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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0065.PDF
FLIGHT International, 10 January 1963 61 First CF-104 Squadron FIRST RCAF SQUADRON to be equipped with the CF-104 Super Starfighter^27 "Lion" Sqn—formed on schedule on December 17 at No 3 Fighter Wing, Zweibrucken, Germany. The aircraft, Canadair-built, were flown to Europe in C-130B Hercules freighters of RCAF Air Transport Com mand and since October 12 last year have been arriving at the Canadian Air Division base at three-day intervals. Super Starfighters are replacing the F-86 Sabre in eight of the 12 RCAF squadrons in Europe and will serve in the Air Division's new strike-reconnaissance role. As each CF-104 squadron is formed it will assume the number, badge and honours of the Sabre unit it replaces. The four other RCAF squadrons in Europe, equipped with CF- 100s, are being disbanded this month. The CO of 427 Sqn is Wg Cdr R. G. Middlemiss, who, like his pilots, has been trained at No 6 Strike and Reconnais sance Operational Training Unit at RCAF Cold Lake, Alta. West Country Operations HELICOPTERS OF THE RAF AND ROYAL NAVY have been carrying out with daring and tena city a constant service of mercy flights in the West Country under the recent blizzard conditions. The RAF helicopters—Whirl winds of both Transport and Coastal Command, operating from RAF Chivenor in Devon, Tangmere in Sussex and Odi- ham, Hants—in the first half of last week carried out 40 rescue operations in a total of 53hr flying in what were the worst condi tions, as far as the West Country is con cerned, ever experienced by "mercy" heli copters in Britain. They have flown in freezing fog, blizzard and gale conditions over Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Hamp shire, Sussex and Kent. Many men, women and children have been uplifted from stranded cars and other places of shelter. Others have been quickly flown to hospitals by aircraft which literally fought their way through the weather and though they could not reach their objectives during the first attempt, tried a second and CF-104 of No 6 Strike and Reconnaissance OTU at RCAF Cold Lake, Alta. The first CF-104 squadron —No 427—formed recently at Zweibrucken, Germany (see news-/tem, this page) SERVICE AVIATION Air Force, Naval and Army Flying News third time. In some cases, in what pilots call "nil visibility," they even flew back wards, edging cautiously at a snail's pace through icy fog and sometimes not knowing what, even a few feet above the ground, might be standing in their paths. Such conditions prevailed when on Wed nesday morning of last week a 22 Sqn heli copter from Chivenor, piloted by Fit Lt B. J. Perry, succeeded in flying an 80-year- old woman from Princetown, 1,400ft up on Dartmoor, to hospital in Tavistock. Helicopters of both the RAF and Royal Navy have been flying hay and fodder to cattle, Whirlwinds of 750 Sqn dropping several tons of hay in the Princetown and South Brent areas. A Whirlwind of 771 Sqn picked up stranded coach passengers (see pic ture); and aircraft from the Army Air Corps Centre, Middle Wallop, have been maintaining continuous reconnaissance of Hampshire and Wiltshire roads and report ing conditions to police headquarters. A Royal Naval Whirlwind of 77/ Sqn, based at Portland, seen landing some of the 70 stranded coach passengers the squadron airlifted from Evershot, Dorset (see news-story, this page) Squadrons in Brunei THREE FEAF SQUADRONS, Nos 20, 209 and 34, have been playing a leading part in recent operations in Brunei. No 20 is a ground attack squadron equipped with Hawker Hunter FGA.9s and commanded by Sqn Ldr R. A. Calvert; 209 has Prest- wick Pioneers and Twin Pioneers and is commanded by Sqn Ldr J. Cartwright; and 34 is a Blackburn Beverley squadron under the command of Sqn Ldr M. G. Bennett. When the Brunei revolt began, 209 Sqn were already in position in the area for anti-piracy patrols, referred to on this page last week ("The RAF and the Pirates"). In the Brunei operations the military plan called for troops to be landed on each side of Seria, the town near the oil refinery held by the rebels, at Anduki airstrip and on rough ground at Panaga. The Beverleys had the task of landing troops at Anduki and six Twin Pioneers of 209 were taking in troops on the other side of Seria. The counter-attack, in which these aircraft played such an important part, was "a complete success." New Year Honours MORE THAN 170 MEMBERS of the Royal Air Force and its associated Services received honours and awards at New Year. The list, published on January 1, is as follows: Honours ORDER OF THE BATH GCB Air Chief Marshal Sir Edmund Hud- leston, KCB, CBE, ADC. KCB Acting Air Marshal S. R. Carlyle Nelson, CB, OBE, QHP, MD. CB AVM J. Worrall, DFC; Air Cdre B. Ball, CBE, BA; Air Cdre W. Carter, DFC; Air Cdre H. P. Connolly, DFC, AFC, AFM; Air Cdre I. G. Esplin, OBE, DFC, MA, BEC; Air Cdre L. MacD. Hodges, CBE, DSO, DFC; Air Cdre R. J. P. Prichard, CBE, DFC, AFC.
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