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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0030.PDF
30 FLIGHT, 4 January 1957 Canberra B.6s of R.A.F. Bomber Command lined up at R.N.A.S. Hal Far, Malta, during the Port Said operations. Port Said CommemoratedT HE flag flown in H.M.S. Eagle whenFleet Air Arm aircraft supported the landing 'at Port Said on November 5 ofthe 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group has been presented by Vice-Admiral M. L. Power to Brigadier M. A. H. Butler, the Brigade Commander.The carrier squadron included Eagle, Bulwark and Albion. In a covering letter Admiral Powersays "I would be pleased if you would accept this flag as a token of my personaladmiration for the great gallantry and superb fighting ability displayed by yourofficers and men in this historic operation." In his reply, Brigadier Butler said "Ihope to have die priviledge of visiting you shortly to convey my thanks for the magni-ficent support you gave us, which enabled us to achieve our objectives so quickly, andwith so few casualties. Without it we could not have undertaken the operationat all, and in the event it surpassed all our expectations." The flag will be displayed in theAirborne Forces' Museum at Aldershot. Last Spitfires Grounded THE last four Spitfires flying regularlyunder Air Ministry contract are being grounded, leaving only Spitfire Mk 16,SL542, to be maintained in flying con- dition by the R.A.F. for its annual appear-ance in the Battle of Britain fly-past. A Mk 16 flying from Hornchurch withNo. 1 Civil Anti-aircraft Co-operation Unit was withdrawn on December 3 and threeP.R. Mk 19s which have been flown on high-altitude weather reconnaissances fromWoodvale by Short Brothers and Harland, Ltd., are similarly being withdrawn. TheMk 19s will be replaced early this year by modified Mosquito T.T.35s, one of whichhas already made trial flights. The three Mk 19s being withdrawn are PM631,PS853 and PS915. A.V-M. Braithwaite regret to record the death, in aflying accident on December 21, of A.V-M. F. J. St. G. Braithwaite, C.B.E.,Chief of Staff, F.E.A.F. He was flying a Meteor from R.A.F. Changi when theweather deteriorated and he came down on the island of Palau Batam, south ofSingapore. The Indonesian authorities, to whom the island belongs, gave per-mission for an R.A.F. Whirlwind to land near the scene of the accident. A.V-M. Braithwaite joined the R.A.F.with a permanent commission from Cam- bridge University Air Squadron in 1929and had a distinguished record of service with Coastal Command strike units duringWorld War 2. SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Ann News Cannon's RecoilT HE one-ton ornamental cannon whichmen from R.A.F. Oldenburg, Ger- many, seized from the Dutch base atEindhoven several weeks ago has now been returned to its owners. The cannonhad originally been taken to Oldenburg, but was captured a second time by menfrom Ahlhorn, who took it back to their station, set it in concrete and surroundedit with electric alarm systems. These "moorings" did not, however, deter Anglo-Dutch avenging forces from Sundern, who recaptured the cannon and returned itto Eindhoven. R.C.A.F. FarewellT HE last 88 Mustangs and 29 Vampiresin the R.C.A.F. are to be demobilized. Except for one example of each type, to bestored at Lethbridge, Alberta, they will be handed over to the Crown AssetsDisposal Corporation. Most of the Mus- tangs and all the Vampires were on the strength of the Canadian Auxiliaries. The Vampires were replaced as R.C.A.F. front- line fighters in 1951 when Canadair Sabres became available. Mustangs have been flown by the Auxiliaries since the end of World War 2. Research RewardedI T is announced that the Research Boardfor the Correlation of Medical Science and Physical Education has given the1956 William Hyde Award of £30p to S/L. C. B. Wynn Parry in recognitionof his outstanding contribution to the study of physical medicine in the R.A.F. Cyprus FlamingoesE ACH year, between December andApril, flamingoes from the Danubian basin come to two salt-water lakes onCyprus. One of the lakes is on the edge of Akrotiri airfield and it was feared thatflying there would drive the flamingoes away. But this year, despite intensiveactivity during the Port Said operation, the birds returned and now seem quitehappy to share the sky with jet aircraft and helicopters. Squadron History ' I "HE history of No. 72 Sqn. is being•*- brought up to date, and F/O. D. Donaldson-Davidson would like informa-tion and photographs from past members. He states that any material forwarded tohim at No. 72 Sqn., R.A.F. Church Fenton, Tadcaster, Yorks, will be treated carefullyand returned if requested. Sea Hawks being rearmed on the deck of H.M.S. "Eagle." These aircraft each have two under-wing fuel tanks and eight Mkl2 rocket launcher rails. The Naval mechanic (centre) is carrying belt-feed mechanisms and belts far the 20 mm cannon.
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