F L I G H T

Y

un HAVIUAND Rnpida belonging to Hunting Acro- A 9-% wt -don L Y ~ ~ e k ~ O T the ~ ~ r n h GYU. lllc aircraft i urrylq the mpin part of pn expedition lo

huwey a luge area of Arabia for one of the ail companies. a task which will take thrm to four monLb. The Rapide has lwn modihed for work in extremes of heat and cold, the survey Lameras king encloeed in a glass dome which will protect them Iron1 variations in tompesaturo between the ground heat a d khs ,old ;rL rt o ~ l i o d flying heights. I

Soullr PACIFIC COWCLL j SEVERAL changes will probably be made in the o r g a r h a ~ n

of the muwTarmsn and trans-Pucihe air mnrices as a tilrcxt result of tbe 6mt meeting of the Sou& P&@c Air Trans- 11urt Council, which aras held in Canberra last month ....

The Unit& om, A~istralia, New Zealand and FI I rtrc rcymnted h y T w t a i . an o h m e r kom -dr w a ~tresent. siPce tha meetin in Wellington 9f the CQmmgn-

Q l o c t earlg in * ~ b Irk- mted two agraementa providm for F'acific seffices. One agree- rncut wiLh Cenada enabled &c first direct air-mail acrvice latween Canada and Australia to be started. The second was ntth the U.S.A. Tlle Council approved a draft directive by the Governments of the U.K., A o d i a , and New Zealand to British Commonwealth Paci6.c Airlines for the conduct of the ~rans-Pacific air service. This directive provides for t h flights in each diroetion every fortni t between Australia sad North Anmka, and OW €light cac~forlnight behhvau New Zealand and North America. Subject to the appmval of the (.olrernments, bowever, the campany may incmw or dccreaw I11e ireqmncy es reqnirad The Council also mnsidersd a draft oMtPaft between C.P.A. and Amtdian National Airwap, under which tbe '% r t a agreed to opesate an interim suv i re an behalf 01 B.C.P.A.

' llre Cota id aleD considered a p~opsal for t b readjustment of llle finanrlal stracture of Taclmon Empire Airways to pruvide for a mer proportion of holdin@ by New Zealanrl knd Aus tldia, with a correspdhg reduction in the Unitad 1CingdOm.b Prcportian.

Other m m h h q which wua rmcbmtnbndsd hrduded rsn ink- (;ovrrmnsnt kgmarmt for the &ablbhmnt of B.C.P.A., end

~ t o b e c o m t h t d a o d e r t h a ~

?no -. Tbs lou.tdon in Fiji af tbs permanent in^^ drrport

iLaa not &&led. bt the C a d reoommeadad that farther 1:- m w q a af ths &tm et N&l end Ncasari m b & be q r a d e ~ e u p r w i i . InttamegntBwNazadiwZPaan- ~ ~ r r e t o b s ~ f O T t h s t r a ~ - P a c i E c ~ . TheCortadl

the ground eontroll& and the a lo t 6 red&ed to a-&mum. After the practiccv the apparatus is m-itched on ta play hack on a louda~waker the -rdd cam~nilltion. me pilot under

SHORT SHADOWS : A B.O.A.C. Byio(i-bn& laying to the tiderthar-atRobcll-F that&imgoatkocon thri.amilcwuC.ko. r n ~ s a h a u . t r t s p f n r m

tbcF-ww--won-.

F L I G H T

a recent article describ.3

ROCKET I1JllrlGEM : Exumining an Askmia k w rad for phctiag tha fight of m+et mlsPiks over the Woomwa mcku

I mgc in kmaL, ore Mr. W. A. EhIta~nt, ChW Scientifk O1Fnr d tfrr -ge

end Mr. C. h+y, scisr- r f n z r - Is 240 mnes north

of M U and cornnwrndr e 3,-

-

B Y rbe hth, on September 15rh, of James Hamilton, Handley Mr. D. C. RobirrPon, M.B.E & su q e d of Page, Ltd. (whose works director he was) have Lost an -en= value in war &k of cbe - &dhs aecunve who made nn outstAuding technical conmiburion ro the Mr. Wrw. had- m-diag o ~ a ability; he ookd ! firm's success as &dent p r o d m of large aircraft. Mr. Hamilton, not od @y rdenafy the trqc cause of a produc~n problem,

