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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0468.PDF
470 FLIGHT, 12 April 1957 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" is not necessarily in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns;the names and addresses of the writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Commemorating a Birthday From the Rt. Hon. Viscount Thurso, K.T., C.M.G., LL.D., J.P.VifONDAY, April 1, was the Birthday of the Royal Air Force. •"-*• The Service, now predominant in our national defence, wasconstituted on April 1, 1918. As Air Minister during World War 2, I can affirm that theestablishment of the R.A.F. 39 years ago today was an act which in fullness of time was to save this country from destruction. May I, therefore, appeal to your readers to give a birthdaypresent in gratitude for our deliverance in 1940 and the years that followed? As honorary treasurer of the Royal Air ForceBenevolent Fund, which exists for relief of distress among past and present members of the R.A.F., W.R.A.F., their families anddependants, I would ask all to give whatever they can afford to enable this Fund (which has spent nearly £7 million since the endof the war) to continue its helpful and constructive work. By this birthday gift, we shall not only express our gratitude tothe R.A.F. but, in the words of the Bishop of Lincoln, preaching in Westminster Abbey, we shall be giving thanks "for the valourand spirit of great souls who would never yield to evil things." The birthday of the R.A.F. will be celebrated by the secondAnniversary Concert, to be given in London on April 13. Those who cannot be in London to join in this homage may care toexpress their gratitude by a donation to the Fund. London, W.I. THURSO. The Army's Light Aircraft 1 I 'HE recent announcement that the Army is to be allowed to •*• exercise complete control and ownership of A.O.P. liaison andsimilar "field" aircraft will no doubt be welcomed by tactical- force commanders. However, the decision to restrict those air-craft types to 4,000 lb a.u.w. is unrealistic, because it will exclude many of the types referred to in your leading article, "ServiceAirlift," of March 29. The a.u.w. limitation idea savours of the feud between theU.S.A.F. and the U.S. Army. Admittedly, there has to be some limitation to prevent thewasteful duplication of military effort and the growth of "private" air forces. Therefore, why not base the limitation on complexity?If that is done the Army would not be prevented from adopting a 100,000-lb machine provided it could be flown by one manafter 50 hours' dual and did not need extensive navigation aids or interfere with R.A.F. operations. It should be noted that the R.A.F. is not subject to a shiplimitation—some R.A.F. vessels are of 1,000 tons' displacement —or the Royal Navy to an aircraft a.u.w. limitation which wouldprohibit the use of aircraft of 70,000 lb a.u.w. such as the Skywarrior. London, N.W.2. L. F. E. COOMBS. "Refugee Airliners" Y'OUR correspondent Hans Kofoed of Denmark asks news of•*• the late Captain Harald Hansen, former chief pilot of D.D.L., when in command of OY-DAM in England after the Germaninvasion of Northern Europe. When Captain Hansen, with his crew, found himself by hazardof war in this country with his Condor aircraft, I was administra- tion director of B.O.A.C, and, as such, was charged with makingprovision for their employment by the Corporation. I was, more- over, instructed that Captain Hansen should receive terms inB.O.A.C. appropriate to his seniority in D.D.L. He later transferred to the Air Transport Auxiliary, in whoseservice he lost his life tragically, dying from injuries two days after his aircraft had been in collision, at an aerodrome inOxfordshire, with another making an emergency landing. His funeral service took place on July 29, 1941, in the BristolCrematorium at Amos Vale. The service was conducted by a Danish Minister, whose attendance was secured by kindness ofthe Danish Consul in Bristol. Captain Hansen's ashes were pre- served for return to Denmark as soon as this became feasible. London, W.I. A. J. QUIN-HARKIN. TWO letters in your issue of March 15 refer to the Focke-Wulf Condor DX.177 and its last pilot, Captain Hansen. In my book Brief Glory, the story of A.T.A., the following para-graphs appear: — "One August Saturday afternoon in 1941 a strange four-enginedmachine appeared over White Waltham escorted by a number of fighter planes. It circled, touched down, and came to a standstill, while theescort, their mission finished, disappeared from sight. "The whole station crowded round to examine the airliner, a GermanFocke-Wulf-Condor, brought in by its peace-time pilot, the Danish Captain Harald Hansen. At the outbreak of war, while on his regular run, he had been in Holland and had escaped