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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 0218.PDF
218 FLIGHT, 12 February SERVICE AVIATION Royal Air Forces and Naval Flying News : Premier Squadron , ,•" •:•:•'*.; !;-• AWARDED for "the year's finest feat of• aviation in the Royal Navy," the Boyd Trophy has gone to No 781 Communica-tions Sqn "for the outstanding way in which they met exacting tasks during1959." Based at Lee-on-Solent, the squadron isthe smallest in the Royal Navy, with six Sea Devons and a Whirlwind. Last yearit flew a total of 4,200 hr by day and 50 by night, carrying 2,720 passengers and100,0001b of freight without incident and "to a meticulous timetable." In a messageto the FAA the Flag Officer Air (Home), Vice-Admiral D. E. Holland-Martin, com-mented : "This performance has reflected the greatest credit on the squadron's air-crew and maintenance personnel, and in- deed the Royal Navy. I warmly con-gratulate 781 Sqn on their achievement." Air Commodore PostsT WO senior RAF postings have beenannounced. Air Cdre A. R. D. Mac- Donell is to be Director of Work Study atAir Ministry from February 29 and Gp Capt J. A. Robinson becomes Chief SignalsOfficer at Bomber Command headquarters (with the acting rank of air commodore)on February 22. Air Cdre MacDonell, who is hereditary22nd chief of Glengarry, has been com- manding RAF South Cerney since return-ing in 1958 from Moscow where he was air attache. During the Battle of Britain, whencommanding No 64 Sqn, he was twice shot down; then in March 1941 was takenprisoner, being repatriated in 1945, when he was mentioned in despatches. He hadbeen awarded the DFC in 1940. Gp Capt Robinson is Senior TechnicalStaff Officer at Signals Command and Pride of Transport Command: a Comet of No 216 Sqn escorted by one of the Lynehant- based Britannias which are used jointly £v Nos99 and 511 Sqns J formerly (1955-57) was Chief SignalsOfficer at FEAF headquarters. In 1941 jj ewas mentioned in despatches and in 1945 made an OBE. Spitfire in Perth -B ELOW is a photograph of the Super-marine Spitore 22, PK481, which was shipped to Australia last year and has nowbeen erected as a war memorial outside the headquarters of the West AustralianDivision of the Air Force Association. The stand on which it is mounted was designedand made by Vickers Hoskins Pty Ltd, of Perth, and had to allow for the weight ofthe aircraft and its Griffon engine as well as for possible wind forces. Funds to bringthe Spitfire to Australia were raised by public subscription, with contributionsfrom Vickers Australia Pty Ltd and Rolls- Royce Ltd. It has since been camouflagedwith correct wartime markings. Changes Down UnderG IVING further details recently of pro-posed RAAF changes the Chief of the Australian Air Staff, Air Marshal SirFrederick Scherger, said that the first major one would be in the Home Defence Forces.In future, Citizen Air Force squadrons would be trained only in a non-flying role,because the complexity of modern aircraft and weapons required full-time specialisttraining. Sir Frederick also said that a new fighter squadron, equipped with Avon-Sabres, was to be formed at Williamtown, NSW. Aircraft to replace Sabres in theRAAF were expected to become available for delivery within the next three years, andNo 10 (MR) Sqn, at present operating Lin- colns, was to be re-equipped with LockheedNeptune P2V-7s. Room for AircraftS PEAKING to No 1024 (East Wight)Sqn of the Air Training Corps on January 29 at their annual prize-giving, AirMarshal Sir Richard Atcherley said it was heartening to hear of the good progressmade by the squadron and particularly of its record in providing recruits for theRoyal Air Force. With the ending of National Service, the RAF would have torely on the ATC more than ever. Referring to the "magnificent opportunities" whichthe RAF offered, Air Marshal Atcherley added: "as far ahead as we can see, thepilot and navigator have a future. The challenge of the missile does not mean thatflying machines are out-dated, as there will always be a wide range of jobs which onlymanned aircraft can perform." In his report the squadron's commandingofficer, Sqn Ldr E. E. Woodhouse, said that during the year 20 cadets left to join theRAF. Against the loss of 59 cadets, there had been a similar number of recruits tokeep the strength at 126. IN BRIEF AVM A. D. Selway, Senior RAF OfficerScotland, recently presented the Gillan Trophy to No 122 (Glasgow) Sqn of the Air TrainingCorps. Lord Carrington, First Lord of theAdmiralty, was visiting HMS Victorious at sea off the Scottish coast yesterday and today^February 11 and 12) to watch FAA exercises. Mounted as if in flight, and as yet uncomou- flaged: the Griffon-engined Spitfire at Perth, Western Australia (see item above) -r~^
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