1 who was 62 yearn of age, was a but mdd at once suggest the most dudon. Of a modetit Scot who had been educPacd at and unassuming he was

popular with his mllmguea of rill Queen's Park Academy, GPnagow* rank%, and he had the welfare always at F. Hfr md the West of Soorlrod Tech- indusuiel experience was at the dLspoQpl Of the E n p x a m g nnd

College. Until he joined Allied Employers' Fedelation, of whose management board he the Cricklmood company za waa a member. 7- ago, he bad been with I l lham and Ca, h d , o f D ~ , c h e ~

atupbudden who, m the 1920'1, developed a number of urcrnfr d i d q g h e s Md also * Mr. HamWm-who had been u n d fiw come months, b u had built several large all-metal air- -&d his office whenever he muld mamgc it-leam a widow rraft. Mr. EInmilton wps mnop. d a soo, to arttom dl lmew him will mend sympathy.

of their airasR dmalopmem und I t was d d down in I@. tLs mopt valuable FmImbu- Prizes a t Wolverhampton

Mr. HomHh. maction merbod by *I&,

b91WwithdxHarzwin r p 3 ~ . n l l i h e ~ l a r g e H P . urPafr haPe been built. Intended w mate the moat ~ n o m i c p l ~ a f j i g ~ t g , c h e r p i m m i o v o I o e s t h e ~ o o . o f t h ~ a i r h ~ m e ~ ~ ~ w h i ~ h ~ b e b p i l t ~ ~ k n o p r UY epuipped d fhahcd su m o m d c tht mnm ~ a L ~ ~ m s a y , ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ r r ~ ~ In * ~ e . S . i n ' . r ~ , i n a ~ ~

FLIGHT, 19 January 1950

H E R E A N D T H E R E .. F-86 Sabre, bnt.has flush intakes in t% fuselage inst* of the lafter's n w - intake. and IS conriderably heavier (Q,5ao Ib cmDpad with 6.800 Ib).

Ringway Expansion IIE Minis* of Civil h v m has T appmvd a *heme [or t8e c x t e d o n

trt the cristiig main m w a y a t Rhgmay AirparL, Manchester. to a length of 5.@, and foc +nlu~p?mw(l of tht ; , p m . ZWhen th*sc. yrajects (work on which MI1 in-gin this yeartarr compll.twl. it ms run\vau -411 he bwl.tt.

News from Auetralt HE hnt of tsm pmlhlvpe ('ommon- T u,wlth W - a 2 ttrairtrrs f r t n built kjr

I ~ V K.A.A.P. i~ r r l w t a l t t ~ j3; wiltrin thc- next six rnntlihs. irctt>rding to n rrqurrt I r a Ar~titkdh. I ~ l u c t i ~ n air- craft. it is said. nrq L ~xrumrrfl tvy rt 43~1 h . 1 ~ engin* nf Austnllan d e s i q ~ in- *:-ad uT t he pat8 and \Vhirnl?y \ V a q ~ Junior at prrrsnt spcifircl. This uuit 15 11, hr namrtl the i '~crrla . ILI. ntar~l.lfit~ n l r a b ha-? mi yet l f i u 6 ~ r ;rnnv~anm~il.

I h t J u r l ~ o n of ' vamyirm fur tit* It A.A.F. is reported to harr bcen hrid st11 tty thr sr-vcn-wwk A n s t r a i i u ~ cud- strike; * rcerm~l machine was ddivttml n I Ry mill-~ngrr, prndwcr~rli~

ted iv w d ~ h ~ B I I i~irrfilft l r r 111tt1rr I$ '.xp.C I J R ~ litwr 1t1 D rate maurrng tlr- liver\. of thc C O R ~ ~ ~ C L I . l ~ a t c h f r f 50 hl LNI. rnctlnd lralf (4 nrxl \ wr

U.S.A.F. is conducting ~ a g to dmnnlm human rutstince ca high d>cclentive l o r n . fhc volunrcer is prsporing for hfgh-speed (175-240 m.p.h.) t nve l dong tht 2.00Mc cast-track. which tcrml- In r 45fc braking Mction.

