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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1947.PDF
8 FLIGHT, 2 July 1954 RHODESIA'S AIR ARM . . . and the S.O.A. is Major H. Hawkins, A.F.C., at present attend ing the R.A.F. Staff College course. In addition to these officers there are Maj. B. H. Gibbons, M.B.E., the S.T.S.O.; Maj. R. H. Barber, D.F.C., who is O.C. S.R.A.F. Base, New Sarum; and Maj. A. O. G. Wilson, who is Air 1 (Ops.), with Capt. J. H. Deall, D.S.O., D.F.C., as his deputy. Of the other 28 captains and lieutenants we may name Capt. J. P. Moss, who is O.C. flying; Capt. E. X C. Cunnison, D.F.C., No. 1 Sqn. commander; Capt. H. J. \Pringle, O.C. M.U.; Lt. C. H. Paxton, O.C. Transport Sqn.; *nd Lt. J. S. McLauchlan, the C.G.I., S/L. S. J. Marriott, the, S.E.S.O., with three flight lieutenants and one flying officer whov-b.ad been seconded from the R.A.F. The strength of officers is thus 41 and the total of all ranks about 300. Before the war Rhodesian pilots all also held R.A.F.V.R. commissions and were thus liable for service with the R.A.F. The ambition of the force is now to expand with the Federation and, one day perhaps, to merit the prefix Royal—becoming, possibly, the Royal Rhodesian Air Force. A somewhat dated selection of aircraft—all of which have given good service—is now being replaced by Vampires (eight delivered), Provosts (first four about ready for delivery) and Pembroke C. Mk Is (the first had arrived at the time of the One of the Vampire ferry pilots was Lt. C. Paxton who is seen in this happy shot with his young son shortly after arriving back at Salisbury. Editor's visit and a second arrived sub sequently escorting four Vampires). Having suffered from the maintenance woes attending a multiplicity of types, the S.R.A.F. has taken special steps to alleviate the position. The\D.H. Vampire Trainer^, for example, are equipped with exactly the\same Gob lin 3 s as are, the Vam pire fighterk Again, the Percival Pcsmbrokes have the same Leonides power units as have the Provosts—including Rotol airscrews. These aircraft are progres sively replacing Spitfire 22s, Harvards, Ansons, Rapides, and Tiger Moths. The Dakota will be kept and, according to the transport requirements still to be decided, another one or two may be needed. The first duty o| the S.R.A.F. is to train and hold in readiness two ground-attack squadrons, the senior or No. 1 squadron using the Vampire F.B.9s, the second working-up on the Vampire Trainer (T- Mk Us). In an emergency the squadrons would expect to operate with the R.A.F. after re-equipment and a rapid conversion to (probably) Venoms. The Spitfires, it is thought, will finally be retired in September. Members of the S.R.A.F. would like to regain the wartime Rhodesian Squadron numbers: 266 Sqn. is an R.A.F. Venom unit now in Germany and 237 has not been reformed. In addition to the operational squadrons there are training and transport squadrons. The latter is expected to handle com munications, casualty evacuation, photographic work and "fly ing doctor" services as well as providing V.I.P. and ordinary service transport. The training intake for S.R.A.F. pilots since the war has been fifteen every six months; this means that 60 should be under training at any time. In fact, wastage from all causes reduces this figure by about 17 per cent. For selection, pupil pilots must be European residents of Central Africa, have reached matricula tion standard, and must sign on for two years' regular and eight years' reserve service. Some S.R.A.F. pilots have transferred to the R.A.F. after expiry of tiieir short-service commissions. Apprentices are also taken in at the rate of twelve per year to make a total of 36 under training. They go by arrangement with the R.A.F. to Halton and Locking. The first entry to complete the three-year course is due back in December. At New Sarum, as lodger units, are also to be found an equipment depot and a third- and fourm-line maintenance unit. One of the features which contributes to the extremely pleasant atmosphere at S.R.A.F. Station New Sarum—one senses it immediately—is that the units are technically wholly self-sup porting, proud of their standards of workmanship, and one knows personally who will be doing each part of the work. The ratio of technical personnel to aircraft is 1.6 to 1.8. Some will recall a happy period in the R.A.F., a long time ago, when almost everyone knew everyone else. (That is not to say that the growth of the R.A.F. is to be regretted—on the contrary.) A side line for the S.R.A.F. is the training of A.O.P. pilots for the Army. Three Austers are used for this work; one of them, incidentally, is used by the D.C.A. for field inspection work. One hopes it will not be long before the D.C.A. gets his own larger aircraft for this work—a Beaver, perhaps, in view of the good record of this type in the region. The small A.O.P. training commitment might also with advantage to both sides be sub-let to a civil flying club. This brief review would be incomplete without a reference to the competent and attractive W.A.M.S.—the abbreviation used for the Women's Military and Air Service, of which there are nine members serving with the S.R.A.F. New squadron equipment arrives over Salisbury after being ferried out from England. The flight was led by F/L. Upton, R.A.F., in a Vampire T.11 which, in the top photograph, is seen peeling-off before landing. (Centre) After flying out from the U.K. on a Vampire delivery flight, Lt. M. Schuman talks with ground crew of the S.R.A.F. On the left, a Vampire Trainer on loan from the R.A.F. is examined by pupil pilots of the S.R.A.F. who expect soon to be flying similar aircraft.
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