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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0870.PDF
26 FLIGHT THE SHARP END . . . Most sorties are flown above 5,000ft, out of consideration of light flak, which the Communists now have well forward in some strength. It is necessary, in any case, to fly high in order to keep clear of the path of our own shells. Precautions notwithstanding, the Austers are frequently rocked by the shells, and one pilot who under-estimated the American "Long Toms" found himself on his back. Occasional calls are paid on the American artillery lire-controllers in order to discuss techniques and to smooth out any difficulties. On "clamp" days there is general admin, work to be done, and the pilots brush up their gunnery and signals procedure. Each, into the bargain, has some regular duty outside his flying, i.e. Flight in telligence officer, Flight quartermaster, transport officer, signals •officer, photographic officer. The CO. has an especially exacting task, for he must know R.A.F., as well as Army, administration—besides flying 40 hours or so a month. As might be supposed, the mixed nature of the unit entails much duplication, though two clerks (one from each Service) manage to keep the paper-work at bay. An average serviceability of 80 per cent is a measure of the job being done by the ground crews—half of whom are Army and half R.A.F.—in snow, mud, cold, dust, or come what may. Each Austerhas a distinctively painted spinner; whenever an A.O.P. lands from a sortie (generally of 2\ hr duration, but often as long as 3 hr) it is marshalled straight into its pen and made ready for the next operation. Well cared for as they are, however, the aircraft take a continuous beating, especially in winter. At one period engine and airframe icing was responsible for eight forced landings in ten days. Happily, all but one were on the strip. (R/ght) An Auster A.0.P.6 of No. 1913 Light Liaison Flight over the forward areas. (Below) Major J. M. H. Hailes, D.S.O.. R.A., Officer Commanding No. 1903 Independent Air O.P. Flight, Royal Air Force (Left) The frozen River Imjin seen from an Auster A.0.P.6 of No. 1903 Independent Air O.P. Flight. (Above) An Auster of the Flight in its wind shelter. After concentrated discussion of the foregoing matters—for our visit could only be brief—the Flight obliged by providing us with some first-hand impres sions of front-line flying. There were three Austers—my own, flown by Capt. R. S. Deacon, R.A.A.; McLaren's (Capt. K. Perkins, R.A.); and a third, which was making an actual operational sortie, and from which Capt. Joyce had promised to keep an eye on us. As soon as we were airborne we could see that the roads and camps were lively with vehicles and men; but the liveliness ceased abruptly beh.'nd our own front line and nothing moved on the scarred and frozen ground beyond. Capt. Deacon had loaned me his binoculars, promis ing that should I spot any men in the enemy positions, he would show me how quickly the artillery could be put on to them. So while the Auster climbed, I peered through the side panels, practising myself in the use of the glasses. There was no intercom., so I could not ask what was what; and, in any case, it was difficult to centre selected features in the glasses. After some casting about I picked up a trench system and, having comforted myself with the thought that the Chinese were sound asleep following a heavy night, I straightened up and glanced ahead. Evidently I was not altogether right about the weary Chinamen, for suddenly blotching the morning sky, no great dis tance away, came five black bursts of flak. Supposing my own machine to be the intended recipient, I assessed the marksmanship as mouldy to putrid; then I noticed Capt. Joyce's Auster—closer to the bursts than our own—removing itself in the approved Porteous manner. It has always seemed to me that the flakking of Austers ranks with the stalking of butterflies with a 12-bore—but that sort of thing is now being done. Happily, the body of opinion favouring the protection of Austers is strongly represented among the Gunners, and to watch them respond to an urgent complaint (accompanied by appropriate map reference) was a satisfying experience. As I saw it, flak suppression entails the rapid and liberal applica tion of red-flashing 25-pounder shells to the affected area. To be factual, the Division had eight guns saturating the designated spot in one minute. Even so, the position was reckoned to have been only neutralized—not destroyed; and it was thought probable that the heavies would be put on to it next day. For half an hour we were now able to buzz unmolested over, and a mile or so beyond, the enemy lines. But peer as I might into the
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