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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0154.PDF
152 FLIGHT CIVIL AVIATION . . . Mr. Patterson, "and as only 13 per cent of our traffic goes over 1,500 miles, we must make the jet applicable to distances shortej than this." * * * Air Maroc have placed an order for the attachment of two Palas auxiliary jet units to each of their six S.O. 30P Bretagne Mk Is. By this means the airline hopes to increase the payload of each machine by 2,500 lb for an additional cost of £14,000; the Mk II Bretagne carries 2,200 lb more than the Mk I, being fitted with more powerful post-war Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engines. In this case, however, the difference in price between the standard Mk I and Mk II is now quoted at nearly £30,000. THE newly-formed North Devon Flying Club at Wrafton, near Barnstaple, had its first instructional success since its forma tion a few weeks ago, when Mr. W. J. Bond, of Barnstaple, was awarded his Private Pilot's Licence. A COMING-OF-AGE party for the Tiger Moth, which first **- gained its C. of A. in early March, 1932, is being held by the Vintage Aeroplane Club at Denham airfield at 1130 hr on Satur day, March 7th. All Tiger Moth owners and operators will be welcome, and various competitions are to be held, including inter- club formation flying, individual demonstrations, spot landings, a concours d'elegance, and a prize for the oldest Tiger present. The chairman of the Vintage Aeroplane Club is Capt. R. E. Gillman, D.F.C., D.F.M.; D. F. Ogilvy is secretary, and Major W. L. Foster the treasurer. Later in the season they are arranging a combined meeting with the Vintage Sports Car Club, and David Ogilvy is hoping to attend meetings in the 1929 Miles Martlet G-AAYX—if he can obtain certain spares. Anyone interested in the Tiger Moth party should write to the Secretary, Vintage Aeroplane Club, c/o Elstree Flying Club, Elstree Aerodrome, Herts. FROM Cambridge Aero Club we hear that, in 1952, a total of 1,920 hours were flown. A limited quota of night and instru ment flying was carried out; seven members gained their Private Pilot's Licences, and 11 more made first solos. Additionally, 24 A.T.C. cadets completed their flying scholarships, thereby quali fying for private licences, and ten more are expected to do like wise within the next few weeks. SPOTTERS' CHAMPIONSHIP A RECORD entry of over 80 teams competed in the Sixth All- **• England Aircraft Recognition Contest, held at the Royal Institution, London, on January 17th. In addition to the usual R.O.C., A.T.C., W.J.A.C, Air Britain and other club entries, teams taking part included those from the Army, Royal Nether lands Air Force, United States Army and A. and A.E.E., Boscombe Down. As briefly reported in Flight on January 23rd, the Silver Hurricane Trophy, presented by the Aircraft Recognition Society to the team with the highest aggregate marks, was won for the second year running by the crack R.O.C. team from Post 19/Y2, Wallington, who scored 85 out of a possible 105. Its three mem bers, Lt/Obs. M. N. Jamieson, Obs. M. J. Hooks and Obs. D. A. R. Pratt, were doubly proud when Obs. Hooks was later again called forward to receive the new Air Pictorial Trophy, a handsome cup, for scoring the highest individual marks with 31 correct answers. For the second time the Aircraft Recognition Society's "A" team was second, with 81 points. The best A.T.C. team was that of No. 305 (Ashford) Kent Squadron who, with a score of 73, were awarded the Silver Heracles Trophy by Sir Frederick Handley Page. No. 4F (Ilford) Squadron, first last time, were second with a total of 68 points. The Wren Award, a framed caricature by the cartoonist and offered for the best of the Service units competing, was won by a team that had paid its entrance fee scant minutes before the con test began—that from A. and A.E.E. The test consisted of 35 flying views of present-day aircraft (known to have flown over this country within the last twelve months) flashed on a screen for something less than a second. Most competitors considered the test more difficult than the one given last year; and this view was shared by Mr. Peter Masefield, who admitted that even though he had collaborated with Sir Frederick, the