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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0918.PDF
74 FLIGHT, 17 July 1953 JERSEY'S CORONATION DISPLAY A Visit to the busy CI. Airport, and Home by Heron THE modest proportions of St. Peter's Airport, Jersey, belie the fact that it is one of the busiest air-traffic centres in the United Kingdom. Last year it handled 246,000 passengers and over 23,500 aircraft-movements—seven times as many passengers and four times as many aircraft as in 1938. All records are being broken this year; on July 4th, for example, 286 landings and take-offs were made on the 4,200ft single tarmac runway, and 4,090 passengers passed through the terminal building. The airport is administered, independently of the M.C.A., by the State of Jersey Harbours and Airports Committee, under the presidency of the Constable of St. Ouen, Mr. F. Le Boutillier. Expressive of the airminded outlook of Jersey was the Committee's decision that an air display at St. Peter's should form a major contribution to Coronation festivities on the island. Thanks to efficient stafrwork under Mr. R. T. A. Dalton, senior air-traffic control officer, a flow of scheduled passenger services was main tained while some 30,000 residents and holiday-makers watched the display—held in perfect weather on July 9th. On arrival in Jersey the previous day, we had learned from Senator W. H. Krichefski, vice-president of the Harbours and Airports Committee, of some problems involved in organizing a display so far from the centres of the aircraft industry and Service flying. His particular regret was that the islanders would not see any of the latest high-speed British turbine-powered aircraft, due to the S.B.A.C. ruling against prototype demonstrations except in certain special circumstances. Fortunately, the Ministry of Supply authorized a brief first appearance by the Viscount 700 prototype, which arrived from Wisley shortly before the display, carrying the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mr. A. T. Lennox-Boyd, and Sir George Cribbett, Deputy Secretary. An unusual start to the flying programme was provided by the arrival of the Lieutenant Governor, Sir Edward Grasett, in a Sikorsky S-55 of No. 705 Squadron. This, incidentally, was the very machine used by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh for a num ber of official journeys earlier this year, and it was flown by the same pilot, Lt. Cdr. R. Spedding. There followed a fly-past of airliners : a Cambrian Air Services Dove, Jersey Airlines' glittering new Heron, a B.E.A. Elizabethan and the Viscount 700, flown by Capt. "Dickie" Rymer, who passed by with two Darts feathered before setting course for Wisley. Commentator Charles Gardner broadcast the news, just released, that this Viscount (G-AMAV) would be substituted for the B.E.A. Viscount 701 G-AMNZ as an entry in the New Zealand Race next October. Now well estab lished in regular service, Viscounts are making a great deal of money for B.E.A., who are doubtless quite happy about this change of plans. From Florennes, Belgium, flew 12 Thunderjets, which broke from their tidy formation for individual simulated strafing of the airport. This event was carried through at low level with the dash "Flight" photograph Visitor and resident: On the apron at Jersey are seen the Viscount 700 prototype and the locally based Heron of Jersey Airlines. for which Belgian Air Force pilots are justly famous. F/L. L. A. Titmuss, leader of the C.F.S. aerobatic team, impressed public and pilots with his polished handling of the Meteor 7, and four fellow-instructors (S/L. Harkness, F/L. James, F/O. Evans and M. Pit. Fisher) gave a fine exhibition of air-drill in similar machines. Despite some turbulence at low levels, the Patrouille d'Etampes performed superbly in their Stampe S.V.4 biplanes, and on land ing were loudly applauded by the crowd. As in previous displays, an individualist demonstrated rolls, loops, bunts, stall turns and in verted flying, and each manoeuvre was reproduced in triplicate by the formation. The team, who participate in displays throughout the summer and train reserve pilots during the winter season, con sists of Capt. Kerguelen, Lt. Darbois, Adj. Claveau and Adj. Menard. Thus established, French prestige was upheld by Lt. Tourangin, who appeared suddenly in a tip-tanked Dassault Ouragan from Bretigny. After a brief but impressive performance at high speed, he signed-off with a well-placed slow run past the crowd, using wheels, flaps and dive-brakes to stay in view as long as possible. Three types of helicopter performed : S-55 and S-51 of 705 Squadron, and a U.S. Army Bell-47 from La Rochelle, piloted by Lt. J. T. Lendrum. Lt. Cdr. Spedding's spirited demonstration of the S-55 included one low-level manoeuvre which, had he been flying a fixed-wing aircraft, might have been termed a stall turn, but defies further description. Led by Lt. Cdr. J. W. Powell, eight Firefly 6s of No. 826 Sqn., Lee-on-Solent, made a dive-bombing attack on a grey conning- tower which had "surfaced" near the runway. Their target was quickly lost in a shower of practice bombs and clouds of smoke, to the accompaniment of some suspiciously loud bangs. Belief that the submarine had been undermined was confirmed during the next and final event, when a Canberra apparently produced a sonic bang during a slow fly-past. Four Canberras were seen at Jersey—a formation of three and an individualist, all from No. 109 Sqn., Hemswell, and led by S/L. J. E. S. Hill. They put up an impressive show of speed and graceful manoeuvrability, concluding with a stirring, noisy "beat-up" : the ideal finale to Jersey's (Left) The Ouragan from Bretigny begins a slow run past the enclosure; the Firefly 6 (right) of No. 826 Sqn. is making a dummy deck landing. "Flight" photographs
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