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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 0846.PDF
The Meteor F.8 can still hold its own as an aerobatic aircraft: these three are flown by the 1962 team of the RAF Flying College, Manby, and will take part in the Liverpool City Corpora tion's display at Speke next Saturday, May 26. Team members are Fg OffG. Rorison (leader), Fit Lt J. P. H. O'Neill and Fit Lt ]. A. bell SERVICE AVIATIO Air Force, Naval and Army Flying News it Royal Flush" Photo Finish A PHOTO FINISH to a photographic reconnaissance contest—so might be summed-up the exciting climax to last week's "Royal Flush," the annual compe tition in PR organized by Allied Air Forces Central Europe. For late on Thursday evening, when final results were declared, it was found that 4th Allied Tactical Air Force had come out winners by a mere 19 points out of 6,495 scored. They got 3,257 against 3,238 scored by 2nd ATAF. This was the closest result ever in the seven years the competition has been held. "Royal Flush VII" was based at Ram- stein, the big USAF intercepter and tactical fighter base near Kaiserslautern in Ger- mant. It is also the headquarters of 4th ATAF and the US 17th Air Force. To it there came the old contestants—RAF Germany, Belgian Air Force and Royal Netherlands Air Force flying for 2nd ATAF; and the German Air Force, French Air Force and USAF for 4th ATAF. The Royal Norwegian and Royal Danish Air Forces were represented too, but flew for the medium-range and visitor's trophies and not with the ATAF teams for the Gruenther Trophy. With one exception— Hawker Hunter FGA.lOs used for the first time by the RAF in the short-range missions—the types of aircraft were the same as those used in previous years: RF-84Fs by the Belgians, Dutch, Nor wegians, Germans, French and Danes; RF-lOls and RB-66s by the Americans; and Canberra PR.7s by the RAF in the night and long-range missions. Targets had been set up all over Europe, in Germany, France, the Low Countries and the United Kingdom; they included missile sites or convoys, military bridges over rivers or gaps, command posts and maintenance areas. In addition to the air force personnel engaged in the compe tition at Ramstein—judges, umpires, air crew, photographic interpretation officers, processing teams and groundcrew—about 2,500 NATO Army personnel were involved in providing the targets, with all of which there was landline contact from Ramstein. Col Edward H. Taylor, USAF, directed the exercise on behalf of AIRCENT; the chief judge was Air Cdre B. P. Young of the RAF and the chief umpire Gp Capt G. R. M. Hunt, RCAF. Lt Col B. G. Pugh, Royal Welch Fusiliers, was responsible for targets, which had been arranged through LANDCENT. On each of the three days of the competition some of them 844 FLIGHT International, 24 May 1962 were photographed by three aircraft which became known as "Pugh's Private Air Force"—a Do27 and Pembroke of the German Air Force and a Canberra of the RAF going over the short-, medium- and long-range targets respectively. This was to give the judges what was known as the "school solution"—an up-to-date picture of the non-permanent type of target. On the first day (May 14) 2nd ATAF got away to a good start, doing better in every class except medium-range, where the French proved much superior to the Belgians and the Dutch, Tuesday's dav flying had to be postponed because of unfavourable weather, but in the night missions the RAF Canberras further improved the 2nd ATAF lead, making their total 1,415 points against 1,230 for 4th ATAF. With the next day missions, however, this lead was reduced. The RAF Hunters missed their targets, as did the German RF-84Fs, and the Canberras were beaten into second place by the RF-lOls; the Belgians, however, did well and managed to better the French. There were now only 79 points separating the two ATAFs (2nd had 2,286 and 4th had 2,207) so everything depended upon the third day's daylight missions. As it turned out, the Germans put up a much better show than they had done previously in the competition, beating the Hunters; and although the RF-lOls lost to the Canberras the French beat the Belgians so handsomely in the medium- range department—by more than 100 points—that this was enough to give final victory to 4th ATAF, who have now won Royal Flush three times against four times by 2nd ATAF. After two days of wet, unsettled weather during the week, there was appropriately brilliant sunshine for last Friday's parades and closing ceremonies, when the Gruenther Trophy and team awards were presented by General Josef Kammhuber, Inspector of the German Air Force. The closeness of this year's result was indicated by the fact that while three RAF teams on the losing 2nd ATAF side won trophies—4 Sqn (short-range), 80 Sqn (long-range) and 17 Sqn (night)—the only 4th ATAF team trophy winner was 33eme Escadre de Reconnaissance of the French Air Force (medium-range). NOW IN PROGRESS at the Air Ministry in Whitehall is the third RAF Art, Photo graphy and Handicrafts Exhibition, for which thousands of entries have been received from units at home and abroad. It is open to the public daily, from 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., up to and including next Saturday, May 26. SQN LDR j. A. REED, MBE, is still urgently in need of a veteran car for use in the Royal Tournament at Earls Court in July. His ideal is a 1912 Daimler, but he would be very happy with any drivable open car of the 1911-15 period. His team can carry out any repairs necessary, and undertakes to return the car in first-class condition. Anyone able to help is asked to write to Sqn Ldr Reed at HQ Royal Tournament Element, AM Unit, RAF Kenley, Surrey.
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