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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0059.PDF
4 January 1952 ended only by its limited fuel supply. The first piloted aircraft -a Firefly-was flown off in July this year by Lt. Cdr. J. M. Glaser, D.S.C., R.N., the com manding officer of 703 Services Trials Squadron, based at the R.N.A.S., Ford, Sussex. Later he was catapulted success fully in an Attacker. Other pilots of the same squadron, including two Americans, Lt. J. F. Tuttle, U.S.N., and Lt. G. Goudie, U.S.N., took part. Two other members of the squadron, Lt. S. A. Mearns, D.S.C., R.N., and Lt. D. N. Duncan, R.N., are going to America with H.M.S. Perseus. To date, 127 piloted aircraft have been successfully launched. Types of aircraft used include the Sea Vampire, Sea Hornet, Sea Fury, Avenger and Sturgeon, the last- named being the heaviest. In addition, about 1,000 dead weights and pilotless aircraft have been launched. The experience of the pilots on being launched at a speed far greater than is pos sible with any other catapult is expressed by Lt. Cdr. Glaser, who reports that the catapult has much greater, but smoother, acceleration than any conventional type, giving a higher flying speed off the deck. The inventor, who has been catapulted as a passenger, says, "Although acceleration is higher, the build-up is steadier and I found it more tolerable physiologically." The effectiveness of the machinery is emphasized by successful launchings of Fireflies and Sea Furies while the ship has 25 beet, secured alongside at Rosyth, where she has been based during the trials, and while alongside Airport Wharf, Belfast, during a recent visit. Several launches have been witnessed by visiting senior officers, including the Fifth Sea Lord (Vice-Admiral E. W. Anstice, C.B.) and the Engineer-in-Chief of the Navy (Vice- Admiral (E) The Hon. Denis C. Maxwell, C.B., C.B.E.). The Admiralty recalls that ever since the first experimental work on an aircraft catapult was begun at the Naval Aircraft Establishment on the Isle of Grain to wards the end of the 1914-18 war (with a railway truck used as a launching car riage) research has gone on unceasingly for fundamental developments to give in creased performance without a proportion ately greater mass of mechanism. No matter what form of propellant has been used, previous catapults have been of the cylinder, ram, pulley and wire-purchase type. One exception is the rocket catapult mounted in merchant ships during the war, which shot off Hurricanes, the pilots of which, after a sortie, either landed at the nearest airfield or carrier, or ditched alongside the parent ship. As the need for higher performance catapults became more acute, it became evident that the performance of the con ventional hydro-pneumatic wire-purchase type had reached its practical limit, unless its machinery was to become so large that it would be difficult to fit into a ship. DUAL AWARD: Mr. R. G. Menzies pins wings on Cdt. W/0. D. Robertson at the passing-out parade of No. 1 Entry, R.A.A.F. College, Point Cook, Australia. Cdt. WjO. Robertson won both the Sword of Honour and the King's Medal. Behind the Prime Minister is GIC. M. 0. Watson, Commandant of the College. Fighter Command S.A.S.O. T HE appointment is announced of A. Cdre. H. P. Fraser, C.B.E., A.F.C., as Senior Air Staff Officer at Fighter Com mand H.Q. He will assume the acting rank of Air Vice-Marshal and take up his new appointment from January 9th. He is to occupy the post in succession to A. V-M. D. F. W. Atcherley. A. Cdre. Fraser has just finished the 1951 course at the Imperial Defence College. His appointment to Fighter Command comes as a surprise as a previous announce ment stated that he would become Director of Operations (1) at the Air Ministry. Services Squash T HE Navy retained their Inter-Services Squash title this year by beating the Army by three matches to two, and the R.A.F. by four to one. The R.A.F. also lost to the Army by four matches to one, and the final points result was thus, Navy 7, Army 6, R.A.F. 2. Cdr. A. A. T. Seymour-Haydon, Navy champion, won both his matches, and G/C. B. K. Burnett, who retained his R.A.F. championship again this year, beat 2nd-Lt. I. C. de Sales la Terriere. Cpl. A. E. Catherine beat Constr.