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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0885.PDF
io July 1953 4i G/C. Townsend's New Post TT was announced on July 3rd that G/C. Peter Townsend, * C.V.O., D.S.O., D.F.C. and Bar, Extra Equerry to the Queen, has been appointed to the post of British Air Attache in Brussels; he will begin his new duties in about a week's time. Commissioned in the R.A.F. in 1935, G/C. Townsend was appointed an equerry to the Household in 1944; he was the third active-service officer selected by King George VI as an "equerry of honour." He has piloted Royal entries in several major air races. B.C.P.A. Not to Close A REPORT in the daily Press that British Commonwealth * *• Pacific Airlines was to close down, and that its operations would be taken over by Qantas and Tasman Empire Airways, has been denied officially in London. "There is no indication that B.C.P.A. is closing," it is stated in a message from the company's head office. Skyways York Inquiry "POSSIBLE causes of the loss of the Skyways York last February *- while on a flight from the United Kingdom to Jamaica were outlined when the public inquiry opened in London last week. The York carried 33 passengers and a crew of six, and was on charter to the War Office. Possible causes which could be elimin ated, stated the Solicitor-General, Sir Reginald Manningham- Buller, Q.C., were crew error, sabotage, water in the petrol, trouble among the passengers, engine or structural failure, and metal fatigue. In view of the public anxiety, he said, it would be desirable to consider whether the use of this York on this day, with the known weather conditions, was proper. H. C. W. Trapmore Joins Boulton Paul CHIEF production manager of Blackburn and General Aircraft, Ltd., for the past seven years, Mr. H. C. W. Trapmore, M.I.P.E., is relinquishing that post in order to take up an appoint ment as production manager of Boulton Paul Aircraft, Ltd. He began his aviation career as a Hawker apprentice in 1922, and six years later joined the Westland design-staff. In 1931 he went to Handley Page, Ltd., and during his 14 years with that company he was seconded in an advisory capacity to English Electric when they undertook Hampden and Halifax production early in the war period. He joined Blackburn Aircraft in 1945. "BEA'S" NEW HONOUR: Wing Commander Roland Bsamont, chief test pilot to the English Electric Co., Ltd., after being made O.B.E. (an honour which he now adds to his D.S.O. and bar and D.F.C. and bar) at Buckingham Palace. With him are Mrs. Beamont and daughter Carol. "BEN'S" NEW BABY: The Boulton Paul P.111A delta-wing research aircraft (Rolls-Royce Nene) has made its first flight at Boscombe Down. The pilot was A. E. ("Ben") Gunn. Generally similar to the P.111, which preceded the ill-fated P.120, its air brakes are in four rectangular sections, equally spaced round the fuselage. A number of internal improvements, suggested by experience with the earlier model, have been incorporated. The P.111 A should appear in the Society of Br/i/s1) Aircraft Constructors Display this year. Sir Hew Kilner Retires THERE will be general regret throughout the industry that one * of its best known personalities, Major Sir Hew Kilner, M.C., of Vickers, Ltd., and Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., has been compelled by ill-health to retire from the Boards of both companies. After 1914-18 war service in the Royal Artillery he held the appointment of staff captain in the War Office for four years, and had five years' experience as an instructor in gunnery. He joined Vickers-Armstrongs in July, 1930, and in 1931, was appointed a special director and general manager of the company's Southern Engineering Works; he became a director in 1936. In 1940, when there were increas ingly heavy demands for air craft production, he was ap pointed general manager of Vickers' aircraft section and since that date his main interests have been on that side of the company's business. Sir Hew was appointed man aging director (aviation) of Vic kers-Armstrongs, Ltd., in 1944, and two years later became deputy chairman, while con tinuing his former duties. He was also appointed a director of the parent company, Vickers, Ltd., in 1945, and a director and chairman of Cooke, Troughton and Simms, Ltd., a subsidiary company, in 1952. In 1947, in recognition of his services to the nation, he was knighted. The following appreciation, by a Vickers-Armstrongs spokes man, will give expression to the feelings of the many who have come into contact with Sir Hew Kilner during the past quarter of a century:— "To Sir Hew must be given most of the credit for organizing and leading a team which has successfully produced Spitfires, Wellingtons, Vikings, Valettas, Varsities, Attackers, and now Swifts, Viscounts and Valiants. "For the company to whom he has given such signal service, his retirement from active work is a severe loss both to his col leagues and to all those who worked under him; the aircraft indus try has also lost an active, kindly and energetic supporter. It is the«heartfelt wish of all concerned that he will regain his health and continue to give encouragement and active support to the young industry in which he is so intensely interested." Following Sir Hew's retirement, certain changes have been made in the senior organization of the companies concerned. Maj. Gen. C. A. L. Dunphie, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., becomes chairman and managing director of Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., while Mr. R. P. H. Yapp is appointed chairman of Cooke, 1 rough- ton and Simms, Ltd. Also, the scale of the Vickers-Armstrongs business has made it necessary to increase the present two divisions to three, aircraft, engineering and shipbuilding (previously, the two last-named were combined in one). A number of new appointments have been made in executive positions in the engineering and shipbuilding divisions. Maj. Sir Hew Kilner.
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