- - .- - - - - - * - - - - - - and iru f x w r r pl.larrts. JII~J contaiuo large

SMhLL sapplv d reprints of I h , tnld-out trvcr nrkwr rlm%%ings of thr A Slaty of the tjr~lwrun is still avail- interior b\.tlucs ul Lhr I lk 1 and II air-

N E W S I N B R I E F Most Powerful Turbojet P T I I E I .b. S n v y h;~. p k v v t at: 1n111:il I I I P ~ I ~ L I ~ ~ I ~ ~ I $ I C ~ ~ wrvrcc* 41 p r w n r r r o r f i r r u t I t i 5 v n ; ~ hi15 no auclr wrvicrr. I,ut Uyina-

STATIC-TIIRI'ST rating c,f r,.rtx, 111 ruginrrl flvltlg Ilrx11s ol t h r 1v1w illu*- control nlirl .iignals o n l c ~ n i ,lppinl& I,! A IS quoted for the Allimurn J-33-23 'rated in Fltgkt t r f Drcerntwr zg111. l94V ilrnn mrn4 I,rt\vecu Jnternntional rurtmjct, which win be the w e r unit o t a A d o , Ltd.. and the Syrian -m- -- f-rc mnddP of B o c k I+ + a a t $ > j v ~ A-tm-1 c l d ~ 4 h ~ - R t t he -Wl l h w nlrc.~ri\ -tanniJil- n*rk lu~inber. for rhr I ' S \.I' I t r t hl-I i i . , ; ~ { , U ~ ~ X W I .I ~ I I ~ I 131 a rc ~ I O W , - I ~ . ~ I

IJ! six I;rr~cr,tl Elcxtric J-17 n ~ i i l i urlir- L ' J L ~ of j .uur Ib tali^ th r lb t ) 4n1l h.tvv :I tllxxirnum spenl $11 IXVI.J (nu* m p.1:. 1 III prvtr~t!-p had rarlrc-r J-3.7 tur lu~jr ts . wtth a maximum a u n g 01 r1111\- .{.75o It,. Thr morrnons incrh?sr, tr t IHSWI-r avail-

all'#. t c ~ the H-47 will crrralul\ givr a higl~cr performance, althau~h, in Icscl

St.\\ \'war llr,nr~rirr \ v a ~ no ad111~1onal i i ~ ~ in c c i ~ ~ t i n 1 the i t r l ~ c I.~III,~I,II aalclrrs- ,,I ~~~i~ Air Lih-that ol (bill 1. J . H . (.')larlc- nrcl11, l d x l Iron~larlv X v ~ r t r i r ~ ~ ~ C o r p r . Iu,is, r r f I%riti,li 41ut.l1 :4&1.ricnn . t imay>. :it=. Ltcl.). R j c , . Pall Ul. :tn,l itot

~ I I n.cr.lvc.~ tl~r liing's Cun~inc.ntl;~tic~l~ ;tlarclrcr nurnlwt rw,.il:lY ; ~ n n r j r l l l c L ~ , & c t .

Mr. J;rcqurs Cochcmi. whose a r t i c l e -The lqr.s%.y o., ~ , ~ ~ l . . ]llortl. OII gliding ailll tnr t~orulogy hawe Iwrll aufdd tl, thr.ir nnRr ol R ~ . ~ ~ ~ , : ~,.lrlllg lratured ill ~cverill imurs of flight dur- quipm,rncn~ a silnpk counertor for illg tb Wsl tv-",' Y m . is sboruv to leave core ccrl~centric cablrs. liuo\r 11 as (l1t this cnrrntrv tu take ua a p w ~ n e m e n t ~ k . , ,,,,n,r& anc! ?rockrl, it i,

KU" a v a h l ~ l r in two uaes drsippcl h>r r.t,ula.

