Middle Wallop – June 2002
Contributed by
Max WARWICK (49B) Nether Wallop
– Hotel, for the use of Army Air Corps Types. Contributed by Trevor STUBBERFIELD (52A) Well
worth a visit if you're in the area, especially at pensioners’ rates.
From the RE's observation balloons, through early aircraft to the Glider
Regiment (remember Cpl Cowan, East Surreys, Glider Pilot at Arnhem, PSI HQ
Coy), up to the "heliocopeters", or "paraffin
parrots", right up to the Gulf Operations. A bit threatening
having the Red Indian or Apache hovering overhead whilst we had a look round
the grounds. Even more so when two crash tenders and an ambulance
scrambled for its landing. The pilot probably was thinking of the
scalds if he spilt his coffee cup during the landing.
Circulating
the news of my museum visit to friends brought forward some interesting
memories which show how things develop. From Tony Blythman 52A came: "I've
flown many times with the A.A.C. as an observer, flying over Salisbury
Plain. I was attached to the Royal
Artillery who were learning to fly and control pilotless spy planes. These were controlled and tracked by radio
and radar, and they cost about £10,000,000 each. After the R.A. lost or crashed so many, I
designed a "bread board" map unit to fit into an Auster. The pilot would then follow the
instructions of the ground controller, who would think he was in full
control. If, however, he messed up
there would be some choice radio contact from the pilot. Result, no more crashed planes. I used to fly in the Auster to keep an eye
open for other aircraft so that the pilot could concentrate and follow the
instructions as lifelike as possible". This
brought a response from George Millie 49B: "The
drones Tony mentions were in fact developed from the Pilotless Target
Aircraft (P.T.A.) which were used for live-firing practice on the Range
'A' at Todendorf belonged to the U.S. Army and they had a much more
sophisticated P.T.A. Becoming friendly
with the mechanic who serviced them I discovered, out of boredom, that he had
attached a camera to one of them and captured some excellent in-flight images
of the countryside. This must surely
be the forerunner of the current Have
you similar memories which you would like to add to these? There must be many incidental developments
which became major technological advances.
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