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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1335.PDF
600 FLIGHT, 7 May 1954 SERVICE AVIATION . . . Inter-Services Rifle Match POR the eighth time since it was -•- established in 1947, the R.A.F. have won die annual inter-Services small bore rifle match. With a score of 7,929 points the team beat their last year's record by 23 points. Other scores were: Territorial Army, 7,889; Home Guard, 7,880; Regular Army, 7,848; Royal Marines, 7,800; Royal Navy, 7,781 and R.N.V.R., 7,549. AIRCENT Microwave Relay TTO provide reliable communications for -•- the international air forces forming the AIRCENT command of NATO a micro wave relay communications network has just been completed. The total cost is in the region of £3 million. The microwave relay is beamed in straight lines, along the line of sight, and with the aid of relay towers, can cover long distances with little diminution of reliability. A number of such relay stations link the Fontainebleau H.Q. of AIRCENT to SHAPE and other NATO H.Q., thus making the command to some extent independent of commercial lines. From each AIRCENT terminal point mere are 24 channels, each of which can carry a conversation. Any one of these channels can be broken down into 16 two- way teletype circuits and these different types of message can be carried at the same time. The new system is being operated under the command of W/C. P. H. S. Wood, O.B.E., R.A.F., who is Chief of the Radio Communications Branch at AIRCENT. It is expected that the big manoeuvres con templated this autumn will provide a severe test. R.A.F. Appointment T HE announcement is made of the appointment of A. Cdre. F. J. St. G. Braithwaite, C.B.E., as A.O.C. No. 61 Group, Home Command, with the acting rank of air vice-marshal. For rather more than two years A. V-M. Braidiwaite has been Director of Plans at the Air Ministry and for a year before that he served on the Air Board, Military Standardization Agency. At the outbreak of the last war he was at Coastal Command headquarters as a torpedo specialist, and throughout the war held a post connected with anti-shipping WAR GAME:'Air Chief Marshal Sir William F. Dickson (left) in conversation with Admiral J. H. Cassidy and tVice-Admiral T. S. Combs of the United States Navy during a recent com mand post exercise at SHAPE headquarters. Both of the American admirals are wearing wings. operations. He attended the 1950 course at the Imperial Defence College. W.R.A.F. Appointments '"TWO appointments in the rank of group -*- officer are announced. G/O. A. Stephens, M.B.E., is to be Deputy Director of the W.R.A.F. and G/O. J. L. A. Conan- Doyle to be Inspector of the W.R.A.F. These two appointments are, in fact, a switch-over of duties. G/O. Stephens has been Inspector for the past two-and-a- half years and G/O. Conan-Doyle Deputy Director since November 1951. For the R.A.A.F. THE R.A.A.F., it is reported, has * ordered 48 Canberras and additional Avon-Sabres from Commonwealth Air craft Corporation, Melbourne. Three of the Canberras have been de livered and four others are having final tests. Seventy-two Avon-Sabres are al ready on order. A prototype Avon-Sabre, first aircraft to dive at supersonic speed in Australia, has been undergoing exten sive trials for several months. New CO. for B.U.A.S. T^HE new commanding officer of Bristol *• University Air Squadron is S/L. J. H. Langley. He trained in Canada during the early part of the war and served with Fighter and Transport Commands during the war in Europe and die East; he re turned to this country in 1947. Before taking up his Bristol appointment he was chief ground instructor at the Flying Training School, Tern Hill, Salop. Biggin Hill Under Fire T HE airfield defence exercise at Biggin Hill, mentioned in these columns last week, duly took place in spite of poor QUITE CLEAR: Technicians of the Royal Australian Air Force undergoing a course of instruction at the Commonwealth Aircraft Cor poration's factory at Fisherman's Rend are provided with a mock-up of the Australian- built Avon-Sabre fuselage fitted with removable panels of transparent plastic. weather conditions. Initial attacks on the airfield, supported by such noisy devices as thunderflashes, blank cartridges, and Meteors from North Weald, were concen trated mainly on the western and eastern boundaries. The principal attack, how ever, finally developed on the southern Downe Golf Course sector and the attackers gained some ground. Air batdes took place over the airfield area. Com munications systems, which were being particularly tested, are stated to have func tioned satisfactorily. A.T.C. at Hendon TOURING the week 20th to 27th April, *~* Air Training Corps cadets from the County of Middlesex Wing enjoyed holi day flying at R.A.F. Hendon. In this period no fewer than 567 cadets were given flights, totalling 363 hours. This outstanding performance; was achieved only with the kind co-operation of G/C. R. C. Dawkins, C.B.E., the Station Com mander, W/C. Southwell, D.F.C. and Bar, Wing Commander Flying, S/L. William son, D.F.C., O.C. No. 31 Squadron and the O.C. Com. Flight No. 61 Group. All pilots on the Station willingly took cadets as passengers on every possible occasion, and the lads have visited such places as Leuchars, Kinloss, St. Eval, Chivenor and Aldergrove. Some of the flying was done by V.R. pilots who were glad to offer their services. The normal work of the Station proceeded without interruption. Never before have so many cadets flown so many miles in a week from a single R.A.F. station. Bomber Command Reunion T HE ninth annual reunion of the Head quarters Bomber Command Associa tion of Officers is being held at Head quarters Bomber Command, Royal Air Force, High Wycombe, Bucks, on Satur day, May 22nd. Any member of the Association who has not received details of this reunion can obtain them by apply ing to the hon. secretary of the Association at the above address.
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