History - Inter-War (5)

…... attacking troops of the Norfolk Regiment from three Vickers Victoria aircraft of 216 Squadron. This superb demonstration of air power and mobility could hardly fail to impress all and was probably why there were no wars on at the time. All this apart when the Air Officer Commanding inspected the Squadron in May he was able to report to the Secretary of State for Air that 208 Squadron had earned high praises from the GOC British troops in Egypt during the training season and that a very close liaison existed between the Squadron and the Army units at Abbassia.


Since the beginning of the nineteen-twenties the Squadron had been experimenting with W/T and R/T in order to communicate with the ground. In November 19-28 a new step forward was taken when tests were carried out between aircraft using W/T, communication being set up each way up to a range of 36 miles. This led to a new event in the Annual Air Display at Heliopolis the following year when air drill was carried out by R/T in the air. Four aircraft performed a series of evolutions on orders issued by R/T from

the Flight Commander about half a mile distant from his flight. This was followed up by one of the pilots carrying out aerobatics on orders issued by R/T from the ground.


Also in November twelve Squadron aircraft competed in the Lord Lloyd Reliability Competition which lasted four days. This was an inter-squadron competition the aim being to see what mileage could be covered by the number of aircraft entered thus testing their reliability over a certain period or time. On the first day, one of the Squadron aircraft force landed after leaving Assuit, however the remaining eleven completed the course. The total mileage flown by all aircraft in the four days was 15,120. This placed 208 Squadron third with 103 marks, 216 Squadron coming second with 105 marks and 14 Squadron first with 110 marks. This competition was held on many subsequent occasions both in summer and winter to test the reliability of Squadron aircraft.


Between November and March Army Co-operation work was carried out during the training season and at the end of the command manoeuvres the GOC British troops in Egypt, Lieutenant General Sir E. Peter Strickland KCB KBE CMG DSO expressed himself highly pleased with the work of the Squadron.

…...continued

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