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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1060.PDF
214 FLIGHT FROM ALL QUARTERS Rear-Admiral C. John, C.B. To Progress Naval Aircraft Supplies ON several occasions during the past year, usually during debates on defence, Parliamentary criticisms have been voiced concerning the procedure for ordering and developing Naval aircraft. News of a high-level reorganization in the Depart ments principally concerned does not, therefore, come altogether as a surprise. Its stated object is to secure closer liaison between the Ministry of Supply and the Admiralty. The announcement, made by the Ministry of Supply on August 13th, begins by saying that the Ministry of Supply and the First Lord of the Admiralty, having examined the organization of the two Departments for the design, development and pro duction of Naval aircraft, have decided upon changes. These are then detailed as follows :— "(1) The Air Warfare Division of the Naval Staff in the Admiralty, which is primarily responsible for the formulation of requirements for naval aircraft and air equipment, is being considerably increased in size. "(2) The liaison post of Chief Naval Representative in the Ministry of Supply has been abolished. At the same time an additional executive post of Deputy Controller of Supplies (Air) in the Ministry of Supply has been created. The occupant of this post will, under the Controller of Supplies (Air), have executive responsibility for research in relation to naval aircraft, and for their design, development and production. He will, in addition, carry out any other duties outside the Naval sphere which the Controller may delegate to him. "Rear-Admiral C. John, C.B., who has until now been Chief Naval Representative, has been appointed to this new post. "In order to provide more effective liaison between the two Departments in this field, the Minister and the First Lord have agrf ed that the Controller of Supplies (Air) should attend meetings of ihe Board cf Admiralty when aircraft supply matters are under consideration. This will ensure that the Ministry of Supply has the same close contact with the Admiralty as it already possesses with the Air Council." Rear-Admiral John, who is 50 years of age, was commissioned in the Royal Navy in 1916; he received his promotion to the rank of captain in 1941 and to rear-admiral ten years later. In 1951-52 he was Flag Officer Commanding the 3rd Carrier Squadron. During the years between the wars he was a keen private pilot and competed in the King's Cup Race. N.Z. Race: Official Arrangements HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS the Duke of Gloucester will start the England to New Zealand air race on October 8th at London Airport. To allow the fast aircraft to leave England and land in New 7ealand in daylight, the start will be at 4.30 p.m. G.M.T. Aircraft will take off at short intervals until 5.15 p.m. The central ar;a of London Airport has been allocated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for race purposes and a special commit tee under Mr. Roger Pugh, O.B.E., has been making the necessary arrangements. Competing aircraft will be on view to the public in this central area from Monday, October 5th till Wednesday, October 7th inclusive, at the normal public-enclosure charges. On the day of the race the public enclosure in the central are a will be open from 11 a.m. onwards, with the following aimission charges : pedestrians, is; cars (including occupants), 5s; motor cycles (including riders), 2s 6d; cycles (including riders), is 6d; double-deck coaches (with occupants), £3 10s; single-deck cor caes (with occupants), £2 10s. There will be no advance booking. The Royal Aero Club racing committee has already held no fewer than 51 meetings in connection with the race. The Club officials for the preliminaries to the start of the race will be Maj. R. H. Mayo, O.B.E., Cdr. A. Goodfellow and Capt. H. S. Broad, M.B.E., A.F.C. (stewards); Col. R. L. Preston, C.B.E. (chief executive); and Mr. F. A. Dismore, D.F.C. (clerk of the course). A further withdrawal from the Speed Section of the race is the de Havilland Hornet F.3 entered by C. H. Goodlin (U.S.A.). It is also announced that the chief pilot of the DC-3C entered in the transport handicap section by Mrs. Gertrude McKenzie of Aus tralia will be Mrs. Dianna C. Bixby of Bixby Airlines, Long Beach, Calif., U.S. The routes chosen by pilots of aircraft in the high-speed section are interesting. All the Canberras entered are refuelling in the Cocos Islands in the Pacific and will not touch the Malayan Peninsula, and all plan to complete the distance in five stages. The Valiant is landing only twice, at Karachi and the Cocos Islands. The pilot of the Australian-entered Mosquito has planned only four stages, with stops at Basra, Colombo and Perth. The Aus tralian Mustang may attempt a leg from Basra to Singapore. Most of the transport handicap entrants so far plan about eight stages, except the Auster Channel Wing CCW-5, the entrant of which gives two alternative routes, one of a mere four stages, including a single leg Colombo to Perth (Western Australia), the other of six stages. Speed will be calculated on total elapsed time. For the transport handicap section the K.L.M. DC-6A is a hot favourite and rival of the Viscount below. Apart from being a fine aircraft, it should profit from handicap regulations which are very favourable to it. The Entries from the Antipodes DETAILS of the R.N.Z.A.F. entry have now been published. The aircraft will be a standard Hastings transport drawn from No. 41 Squadron R.N.Z.A.F. and, besides a comprehensive crew of 27, it will carry a payload of Service equipment; this load is similar to that which would be carried on the normal monthly England to New Zealand courier flight by No. 41 Squadron. Three flight crews of five men each will share the flying; under the command of W/C. R. F. Watson, A.F.C., they will include four pilots, three navigators, three signallers, three flight engineers and two air quartermasters. A servicing party travelling in the aircraft will be under the command of F/L. J. D. Hurley and will consist of seven N.C.O.s and airmen. In addition, a msdical officer and meteorologist, both squadron leaders, and two Press representatives, Mr. William Courtenay, O.B.E., M.M., and Mr. A. Wall, O.B.E., will travel in the Hastings. No. 41 is the R.N.Z.A.F.'S long-range heavy transport squadron and has built up a fine reputation during transport flights to Japan, in Malaya, in the airlift of No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron to Cyprus last year, and in its normal monthly courier flights to the U.K. FOR CHRISTCHURCH: On the left is seen the attractively painted B.E.A. Vickers Viscount named "Endeavour" which is being prepared at Wisley for the England to New Zealand Air Race. (Right) Among those discussing the entry and preparations are: Mr. Peter Brookes, B.E.A. (back to camera); Mr. Peter Masefield, B.E.A.'s chief executive; Capt. W. Baillie, B.E.A. ight flcaptain; Mr. E. S. Allwright, deputy chief designer, aircraft, Vickers Armstrongs; and Vickers test pilot Capt. R. Rymer. The B-29 (background) was at one time used for Valiant equipment research.
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