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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1410.PDF
14 May 1954 629 R.A.F. Appointments THE Air Ministry has announced the following recent appointments:—G/C. S. J. Marchbank, O.B.E., D.F.C., has been appointed to Thorney Island, G/C. H. P. Broad, C.B.E., D.F.C., to Kuala Lumpur, G/C. B. K. Burnett, D.F.C., A.F.C., A.D.C., to Gaydon, G/C. H. Stones to No. 90 M.U. and W/C. W. O. Jones to Felixstowe, all in command; G/C. W. F. Beckwith is now at the R.A.F. Technical College as Assistant Commandant. For administrative duties, G/C. R. N. McKern is now at No. 25 Group; W/C. A. S. Woodgate at Transport Command H.Q.; W/C. H. C. Spackman at Carlisle; and W/C. D. W. T. Withers, A.F.C., at Honington. Four technical appointments are those of W/C. T. V. Nelson, M.B.E., to Hullavington and S/Ls J. Cassell, F. J. Mowbray and W. H. Newman to R.A.F. College Cranwell, Henlow and No. 10 School of Technical Training respectively. All three squadron leaders have the acting rank of wing commander. W/C. R. G. R. Buckley is now at the Air Ministry, in the Department of the Air Member for Supply and Organization. Two Commendations T^HE announcement has been made of •*• the award of two Queen's Commenda tions for Brave Conduct to members of the Royal Air Force. The recipients are F/L. R. F. Fisher (deceased) of R.A.F. Station Manby, and F/Sgt. P. Kerns of No. 80 Squadron, Hong Kong. On 31st December, 1953, F/L. Fisher was the pilot of a Meteor 7 engaged in an air test following adjustments to lateral trim. He had as his passenger a senior aircraftman who was flying for the first time in a Meteor and for only the second time in any aircraft. About ten minutes after take-off, the starboard engine caught fire; the fire was temporarily extinguished by the pilot, who then joined the circuit for an emergency landing. A minute later, at 1,200ft, the engine again caught fire and the pilot decided the aircraft must be abandoned. Realizing that, at this low height, he had very little time, F/L. Fisher decided to invert the Meteor to give his passenger the best chance of getting out. He therefore rolled the aircraft on its back and waited until his passenger had fallen clear. He then attempted to bale out himself, but his parachute canopy and shrouds became entangled in parts of the aircraft. By refusing to leave the aircraft in the conventional manner, Fisher sacrificed his own life to save that of his passenger. This act of complete unselfishness, says the citation, showed courage of the highest order. FACTORY VISIT: Sixteen pilots of No. 264 Squadron, Linton-cn-Ouse, recently flew their Armstrong Whitworth Meteor N.F.11 aircraft into B'uteswell in order to visit the "A.W." factories there and at Baginton. A. Cdre. W. Wynter-Morgan andSjL. E. G. Franklin (nearest camera) welcomed S/L Tudor and his officers. Later N.F. Meteors are Mks. 12, 13 and 14. On September 9th, 1953, F/Sgt. Kerns was detailed to lead a section of two Hornet aircraft on an unarmed recon naissance of an area south west of Hong Kong. He noticed gunfire midway in the Pearl River Estuary, and on investigation, found that a Chinese gunboat was attack ing a motor launch of the Royal Navy. It was apparent to Kerns that the motor launch was under close-range fire from a heavy-calibre gun, and had already suffered damage. He determined that his only course of action was to do all in his power to try to divert this fire to the Hornets. Disregarding his own safety, he carried out a number of dummy attacks on the gunboat, which broke off the attack on the launch, turned away and concentrated on the aircraft. This enabled the launch to extricate itself and steer for Lan Tau Island, escorted by the second Hornet. F/Sgt. Kerns continued to follow the gun boat and reported the situation by radio to Sector Operations. When the gunboat entered Chinese territorial waters he returned to base and landed. His cool conduct and prompt action, says the citation, undoubtedly retrieved a situation that might well have resulted in the total loss of the Naval launch and many more members of its crew. Dacre Trophy AWARDED annually to the Regular **• squadron of Fighter Command show ing the greatest proficiency in weapon training, the Dacre Trophy has been won by No. 19 Sqn., S/L. B. Beard, A.F.C., with No. 56 Sqn. as the runners-up. No. 19 flies Meteor 8 aircraft. Presentation of the trophy will be made by A. Cdre. Dacre at Church Fenton on May 31st. Air Marshal Sir Dermot Boyle, A.O.C-in-C. Fighter Command, will be present. 2nd T.A.F. Gliding Championships S EVENTY officers and airmen—and one member of the W.R.A.F. (Fit/Off. J. Laing)—have obtained passports and entry permits for six European countries in pre paration for the 2nd T.A.F. gliding cham pionships, to take place at Scharfoldendorf, Germany, from May 22nd to June 1st. The passports are for emergency use only, as the pilots will not be encouraged to fly beyond a 30-mile radius. This limita tion is set because retrieving the sailplanes is expensive. Some 250 members of the R.A.F. will represent H.Q. 2nd T.A.F. and R.A.F. Stations Bruggen, Fassberg, Geilen- kirchen, Gutersloh, Oldenburg, Sylt and Wahn. UNDER ARREST: Three tiny white braking parachutes blossom well astern of the Supermarine 525, the first flight of which—recently made at Boscombe Down by M. J. Lithgow—lasted for more than twenty minutes. Other pictures appear on page 602 and 603.
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