FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0147.PDF
ILIGHT International, 25 January 1962 Lifeline for the Army TESTING THE RAF AS SUPPLIERS 147 f A belvedere of 66 Sqn delivering a netted load during Exercise "Life-line" PUCKLECHURCH, a straggling grey Gloucestershire village about eight miles north-east of Bristol, last week became headquarters for an exercise in airborne support of Strategic Reserve units. The disused RAF station was re-activated, becoming at once Field Force Headquarters, Air Transport Operations Centre and Air Support Operations Centre; and from the main air base at Colerne, some ten miles to the south-east, Beverley and Hastings transports took off with supplies for airheads on Salisbury Plain and near the Devon-Somerset border. This was Exercise Life-line," a test by the Army of the RAF's ability to supply two brigade groups with 200/225 tons of supplies per day at (theoretically) something over 180/200 miles' distance. In this, "Life-line" was a new conception; previous exercises had concentrated on supplying a single brigade group at a distance of 400/500 miles. The participants were the Army's 3rd Division (commanded by Maj Gen V. H. Street) and 38 Group of the Royal Air Force (AOC, AVM P. G. Wykeham). The exercise was mainly an RAF one— "written by the Army," it was explained at Pucklechurch. "to test our friends of 38 Group"—with emphasis on logistic support and communications, as the title implies. The Army did not have any hypothetical enemies, and therefore did not have many troops deployed; they concentrated on practice in laying-down priorities for different control situations, and on feeding-in problems of various kinds to the RAF, from the two brigade groups in the field. Headquarters of 3 Division were at Pucklechurch, and the two brigade groups were at Figheldean, Wilts (19th), and Honiton, Devon (51st). Both these brigade group HQs had their associated airheads and landing and dropping zones: airhead for Figheldean was Keevil (between Trowbridge and Devizes), with dropping zones at Everleigh and Knighton Down and a landing zone at Carters Camp; airhead for Honiton was Merryfield (near Taunton), with DZ/LZs at Dunkeswell and Upottery and a DZ at Honiton. As -on previous occasions, the airheads were sited on RAF airfields temporarily brought back into use. The sort of problems posed to the operations centres at Pucklechurch from the brigade groups concerned priorities of supplies; timing of loads; late changes of role—for example, an air drop being requested instead of a landing; and late changes of detail, involving re-briefing of aircrew. In most broad aspects, Exercise "Life-line" resembled its pre decessors which have been enacted since 38 Group was formed in January 1960, but there were certain changes of emphasis, detail and equipment. One change of emphasis, the accent on supply, has already been mentioned; yet though the Army did not practice lighting, they tried out some casualty evacuation techniques. Other changes were that Gnome Whirlwind helicopters, of 225 Sqn, were taking part in an exercise of this kind for the first time; and so were the ground-attack Hunter squadrons which now come under the aegis of 38 Group. These units, Nos 1 and 54 Sqns. commanded respectively by Sqn Ldrs P. V. Pledger and W. D. Dickinson, operated during "Life-line" from their base at Waterbeach. In carrying out their ground attack function these Hunter FGA.9s were called in by the Forward Air Controllers (Army officers), who directed the aircraft onto their targets. The Hunters flew to a "contact point" in the area, then made a low-level run-in. It was stated at Pucklechurch that the time from a front-line request for a strike to its delivery was about 50 minutes—much longer than the Army really likes, but this included about half-an-hour for communi cations, and so long as fighters have to operate from concrete run ways there is a built-in time lag. Under certain circumstances, it was suggested, they might fly from aircraft carriers. The Hunters in last week's exercise could spend 20 to 25 minutes in the target area; normally they are armed with cannon and rockets, but for "Life-line" carried out cine-camera sorties. Flights from Water- beach to the operational area were made at low level—2,200ft— unless weather conditions decreed otherwise; and the Hunters were controlled initially by Heathrow radar and then by Sopley and/or Boscombe Down. The route followed was not direct but a devious one to avoid let-down patterns; weather might mean climbing to 25,000ft plus to avoid Airways Amber One and Two and Green One. The Hunters were not engaged in Exercise "Life-line" on its first day; on the Tuesday they carried out 62 sorties, on the Wednes day 43 and on the Thursday 80. The aircraft operated in pairs. Other operational commitments affected the transport strength which 38 Group could deploy for this exercise: only five Beverleys (from Abingdon) and six Hastings were used, with Colerne as "the end of the pipe-line"; these aircraft formed the medium-range transport force, the Beverleys being drawn from 47 and 53 and the Hastings from 24 and 36 Sqns. On the opening day of the exercise (Monday, January 15) high and cross winds made operations diffi cult; only two landings were possible, bringing in 20 tons. The medium range transport force—operating in support of two brigade groups for the first time—had in front of it a short-range transport force of Belvederes (66 Sqn), Twin Pioneers and Pioneers (230 Sqn) and Whirlwinds (225 Sqn; see photograph on page 146). Part of the purpose of "Life-line" was to test the mobility of these squadrons. The yardstick for supplies was 110 tons per brigade group per day. This figure included 25 tons of water—though under some conditions, an Army officer commented wryly, this might not be needed. Time taken for delivery of supplies over a short range was given as "something over an hour over about 25 miles." A Beverley, with its palletized loads, can be cleared in about 15 minutes after landing for the supplies to go forward; it is a disadvantage, from the Army point of view, that the Hastings can't take pallets. They will no doubt be mighty pleased when the RAF Argosies become operational. Supply-dropping in "Life-line" was also carried out at night, four or five sorties being achieved. "FLIGHT International'' photographs Airhead at Keevil: VTOL scene during last week's ArmyjRAF supply and support exercise
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