I ling IYniradio q aucl jr, ciihlr*.

4 t

r h ~ I II.II..I ~ U L L ? ~ Alr I.orcr c x p r l - i~ l rn t .~ ! t*.ritrt .IL 3lulcr I l r ! Lakr

pt 1 I\ LI$!,irtl-. W I I U x t . 1 5 Lill~tl ,. .nh 1c.>t111& .I ?;urchro)) I-H-lc, t i t Jurre

~o.lH \ I I I ' 5.4.1 . Irasr. d r r l~r!og n:tm~1 .II t r r prmlr l l r l ullri h.i\ f . Icvs:

G i C . E. 31. L)urlaldson. a lln u ctrr I I t v

FLIGHT, 26 December 1952

...s... #hocozraph% PRlZE DAY AT HALTON: (Left) Air Marshol Sir Victor E. Groom presenting the prize for the best all-round apprentice to F/S. App. A. C. Corbett. (Right) The prize winners of No. 64 Entry: FIS. App. A. C. Corbett, AjApp. N. G. Simmons, AiApp. J. Robertson. Cpl/App. 5. R. Qureshi, Cpl/App.

8. Murphy, CpllApp. D. G. Jones, Cp) App R. M. Rack011 and LIApp. I . 1. Mitchell. A repart oppeors below.

SERVICE A V I A T I O N . . . Tactical Air Group at Edmonton, and in his new duties will succeed A. V-M. C. R. Slemon, the recently appointed Chief of the Canadian Air Staff. He has attended a course at the Imperial Defence College in Britain.

Airline A.T.C. Squadron HE Air Council has approved the

T h r m a t i u n of Na. 22, (B.O.4.C.) Sauadmn. A.T.C., whose membcn will be &iployees, or relaiives of employees, of the Corporation. B.O.A.C. equipment will be made available to the uni-t's headquarters at Meadowbank, near Lopdon Airport.

Missing in Korea HE Commanding Officer of No. Mr

T(Si1ver Fox) Squadron, R.C.A.F., S.L. A. R. MacKenzie, D.F.C., wh:, left North Luffenham last month far a tour of duty in Korea with the U.S.A.F., has been posted missing. He failed to return from his second operation.

S.L. MacKenzie was a war-time pilot wirh No. 421 Squadron, R.C.A.F. After being posted to Air Defence Command in March, 1951, he took over No. 41, which he brought to Britain early this year co join the Canadian 1st Fighter Wing at North Luffenham.

More t l ~ n a dozen R.C.A.F. pilots

have served with the U.S. forces in Korea, Force apprentices. Over &c thrce years and S'L. MacKenzie is the first casualty. no fewer than 66 R.A.F. apprentices left The Canadians are credited with having the Entry, as a result of recoursing to destroyed eight Migs and scored two later entries and transfers to other schools. probables. The Enuy was joined by a further 71 boys

posted to it from previous entries; and of Halton Passing-out Parade the 132 who sat for the final examination, AT fie passing~out p u n ~ e of fie 64th 11 failed. o f the Pakistani apprentices,

E~~ to N ~ . I school of ~ ~ ~ h ~ i ~ ~ l 25 of the original 28 members of the Entry Trainine the reviewine officer was Air the course. ~-

~ a r s h z ~ i r Viaor E. ~ ; b o r n , K.B.E., c.B., PRIZE WINNERS D.F.C., A.0.C.-in-C. Technical Training Monsignor Beauchamp Memorial Prize Conmiand; he arrcndcd In p k c of Lord (bsrt all-round np rcntice), '5:s. App A. C. De ~ i ~ l ~ and ~.g., who was Corben; ~rebb~n-gobinson Cup (bust tradc unable to be present. srandards, practical fitting tcstj, A'App. N. G.

