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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 2139.PDF
134 FLIGHT, 30 July 1954 "DIVIDEND" The Second Phase AT the close of the second phase of "Dividend," Air Marshal Sir Dermot Boyle, A.O.C-in-C. Fighter Command, discussed at a conference his first reactions to the results of this year's air exercise. He stressed chiefly the effect of the bad weather, by which the exercise had been hampered. This was in some ways, he said, extremely valuable in that staffs had had to learn how to switch defences quickly and effectively, and it served also to demons trate that, however bad the weather, our air defences could make themselves effective. A final observation on the effect of the weather was that the whole exercise was focussed on the first three days of a war, and we could not expect an enemy to pick fine weather. Referring to the 6,000 sorties rflade against the United King dom during "Dividend," Sir Derrnot said that nothing got away scot-free, adding that the only limitation placed on any bomber was that it should fly at the height and speed at which it would have flown had it been loaded with bombs and fuel. Interceptions, he said took place at 40,000 to 50,000ft a hundred miles out to sea. The four Hunters operating from Central Fighter Estab lishment, he said, had been very successful. In answer to a further question he remarked that the performance of the Hunter now enabled the fighter once again to take its proper place in relation to the performance of the bomber. No Swifts were used; they were still being modified and only two were available. The Air Marshal congratulated the Air Exercises Committee, under the chairmanship of A. Cdre. J. Grandy, D.S.O., for their originality and realism in the problems they had set the defence to solve. He also paid a tribute to the G.P.O. staffs, who hAd had to put in the vast number of extra circuits reqiiired, and apologized to those members of the R.O.C. who had spent many hours at their posts without having anything to report. The new and improved radar techniques and proce dures, Sir Dermot said, were very successful and the use of the Continental early-warning system effective. As a final assessment he said he thought we were "rather ahead of threats as they exist at present." PHASE 2 : THE OVER-ALL PICTURE W ITHIN thirty minutes of the opening of Phase 2 at 1400 hr on July 22nd, four major raids were re ported over the North Sea at heights between 30,000 and 40,000ft. Vigorous fighter reaction resulted in inter ceptions of strong formations, <Sf Canberras. Strong thrusts were also made by aircfaft from NATO sources —Sabres, Thunderjets, Shpo'ting Stars and Stratojets. Sea Hawks of the Fleet Air Arm attacked airfields. During the night major raids were made by Can berras and Tornadoes against the east and north-east while intruder activity against airfields was made by Invaders. Active in " Dividend " was a token force of four Hawker Hunters. In this first-published air-to-air view of one such aircraft the revised air brakes are visible close beneath the fuselage roundels. Note also the camouflage scheme. In the early hours of Friday activity was intense. Mass raids took place at the same time as low-level attacks and high-level photographic reconnaissance flights. At -one time nearly 100 fighters were vectored on to strong forces of Venoms and Sabres at 40,000ft. A strong mixed force at heights varying from 12,000 to 40,000ft crossed the North-East Coast. Canberra crews in this attack reported almost 100 per ceHt interception. In the northern section deterioration in conditions resulted in all-weather fighters having to take the place of the day fighters. Bad weather over the Uriited Kingdom severely restricted bomber activity during the Friday night, but with dawn on Saturday the Fleet Air Aim Sea Hawks were making nuisance raids. A large force $1 A.A.F.C.E. Sabres, including Mk 5 types, crossed the Channel, simulating high-flying jet bombers with London as thejf target. A second wave came up from the south. For these tyfo raids 170 fighters were scrambled. The whole of £feturday was a period of extreme intensity. A strong concentraftion of F-84s was detected over the Dutch islands and intercepted by fighters from eastern and south eastern England. At the same time Canberras tried to penetrate the defences between the Forth and the Tees. From mid-day onwards all sectors of the defence were visited by high-, medium- and low-level mass raids. Five high-level raids were S'&twrfk& w£7i6 A W.MALUNrS, TtZ&USY ACC ADAPTOR "Flight" drawings by Gordon Horner
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