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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1388.PDF
492 FLIGHT, 21 September SERVICE AVIATION Air Force, Naval and Army Flying News •"Ark Royal" Re-commissionedO N Tuesday of last week HMS Ark Royal—described by Admiralty as "the Royal Navy's most powerful aircraftcarrier"—re-commissioned at Devonport after a six-month routine refit. She is goingto the Mediterranean after post-refit trials and will be the first carrier to have anoperational squadron of Wessex helicopters (No 815, whose commissioning wasdescribed on this page on July 13). The carrier, which has been fitted withthe most powerful steam catapults in the Navy, will have a total operational comple-ment of 2,300 officers and men. The three other squadrons aboard will be of Scimitars,Sea Vixens and Gannets. In command is Capt D. C. E. F. Gibson, who served inthe previous Ark Royal as a Naval pilot during the Second World War. Airborne CoachmakersM EMBERS of the Worshipful Companyof Coachmakers and Coach Harness- makers are to fly from Northolt to Lynehamnext Thursday (September 28) in a Comet of RAF Transport Command, as the guests of216 Sqn. At Lyneham they are to tour the . station and attend a formal squadron guestnight in the officers' mess, before returning to Northolt the following morning. This invitation from the squadronfollows its adoption by the company at their Court and Livery Dinner in TallowChandlers' Hall on June 20. On that occasion (recorded in Flight for June 29) the squadron's commanding officer, WgCdr N. E. Hoad, and two of the Comet captains were present as guests. 216 Sqnhas recently completed 13 million miles' flying all over the world. Trans-Tasman Record? IT was recorded on this page for July 27that a Canberra T.I3 of the RNZAFhad made " what is believed to be the fastest-ever crossing of the Tasman Sea," Tail-end Charlie at Scampton in this recen Vulcan 8.2 study by "Flight" photographer la Macdonald flying from overhead RAAF Richmonenear Sydney, to overhead Ohakea—a dist ance of 1,210 miles—in 2hr 18min.Now an RAAF navigator, Fg Off W Henderson, writes from Butterworth irMalaya to say that this speed has been bet tered by a Canberra Mk 20 of the RAAFPiloted by Fit Lt A. Barnes and while ei route to Ohakea on a "Lone Rangerflight, this aircraft made the crossing Iron RAAF Amberley, near Brisbane, to overhead Ohakea in 2hr 15min—covering 1,359 miles at an average speed of 649.6m.p.h. North American ShackletonsT WO Shackletons of 201 Sqn left StMawgan on September 11 on a liaison and training mission to Canada and theUnited States; one is returning there next Monday (September 25) and the other onSeptember 30. The detachment has been led by theAOC 19 Group. AVM L. W. C. Bower, with the station commander at St Mawgan.Gp Capt E. F. J. Odoire, as his deput\. The CO of 201 Sqn, Wg Cdr R. B. Roache.has also been with the Shackletons. The aircraft were spending a week atRCAF Comox, on Vancouver Island, participating in maritime air exerciseswith the Royal Canadian Air Force. On the return journey AVM Bower was callingat the USN Air Station at Norfolk, Virginia, to visit Admiral Robert L. Dennison, NATOSupreme Commander Atlantic. IN BRIEF An Australian-built Avon Sabre, now with3 Sqn at Butterworth in Malaya, has completed 1.000 hours'flying. It was built in 1956. Theaircraft, 951, completed its thousand hours flown by the youngest pilot in the squadron.Pit Off I. Edwards. Two trophies awarded annually by theArgentine Air Force, to the top cadet graduat- ing from Cranwell or Henlow or to the aircraftor administrative apprentice passing out with the highest aggregate marks, are being pre-sented next Thursday (September 28). The senior trophy, a sword, goes to Fg Off NormanBonnor, who was trained as a navigator at Cranwell and is now on a navigator's courseat Gaydon. The junior trophy, a gold medal, goes to Tech Cdt John Swindon. who as anaircraft apprentice at Halton won a prize scholarship to Henlow. Air Chief Marshal Sir Edmund C. Hudleston, VCAS (centre), being received at the officers' mess at Northwood on the occasion of the recent No I Maritime HQ Unit cocktail party. With him are (right) the AOC-in-C Coastal Command, Air Mar- shal Sir Edward Chilton, and the unit's Commanding Officer, Wg Cdr A. R. Poolt
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