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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0295.PDF
FLIGHT, 11 March 1955 295 SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm News Award to Fighter PilotT HE award of the A.F.C. to F/L. J. DeM. Severne, in recognition of a particu- larly fine example of airmanship and per-sonal courage, has been approved by H.M. the Queen. F/L. Severne took off from Wunstorf,Germany, in a Venom last November, and was due to land at Fassberg after a routineflight. While holding the aircraft inverted at the top of a loop he smelt fumes andsaw that the fire warning light was on. He righted the aircraft, jettisoned the tip-tanks and, from ten miles out and 8,000ft, decided to make a wheels-up forced land-ing and to preserve the aircraft so that investigations could be made. (In a similarincident, shortly before, the aircraft had been completely destroyed, leaving no evi-dence as to the cause of the fire.) A belly landing on the crash strip atFassberg was completely successful, and F/L. Severne then got out of his machine,hacked the engine cowlings off with an axe and directed a CO2 extinguisher onto thesmouldering fire he found there. He also prevented the crash-crew from blanketingthe aircraft in foam, thus making it possible to investigate the cause of the fire. F/L.Severne joined No. 98 Sqn., 2nd T.A.F., last July. No. 603 Squadron Standard AFTER completing 25 years' service, No.•603 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn., R.Aux.A.F., is to receive its Standard fromthe Queen at Holyrood House, Edinburgh, on June 30th. Her Majesty is the squad-ron's Honorary Air Commodore. R.N.V.R. Air Division Re-equip TOURING his House of Commons speech•*•'' on the Navy Estimates, the First Lord of the Admiralty announced that the fightersquadrons of the R.N.V.R. were to be re- duced in aircraft strength by about one- fifth, but equipped throughout with jetaircraft. All the air divisions will, in the course of the next few years, be re-equippedwith Gannets, Sea Hawks and Seamews. The proportion of anti-submarine tofighter aircraft is to be increased. All piston-engined fighters in theNorthern and Midland Divisions, and half of those in the Southern Division, will bereplaced by Attackers this year, and the introduction of Sea Hawks will beginnext year. Reduction of fighter strength will involve the disbandment of onesquadron in the Southern Division, and certain numerical adjustments in othersquadrons. The reason given is economy. No. 32 Squadron HTHE history of No. 32 Squadron is in *• preparation, and the commanding officer, S/L. A. H. W. Gilchrist, appeals to all ex-members, or personnel who have in any way been connected with the unit, to let him have any relevant matter for inclusion. He gives an assurance that all negatives, photographs or documents sent will be treated with the utmost care and returned promptly where requested. The address is No. 32 Squadron, R.A.F. Shaibah, M.E.A.F. 20. R.A.F. Aircraft Recognition Trophy THE finals of the third annual R.A.F.••• aircraft recognition trophy competi- tion, the largest of its kind in the world,were held last Saturday in the lecture theatre of the Science Museum, London.The trophy, a model of the Victor, and a silver cup were presented by A.V-M.the Earl of Bandon, A.C.A.S. Training. Some fifty teams from the R.A.F. and theR.O.C., as well as some from the U.S. Army's 32nd A.A. Brigade and the RoyalNetherlands Air Force took part. The competition is organized by the R.A.F.Central School of Aircraft Recognition. No. 257 Squadron, leading, and No. 43 Squadron—the "Fighting Cocks"—in forma- tion during a recent Hunter demonstration. Both units have chequered squadron markings, No. 257 green and yellow and No. 43 black and white. "Flight" photograph Royal Escort TTHE Stratocruiser Canopus, bringing-*• Princess Margaret back across the Atlantic last week from her tour of theCaribbean, was escorted throughout the flight by aircraft of the R.C.A.F. andR.A.F. Shackletons took over from Canadian maritime aircraft at 30 deg W,one machine flying ahead of, and another behind Canopus. South African Shackletons IT is officially announced that No. 35Reconnaissance Squadron, S.A.A.F., is to be the first unit to receive theShackleton Mk 3. This variant, which has a tricycle undercarriage, will carryequipment similar to that at present in R.A.F. Shackletons Mks. 1 and 2 and willbecome available next year. No. 35 Sqn., at present operating Sunderlands,is based at Durban. A.T.C. Easter and Summer Camps AT Easter the R.A.F. will act as host**• to nearly 3,600 cadets from 120 A.T.C. and C.C.F. school squadrons.Each boy will stay for one week on an R.A.F. station doing practical groundtraining and will be given air experience. Arrangements are also being made fora further 30,000 cadets to be given similar training during the summer. The snowshoes and other paraphernalia carried by these Canadian paratroops appear to belie the name of their regiment, Princess Pat's "Light" Infantry.
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