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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0061.PDF
FLIGHT, 13 January 1961 59 Correspondence The Editor of "Flight" is not necessarily in agreement with the views expressed by correspondents in these columns. Names and addresses of writers, not for publication in detail, must in all cases accompany letters. Free Aviation ? OF all the excellent ideas and examples which we may importfrom the United States during the re-birth of progressive non-commercial aviation in this country, I hope that the term"General Aviation" will not be one of them. This Americanism, which is being increasingly used over here apparently for lackof a better term, is surely most impersonal and meaningless. Perhaps your readers would have suggestions for a good alterna-tive which would have an all-embracing meaning and yet could be broken down into those particular aspects which we all knowand wish to retain, such as private, club, business, etc. May I suggest the term "Free Aviation." Free of Government restriction(we hope); control (we hope); interference; subsidy. Free of archaic commercial agreement, lop-sided competition and aero-nautical ballyhoo. Like all terms, this one would also be open to abuse and thepassage of time may well make it a nonsense, but it would have a challenging ring about it which should help the general publicto see the various aspects of non-commercial aviation in their true context within the overall pattern of British aviation. At the moment the general public have little or no idea thatanything other than the great scheduled airlines exists, and as they become increasingly aware of all other forms of aviation itis surely only right that they should connect them with an overall term which attempts to mean something rather than holditself out as a sort of aviation left-over. In the years ahead, the ability of the public to make this distinction may well be themost important factor in the survival of British aviation. Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey J. V. HOSE, Director, Business Aviation Ltd. "First with the Finest"I T is the opinion of many people in aviation circles in North America that Gt Britain will have two of the most advanced transport aircraft in the world, the VC10 and the Airco D.H.121, if ihe is capable of delivering these craft in 1962. There is the realization here that, although the British aircraftindustry is capable of designing outstanding aircraft, they are quite incapable of producing these aircraft at the particular timewhen their advanced features can be best exploited. In other words, the period of time taken from the drawing board to therunway is far too long. On the other hand, the American producer, although handi-capped by the demands of a ravenous growing giant, the American Space Program, is able to formulate and produce the aircraftneeded by the world's airlines at the earliest possible time. A typical example will, no doubt, be the Boeing 727 Jetliner.Recently conceived, this aircraft has already received orders totalling 80 aircraft from Eastern and United Airlines worth$35Om. The aircraft, which bears a striking resemblance to the Airco D.H.121, will no doubt be delivered to the world airlineslong before delivery of the 121 is completed to BEA. When will the British aircraft industry realize that early deliveryis most essential in this fast-moving age? One of the more recent examples is the almost late arrival of the Vickers Vanguard onthe medium-haul turboprop scene. If it had not been for the difficulties of its competitor, the Lockheed Electra (which, inci-dentally, has sold very well), I am sure that apart from BEA and TCA, very few other airlines would have had the opportunity totake advantage of the outstanding features of this very fine aircraft. There has been much said on the question of building a super-sonic airliner. However this question is argued pro and con in Britain, you can be sure that such an aircraft will be built in theUnited States, and far earlier than most people think, for the simple reason that the prestige and research involved in such aventure is essential to any industry that is interested in staying in business. The British aircraft industry will never have a better oppor-tunity than right now, by taking advantage of the handicaps placed on American aviation by the demands of space technology. Letus have more crash programmes of the Avro 748 type, and make the British aircraft industry's slogan "The First with the Finest." Toronto 6, Ontario D. F. MERRIGAN [Some of the opinions expressed above will certainly not beuniversally shared in this country; but the letter is printed as it is indicative of a line of thought not uncommon across the Atlantic.—Ed.] The "disappearing" R.101 hangar (see Capt Somsrton-Rayner's letter) Disappearing Landmark T AM enclosing a photograph [reproduced herewith.—Ed] I took•*- on a recent flight from Malaya in my Auster. As you will see it is the end, the very end, of the airship R.101 and its flight toIndia, in that the famous airship shed built at Karachi, and never used, is at last being dismantled for scrap. It will be the disappear-ance of a landmark for Karachi Airport, a rather essential one in a complex of five airfields all within a few miles of each other. The photo was taken at the end of October and may possibly b; of interest to nostalgic readers. Middle Wallop, Hants M. SOMERTON-RAYNER Capt, Army Air Corps Wusthoff's Last Flight T> EFERENCE the letter from J. W. A. McGregor on page 956-**• of Flight, for December 16, 1960. The following are the facts upon which the painting to which he refers is based: — (1) Capt Southey of 24 Sqn RAF, flying SE.5a D279 onJune 17, 1918, attacked the Fokker D.VII flown by Wusthoff in the course of an engagement between thirteen British and tenGerman aircraft at about 12,000ft. Wusthoff subsequently stated that this first attack, from 100-150yd range, wounded him andstopped his engine, and was thus the crucial point of this whole affair. Our painting, as was our intention, correctly shows these circum-stances and not the final stage of Wiisthoff's crash, to which youi correspondent obviously refers. (2) The enclosed photograph [reproduced below.—Ed] showsWiisthoff's Fokker D.VII after salvage at 24 Sqn's aerodrome at Conteville. The "skull and cross bones" was the personal markingused by Georg von Hantlemann, the previous "owner" of this D.VII, and is also to be seen on this pilot's Albatros D.Va of anearlier period. In both instances certain common artistic characteristics are apparent. (3) Capt Southey, who remarks that "this particular encounterstands out very vividly in my memory," noted that "on either side of the fuselage was painted a large skull and cross bones in white." Although we are aware of the dangers of dogmatic statementsconcerning aviation history we feel justified in claiming that the above evidence proves our painting to be a correct portrayal ofthis combat. Letchworth, Herts E. F. CHEESMAN Editor, Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-18 War ' I 'O someone whose interest in World War 1 aviation is of-*- necessity derived from books, an eye-witness account of an incident such as WiisthofPs last flight is like a breath of fresh air.Perhaps I might add a little to Mr McGregor's account as pub- lished in Flight for December 16? The official history of No 24 Sqn by Capt A. E. Illingworthcontains the following for June 17, 1918:— "A big fight over Villers Bretonneux between thirteen of our machinesand ten Fokker biplanes, in which we bagged, amongst others, Lieut Wusthoff's Fokker D.VII (see letter above from Mr E. F. Cheesman) "«-•'*
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