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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 1465.PDF
124 FLIGHT SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Naval Aviation News C.F.S. Annual DinnerT HE annual reunion dinner of the Cen-tral Flying School has a character all of its own. By virtue of its work—instructinginstructors—the C.F.S. is by way of being responsible for the flying quality of theR.A.F. Many officers who have attained high rank have attended the school aspupils, and instructors. It was also the first unit of the R.F.C. and, thus, the annualgathering assumes an importance un- equalled by that of any other formation. The toast of "The Guests" was to havebeen given by A. Cdre. Selway, the newly appointed Commandant, but he, after afew opening remarks, passed the ball to Air Chief Marshal Sir James Robb. Indoing so he very gracefully referred to Sir James' arrival by air for the last time inhis famous five-star blue Spitfire 16. Sir James is to retire in September and this finallanding came 35 years and three days since he did his first solo, also at C.F.S. Sir James first asked the assembledcompany to indicate whether the present arrangement of a dinner held each year waspreferred to the formation of a C.F.S. Association with an annual subscription,charities, dinners and a roll of members. The later suggestion was received withcheering and no doubt was left as to which arrangement was preferred. The 'Air Chief Marshal then drew aparallel between work of the C.F.S. now and that of the unit between the wars. Theobject, he said, was the same, but it was on a scale never before attempted in peace-time (850 instructors a year are required). In a lighter vein he referred to some ofthe company. Col. Louis Strange, he pointed out, was at C.F.S. before the 1914war and A. V-Ms. Boyle and Atcherley (R.L.R.), who put up the first invertedflight for the R.A.F. Display in 1928, were both now air officers commanding groups. Replying for the guests, Marshal of theAir Force Sir John Slessor also paid a tribute to Louis Strange, who was hissquadron CO. when he was first at C.F.S. in 1915. Much of Sir John's speech, CONVERSATION PIECES at the C.F.S. dinner. Left to right, A.V-M. R. L. R. Atcherley chats with Air Marshal Sir Hugh Walmsley, the C.A.S., Sir John Slessor, with A. Cdre. Selway and, in the distance. Air Chief Marshal Sir James Robb reminisces with GjC. W. E. Coles. however, was of a graver nature and not forgeneral publication. He also broke the news of the assassination of King Abdullahof Jordan, regretting very much the passing of one of Britain's staunchestfriends. He spoke of the great tasks that lie ahead in building up the R.A.F. once more,but with a grand note of confidence in his voice, finished by saying, "We shallsucceed. There is nothing the Royal Air Force cannot do." Col. Strange, after pleading sciatica ashis sole excuse for not flying down, referred to the Smith-Barry tradition of C.F.S.,pointing out that, before S-B's time, flying schools only taught people how tofly. S-B taught people how not to fly. He ended by regretting the curtailment ofprivate flying and the insufficient help given to members of the A.T.C. wholearnt to fly. To meet the expansion requirements theCentral Flying School has recently been entirely reorganized and enlarged toembrace three stations—Little Rissington (W/C. A. J. Trumble), South Cerney(G/C. G. W. Hayes) and Moreton-in- Marsh (S/L. J. B. Fleming), with G/C.W. E. Coles as Chief Instructor. The initial training periods on Prentices and theInstructors' Leadership School courses are RANGED: Fireflies and Sea Furies all set for the "aircraft carrier" take-off at Culdrose's open day. taken at South Cerney, Harvard andMeteor flying is done at Little Rissington, and the Refresher Squadron is now housedat Moreton-in-Marsh. The Refresher Squadron gives instruc-tion on single-engine types to pilots rejoining the Service and also to pilots ofBomber, Transport and Coastal Commands. Culdrose Open DayS OME 8,000 visitors attended H.M.S.Sea Hawk's open day at R.N.A.S. Culdrose, Cornwall, on Friday last.Weather conditions were perfect. In the handicap race between various naval typesincluding Sea Otter, Firefly, Seafire, Fire- brand, Brigand, Sea Hornet, Sea Fury,Vampire and Attacker, it appeared from the finishing times as if the winning SeaOtter had been given a rather too generous time allowance. For the formation aerobatics by two SeaHornets and two Sea Furies of No. 52, Training Air Group, the Hornets made anemotioning start by taking off simul- taneously from opposite ends of the run-way. Forty aircraft provided an impressivespectacle when eight Fireflies of No. 814 Sqn., and eight Sea Hornets from No. 809Sqn., left at ten-second intervals to simulate a carrier take-off. These aircraft then madea dummy attack on the airfield before demonstrating :a stream landing. The static display included sectionedexamples of Bristol Centaurus and Rolls- Royce Griffon piston engines and a deHavilland Goblin turbojet. Tragedy in Jordan KING ABDULLAH of Jordan, whowas assassinated last week, was a good friend of the Royal Air Force, in which heheld the honorary rank of Air Commodore. His friendship with No. 6 Squadron wasparticularly intimate and the unit has; visited him on a number of occasionsduring the many years which it has spent in the Middle East. Only recently, duringa period of desert training at Mafrac, King Abdullah presented the squadronwith his royal colours and, in return, accepted an embroidered copy of thesquadron's badge.
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