-Lt. A. E. Griffiths, Navy. The other members of the R.A.F. team were W/C. A. K. Collins, F/L. A. M. Skene, P/O A. A. Ramus. SERVICES versus SPRINGBOKS AN unexpectedly large crowd trekked to * Twickenham on Boxing Day to see a Combined Services XV do battle with a team of Springboks. They were rewarded by a fine open game in bright, though slippery, conditions, and the resulting win for the South Africans did not appear to be the walk-over that the 24 points to 8 might suggest. Admittedly, the result was never in real doubt. For the Springboks Du Toit and Fry alone represented the team which just beat Wales, but the reserves—if they may be so called—displayed the same remarkable resourcefulness and team com bination which has characterized South African play in every game seen in this country. The Services side comprised six Army players, including the well-known inter national halves, Hardy and Shuttleworth, and three outsides; the Navy provided three stalwart forwards, including Lt. Cdr. (E) Sindery, the captain; and the Royal Air Force was represented by full-back Smailes and two forwards. Completing the team was Surgeon-Lt. Gray of the R.N.V.R. Private Broome, the Army centre, has been a Rugby League international. The great difference between the sides was that while one played as an inspired and determined team the other, for most of the time, comprised individuals who occasionally rose and shone. The Spring boks opened the scoring early when, following a well-placed kick ahead towards the wing, Marais touched down. Later in the game he repeated this performance to score his third try. Although the Services —particularly their forwards—were now doing better, the half-time score was 11—nil (one goal, one drop goal, and one try). In the second half the Services continued to improve, and after some ten minutes a fine straight run by Broome, who beat his own man and two others, brought the crowd cheering to their feet; but no score resulted, for as in the case of several other individual efforts the man found himself practically unsupported when the time came to pass. By contrast, every break through by a Springbok found several other men up and ready to take over. After some 25 minutes in the second half, Shuttleworth cut through near his own twenty-five and there followed the most exciting movement of the day with hard running and passes to Gilbert-Smith, then to Hardy, to Broome, and finally to Gray on the wing, who dived over at the corner for a try which Smailes converted. The Services' second try came from one of several forward movements up the field; a kick up the left wing followed on an opening rush by Vaughan and others and Scott on the left wing continued the good work and just made the touch-down. In the meantime, the South Africans continued to score in a regular and con vincing manner. Of other impressions gained in the course of the game we may record that Smailes' fielding was almost up to the best form he has shown in past seasons, and his long touch-finding earned frequent applause. Broome gave every reason to suppose that he will play an important part in the inter-Services Championships on March 1st (versus the Navy) and March 22nd (versus the R.A.F.). At one time or another most of the forwards could be picked out for good work; both the Williams (Stoker and Flying Officer) were in the front of several good rushes, Instr.- Lt. Vaughan could be depended upon to be there for defence or attack, while it may be said that F/L. Stirling's name sounds most appropriate to the work he does in the scrums. Combined Services.—Full back: F/L. A. A. Smailes (R.A.F.); Threequarters: Sgt. D. M. Scott* (Army), Off.Cdt. A. B. Edwards (Army), Pte. J. Broome (Army), Surg. Lt. (D) B. M. Gray (R.N.V.R.); Half-backs: Lt. B. M. P. Hardy* (Army), Lt. D. W. Shuttleworth* (Army); For wards: F/L. R. V. Stirling* (R.A.F.), Instr. Lt. R. I. Carter (R.NO, Stoker W. O. Williams* (R.N.), F/O. R. H. Williams (R.A.F.), Lt. D. T. Wilkiru* (R.N.), 2nd Lt. D. S. Gilbert-Smith (Army), Instr. Lt. D. B. Vaughan* (R.N.), Lt. Cdr. (E) P. B. Sindery (captain) (R.N.). * International.
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