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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0772.PDF
766 FLIGHT, 12 June 1953 SERVICE AVIATION . . . Kilsby, F/O. R. J. Atkinson and P/O. M. J. Ridgeway. The three navigators, from which two will be chosen, are : S/L. C. G. Harvey, who was W/C. Cuming's navigator in the first Canberra flown from England to Australia in August 1951, F/L. W. D. Kerr and P/O. J. Bell. Helicopters in Malaya R EPORTS from Malaya indicate that No. 848 Squadron, F.A.A., has been engaged on an extremely active tour of duty. Between February 2nd and April 30th a total of 915 hours were flown, of which 614 were on operational flights. Altogether, the ten helicopters have flown 1,780 sorties, lifted 1,433 troops and evacuated 61 casualties. The unit is com manded by Lt.-Cdr. S. H. Suthers, D.S.C. Vickers Trophy COMPETED for annually by M.E.A.F. units operating Valettas, the Vickers Trophy has been won by the Aden Com munications Squadron at R.A.F. Station Khormaksar. It is awarded to the squadron or flight with the best record for safety and for technical and training efficiency. Last year's winner, No. 70 Squadron, was placed fourth, the Iraq Communica tions Flight was second and No. 84 Squadron third. During 1952 the winning squadron carried 4,873 passengers, and freight totalling 22,399,147 lb. in 4,405 hours flying time. Making a Shoal ON Saturday, May 30th, members of the Goldfish Club held their second reunion at the R.A.F. Reserves Club's new headquarters at 14 South Street, Park Lane, London. Mr. C. A. Robertson was in the chair. Decorations were appropriate to the ' occasion—the dining-room was gay with flags of all the services in which members were serving at the time they "returned home by dinghy," and the centre piece was a fighter pilot's inflated dinghy filled with water, in which dozens of goldfish swam happily round. Goldfish in bowls were also part of the table decoration. The guest of honour was Sir Archibald Mclndoe, who proposed the toast of the club. The reply was by Mr. C. A. Robert son, founder and present chairman. A message was received from H.M. the Queen's private secretary, saying : "I am commanded by the Queen to convey to all members of the Goldfish Club Her Majesty's warmest thanks for their kind and loyal message of goodwill." Mr. C. A. Robertson was a designer to P. B. Cow and Company, Ltd., the dinghy NOURISHMENT PROVIDED: Meteor pilots of No. 64 Squadron, with whom "Flight's" represen tative flew in the Coronation fly-past, pictured in the squadron briefing room at Duxford before take-off. In the centre is the CO., S/L. H. Bennett, above the suitably inscribed briefing black board are the faces of the flight commanders, F/Ls. Spiers and Young, and on the extreme right is PjO. John Heard who flew the Mark 7 on this occasion for "Flight's" benefit. The blackboard heading refers not to a new breakfast food, but to the squadron's R.T. callsign. manufacturers, and was responsible for the founding of the club and its maintenance since. It was first formed in 1942 for those who baled out over, or force-landed in, the sea and whose lives were saved by the inflatable dinghy. R.A.F. Bisley Meeting FIFTEEN hundred competitors will take part in the Royal Air Force Small Arms Association's 27th annual championship meeting which opens at Bisley tomorrow, June 13th, and continues until June 20th. The ceremony of "Chairing the rifle champion" will be initiated this year and will take place at the end of the Rifle Hundred Match, at noon next Friday. The chair, which is handsomely carved, has been presented by Air Marshal Sir Thomas Warne-Browne. The champion will be chaired from the firing point, headed by the R.A.F. Central Band and will be escorted to the National Rifle Association's pavilion. In honour of the Coronation a special sweepstake has been arranged in con junction with the first stage of the Rifle Championship and the Rifle XX match. There will be no money prizes, but winners will receive a medal specially struck for the occasion, bearing on the obverse the effigy of the Queen's head and on the reverse a design similar to that on the special medals given by the association. The annual general meeting of the R.A.F. Small Arms Association will be held in the association's new club house at Bisley next Wednesday. The club house formerly belonged to the Inns of Court R.C. and has recently been purchased by the association. Air Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman has accepted the presi dency of the association for this year and the chairman is G/C. G. E. Watt, who succeeded A.V-M. W. E. Staton last year. Ferrying Carriers T HE Admiralty has announced that H.M.S. Unicorn, Perseus and Pioneer have been redesignated as ferry carriers. Their function will be to transport air squadrons, including both men and air craft, to and from operational aircraft carriers. Unicorn (Capt. P. R. S. Pennefather, R.N.) is at present in the Far East as sup port carrier to H.M.S. Ocean (Capt. B. E. W. Logan, R.N.). Perseus (Capt. P. C. S. T. Carey, R.N.), which was recently engaged on trials with the new Mitchell steam catapult, is already engaged on ferrying duties and Pioneer is in reserve. GOLDFISH RE-UNITE: Some members and personalities attending the Goldfish Club's reunion held at the R.A.F. Reserves Club on May 30th. Left to right, Mrs. M. Cornwall—ex-Wren and only lady member, Major W. M. Pickard, U.S.A.F., S/L. D. Farrell, Air Historical Branch, Air Ministry, L. Colquhoun, Vickers test pilot, Sub-Lt.(A) E. W. Beeny, W/C. P. H. Watts, Dep. Director R.A.F. Search and Rescue Organization, S/L. W. A. G. Goldsworthy, Hon. Sec. R.A.F. Reserves Club, Sir Archibald Mclndoe, and W/C. R. R. Stanford Tuck, Vice-Chairman Goldfish Club. (See "Making a Shoal" above.)
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