobby" George, was in charge of pro- ceedings, being nobly supported by the Marquis d'Amodio, chairman of the European Committee of the R.A.F.A. The main speech came from Sir John Slessor, who, in opening the headquarters, spoke movingly of the long connection between French and British aviators. A reply, in English, was made by Col. Livry Lebel,.now a Deputy but once, for four years, in Coastal Command as a navigator—a class he facetiously described as "half a pilot." Col. Lebel, with Gascon charm, expressed the hope that the British would always regard France as their second country, and Paris as their second city. Sir Richard Peck made a reply in French, and the fashionable party then attended to the vin d'honneur suitable for such an occasion. In the throng were many happy reunions, and the entente was cemented with much cordiality and practically no cordials. The office of the R.A.F.A. is now established at 12, Rond-Point des Champs- Elysees, Paris (8e). History RevisedT HE attack on Rommel's staff car in July, 1944, originally credited to Typhoons of No. 193 Squadron, which severely injured the German general and killed members of his staff, is now thought to have been made by Spitfires of No. 602 Squadron. This re-assessment was made in tile light of a statement by General Sneidel, Rommel's Chief of Staff in the Afrika Korps, giving the exact time and place of the attack, which was made on the afternoon of July 19th,-30 miles south of Caen. For the film version of Rommel's life, now being made in France, No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, R.Aux.A.F., were asked to supply pilots and aircraft to re-enact the incident. The squadron has, however, recently been re-equipped with Vampires and the part will probably be played by Spitfires from the Central Gunnery School. Naming Naval BarracksD ORMITORIES at the Royal Naval Air Station at St. Merryn, Padstow, have been given the names of types of aircraft manufactured by eleven British and American firms and flown by the Royal Navy. Quarters at Naval establishments are usually named after famous admirals— Nelson, Rodney, Anson, Blake and Colling- wood are the most popular choices—and only rarely in the past have the names of aircraft been used in this way. Ranging alphabetically from Albacore and Barracuda to Vampire and Walrus, the names of 40-odd aircraft, some still in operational use by the Air Branch, and others which have now been superseded, have been selected. Strength of the Reserves "PIGURES showing the personnel -•-strength of the reserve and auxiliary forces on December 31st, 1950, were published by the Ministry of Defence last week. The strength of the R.Aux.A.F. was 7,720, that of the R.A.F.V.R. 10,433, and the R.O.C. had 16,038 members. Volun- teers for the R.Aux.A.F., R.A.F.V.R. and R.O.C. during the fourth quarter of 1950 were, respectively, 1,043, 1*202 and 1,388. "Eagle" Inspected NOW nearing completion in Liverpool,the 36,800-ton fleet carrier Eagle was inspected by the Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy, Vice-Admiral Sir Michael Denny, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., on February 23rd. Later the same day he toured the Birkenhead yard of Cammel Laird, where the Eagle's sister ship, H.M.S. Ark Royal, is being built. During his visit to Liverpool, Sir Michael Denny was accompanied by the Director of Naval Construction,?Sir Charles Lillicrap, K.C.B., M.B.E., M.IM.A. As a member of the Board of Admiralty, Admiral Denny is responsible for the con- struction, equipment and repair of ships, as well as research and development. The Eagle—at present in dry dock—was launched by Princess Elizabeth at Harland and Wolff's shipyard, Belfast, in 1946. Reunions "VTO. 524 Squadron.—Reunion on Satur- •L^ day, March 17th, at 1830 hr, at the Clarence Hotel, Whitehall, London, S.W.i- Details from B. Haller, c/o J. F. Haller and Co., Land of Green Ginger, Hull. * * * No. 221 Squadron.—Fifth annual re- union on April 14th at the Surrey Hotel, Surrey Street, Strand, London, W.C.i- Details from H. N. Crawshaw, 93J Nightingale Road, Carshalton, Surrey.
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