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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1273.PDF
Army manoeuvres: four of the eight Skeeters Monday's Flying FASHIONABLE comments early on Monday were that the flyingdisplay would be "saved by the Services" or "saved by the Beagles." Some people predicted that the saviour would be the H.P.I 15.As things turned out, a miserable day was saved, as often before, by dogged flying (and radar guidance) and by some uncommonlygood helicopter items. We should not be justified in according a meteorologicallymutilated performance the dignity of our usual full-length report. Individual types which got airborne were the Comet 4C, GyronJunior Javelin, Argosy C.I, Olympus test-bed Vulcan, BeagleB.206, Airedale, AOP.ll and Terrier, and Short SCI. Especially werecall the spectral disappearance into the gloom—with cloud level at 600ft or so—of the Comet, and its reassuring rush back across the enclosures with its collision beacons winking. This was matchedin drama by the sudden and steep emergence from nothingness of the Argosy C. 1 at perhaps 500ft. One could almost sense the instantwhen the pilot went VFR. The unseen Gyron Junior Javelin howled invisibly in the shrouded distance. Bristol Siddeley'sVulcan [test-bed looked far from lopsided, though said to have two Olympus 201s on one side and two 301s on the other. The dainty,gloom-dispelling passes of the Beagle Airedale, the unyapping gambollings of the Terrier, and the noisier, though chastely swiftand graceful debut of the B.206, were likewise memorable. The SC.l went through its full range of no longer novel, butunfailingly arresting, manoeuvres in all planes. The Westland helicopters, from which everyone has come toexpect teamwork at its best and most original, scored another success with the Belvedere, Wessex, Scout and Gnome Whirlwind.From the Belvedere a platoon of the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment deplaned and deployed in something like 45 seconds,after spirited covering fire from the Belvedere itself. Four ropes, two front two rear, were the intermediate lines of support. TheWhirlwind set down a 2 cv vehicle on the first of two trailers behind an Alvis Stalwart. The third already bore a Saladin, and the Scoutdescended on to the first with (it was said) a mere foot clearance fore and aft. The Wessex was hitched up to the Stalwart, took thestrain and set off up the runway with some 45 tons in tow. Later it transformed itself from a tug to an anti-submarine frigate bysimulating an asdic-dip under automatic control. Esprit de corps was the Army's motto, reflected in the mirror-image manoeuvres of two formations each of four Skeeters, exem- plified at the head of the page. Of this zestful performance, as ofothers, we hope to say more in our next report. A Scimitar having been sent out to photograph( ?) HMS Hermessteaming in the Channel, that mighty vessel reciprocated with three Power for the Bristol ii>i>. ue Lngines' Gyron junior Javelin Argosy with magic tail: the rear-loading C. Mk / Belle of the ball: the Beagle b.206 II
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