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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 1125.PDF
700 FLIGHT, 15 June ivsr THOUGHTS BEFORE THE SALON Musings and Conjectures a Propos the Imminent Manifestations in Paris ONE can never foretell just what will turn up in theParis Salon, though one may devour every scrap ofprior publicity and badger every exhibitor for weeks beforehand for the hottest tips. In any case, the declared lists of exhibits never betray those intriguing little secrets which always achieve their first mushroom growth in the form of models or "artist's impressions." But there is no doubt that the assorted spies and designers' narks (if the term may be forgiven), who derive as much Stimulation and profit from the show as the citizens of Paris derive pleasure (especially on Saturday afternoon), will again be rewarded. We may be sure that there will be a few genuine airworthy machines with real engines which, if suddenly started, would raise such a gale of pamphlets, signboards, aspidis- tras, small boys and gendarmes' caps as would make the Festival Pleasure Gardens look like a Wilbur Wright memorial lecture. Then, of course, there will be as it were the demi-mondaines, partly of honest metal, part contre- •plaque'. These, one is always given to understand, will take the air "shortly after the Salon," but are rarely met with again (and even then changed almost beyond recognition) until a year or two later. And last there will be those unashamed, gaudily painted, overgrown models, full of promises, calculated to seduce the sober student from the paths of technical righteousness. But who would have it otherwise? The Salon is surely the perfect complement to the Farnborough display—that fresh vista of dear old English marquees and the setting for performances as honest-to-goodness as those of Shires at the Bath and West itself. The French, of course, are very adroit at taking us on at our own games and showing us up before our friends, and at their flying display, at Le Bourget on July 1st, we may count on some dashing, if not always edifying, displays by some of the newest offerings of French industry. The Atar-engined Dassault Ouragan fighter is promised, but we must wait and see if the intriguing Aladdin and Mystere will be shown the light of day. In fact, the purely military exhibits, both at Le Bourget and in the Salon, remain for the present provoca- tively veiled. One cannot help wondering if the massive projectile-like S.E. 2410 Grognard, twin-Nene precursor of a heavy fighter and a light bomber, will occasion such heart- fluttering as did the smaller Espadon and Triton at the Orly display two years ago. As usual, the more charming debutantes will be of sport- ing persuasion, with Fouga's jet-powered Cydope II and Gemaux I (exquisite names !) as perhaps the most desirable of all, though ill-equipped for workaday tasks. Technical novelties may include bold helicopter developments, the latest Hurel-Dubois, of ultra-high-aspect ratio, and the articulated-wing Rey 01. The fullest dossier available to date lists some 150 exhibi- tors, among them Fokker from the Netherlands, Fiat from Italy, and America's Douglas and Bell. The bulk of par- ticipants, of course, make accessories and ancillary equip- ment, and it is among such exhibits that much of the business will be done, for, with the exception of small air- craft and engines, over-the-counter buying is now only a happy recollection. Modern aircraft—especially those designed to operate at the upper levels—are posing all manner of embarrassing equipment problems, and it may be that, with Gallic resourcefulness, our French friends have evolved some interesting and valuable solutions. So the "sideshows" and gallery should be especially worthy of patronage this year. Briefly, then, it seems that the Salon will retain the character of former years, with the orthodox shown wing-to- wing with the novel. What is lacking there indoors should, to a large extent, be supplied by the flying display at Le Botirget; so, given a due measure of sunshine and francs, the British visitor, be he technical or commercial, or merely enthusiastic, should find his trip worth while. H.F.K. THE STORY OF No. 5 GROUP, BOMBER COMMAND A Record of Determination and Courage XT is not necessary to have been in Bomber Command toappieciate this story* of one of its outstanding Groups—No. 5. Moreover, many of the great exploits will be familiar to everyone,though the details, newly revealed, will intensify the appreciation of the tales of the achievements of such leaders as Gibson andCheshire, to each of whom was awarded the Victoria Cross. Accounts of the breaching of the Mohne Dam, the destructionin a daylight raid of the U-boat engine factory at Augsburg, the vital night attack on Peenemunde and the sinking of the Tirpitzwill not fail to bring a thrill of pride to all who read of such determination and courage, while others who have flown on suchraids will live again the anxiety and suspense followed by the satisfaction arising from a difficult task manfully tackled. The author's job is never an easy one when dealing at second-hand with histories and events, and recollections of the individuals concerned often differ widely on a single incident. W. J. Lawrencehas recorded many of 5 Group's exploits faithfully in the space available. There is a risk that readers may be left with the impressionthat in the latter years of the war 617 Squadron was virtually 5 Group and vice versa. Admittedly this squadron tackled manyof the most hazardous operations and nearly all the spectacular ones, and so rightfully deserves a major part of the chronicle tobe devoted to it. The varied and vital raids by the rest of the Group (usually operating without 617 Squadron) towards theend of the war, however, tends to be dismissed in a few general • "No. 5 Group, R.A.F. (1939-194S)," by W. J. Lawrence. Faberand Faber, Ltd., 24, Russell Square, London. Price 15J. observations, and a detailed description of ever-developingtechnique most revealing even today to a potential enemy. It has been left to the V.C.A.S., Air Chief Marshal Sir RalphCochrane, who was A.O.C. 5 Group during 1943-44, to mention by name in his foreword one outstanding Master Bomber of thelater period who incongruously finds no place in the body of the book. Sir Ralph's foreword in a few paragraphs admirablycaptures the atmosphere and spirit in the Group. One inaccuracy in the closing chapters needs correction namely, the reference to bomb aimers carried in 627 Squadron Mosquitoes. These low-level markers used a dive-bombingtechnique, and indicators were aimed and released by the pilot. The second crew man was a navigator who also assisted thepilot in every way, even to selecting—on the panel behind the pilot's head—the T.I.s for release. The squadron appointed aMarker Leader, a pilot who assisted the master bomber and was capable, if the need arose, of taking over fromhim. Among omissionsfrom this outline history may be mentioned the anti-shipping raids in the Baltic Sea and Oslo Fjord. The book comes to an end with a mention of BomberCommand's operation directed against Keil on April 26th, ard the commencement of preparations for "Tiger Force." It maybe appropriate to add that the last operation tackled by 5 Group was, we believe, against Tonsburg in the Oslo Fjord on txhenight of April 25th. In some respects this was typical of the later stages of the Group's operations, entailing as it did in thefirst place the destruction of a small coastal oil storage depot for submarines, and in the second place extreme care to avoiddropping a single loose stick of bombs which might have caused damage to a friendly Norwegian village a few hundred yards awfr'.
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