umpire, he could score no more than 17. K.L.M. is reported to have chartered a Skymaster and three crew for a year from the Norwegian independent company Fred Olsen. * * * B.O.A.C.'s aircraft flew 859,526,721 passenger-miles, carrying 269,637 passengers, in 1952—an increase of 30,547 passengers over the previous calendar year's result. The European summer timetable planned by Swissair contains only one "first-class" service—daily Convair flights in each direction between London and Zurich. The remainder of Swiss air's European flights will be tourist services—offering the new standard fares approved at the last I.A.T.A. traffic conference; most will be operated by Convairs or DC-4S. MEMBERS of the Surrey Gliding Club have now gained four out of 11 Gold "C" badges held by British glider pilots, and over 50 out of about 400 Silver "C" awards. The new site at Lasham, situated on a plateau 600ft above sea level, has proved a great success from the soaring point of view; and the club facilities, which include fine workshops, are excellent. The present fleet includes five high-performance sailplanes and one two-seater, and a second two-seater is shortly to be bought. A28-YEAR-OLD employee of Auster Aircraft, Ltd., Mrs. R. Pollard, recently became the first woman to learn to fly with the Auster Flying Club. She made her first solo after 13 hours instruction in an Auster J.4 (90 h.p. Cirrus Minor I), taking advantage of the very low rate of 25s hourly which is available to club members. Competitors in the Ragosine-Auster Homing Competition held last May may remember that Mrs. Pollard flew as navigator to Mr. K. Baker of Austers, who came second. THE annual dance of the Wolverhampton Aero Club was held on December 16th, in appalling weather but with the customary conclusive success. The Ductility Trophy, awarded to the mem ber making most progress during the preceding year, was pre sented to Mr. Joe Bradley, who had worked his way up to instruc tor's standard despite an accident, caused by engine failure in a Magister shortly after take-off. The club's flying affairs are thriving. A total of 60 hours were flown in December by members and A.T.C. cadets, and the Gemini twin-conversion and radio operators' courses appear to be making excellent headway. E. F. WILD, A.F.C. THE hundreds of pilots whom he trained, and his many other friends in the flying world, will be saddened by the death of Mr. E. F. Wild, A.F.C., assistant instructor of the Wolverhampton Aero Club. He died on January nth after three months of ill ness. A colleague has written the following appreciation :— " 'Tubby,' as he was affectionately called, was born in 1905; his first association with the R.A.F. was when he joined No. 605 (County of Warwick) Sqn., R. Aux. A.F., in 1930 at Castle Brom- wich. He served on ground duties with this squadron until August, 1940, when he re-mustered to pilot and, after a course at C.F.S., was posted as a flying instructor to Desford. He spent a short time there and at Perth before joining No. 28 E.F.T.S. at Wolverhampton. One of his many pupils, A. E. ('Ben') Gunn, is now Boulton Paul's chief test pilot. Before his release in 1945, Tubby Wild was awarded the A.F.C. for meritorious services in the air. "He joined the Wolverhampton Aero Club in 1946 as an assistant instructor and during the last years had taught many club members to fly, including about six 'works flying-club' members, and A.T.C. cadets on flying scholarships. He had completed some 5,000 hours' flying, 3,050 of them as a Service instructor. "Known as the 'flying engine driver,' Tubby had been employed by British Railways since leaving school, but his great love for aviation was always to the fore and he spent every moment of his spare time in the air. As an instructor he was without peer, com bining all the sympathetic qualities of a good instructor with a flying skill second to none. Although over age for the R.A.F.V.R., he would not rest until he had badgered everyone, from the local commander to the Air Staff, in order to achieve his ambition to remain an active pilot in the V.R. He was allowed to rejoin in 1949, was awarded the rank of master pilot and was serving at the time of his death." FROM THE CLUBS
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