Simmons; Elliott Memorial Prize (highest In his reporr On the 64th A. marks in English and general studies), A'App. Cdre. J. G. W. Weston, C.B., o . B . ~ . , the J. Robertson; Azhar Memorial Shield (best School Commandant, first recalled rhe Pakistan apprmticc), Cpl App. S. R. Qureshi; visit by H.M. the Queen to present her Air hlinisuv Prizes: Highest in order of merit, Colour to Halton. He went on to point out all subiects;~plApp. B. Murphy; Educational that changes in equipment had been made Subiects (1st) C P ~ A P B.Mur~hy, (2nd) CP~! to b e to be * APP. D. G. J O ~ & Scrvlce Eficienm theory and practice necessary for hem to y) F : S ~ t APP A. C. COrbett, (2nd) C ~ l l

R. M._RNklI perform their duties in a modem air force A revision of the syllabus, he said, was being considered with the object of placing more emphasis on the teaching of funda-

%opia3 mental knowledge and less on the teachin! F Ethiopian Air Force recently paid r

OURTEEN aircraft of the Roy* of details.

A. cdre. Weston also announced thl ive-day goodwill return visit to a Briganc presentation of the Quinton Trophy fo 'qmdron at KhomaksG Aden.

among the apprentices. ~~i ~isiting aircraft included four Fireflies anc trophy takes the form of a ceremonial sticl ight Saab A-17s; the Swedish director 0;

and be awarded to he C*-A.T.C h e Erhiopian Air Force, Count Von Rosen cadet who gains the highes ~rrived with his family in his Bonanza. aggregate of marks in competition with I -- other ex-A.T.C. cadet apprentices in his ltbletic Associatio~ entry. The winner will receive a small E ~ z IIVE duties of me ~ o m b G replica. Services Athletic Association will next (In August, 1951, FiL. Quinton was year be taken over by the R.A.F.A.A.; the

navigator of a Wellington aircraft involved secretary will be W/C. A. W. Tillman in a mid-air collision. It so happcned that (Home Command) and the treasurer, S!L. there was but One parachute available. p. E. Davis (A.M. Inspectorate of Physical FI'L. Quinton clipped the parachute on to Fitness). The chairmanship of the the A.T.C. cadet's harness, showed him R.A.F.A.A. has meanwhile been raken over how to operate the rip cord and saw that by A. Cdre. H. Ford (the pole-vault and he lefc the aircraft safely. The life of the putting-the-shot athlete) in succession to cadet was saved, but F,'L. Quinton died. A.V-M. \V. J. Seward; G/C. Donald For his courage and supreme self-sacrifice, Finlay continues as deputy cha~rman. he was awarded the George Cross, and it is in memory of him and a san inspiration to ~ h , ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ - ~ ~ l ~ ~ t ~ l y past ex-A.T.C. cadets at Halton char this the description of the Queen,s visit to trophy has been presented.) I?

~h~ 64th E~~ started its training at Lee-on-Solent which appeared in FZighr ~ ~ l ~ ~ , , in J ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , I and comp~sed of November 28th, i t was stated that the 127 RA.F. and 28 goyal pakistani ~i~ fly-past w a s led b Rear-Admiral W. T.

Couchman in a destland-~ikorsky S-51. We are now informed that he flew a

SIL. A. R. MacKenzie, D.F.C., C.0, of 'No. 441 v a m p i r e a n d thus, probably, gained the Squadron, R.C.A.F., who, as reported above, distinction of being the first Bnush admiral

is posted as missing in Korea. to fly a jet aircraft or to lead a fly-past.

FLIGHT, 29 Ocrober 1,954

INDEPENDENTSUSPENSION: London motorim immured in Motor Show Week traffic-jams must have wished that something like chis could, magically. happen to their vehicles. The 750 C.C. Renoult (weight. 1,235 Ib) is being borne high above the Seine by a Sobeno

Sikorsky 5-55

Prof. Tank expressed the view that i1 would rake West Germany at least three years to build up a ranical air force with modern aircraft. It is elso reported from Germany that on October 18th the founda- tion stone was laid for the first building of the West German aircraft research station in Miilheim. I t was runmured that Prof. Tank may be appointed director of the station.

