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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1446.PDF
598 FLIGHT, 5 October 1956 SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm News Air Marshal Sir Claude Pelly saying farewell to his staff officers before leaving Cyprus on September 24 to fly back to England in a Canberra. His place as A.O.C.-in-C. M.E.A.F. was taken on the same day by Air Marshal H. L. Patch. Royal VisitsT HE Duke of Gloucester is to visit theR.A.F. Regiment depot at Catterick on October 17. The Duchess of Gloucester,Commandant of the W.R.A.F., will see W.R.A.F. units in Germany betweenOctober 15 and 17. Luftwaffe Officers Return THREE German officers who have spentsome months receiving refresher flying training with the R.A.F., Lt-Col. Wehnelt,Maj. Krupinski and Maj. Barkhorn, have now returned to Germany. They will joinLuftwaffe squadrons which are due to be formed next year. Decorations for BraveryF OR acting with complete disregard forhis own safety during the rescue by helicopter of the crew of a yacht founder-ing off Hayling Island on June 5, A/C.2 R. E. Martin, a National Service airmanserving with No. 22 Sqn., Thorney Island, has been awarded the George Medal. In gale-force winds a Whirlwind hadgone out to rescue the yacht's crew of two —a man and a woman—but its strop hadfouled the rigging and the winch had been torn out of the helicopter. A/C.2 Martincame out in a second helicopter and, des- pite the dangerous conditions, was loweredto the deck of the yacht and supervised the rescue of the man, who was unconscious.He then stayed with the other crew mem- ber on the sinking yacht and, clinging tothe rigging, prevented her from being washed overboard until the helicopterreturned to rescue both of them. F/L. W. H. J. Parker, R.A.F. Regiment,has been appointed M.B.E. (Military Divi- sion) for removing an Eoka terrorist bombfrom the entrance of a hangar at R.A.F. Akrotiri, Cyprus, knowing that it was liableto explode at any moment. In fact, it went off less than five minutes after he haddragged it away. F/L. Parker placed a string slip-knot round the bomb, whichconsisted of dynamite wrapped round a detonator and time-pencil, and dragged itaway from the hangar door. It was one of four bombs laid that night, and two ofthem had already exploded when this one was found. S.A.A.F. Shackleton 3s PERSONNEL of the South African Air•*- Force are now undergoing a training course in South Africa preparatory to com-ing to England to take over the eight Shackleton M.R. 3s which South Africahas ordered from A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd. Early next year the aircrews and technicalpersonnel will come to England to familiar- ize themselves with the aircraft at themakers' airfield at Woodford before going to Kinloss for a period of operational train-ing culminating in tactical maritime exer- cises in the North Sea area. In August nextyear the Shackletons and crews will return to South Africa, where they will be basedat D.F. Malan Airfield near Cape Town. The S.A.A.F. specified many of the newfeatures which differentiate the M.R. 3 from the M.R. 2, especially those whichmake it suitable for operation in South African conditions. The M.R. 3 is thelargest and heaviest aircraft the S.A.A.F. has yet owned and its equipment isreported to be very advanced. In S.A.A.F. service it will have three main operationalcommitments, maritime patrol, bombing and transport. (R.A.F. Shackletons have,of course, already been used for trooping but not as bombers.) Other S.A.A.F. equipment includesSabre 5s and 6s bought from Canada and S-55 helicopters, one of which completedtrials at Ysterplaat air station last August. Night Helicopter Rescue POURING rescue operations from H.M.S.•*-' Albion in the Gibraltar area, a Whirl- wind made what is thought to be the firstnight flight from an aircraft carrier by a Fleet Air Arm helicopter. An officer of theRoyal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Echodale was in serious need of medical assistance, andAlbion sailed from Gibraltar and made 22 kt towards Echodale's position some 300miles away. A Skyraider was launched to locate Echodale and led the Whirlwind, piloted by Lt-Cdr. B. H. Harris and carry-ing a doctor, to Echodale's position. This was at 5.20 p.m. The patient was foundto be suffering from acute laryngitis and the doctor requested special instruments incase an operation was required. It was then that the Whirlwind made the night flight. R.A.F. Sports HandbookT HE winter edition of the R.A.F. Ath-letic Games Handbook for 1956/7 has now been published and is obtainable fromthe R.A.F. Sports Board, Air Ministry, Theobalds Road, London W.C.I. Freedom of Weston-super-Mare NEXT Friday the freedom of the boroughof Weston-super-Mare is to be con- ferred on R.A.F. Locking and to celebratethe occasion 550 airmen and aircraft apprentices will march through the townwith colours flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed. The illuminated scrollrecording the granting of the freedom will be presented by the Mayor, CouncillorH. J. Holcombe, J.P., to G/C. D. N. K. Blair-Oliphant, the Station Commander.The Mayor will then take the salute at a march-past. Air Chief Marshal Sir Donald Hard-man, Air Member for Supply and Organ- ization, will represent the Air Council andAir Marshal Sir George Beamish, A.O.C- in-C. Technical Training Command, willalso be present. R.A.F. Locking is the home of No. 1 Radio School which, as No.1 (Training) Wireless School, was formed at South Farnborough, Hants, in 1915. Reunions THE reunion of Nos. 50 and 61 Squad-rons will be held at the Cock Inn, Fleet Street, London, E.C.4, on October27 at 6 p.m. Tickets, price 10s, from Jack Lascelles, 15 Crantock Road, Catford,London, S.E.26. The 39th annual reunion of No. 92 (EastIndia) Sqn. will be held at the Eccleston Hotel, Victoria, London S.W.I, on October19. The guest of honour will be Air Chief Marshal Sir James M. Robb and the re-union president will be W/C. R. R. Stan- ford-Tuck. Many other well-known pilotswho served with the squadron at Biggin Hill and in the Western Desert will alsoattend. Details from the Adjutant, No. 92 Sqn., R.A.F. Linton-on-Ouse, Yorks. A CF-100 all weather fighter receives a NATO camouflage colour scheme in readi- ness for its flight over the Atlantic to join an R.C.A.F. squadron in France. Aircraft so painted are being returned to squadrons in Canada until the ferry flights begin.
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