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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0783.PDF
FLIGHT, 19 June 1953 777 The Sharp End . . . perched along the wings, was a timely reminder that it is not the flying crews alone who wage the air war. The massive crane we saw towering above the quay was the same which hoisted Kamikaze "Bakas" on to their launching ramp —now destroyed; and half-submerged in the harbour lay the rusted hulk of a cruiser. The fineness of her lines belied an assurance that she dated from the Russo-Japanese war. On the horizon we made out a rock, against which Korea-bound Meteor pilots, taking a refresher course at Iwakuni, discharge their R.P.s; and in a quiet place near station H.Q. we were shown the little shrine where Kamikaze pilots performed their last rites. The story goes that a Baka may still be seen on the sea bed; but though F/L. Bishop often searches from Austers, which he air-tests before their despatch to the front, he has never succeeded in spotting it. A casualty-evacuation Dakota of No. 30 Transport Unit being due from Korea, we transferred our attention from the marine to the terrestrial side of Iwakuni. The incoming pilot proved to be S/L. M. S. Humphrey, D.F.C., the squadron commander, and, having cornered him, we elicited these facts concerning his unit— the partner of No. 77 Squadron for nearly three years. Operationally controlled by the British Commonwealth Forces, its responsibilities included the transport of United Nations troops to and from Korea; casualty evacuation flights (or "med. evacs.," as they are more usually called in Japan and Korea); the support of No. 77 Squadron with equipment and personnel; the carriage of mail for Commonwealth Forces; and the transport of V.I.P.s in a special Dakota. Its most valuable attribute was its dependability in all weathers, contributing factors to which were the trouble-free Dakota air frame and engines, radio compass, G.C.A. and Loran. The ground staff rose at 4.15 a.m. to get the first Dak. off to the front by 6; two, or perhaps three, others followed at 15-min intervals. Often the ground crews worked through the night. Each trip represented about 5£ hr flying—excluding holding time for G.C.A., which procedure was as often in demand as not. In spite of this high utilization, under some of the worst flying conditions in the world, the Dakotas were kept immaculate by Japanese labourers. Since our return from Korea the news has been received that No. 30 Transport Unit has been replaced by No. 36 Transport Squadron, but that 30's aircraft, and most of its personnel, have been absorbed into No. 36 Squadron. "No. 30 Transport Unit's record in the Korean war has been outstanding," said Mr. William McMahon, Australia's Minister for Air; "its name disappears from the R.A.A.F.'s line of battle, but it will not be forgotten." After an active morning, I returned to the mess and discovered, deep in a siesta (which was right and proper, for he was enjoying a fortnight's rest-and-recuperation-leave), F/L. E. F. Babst, one of the six R.A.F. pilots attached to 77 Squadron. He surfaced good- naturedly to give me a quick briefing on the squadron's activities— and a wholly unsolicited testimonial to the merits of the Meteor in the ground-attack rfile ("Jolly good aircraft for the job . . . comfort ing to have two engines . . . can take a beating . . . steady gun plat form . . . 20-mil really makes a mess of vehicles"). But he added that, though the light flak was inconsistent in its intensity, it was not letting the Meteors have things all their own way. In his own opinion, the terrain was the worst difficulty. E/A. sightings were infrequent, but he reminded me that three Migs had fallen to Meteors—and by an uncanny stroke of luck, one of the pilots responsible entered the mess as we talked. He was F/L. Bruce Gogerly, D.F.C., R.A.A.F., newly returned from Australia on a non-operational tour, and I was glad to shake his hand before setting out in teeming rain for Haneda (Tokyo) and Korea. FOR STARTING COMETS ON Wednesday of last week, in the presence of a number of senior executives of B.O.A.C. and other interested officials, the first of a number of powerful ground-starting units ordered by the Corporation was demonstrated at London Airport in conjunction with Comet G-ALYP. There is an interesting background to the order. Early last year, Auto Diesels, Ltd., of Uxbridge, had built a prototype unit of outstandingly high performance; some details of its output were made public, but little more could be said about it, for it had in fact been designed for starting the four Sapphire turbojets of the Handley Page Victor, a prototype almost entirely shrouded in secrecy at that time. It duly went into service for this purpose, and soon afterwards B.O.A.C. asked for a similar starter, but of even higher perform ance, which would not only be capable of fulfilling their present Comet requirements, but would also meet the demands of the Series 2 and 3 Comets and the Britannias. The requirements were met, and the result was a substantial order for these units for use at airfields, in a variety of climates and altitudes, on the Corporation's jet routes. The equipment is a joint effort by a famous firm of electrical engineers—Crompton Parkinson, Ltd.—and Auto Diesels, Ltd., while the diesel engine is the work of Leyland Motors, for whose products world-wide servicing facilities are available. The engine drives two generators giving outputs of 450 amp continuously at 112 volts, and 750 amp continuously at 28 volts. In addition, it is stated, the unit will supply peak starting currents of 850 amp at 112 volts or 2,000 amp at 28 volts. Simultaneous outputs for 2 8-volt servicing and 112-volt starting are permissible up to 100 kW. The generators dispense with the use of automatic voltage regulation, and by the system employed it is claimed that voltage can be held constant even under shock loads of 500 per cent above full-load current. Protection is provided against overload, generator over-voltage and reverse current (i.e. feedback current from the aircraft) by means of a new technique employing sensitive relays and associated main- contactor tripping relays. All contactors incorporate a "no volt" device by which, on aircraft-plug disconnection, automatic tripping occurs without sparking. The equipment includes 96- and 24-volt batteries, charged from the generators, to provide starting and servicing supplies when the diesel engine is shut down. The whole of the operational control is from the panel visible in the photograph, with push-button selectors for the various services. Radio-interference suppression is incorporated. All instruments are on resilient mountings. The handsomely finished trailer—the roof of which, incidentally, is strong enough to form a work-platform for two men—is well furnished with such acces sories as interior lighting, obstruction warning light, static earth, fire-fighting equipment and cable stowage. The Auto Diesels ground starter in attendance on a Comet at London Airport.
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