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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0963.PDF
FLIGHT 24 July 11,53 117 THE QUEEN'S REVIEW . . . their tilted wings in the grey distance. Over Odiham the weather was co-operating splendidly, a bright blue sky overlooking a magnificent selection of imposing cumulus. Three Sunderlands, the only flying-boats in the review, then passed majestically by at a steady 150 knots, followed by five groups of gangling Lincolns, in close-packed formation. The powerful-looking Washingtons came next, more widely spaced than the Lincolns, but making a fine-looking formation. The Washingtons were followed by two groups each of nine Coastal Command Shackletons. Bright reflections from starboard wing-tips were seen as the Kinloss Neptunes approached, and then purred quietly past in a firm five-aircraft formation. Led by Major Robb of the South African Air Force, three Hastings from Lyneham were the last of the piston-engined machines to cross the airfield. After the comparatively long interval of one minute (most other formations were separated by only 30 seconds) Odiham's own "jet stream" began. The 12 Vampire N.F. 10s from Coltis- hall were first, providing the true-jet whistle and rush of air as they sped past at 700ft. Vampire F.B. 9s of the Royal Australian Air Force and F.B. 5s of Flying Training Command were next, followed by Flying Training's Meteor 4s in excellent formation, and the Venoms of 2nd A.T.A.F. Eleven further Meteor formations followed, alternately at 700 and i320oft. The first nine consisted of Mk 8 machines, red or blue tails marking particular leaders, and the remaining two were the long N.F. ns with underwing tanks. The final Meteor formation, led by Maj. M. F. Allen, U.S.A.F., showed excellent station-keeping. Next came the Lincolnshire Canberras, the various colour schemes including several of a pale—almost ghostly—silver. The inevitable black smoke-streaks—fainter than usual, it seemed—called attention to the impending arrival of the Sabres. Rock-steady were both formations as they passed over at a mere 345 m.p.h., 24 from 2nd A.T.A.F. first, and then 36 of the R.C.A.F. from North Luffenham. At 460 m.p.h. came next six Swift F.is—a most welcome sight. Silently they approached, and then The Duke of Edinburgh examines a dutch of new-pattern bombs—part of a Canberra's load—on their trolley. The Queen questions an officer in the background. noisily snarled past, dead straight as if along their own groove in the sky. They were noticeably more massive and rakish than the Sabres. Excellent views of Britain's three V-bombers then gave a further reminder of the shape of wings to come. In order came the menacing Victor, the smooth Valiant, and the handsome delta Vulcan, newly powered with Sapphires. The high-tailed delta Javelin, tearing the air as it sped past at 575 m.p.h., preceded the flashing bullet-like Hunter, the shape of which was as beautiful as the clouds it crossed. And, finally, Mike Lithgow in the blue Swift F.4, across and away in a reheat roar to bring to a spectacular end the Coronation Review fly-past of the Royal Air Force. . But this was not quite the end. As the complete ground parade—and the spectators—gave three resounding cheers for Her Majesty, the sky-writing Venoms returned above. In the R.A.F.'s own element, the sky, they wrote a fitting signal for this royal occasion. It was simply "Vivat." Thus were the review and fly-past seen by those on the ground. The fly-past aircrews themselves had a very different view, neces sarily circumscribed so far as the over-all picture was concerned yet highlighted by countless detail impressions. In the pages that follow, three writers privileged to fly in three contrasting types of jet aircraft one in the final rehearsal, two in the actual event) give first-hand accounts. IMPRESSIONS FROM A VAMPIRE T.ll SOME early impressions were obtained by a staff artist who flew in a Vampire T.n in the rehearsal on the previous Friday. One of his sketches is reproduced on the previous page. At approximately 1300 hr (he writes) the weather seemed to be deteriorating from scattered showers into one solid depressing drizzle as a formation of 12 Meteors (11 Meteor 4s led by one two-seat Meteor 7) took off for some formation practice from 25 Group detachment (Training Command) at R.A.F. Station Oakington, Cambridgeshire. The Meteors duly appeared and swept over the airfield in fine style in squadron vie formation. For this rehearsal 25 Group put up 28 Training Command aircraft, all piloted by experienced instructors. They comprised two formations, one of 12 Vampires and the other of 12 Meteors, and each formation had two reserve aircraft airborne, which sub sequently broke away and returned to base before the main formations entered the 34-mile corridor at Leavesden. Comfortably ensconced in the cockpit of a dual control Vampire T.i 1, one's first impression was of the virtually unobstructed view—except for a small blind spot dead astern—and, secondly, of the high-pitched whistle from the Goblin 3, which is magnified considerably when the intercom switch is turned to "transmit." It was quite warm in the cockpit, so the cool-air systems were switched on. On either side of the one-piece windscreen are two clear-vision panels that can be slid back for better vision in rain, or for ventilation, at any speed less than 240 kt. The cabin top can be sealed to give atmospheric pressure equivalent to 25,000ft when the aircraft is at a much higher altitude. The Vampire T. 11, piloted by M/Plt. Sznapka—a Pole—was Red 4 in the leading The majestic scene as the Royal entourage passed between lines of Coastal Command and Transport Command Hastings and Canadair- built North American Sabres of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Coastal Command "weather recce" Hastings are the darker machines at the far end of the line of four.
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