Loss of a Javelin DURING a routine test flight from Gloster's airfield at Moreton Valence on Thursday last week a Javelin piloted bv F/L. R. J. Ross (a Service pilot attached to rhe company) ot i m difficulties and came down in the %r~dol Channel. Rescue launches recovered. 'some wreckage, which was landed at Avonmouth and taken to Hucclecote. .&though the pilot, who was alone in &e aircraft, is reported to have baled ef~t, no trace of him was sub- sequently found. He had previously been at rKe R.A.E., test-flying Comet G-ANAV.

The Army Climbs

HERE A N D THERE Otters for U.S. Armv? Bay. Our informant remarks that the - MR. T. E. STEPHENS~N, director of the aircraft division of Canada's Dcpart- ment of Defena Production, said recently that an order was expected from the United States Army for a small number of D.H.C. Otters on a "trial" basis. (The Otter was evaluated, in company with American types which included heli- wpters, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, early this year. The R.C.A.F. equipped its No. 408 Squadron, a photo-recon- naissance unit, with 20 Otters Iasr March, and rhe R.C.A.F. has 20 more on order. D.H.C. Beavers are already in service with the United States Army and Air Force.

m&nbers-and, indeed, young men in all parts of Malta--show great interest i aviation, and he feels that rhe Air PvIinistr

Corps.

A Phcenix Arising WEST German Radio reported last that Prof. Kurt Tank, the famous !& aircraft designer, had arrived in Hanover from Argentina, where he has been head- ing a team of some 70 German aircraft designers working for the Argentine Government. Interviewed on his arrival,

0Tsale today (October 2&) is the spccia Show Review Number.of The Aurocm; contents incl ~e€hnical survey of

at the Motor Show. n of the cars from a

Chanee of Scene - AS recently reported in these columns, the two Ausrers of Pest Conuol, Ltd., which carried our successful spraying operations over the pine forests of the Moray Firth are now engaged on a corton- spraying operation in the Sudan. Their pilots have lately been joined there by four more qf the company's pilots-R. C. Y o ~ U , ~ ack Akers, Gordon Brown, and Col~n itch-who are beginning a new war ofi locust swarms.

Models in Malta IN Malta, G.C., is a thriving model aero- plane dub. A correspondent who was recently on holiday there visited its club- m m s at Sliema and learned that it was officially opened last July by S/L. Eric Cable of R.A.F. Station Luqa, who until his posting to Malta was president of the R.A.F. Model Aircraft Association. A marine - aircraft section of the club launches its flying-boats, seaplanes and radiocontrolled motor-boats in Sliema

IN THE G.C. ISLAND: Pan of the club premises of the Sllema Model Aeroplane Club, situated in rhe house of rhe founder, Mr. 1. Axiso (see

paragraph above).

c One of20 Saab 35XD Drakea fighter-bombers. Royal Danish Air Force

CWA Ehersa Aerea Revolrmaionaria Typi- cally equipped as a Soviet satellite country this air force has a fighter and fighter-bomber force consisting of 50 MiG2ls, 40 MiGlOs, 75 MiGlTs, backed up by m d d MiGlSs. For air defence thcre are, additionally, 24 SA-2 Guide- line SAM sites with a total of 144 launchers. The transport force totals about 50 aircraft, principally Il-14. An- 24 and An-2 aircraft, and there. are also about 25 Mil Mi4 helicopters. The Cuban Navy has about 50 Samlet coastal defence SAMs.

