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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1140.PDF
242 A20,000lb gravel crusher being unload- ed from a Beverley of 84 Sqn at Beihan in the Western Aden Protectorate, where it is to be used by 5004 Airfield Construction Sqn in the laying of a 1,400yd tarmac run- way. It had been flown in from RAF Khormaksar, Aden, to the Beihan airstrip, which is 4,000ft a.s.l. SERVICE AVIATION Air Force, Naval and Army Flying News Sarum to Storey's GateI N October the post of Assistant Chief ofDefence Staff at the Ministry of Defence is to be taken over by AVM D. R. Evans,CB, CBE, DFC; he succeeds an Army officer, Maj-Gen G. R. D. Fitzpatrick, DSO, MBE,MC, who has held the appointment since October 1959. AVM Evans, who is 49, has been Com-mandant of the School of Land/Air Warfare at Old Sarum since May 1959;prior to that he was SASO at Fighter Command. In pre-war years he flew with45 Sqn in the Middle East, then took a specialist signals course and joined thesignals staff at Fighter Command head- quarters at the outbreak of war. In 1941 hecommanded an interception unit carrying out night hghter trials at Ford, Sussex,being awarded the DFC for destroying two enemy aircraft; then he went to 11 Group asgroup captain i/c night operations. The following year (1943) AVM Evans wasposted to Mediterranean Air Command headquarters, where he was concerned withsignals planning for the Sicily invasion; later he joined the Allied Expeditionary AirForces for similar duties in connection with the Normandy landings. After the war he graduated at the StafT College, commanded the Telecommunications Flying Unit at Defford and later became group captain i/c plans at Fighter Command. Commanding the CarriersA NEW appointment has been an-nounced for Rear Admiral F. H. E. Hopkins, CB, DSO, DSC, who has been FlagOfficer Flying Training since September 1960: from next January he is to be FlagOfficer Aircraft Carriers in succession to Rear Admiral R. M. Smeeton, CB, MBE. Rear Admiral Hopkins, who joined theNavy as a 17-year-old cadet, has been active in the Fleet Air Arm since he quali-fied as an observer at Lee-on-Solcnt in 1934. He won the DSC in 1940, the DSO in1941 when commanding 830 Sqn in the Middle East; later he served with theAmerican Fast Carrier Task Force in the Pacific, then cross-trained as a pilot, in1945 completing the fighter course at the School of Naval Air Warfare. He flewin operations off Korea, receiving a Mention in Despatches. Among his recent appoint-ments has been command of HMS Ark Royal (1956-58). In this year's BirthdayHonours he was made a CB. Jungle OrdealA JAVELIN navigator. M Nav A. D.Melton, was rescued from the Sundarbans jungle in East Pakistan lastweek after ejecting from his aircraft on a ferry flight from Waterbeach to Singapore:he had spent three days without food, drenched by monsoon rains. His pilot,Fit Lt E. Owens, lost his life either on ejec- tion or when he landed in a tree. M Nav Melton owed his life to theSarah transmitter carried in his Mae West and to a 205 Sqn Shackleton which pickedup the transmission and dropped food and a Very pistol. Firing this pistol guided arescue party which had been landed by an amphibian. The only injury Melton incurred Crew of the RAAF Convair Metropolitan to be used by Australia's new Governor-General, Lord de L'lsle and Dudley, VC. Left to right, LAC W. J. Bankes, steward; Fit Lt J. T. Carter, captain; FgOff I. D. Bridge, co-pilot; Fit Lt N. Reidy, navigator; Cpl R. W. Downie, fitter FLIGHT, 17 August 1961 was a cut leg, although the mangroveswamps in which he came down—about a hundred miles south-west of Dacca,capital of East Pakistan—are known to be full of wild animals. Government andcivilians co-operated in his rescue. Fit Lt Owens and M Nav Melton, whoseaircraft was in formation with another Javelin when the emergency occurred,were ferrying the machine to 60 Sqn at Tengah. This squadron, formerly equippedwith Meteors, is being re-equipped to operate Javelin FAW.9s. Assaulting Farnborough'"pHERE is to be a new type of Royal Air J. Force participation in this year'sSBAC Show at Farnborough: tactical transport operations by aircraft of 38Group, supported by eight Hunter FGA.9s of 54 Sqn, which are to open the "assault"with a simulated attack on the control tower. Helicopters and STOL machineswill be engaged in troop landings and supply sorties—Whirlwinds (and possiblyBelvederes). Beverleys, Pioneers and Twin Pioneers. Another distinctive feature of the half-hour RAF display will be the presence of three formation aerobatic teams—92 and74 Sqns (Hunters and Lightnings respec- tively) and Jet Provosts of the CentralFlying School. On the ground, teams from Bloodhound squadrons will demonstrateoperational routine up to the point of firing; and at contrail height (providedthe weather is suitable) 14 V-bombers are to fly over Farnborough during each day'sdisolav. Admiral of the Fleet Earl Mountbaiten of burma meeting officers of India's first aircraft carrier, "Vikrant" during her recent visit to Portsmouth. At right is the captain, Copt P. S. Mashindroo IN BRIEF Fg Off John Volkers, who set up a recordtime of 42min 34sec in the London - Paris race two years ago, last week lost his life ina Hunter accident while flying with No 8 Sqn at Aden. A reunion of former flying-boat personnelis to be held on September 23 at Pembroke Dock. Tickets £2. Those interested shouldcontact Mr W. R. Foster at Tampines, Phyttle, Chalfont Si Peter. Bucks. Failure of the tail rotor shaft was given at aPortland inquest last week as the reason why a 771 Sqn P.531 went into the sen off PortlandBill a month ago. The pilot. Lt B. R. Allen, escaped when the helicopter was 30ft belowthe surface. His navigator, Lt C. C. McClure, was apparently unable to free himself. Averdict of death by misadventure was re- corded.
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