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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 1881.PDF
62 FLIGHT, 21 August 1959 SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Forces and Naval Flying News Lessons Learned CUMMING-UP "Exercise Mandate,"^ held between July 23 and 25, the Air Ministry said that Fighter Command, witha higher interception rate than in previous exercises, was pleased with the results ofthis practice in bringing to battle mass for- mations as far as possible from the Britishcoast. The Command also considered that it came well out of the self-imposed handi-cap of assuming that certain key radar stations and fighter airfields had been putout of action by hits from nuclear weapons or fall-out from them. New battle tactics,to ensure that the enemy was met and dealt with towards the limit of the long-rangeradars, had been tried and "some valuable lessons learned." The addition of Javelinsto the day-intercepter Hunter 6s had helped considerably towards improvementson last year's exercise, and synthetic operation of Bloodhounds had been"encouraging." C.F.S. Celebrations Central Flying School reunion•*• dinners were held on July 10. The main one, with a bumper attendance ofalmost 160 and the Air Minister and C.A.S. as principal guests, was at LittleRissington; and there was a complement- ary gathering in Cyprus, where at Episkopian official overseas C.F.S. Association re- union was inaugurated, with the innova-tion of lady guests. Air Marshal Sir Richard Atcherley, whopresided at the headquarters dinner (the 47th), described the large attendance as "atremendous galaxy of old sweats to meet the new sweats"; and certainly it lived upto this enthusiastic description in vintage and variety. The Commandant, A. Cdre.J. N. H. Whitworth, said that if numbers got much bigger they would have to move"to the Dorchester or somewhere." He reviewed the year's achievements in care-ful detail, with some pointed asides for the benefit of the Air Minister and C.A.S., andpresented Air Marshal Sir Raymund Hart with a silver replica of the C.F.S. badge—as a memento on his retirement and of the school's "last pilot link with theR.F.C." Sir Richard Atcherley had earlier ex-pressed to the C.A.S. the Association's "unanimous wish" to have him as itspatron; and Marshal of the R.A.F. Sir Dermot Boyle, in replying on behalf ofthe guests and paying tribute to the influ- ence of the C.F.S. in the Royal Air Force,said it was an honour to be elected patron and to follow Trenchard. He would accept,though could not do so officially until after his retirement as C.A.S. next January. An interesting link between the twogatherings was provided by the Com- mandant's reference to G/C. G. G. Petty,formerly C.F.S. chief instructor, whose London - Cape Town record was brokenthe previous day by an air-refuelled Valiant (last week, p. 25). He was present atthe Akrotiri dinner, where the guest of honour was die V.C.A.S., Air Marshal SirEdmund Hudleston. Formation flying is a favourite exercise for Oxford U.A.S. pilots, here seen accompanying "Flight's" Gemini during the squadron's recent summer camp at R.A.F. Jurby, l.o.M. This photograph was taken by one of the instructors, F/L. W. G. Beadle IN BRIEF Admiral Sir Walter T. Couchman, FlagOfficer Air (Home), is to be a Lord Commis- sioner of the Admiralty and Vice-Chief of theNaval Staff from February next year, in suc- cession to Admiral Sir Caspar John. * * * From August 24 the post of S.A.S.O. at FarEast Air Force headquarters is being taken over by A.V-M. C. D. Candy of the R.A.A.F.He is being succeeded as A.O.C. Home Com- mand, R.A.A.F., by A.V-M. V. E. Hancock,who until recently was A.O.C. No. 224 Group. * * * An inter-Service exercise sponsored by theChiefs of Staff Committee will be held next week at the R.A.F. College, Cranwell, fromAugust 25 to 27. It is the first of its kind to be held and takes the place this year of thenormal single-Service exercises or conferences. * * * F/L. S. J. Carter, an R.A.F. medical officerstationed at Harpur Hill, has been awarded an Air Council letter of appreciation for his partin the attempted rescue of the pot-holer Neil Moss at Peak Cavern in March this year. * * * With the advent of more complex aircraftinto R.A.F. service, four "systems" trades are being planned, covering the propulsion systemson the Britannia and Lightning and the latter's powered control and flight instrumentationsystems. The first ten airmen trained on this new basis—having done special courses on the Britannia's propulsion system—are now atLyneham, where the Britannias have just come into service with Transport Command. If thescheme proves a success, more "systems" trades may be introduced. * * * No. 612 Sqn. is holding a reunion in Londonon November 7 and those interested should get in touch with W. N. Parsons, "Wildcroft,"Farm Lane, East Horsley, Surrey. * * * The Spitfire and Hurricane which tradition-ally lead the Battle of Britain commemoration fly-past over London are participating for thelast time this year. * * * The R.A.F. won the Services' lawn tennischampionship at Wimbledon on August 11, gaining nine wins against five for the Navy andfour for the Army. It was the R.A.F.'s eighth successive victory and eleventh since the war. * * * A Service of Thanksgiving for the victoryachieved in the Battle of Britain will be held in Westminster Abbey on Sunday, September20, at 3 p.m. Applications for tickets should be sent to the Under-Secretary of State forAir, Air Ministry (S.4c), Whitehall, S.W.I, not later than September 4. First considerationwill be given to widbws and bereaved parents of Battle of Britain aircrew, and to retiredR.A.F. officers and Battle of Britain pilots wishing to attend. Pilots of No. 92 (East India) Sqn. with their commanding officer, S/L. R. H. B. Dixon, during a detachment in the Middle East earlier this summer. The squadron is holding a reunion at the R.A.F. Club on November 21 and past members are invited to contact the CO. at R.A.F. Middleton St. George, Darlington, Co. Durham -• ;- • -" -:• . •••."
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