with his machine to thiscountry, handing it over to British Airways at Croydon. No use had been made of the aircraft until it was decided to offer it to A.T.A. forthe training of ferry pilots on four-engined types. "Owing to the difficulty of maintenance it was never used by theTraining School, but Captain Hansen remained on the spot. After about three weeks he got permission from Fighter Command to test-fly the machine. As it was an enemy type, to avoid any risk of it being attacked the flight was restricted to one hour, within a radius of fivemiles of the aerodrome. "At four o'clock the weather was fine, but there was a heavy thunder-storm coming up. The pilot decided, however, that it would not cross the flight area and took off."Having satisfied himself that all was well with the aircraft he headed for White Waltham, but ran into the now severe thunderstorm. Thetime limit for his flight was almost up, and Captain Hansen descended to 300ft and, after circling once, made a normal landing. He applied hisbrakes, but found that they were not responding. Either owing to the wet grass or to a mechanical failure of the brakes the German airlinerskidded towards the boundary hedge. It still might have been brought to a standstill without much damage, but the pilot had the bad luckto strike a grass-cutting machine and some defence trenches, and the Condor was so badly damaged as to make repair uneconomical. "Hansen was heartbroken at the catastrophe. For a week or twohe had to remain at White Waltham while the various inquiries were made. He was then taken on to the strength of A.T.A. and postedto their Whitchurch pool as a ferry pilot. "Less than three weeks afterwards Captain Hansen was killed in aflying accident while delivering an aircraft for A.T.A." Ruislip, Middlesex. E. C. CHEESMAN, Editor, B.E.A. Magazine. No. 1341 Flight AS an ex-member of No. 1341 Special Duty Flight, it surprised• me to read in "Below Squadron Status," Pt. 2 (March 1) that Singapore was its final destination. I was aircrew, and with itfrom the time of formation (at Abingdon), and as far as I knew we broke up at Raipur, in India, since that was where we left ourHalifax Mk. 3As. The crews of 1341 Flight were made up at No. 10 O.T.U.,Abingdon, flying Whitleys. From there we moved to Stanton Harcourt, which was the satellite, and later back to Abingdon,then to aircrew training school at Acaster Malbis and finally to No. 1658 H.C.U. at Riccall, where we started flying Halifaxes. Our next posting was to No. 12 Ferry Unit, Melton Mowbray,where we received brand new aircraft. These we flew out to Allahabad where we left them, proceeding to the aircrew pool atPoona and then back to Allahabad. Digri, in the Bengal Plains, was our next destination, for sevenmonths, and we went from there to Raipur, where we were split up, some of us going to Madras, but most being posted toAgra C.P. I am enclosing a photograph [unfortunately not suitable forreproduction—Ed.] of Halifax "A" PN369, on which I was mid- upper gunner. It was taken at Raipur. Yate, Bristol. ANTHONY C. COUSINS. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Plymouth Aero Club: Mayflower Air Rally, Roborough. R.Ae.S.: Section Lecture: "Simulation Techniques in Aero- nautics," by i. i. Foody, Grad.R.Ae.S., and R. A. Paul. R.Ae.S.: Graduates and Students Section: "Problems and Prospects in Air Transport," by P. G. Masefield, M.A. (Eng.), F.R.Ae.S. Institute of Metals: Spring Meeting. R.Ae.S.: Section Lecture: "Purpose and Problems of Research Aircraft," by F. P. Youens, A.F.R.Ae.S. British Interplanetary Society: Film Show. Aero-Club des Greves du Mont Saint-Michel: Second International Rally, Avranches Aerodrome. R.Ae.S.: Main Lecture: First Lanchester Memorial Lecture, by Dr. T. von Karman, Hon.F.R.Ae.S. Helicopter Association: "Military Helicopter Operations in Malaya," by W/C. W. R. Williams, O.B.E., D.F.C. R.Ae.S.: Section Lecture: "New Techniques in Manufac- ture," by W. A. Baker, Grod.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S.: Graduates and Students Section: "Guided Weapon Research and Development," by W. H. Stephens. British Interplanetary Society: A.G.M. and Brains Trust. Paris Aero Show, Le Bourget. S.B.A.C. Show, Farnborough. R.Ae.S. Branch Fixtures (to April 24): Apr. 16, Belfast, Annual General Meeting. Apr. 17, Coventry, Annual General Meeting and Film Show; Preston, Annual General Meeting and Film Show; Reading, Annual General Meeting. Apr. 19, Brough, Annual General Meeting. Apr. 24, London Airport, "Future Trends in Powerplants," by L. S. Snell; Gloucester, A.G.M. and Film Show; Southampton, "Technical Publications," by Maj. H. R. Hockley. Apr. Apr. Apr. Apr. Apr. May May May May May May May May J Sept. 13-14. 16. 17. 29- May4. 30. 4. 4-5. 9. 10. 14. 15. 18. 24- lune 2. 2-8.
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