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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0884.PDF
890 FLIGHT SECOND TACTICAL AIR FORCE . . . wartime, especially when sometimes (as in Germany) a distanceof 250 miles may be involved. Another problem is the physical reduction of aircrew numbersas squadrons are disbanded; but so far this has been largely overcome by natural means such as a dwindling flow of newpostings and replacements from the U.K. a-id the return home of aircrew on short service commissions. Officers responsible formoving air and ground personnel at 2nd T.A.F. headquarters have visited every station concerned to sort out the individual problemsinvolved in this huge jigsaw puzzle which has to be formed to a new pattern. They have dealt in terms of people, not numbers;they have tackled the difficulties on a commonsense basis; and there have been relatively few complaints. The staff of H.Q. 2ndT.A.F. seem to be well aware of the importance of keeping up morale by a skilful handling of personal problems, however smallthese may be in the big pattern of change. From this general picture of policy for the future and there-shaping of 2nd T.A.F. to meet Defence White Paper require- ments, it is instructive to look at one or two individual squadronsto see the effect of these upon their operational training. No. 88 Squadron, which has a famous and long history startingwith Bristol Fighters and including Blenheims, Bostons and Sunderlands, is now equipped with Canberra B.8s and their roleis that of night interdictor; but they are also capable of high-level and "pylon" (low-level) bombing, though they are at present con-centrating on a L.A.B.S. bombing technique [the U.S.A.F. version of which was described in Flight for October 19 last year] whichenables the aircraft to escape both interception by guided missiles and detection by radar. Using radar, the crews practise low-levelcross-country flights ending with a run-in to their target. The bomb is then delivered at a pre-computed angle, speed and g andthe aircraft pulls over on to its back, rolls out and goes for home. At present, practice is being concentrated not on the last manoeuvre,which is considered straightforward because of the Canberra's genial handling qualities (though doing it at night, on instruments,requires considerable skill and confidence), but on the run-in to the target when perfect co-operation between pilot and navigator—who lies prone in the nose—is essential. One difficulty yet to be solved is that of finding a suitable practice bombing range onwhich simulated nuclear weapons (such as that seen in the 2nd T.A.F. section of the B.B.C. television programme on the R.A.F.last month) may be dropped, for this involves "freezing" such a large area of countryside. At present, simulated attacks arechecked by camera (of the type fitted in the Swifts) and a cine record of the pilot's instrument panel. Much of No. 88 Sqn.'spractice work is now carried out over Denmark. High-level attacks are made to test the air defences, followed by low-level ones onairfields to practise the L.A.B.S. bombing technique. No. 88 and the other Canberra B.8 squadrons occupy animportant place in 2nd T.A.F. and the morale of their crews is "Flight" photographs Forming a pattern of deterrent power against a peaceful cloudscape, three Canberra B.8s of No. 88 Sqn. (above) show their graceful but purposeful lines to good advantage. At left, a vie of three Swift F.R.5s of No. 2 Sqn. swings to port across the Rhine while a blunt-nosed barge forms a wide wake in the calm water.
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