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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0357.PDF
FLIGHT International, 7 March 1963 341 SPOUT AND BUSINESS tiack; and Doug Smith and A. Breasley also use aircraft frequently. Just as the horse has been followed by the automobile, so public taste has demanded more and more motor-races and motor cycling events. Jack Brabham—once a fitter in the RAAF—is an enthusiast for an aeroplane and his £35,000 Cessna 310 has replaced Cessna 180 G-APJY which Gavin Youl (who used to drive Repco-Brabham Formula Junior racing cars) piloted to Tasmania when Jack sold the 180. The late Ron Flockhart found that by using an ex-Army Auster he could fly 800 miles in one day and still be Prince Philip—a not able "sporting avia- ator"—with Sir Geof frey de Havilland fresh enough for a tough racing programme next morning. Had he motored or used trains he would have required a day's rest. Take any Air Force list and it would be difficult not to find "aces" of sport among GD Branch names. There was the rugby-playing Beamish family—George, with 20 Irish caps; Charles, also an Irish international; Victor—one of the best-loved officers ever to serve his country—and Cecil representing the RAF. England and the RAF lost a magnificent player when Air Marshal Sir Augustus Walker lost his right arm trying to rescue a Lancaster crew, but "Gus" is still an active referee. Captaining the RAF (1936/9) as a notable stand-off half, he played for England in 1939 and was a "regular" for Headingley, Blackheath, Yorkshire and Barbarians. Now AOC-in-C Flying Training Command, he has added the jet-engined Whirlwind to his logbook. His predecessor as AOC-in-C, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Constantine (now Commandant of the Imperial Defence College), was also a great rugby player. An air marshal with a long record of Olympic standard winter- sporting is AVM W. E. ("Bill") Coles. His great experience in the snows has been of inestimable value to present-day RAF "bobbers," with the prospect of emulating the 1948 Olympic Games achieve ments when, led by "Bill" Coles, the RAF represented Britain. Anyone who spent 1942-45 in a Jap POW camp is thankful today if he manages to pass his annual medical, but AVM R. A. Ramsay Rae, who came into the RAF after graduating at Point Cook, the RAAF Cranwell, has particular reason to bless his keenness for sports. Commanding Tengah when the Japs arrived, he not only survived the unspeakable hardships of captivity, but, in the first post-war RAF Sports, managed to run third to Don Finlay, Eng land athletic captain. Recently retired after commanding No 224 Group, Malaya, AVM Rae flew home specially to compete in the 1962 Cresta Run, rating his "ride" one of the thrilling happenings of his adventurous life. How many recall that photo in Sir Basil Embry's Mission Com pleted of a Wittering rugby side which included "Sailor" Malan, P. G. Jameson (one of the two 46 Sqn survivors from Glorious, Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross being the other), G. T. B. Clayton and "Johnnie" Johnson—all the still-serving members having reached air rank. Undeniable proof that mid-week games count for something. Gp Capt "Al" Deere, one-time RAF boxing cham pion, confirms that quick thinking in the ring may well have had something to do with quick thinking in the cockpit, though modestly claiming that luck was with him. Donald Campbell, again attempting a world land speed record, flies whenever he can. How many other civil airmen are in the fore front of international sports, worthily maintaining the traditions forged by the late C. S. Rolls and No 1 aviator-sportsman Lord Brabazon of Tara ? LESLIE HUNT BGA 1962 Awards Alfred Warminger is to receive three British Gliding Association awards at the BGA dinner in London next Saturday, March 9: the Manio Cup, for the best goal flight during the year, for his flight from Reepham in Norfolk to Perranporth in Cornwall on April 14 last year (515km); Wakefield Trophy, for the longest distance during 1962, for the same flight; and Volk Cup, for the best goal and return, for his flight from Swanton Morley, and return on September 13 to RAF Henlow (145 miles). This year's other BGA awards are the Douglas Trophy (awarded to the club putting forward three flights by three different members in club aircraft aggregating the largest total cross-country mileage) to Cambridge University GC, for flights totalling 623 miles; Cali fornia in England (awarded to a woman pilot of British nationality for the longest flight commencing in the UK) to Mrs Anne Burns for 206 miles in a Skylark 3 on June 8 last year; Frank Foster Trophy for fastest speed (round a 100km triangle) to Philip Wills and Nick Goodhart for 100km triangle at identical speeds, 43.7 m.p.h., on June 7 last year; and the Robert Peifect Trophy (to the club with the highest number of BGA categorized instructors in proportion to its flying membership)—trophy and £40 awarded to Cornish Gliding Club, £20 award to Aberdeen Gliding Club and £10 award to Kent Gliding Club. Snow profiles: at left below, Champion Tri-Traveller G-APYT fitted with skis designed by Flairavia Ltd Flying Club at Biggin Hill and flown by them with complete success. They comment that they believe it to be the first single-engine tricycle undercarriage aircraft in the UK to have flown with skis. Take off run was increased by one-third and landing run decreased by approximately the same amount. Little variation was found in stalling speed and rate of climb was not greatly affected. At right below, first Beech Baron to be delivered to the UK, flown by Mr Robert Wallick and Miss Joan Ford ofFlowair Inc from the Beech factory at Wichita, Kan. Their journey of 5,218 miles was completed in 25hr 37min at an average ground speed of over 200 m.p.h.
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