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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 0823.PDF
22 June 1956 825 As reported in "Flight" last week, Vickers-Supermarine F.R.5 fighter/reconnaissance aircraft are now established in service with 2nd T.A.F. SERVICE AVIATION Manby's Double Occasion ' I "HE annual reunion dinner of the R.A.F.•*• Flying College was held this year on June 14, and was unusual in being precededby a naming ceremony to introduce into service the latest Aries. On the tarmacwere drawn up the retiring Canberra B.2 Aries IV and the new Aries V, a P.R.7numbered WT 528—the self-same machine in which Captain Hackett and Mr. Money-•penny established their records between London and New York. Before the christening, the Commandantof the College, A. Cdre. G. A. Walker, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., A.D.C.,gave a brief history of the previous Aries. Aries I was a Lancastrian which in 1944established a new London-Cape Town record during a 40-day round-the-worldflight, and the following year flew over the North Geographical and Magnetic Poles.Aries II was a Lincolnian, which covered more than 70,000 miles in the course of itsduties: and Aries HI was a Lincoln 2, the first aircraft to be operated from the newlyestablished Flying College, in 1950, and the holder of the London-Khartoumrecord. Aries IV, Canberra WH 699, was the first jet of the series, and made manyflights into the Arctic and Polar regions, as well as establishing new records betweenLondon and Cape Town, and between Ottawa and London. Last Friday, after these events had beenrecalled by the Commandant, the new air- craft was dedicated by the unit Chaplain,the Rev. J. A. Hanson, and was then named with the traditional bottle of champagne byLady Boyle, wife of the Chief of the Air Staff. In the evening, the annual reunion din-ner was held, coinciding in time with the passing out of No. 7 Course (the secondof the six-month courses), and of No. 14 Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm News "Spec N" Course. The C.A.S. was un-avoidably absent due to two consecutive Cabinet Meetings to which he was calledat the last moment; but other distinguished visitors included the Air Member for Per-sonnel, Air Chief Marshal Sir Francis Fogarty; Vice-Admiral Caspar John; AirMarshal Sir Thomas Pike; Air Marshals T. N. McEvoy and R. L. R. Atcherley;and A.V-M. A. McKee, the first Com- mandant of the College. RepresentingEnglish Electric, Ltd., was Lord Caldecote, D.S.C., and from Rolls-Royce, Mr. J. D.Pearson. Capt. Hackett and Mr. Money- penny were unavoidably absent, for theywere delivering a Canberra to Peru: but a telegram from them was read. In his address, Air Commodore Walkeroutlined the activities of the College during the preceding year, and expressed appre-ciation to the members of the Air Council present, for their support when the futureof Manby was at stake some 15 months pre- viously. He was able to say that the shortercourses (six months instead of a year) had proved successful, and the standards ob-tained had been as high as ever, notably in flying, where hours-per-pupil were stillthe same as before. This was because a jet green instrument rating was not manda-tory before reaching Manby, and hence only short conversion courses were neededat the College. The higher flying hour density had proved a definite advantage inthe new shortened courses, and—although the overseas flights were not "out"—special flights still went on regularly, and the pool of knowledge already obtainedwas proving of great and increasing benefit Personnel engaged in Exercise Hour Glass (see news item on the right): W/C. D. Lindsay, O.B.E., D.F.C. (centre), with (left to right) F/O. P. J. Sunnucks, F/L. D. Hanmore, F/L. D. Helsby, F/L J. M. llsley, F/L. G. Finding, and F/L. G. H. Burden. to both the military and civil aviationauthorities. A. Cdre. Walker also stressed the happy relations prevailing between theService and industry. In his reply on behalf of the guests, AirChief Marshal Fogarty congratulated the Commandant on his recent award of theA.F.C.—an unusual award at Air Officer level—and stressed the importance he him-self attached to course officers for Manby being suitably posted once the College was(and must be) a main graduation stage to senior positions in the R.A.F. The officialproceedings then closed with two further, mainly humorous, speeches from the ChiefInstructor, G/C. Enabling, and from G/C. J. H. Giles, on behalf of No. 7 Course. Armamentl'at Fassberg A4EMBERS of the Armed Services of-*•"-•• ten nations watched a notable arma- ment demonstration on the ranges at Fass-berg on June 12. They saw in action Venom F.B.4s of No. 266 Squadron, Fass-berg, Vickers-Supermarine F.R.Ss of No. 2 Squadron, Geilenkirchen, Republic F-84Gsand F-84Fs of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (from Eindhoven and Volkel), andHawker Hunters from Oldenburg and Jever. No. 26 Squadron Hunter aerobaticteam from Oldenburg gave a display, and F/L. Goodwin performed solo in a Hunterof No. 118 Squadron, Jever. Observers witnessed the devastating effect on groundtargets of four 30 mm Aden guns. Exercise Hour Glass C!IX Lockheed Neptune maritime-recon-^ naissance aircraft of No. 36 Squadron (W/C. D. S. Lindsay, O.B.E., D.F.C.),R.A.F. Coastal Command, based at R.A.F. Topcliffe, Yorkshire, are taking part in HourGlass, a large-scale anti-submarine exercise in the Western Atlantic from June 12-27.They are operating with the British and Netherlands Royal Navies, the R.C.A.N.and the United States Navy, on anti-sub- marine work and convoy escort duties.Later the detachment will fly from Kindley Field, Bermuda, 1,000 miles to the R.C.A.F.station at Greenwood, Nova Scotia. There, airmen from both sides of the Atlantic willmeet and discuss general tactics operative in their different theatres. Their returnflight—as on the outward journey—will be made in two hops, with an overnight stayin the Azores. The Neptunes are due back in England on July 6. A Hastings of R.A.F. Transport Com-mand is carrying ground technicians.
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