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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1572.PDF
FLIGHT, 28 October 1955 687 THE AERONAUTICAL BOOKSHELF "The Greatest Airlift—the Story of Combat Cargo," by CaptainA. G. Thompson, U.S.A.F. Obtainable from H.Q. 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo), A.P.O. 704, San Francisco, California,U.S.A. Illustrated. Price $3, plus $1.02 postage and insurance. COMPARED with our own R.A.F. Transport Command,^ America's military air transport and communications organization seems a confused and incompatible jig-saw, withM.A.T.S., the Fleet Logistics Air Wing, U.S.A.F., Army and Marine air units all indulging in a general free-for-all. In fact,although there is some overlapping and inter-Service rivalry, each Service has its own particular duty to perform. M.A.T.S., forexample, is responsible for carrying military personnel, equip- ment and supplies to overseas bases. From there it is the job ofunits like Combat Cargo Command to deliver the troops and material to combat areas, either by landing at advanced bases orby airdrop. This book tells in great detail of the achievements of theU.S.A.F.'s 315th Air Division (Combat Cargo) during the Korean War, and is illustrated with hundreds of first-class photographs.A copy should be given to all those responsible for planning our British defence forces; because it leaves no doubt of the value, andeven the vital necessity of adequate air transport services in modern warfare. The story starts in a small way; because, when the NorthKoreans crossed the 38th Parallel in June 1950, the 374th Troop Carrier Wing at Tachikawa, Japan, was the only U.S. air trans-port unit in the Far East. For three months, its C-54s carried on the airlift alone, delivering bombs, ammunition, petrol, rations,medical supplies, weapons and every other kind of high priority cargo to front-line units in Korea. In August 1950, Lt. Gen. William H. Tunner, commander ofthe Berlin Air Lift, was sent to Japan to organize a major airlift to Korea. Three squadrons of C-119 Flying Boxcars of the 314thTroop Carrier Group arrived at Tachikawa and, with the 374th T.C.W. and the C-46s of the 1st Provisional Group, formed thenucleus of Combat Cargo Command. Jeeps, trucks and steam- rollers were now added to the freight list, with hundreds ofwounded making up return loads in the C-46s. As the scale of the fighting grew, so did Combat Cargo Com-mand, and so did the variety of jobs it was called on to undertake. As early as October 20, 1950, its C-119s and C-47s were able todrop 3,000 paratroops and 300 tons of weapons, carriers, jeeps, field artillery, anti-tank guns and heavy pallets of supplies to harrythe enemy north of Pyongyang—an operation that was watched personally by General MacArthur from his aircraft, the Bataan.Later operations involved dropping another 77,000 troops and more than 18,000 tons of supplies, including the steel bridge whichallowed the trapped 1st Marine Division to escape from the Chosen reservoir area to Hamhung in November 1950. Such work involved great hazard, especially after the Chineseentered the war, and there is plenty of excitement and drama in The Greatest Airlift, as well as sufficient facts and figures tosatisfy the most avid statistician and historian. "Technical Publications," by C. Baker, A.R.Ae.S. Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 37 Essex Street, London, W.C.2. Illustrated. Price 36s. "VX^ORDS and diagrams should never be an encumbrance: " they should be tools as adaptable and vital to the technicianas a centre lathe is in the hands of a skilled turner. If words are tiresome and diagrams unconvincing, they have been ill chosen,they are unsuitable tools for the job and should be replaced by a better set. The bricklayer cannot lay his bricks with the aidof a shovel, it is unsuitable for the job. It would put down too much mortar, just as the voluble mind puts down too many wordsand spoils the building of its edifice by a mass of verbosity. "Documents cannot be dispensed with, their numbers may noteven be reduced, but the quality of many of them can be sub- stantially improved: more expressive words can be chosen anddiagrams inserted which have been properly designed and not allowed to evolve themselves in a slovenly and haphazard manner.The pen, it is said, is mightier than the sword. Let the pen that writes and illustrates excel the tempered blade of the finest productit describes." These words, taken from Mr. Baker's introduction, are them-selves die strongest justification of the writing of the book. How true they are! And how true, it is too, that many a man wellqualified