~ 0 S U ) V A g L A Ceskoslovenslce Letectve As one of the Warsaw Pact units the Czech Air Force is also supplemented by Soviet Air Force detachments in the country. Its own air force has a ground- attack force of just over 300 aircraft, made up of 40 MiGl7s, 150 Su-7s, 60 elderly 11-28s and 80 MiG-15s. For de- fence there are another approximately 300 aircraft. 150 MiG2ls, 100 MiG-19s and 40 MiG-17s and in addition the Army deploys SA-2 Guideline SAMs. Behind this is a small transport force of 65 aircraft, mostly B14s and 11-18s with a few Li-2s and An-1% together with 100 or so helicopters, Mi48 and Mi& predominating. There are more than 300 trainers, over half of which are Czech-designed L-29 Delfins.

DAHOMEX Force Aerienne dm Dahomey This air force, upon independence gained from France, received one C47, some Brous sards and an Alouette II helicopter. I t is known to have since added an Aero Commander W B .

DENMARK Flyvevaabnet The Royal Danish A Force, a part of Nato, maintains modern tactical force which is currend being upgraded by the replacement c part of its F-100D fighter-bomber win by 23 Saab 35XD Drakens. Air defenc is provided by two squadrons of F-104 Starfighters and one of Hawker Hunte and the Air Defence Group also deploy four Nike-Hercules SAM squadrons and four Hawk SAM squadrons. Recon naissance is provided by one squadron of RFS4F Thunderflashes which are on the point of being replaced by 23 recon- naissance Drakens. A small transport force stil l flies -7s and C-54s. its Cata linas a t last being withdrawn. Eight Sikorsky SSlA helicopters double up in the transport and SAR role. Other heli copters are used by the Danish Navy

DOMINICAN R.E?WBlJC

prising seven B-26 bombers. 20 Vampire N fighters, 20 CavaIier F6lD Mustang finhters (the most recentlv sundied air- - - . - - - . . --- - - -- craft) and two ~ata l ina amphibians. This force is operated, apart from the Catalinas, by two combat sauadrons. In addition them is a tlXIDspirt force MiG-ISUTf, Finnish Air Force of about 20 C4&, G45s. Beavers and Cessna 170s and a dozen helicopters. Refurbished BAC Canberra 8.2. Ethiopian Air Bell 47% Sikorskv H-19s and OHSAs. Farce

ECUADOR Foe- Aerea Ecnatoriana The FAE has been busy modemising its trans- port and training force by introducing three HS.748~ and one Skyvan 3M to join a squadron already equipped with G45s and C47s. The combat element remains as three squadrons equipped respectively with five Canberra B.6s, ten Lockheed FSOCs and eight Gloster Meteor FR.9s with two Catalinas for maritime patrol. A small helicopter force operates three Bells and a Fair- child EH-1100 while training is accom- plished with Cessna T41s. North Amerj

prises two squadrons of some 20 MiG21 fighter-bombers and one squadron which is awaiting 12 Saab Draken J35XS fighters to replace its nine re- maining Gnat F.16. Some 71 Magister armed trainers remain out of the origi- nal 80, initial training being provided by 30 Saab Safirs and final conversion by eight two-seat MiGlSUTIs and -2lUTIs. Ten C47s and three Beavers provide transport. Helicopters include Russian - supplied Mi4g Agusta - Bell AB.204Bs and two Alouette 11s.

FRANCE LSArmCe de 1'Air The French Strategic

LAir Command is just brinaine to omra- [tional pitch the-first of t h & e squad- rons of SSBS IRBMs, totalling 27 mis- siles. These supplement and will even- I

I tually replace the present deterrent in the form of three wings of three squad- rons each of Mirage IVA bombers for low-level penetration with 60kT bombs, the force being supported by a squad- ron of 12 Boeing KG135 tankers. There is also a tactical air force divided into two commands (1st and 2nd CATAC) together flying nine squad- rons of Mirage IUE fighter-bombers. three squadrons of Mirage IW recce aircraft, three squadrons of F-100D and two squadrons of M y d r e IVA fighter- bombers. The Air Defence Command. operating within the Strida 11 air-

llmavodmat Currently the main Fin- defence system, comprises three squad- nish Air Force fighting equipment com- rons of Mirage lJICs and two squad-