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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0632.PDF
Boulton Paul Bailiol T.2s (R.A.F.). Vickers-Armstrongs Valetta C.I (R.A.F.). English Electric Canberra T.4s (R.A.F.). Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.I (R.A.F.). t Vickers-Armstrongs Varsity T.I (R.A.F.). (Below) Handley Page Hastings C.2s (R.A.F.). 632 '-;' v..r..-.I":.;;;"-_:;r\\.W \r..^: : FLIGHT, 13 May 1955 THE WORLD'S AIR FORCES . . . : of Naval Air Warfare (and Adviser on Aircraft Accidents), Capt.F. H. E. Hopkins; Director of Naval Air Organization and Train- ing, Capt. B. E. W. Logan; Director of Air Equipment andNaval Photography, Capt. A. C. G. Ermen; and the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair, Rear-Admiral J. D. N. Ham. In the sea commands, the Home Fleet (Admiral Sir Michael M.Denny) has no air responsibility at the moment. If the need arose for carriers to join the Home Fleet the responsibilitywould be delegated to Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers, Rear Admiral A. R. Pedder, who is now with the Mediterannean Fleet, theC-in-C. of which is Admiral Sir Guy Grantham. At present H.M.S. Centaur is the only British carrier in theMediterranean, but at various intervals, beginning shortly, she will be joined by Eagle, Albion and Ark Royal, the four shipsremaining together until the end of the year. Responsible to Flag Officer Second-in-Command Mediter-ranean Fleet, the Captain (Air) Mediterranean administers the Naval air station at Hal Far, Malta. This is the airfield fromwhich No 845 Anti-Submarine Squadron operates its Westland- Sikorsky WS-55 Whirlwind helicopters. It is also the home ofthe Fleet Requirements Unit—No. 728 Squadron—which has on charge Gloster Meteors, Short Sturgeons and D.H. Sea Hornets.Hal Far is extensively used by operational squadrons disembark- ing from carriers to perform various forms of training. TheRoyal Navy also has lodger rights at the nearby R.A.F. airfield at Ta' Kali, for use when required. The Far East Fleet (Vice-Admiral A. K. Scott-Moncrieff) atpresent has no carriers and the only operational Naval aircraft in the area are the S-55s of No. 848 Squadron, which operateunder R.A.F. operational command in the forward areas of Malaya. An air base is kept open at Sembawang, and here thereare workshops and storage of reserve aircraft. Under Flag Officer Air (Home), Rear Admiral Caspar John,whose appointment is quite independent of the Home Fleet, diere are three further senior appointments. These are Flag OfficerGround Training, Rear-Admiral R. L. Fisher, in charge of tech- nical training; Flag Officer Flying Training, Rear-Admiral G.Willoughby, whose responsibilities are flying training and the training side of the work done on the Trials and Training Carrier,H.M.S. Bulwark (the trials side is a direct responsibility of Flag Officer Air, Home); and Rear-Admiral Reserve Aircraft, Rear-Admiral L. E. Rebbeck, whose duties are those denoted in the title of his appointment. Under the administrative authority of Flag Officer GroundTraining there are six Naval air stations and the R.N. barracks at Lee-on-Solent. It should be explained that, although a stationmay be under the administrative authority of one Flag Officer, it may house units responsible to another Flag Officer or directto the Admiralty. The barracks, as well as being the head- quarters of F.O.G.T., accommodate a drafting office, transit depot,release centre, welfare section, M.T. pool, the Second Admiralty Interview Board, the Naval Interview Board, the Central AirMedical Board, a writers' course and a mass radiographic unit. At Lee-on-Solenr (H.M.S. Daedalus), one of the oldest andbest known R.N. Air Stations, is the Junior Officer's Air Course, at which all young officers are given air experience and deck land-ings in Sea Balliols of No. 781 Squadron. Lee also houses a torpedo section, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit, a group weadiercentre and the Fleetlands Flight Test Section. Arbroafh (H.M.S. Condor) is devoted almost entirely to tech-nical training. In addition to the Aircraft Artificers' Training Establishment, there are conversion courses for Commonwealthratings, aircraft mechanics training, petty officer airmen fitters A, E and O training and an aircraft inspection and survey party. Itis also the H.Q. of Rear-Admiral Reserve Aircraft. Bramcote (H.M.S. Gamecock) handles the Part 1 of new entry and Part 2airmanship training of all Naval airmen, together with Part 2 technical training of Naval air mechanics A and E. It also hasthe Home Air Command Instructional Technique School, and it is the home of Nos. 1833 and 1834 R.N.V.R. Squadrons, whichform the Midland Air Division. Gosport (H.M.S. Siskin) also has a variety of units: theSchool of Aircraft Handling; No. 705 Squadron, which is the helicopter fleet requirements unit and training unit combined;the R.N. Glider Unit; the Safety and Survival Training School; the R.N. Air Medical School; and the Flight Deck MachineryTrials and Training Unit. There are also an aircraft torpedo de- velopment unit of the M.o.S., and radio installation and main-tenance development units. Worthy Down (H.M.S. Ariel) is devoted to electrical and radartraining. The Naval Air Electrical School is there and provides air electrical and air radio training of officers and qualifying, ad-vancement and conversion courses for ratings. There are also two aircraft transport and salvage units, an equipment and trialssection, an operational research section range and an anti- submarine mortar range. St. Merryn (H.M.S. Curlew) is in process of closing down.
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