by his technical achievements to impart knowledge to others is handicapped by an inability to express his ideas clearlyon paper. The ability to write technical, literature in impeccable Englishis a gift possessed by very few; but there are rules and con- ventions which, if learned and remembered, will enable a writer at least to express himself concisely and precisely, in such a waythat the reader is left in no doubt as to his meaning. This altogether admirable textbook explains these guidingprinciples, offering "before" and "after" examples that drive each point forcibly home. It also offers a great deal more—in fact, itcovers the whole field of the preparation of technical literature, die techniques of illustration by drawings and photographs beingas thoroughly explained as are the verbal processes. Though concerned with engineering in general, TechnicalPublications has a distinct bias towards the aeronautical industry (there are clues as to where, presumably, its author practises whathe preaches). We strongly commend Mr. Baker's book to all in the industry whose primary job it is to convey ideas to others inwords and pictures. The beginner will find it a patient and friendly teacher; the expert will discover it to be a useful memory-joggeron details both likely and unlikely. "Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen" (third edition), by MaryBlewitt, Iliffe and Sons, Ltd., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.1. Illustrated. Price 6s. A REVISED edition of a helpful guide, this book is intended•** particularly for the beginner in navigation. The system used for working out a sight is based on R.A.F. practice and requiresthe use of two Air Ministry publications, the Air Almanac and A.P. 3270 (Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation). The bookcontains many practical worked examples, is of a handy size (7Jin by 4fin) and has a waterproof binding. "Miniature and Precision Cameras," by J. Lipinski, B.Sc, D.I.C.Published for "Amateur Photographer" by Iliffe and Sons, Ltd., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.1. Illustrated.Price 30s. T"HIS new book for amateur photographers has been written for*• the many advanced-photography enthusiasts who seek to widen their scope by a better understanding of their instruments. Wellillustrated with good-quality diagrams and photographs, this book provides a detailed study of the modern precision camera with achapter devoted to representative well-known types. OTHER BOOKS RECEIVED The Third Service, by Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip Joubert.Thanhs and Hudson, Ltd., 244 High Holborn, London, W.C.I. Price 21s. The Mindworm, by C. M. Kornbluth. Michael JoEeph, Ltd.,26 Bluomsbury Street, London, W.C.I. Price 12s 6d. Against the Sun, by Edward Lanchbery. Cassell and Co., Ltd., 37-38 St. Andrew's Hill, London, E.C.4. Price 16s. The Direction of War, by A.V-M. E. J. Kingston-McCloughry, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., R.A.F. Jonathan Cape, 30 Bedford Square, London, W.C.I. Price 16s. Aircraft Engines of the World, by Paul H. Wilkinson. Sir IsaacPitman and Sons, Ltd., 39 Parker Street, London, W.C.2. Price 50s. Studies for Student Pilots, by Michael Royce. Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., 39 Parker Street, London, W.C.2. Price 25s. Aerodynamics, by N. A. V. Piercy, M.I.C.E., M.I.Mech.E.,F.R.Ae.S. 1955 reprint of the 1947 edition. English Universities Press, Warwick Square, London, E.C.4. Price 30s. Playground in the Sky, by "Bill" Gotch. Hutchinson and Co.,Hutchinson House, Stratford Place, London, W.I. Price 12s 6d. The Soaring Pilot, by Ann and Lome Welch and F. G. Irving. John Murray, 50 Albemarle Street, London, W.I. Price 15s. The Law of Sea and Air Traffic, by Derek H. Hene, M.A. (Cantab.). Shaw and Sons, Ltd., 7-9 Fetter Lane, London, E.C.4. Price 50s. Jump For It!, by Gerald Bowman. Evans Brothers, Ltd.,Montague House, Russell Square, London, W.C.I. Price 12s 6d. An Introduction to Electronic Analogue Computers, by C. A. A. Wass, B.Sc., A.M.I.E.E., A.Inst.P. Pergamon Press, Ltd.. 4-5 Fitzroy Square, London, S.W.I. Price 40s. Morale in War and Work, by T. T. Paterson. Max Parrish and Co., Ltd., 55, Queen Anne Street, London, W.I. Price 18s. Second Thoughts on Radio Theory, by "Cathode Ray" of Wire- less World. Iliffe and Sons, Ltd., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.I. Price 25s. Diesel Maintenance, by T. H. Parkinson, M.I.Mech.E., editedby Donald H. Smith. Fourdi edition. Iliffe and Sons, Ltd., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.I. Price 12s. 6d.
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