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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 1532.PDF
636 FLIGHT, 19 October 1961 SERVICE AVIATION... RAAF Trainer RequirementA STRONG effon is being made byFuji Heavy Industries Ltd (writes Stanley Brqgden from Australia) to sell theFuji T-1A jet trainer to the RAAF. Their proposal is for Australian production ofboth the airframe and the Bristol Siddeley Orpheus engine. The Japanese really havevery little chance, says our correspondent; for the RAAF would not countenance sucha decision, and no politician dare face the consequences. Nevertheless, the Japaneseargument that the Australian politicians must face such decisions to secure a morefavourable trade balance with Japan (now some four to one in Australia's favour)cannot be disregarded entirely. The RAAF at present operate Australian-built Vampire trainers, which follow on from the primary CAC Winjeel. Theywould like to have all-through jet training, with the introduction of the Mirage I1IC in1963-64, but do not have the funds for this. They need a smaller trainer than the Fuji,as a primary jet trainer that could be used up to the stage at which pilots go on toa two-seat Avon-Sabre. Most favoured types at the moment arethe Hunting Jet Provost and Macchi MB326. A Jet Provost was loaned to theRAAF, operated for six months at Point Cook on evaluation, and is still in storagein Australia. The RAAF now feel that, as a decision would not be taken for two or threeyears, and deliveries would not begin for four/five years, a more modern-lookingtype would be preferable. This gives the Macchi an advantage. [The particular JetProvost in Australia is an old model.— Ed.] Against the Macchi is its tandemseating, for the RAAF prefers side-by-side; but this is not considered a major factor.The Macchi's usefulness as a weapons and bombing trainer is impressive (the Cessnacannot be so used), and it would be useful in any local brush wars [as, no doubt,would an armed version of the Jet Provost -Ed]. Any order would be for 100 aircraft, andthese would be made in Australia. De Havilland are favoured as they are not inproduction with any airframe at Bankstown or aero-engine at Lidcombe. The Viper,as installed in both the Jet Provost and Macchi, is well known to the RAF fromthe Jindivik. The Canadair and Cessna trainers, likethe Fuji, are considered too big, too costly and too sophisticated. Visitors to RCAF Goose Bay, Labrador, from the Bomber Command Development Unit at RAF Finningley: a Valiant, seen over Canadian landscape... . . . and (at right) the crew of a Vulcan with a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Crew mem- bers (left to right) are: Fit Lt J. H. Cox, Fg Off F. B. Martin, Sgt T. Robertson, Sqn Ldrs C. Curry and T. M. Fennel, and Fit Lts A. B. Frazer and R. 8. Taylor IN BRIEF The Duchess of Gloucester visited RAFLyneham, main Transport Command base in the United Kingdom, last Thursday. Duringher tour of the station the Duchess saw the operations room, servicing dock, a Britanniaequipped for the triple role of passenger- carrying, freight-carrying and casualty evacua-tion, and the Route Hotel. At 216 Sqn headquarters, six WRAF airquartermasterswere presented to her. The Duke of Hamilton and Brandon,honorary air commodore of No 2 (City of Edinburgh) Maritime Headquarters Unit,RAuxAF, met members of the unit recently during their annual summer camp at Pitreavie. Lt P. D. Deller and Able Seaman A. W.Baker of HMS Osprey (Portland) were re- cently commended by the Flag Officer Air(Home) in a special Order of the Day for their initiative, skill and courage. As pilot andaircrewman of a Whirlwind they recovered a body from the bottom of a cliff, following arequest for assistance from the Dorset police, with an onshore gale blowing, low cloudbaseand a rough sea. At the height of the withdrawal of Britishforces from Kuwait over 500 aircraft, 4,332 men and 1,800,0001b of supplies passedthrough the RAF station at Bahrain. Cooks worked round the clock in kitchen temperaturesof up to 160 deg, serving 37,000 extra meals. The Winter 1961/62 edition of the RAFAthletic and Games Handbook has been published. Copies are available from theRAF Sports Board, Air Ministry, London WC1 (Holborn 3434, ext 7537), price 4s. Four crew members of a Whirlwind of22 Sqn, operating from Manston, were res- cued by Ramsgate lifeboat, with which theyhad been carrying out an exercise on Wednes- day of last week, when their aircraft fell intothe sea after rotor-blade failure. The sixth RAF Anniversary Concert, heldin London last April, resulted in £1,397 being raised for the RAF Benevolent Fund.The Fund has also received f 1.000 as a result of an exhibition of Henry Moore sculpturesat the Marlborough Gallery, Bond Street, London. FORCE TRANSPORT A detachment of 5131 (Bomb Disposal)Sqn are clearing 3,000 acres of moorland of unexploded missiles on the site of the newBMEW station at Fylingdales. near Pickering, Yorks. So far. some 187 missiles have beenexploded. The work, which began in February, will take another nine or ten months to finish. The annual reunion of 26 Sqn is being heldin the Officers' Mess, RAF Biggin Hill, at 8 p.m. on Friday, November 10. Dress,lounge suits. Tickets (30s) can be obtained from Fit Lt N. Bacon, Officers' Mess, CentralFlying School, Royal Air Force, Little Riss- ington, Glos. Air Marshal Sir Denis Barnett, AOC-in-C Transport Command, shaking hands with Col C. A. Norris, Master of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers, when members of the company recently flew to Lyneham as guests of 216 Sqn, which they adopted last June (this page, June 29)
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