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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0788.PDF
27 April 1951 491 Nos. 600 and 615 Squadrons began their three-month training with a ceremonial fly-past. Their belly-tanked Gloster Meteors are seen breaking formation for a stream landing. accompanied by A.V-M. C. McC. Vincent, C.B., D.F.C., A.F.C., the A.O.A. Fighter Command; A. Cdre. R. B. Lees, C.B., C.B.E., D.F.C., A.D.C., of Fighter Command Air Staff; and W/C. A. H. Donaldson, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., the station commander. The Meteors wore their recently approved squadron insignia; those of No. 600 squadron bore red triangles in white rectangles flanking the fuselage roundel, and the No. 615 squadron aircraft displayed zig- zag blue flashes on a similar background. After the inspection, Mr. Henderson "scrambled" the squadrons by firing a green Very light from flying-control. Twelve Meteors promptly whistled down the perimeter- track and took off in flights of three, formed-up in their first circuit and flew overhead in flights line-astern, holding formation well despite obviously bumpy air. On their second run the Meteors began to peel off as they flew past, breaking formation for a quick and well-executed stream landing. During their first week of full-time service, the Auxiliaries took their "48" in mid-week (as do Regulars attached to Auxiliary units), but thereafter they will follow normal R.A.F. hours. The two Biggin Hill units will remain there for the first month, spend a month at Acklington on air- firing practice, and return to their normal base for the final month. Very few members of the squadrons found it necessary to apply for exemption or deferment, and the units are practically up to strength. The majority were obviously pleased at the prospect of the three months ahead of them. An unusual problem arose in No. 615 Squadron; the CO. is S/L. Neville Duke, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., who had been appointed chief-test-pilot of Hawker Aircraft, Ltd. two days previously. He was obviously unable to spare three months from his present vital work, so F/L. Bazalgette, Regular adjutant, is running the Squadron in his absence. It may be necessary to find a successor, but meanwhile S/L. Duke will turn up whenever possible at week-ends. No. 615 Squadron has as its Honorary Air Commodore Mr. Winston Churchill; H.M. the Queen is Honorary Air Commodore of No. 600 Squadron, which is commanded by S/L. J. P. Meadows, D.F.C. Other squadrons which began their training on April 16th were No. 605 (Warwick), based at Honiley; No. 608 (North Riding), Thornaby-on-Tees; No. 609 (West Riding): No. 613 (Manchester), Ringway; No. 614 (Glamorgan), Llandow; No. 616 (South Yorkshire), Finningley; and No. 602 (Glasgow), Abbotsinch. All but one (No. 613) of these units are equipped with Vampires. The eleven other fighter squadrons of the R.Aux.A.F.— due for call-up on July 16th—are No. 500 (Kent), West Mailing; No. 501 (Gloucester), Filton; No. 502 (Ulster), Aldergrove; No. 601 (County of London), North Weald; No. 603 (Edinburgh), Turnhouse; No. 604 (Middlesex), North Weald; No. 607 (Durham), Ouston; No. 610 (Chester), Hooton Park; No. 611 (West Lanes.), Woodvale; and No. 612 (Aberdeen), Dyce. Of these squadrons, four (Nos. 500, 504, 610 and 611) fly Meteors; four (Nos. 501, 502, 601 and 604) have Vampires; and Spitfires are still in service with three—Nos. 603, 607 and 612 Squadrons. Jet re-equipment of the whole Auxiliary fighter force will, however, be completed this summer. Harvards are used for training by all Auxiliary squadrons, and the jet-equipped units also have Meteor 7s. Training is normally carried out at a town headquarters during the week-day evenings, and at the airfields at week-ends and the 15-day annual training period (replaced this year, of course, by the three-month call up). Squadrons have a small cadre Vampires or Meteors equip most of the 23 Auxiliary fighter squadrons; four units still have Spitfires, but early re-equipment is scheduled. These Vampire Is belong to No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron, one of the eleven squadrons to be called up in July.
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