WesWorld

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April 5
In a secret document handed to the Committee of Imperial Defence this morning the RAF declared that the first AMES Type 4 radio-location station was operational and that work on another six sites was progressing well. The AMES Type 4 is also known as the Chain Home Low Type 1 with a range of 55 miles and the ability to detect low-flying intruders into British airspace.

April 9
A small ceremony and flypast by Fairey Barracuda torpedo-bombers was held for the formation of the Coastal Command Development Unit at RAF Ballykelly, Northern Ireland. This unit will formulate all the future tactical and technical requirements and lessons and training requirements of Coastal Command by practical use and experimentation with all current and future equipment employed by the Command.

April 16
Despite a foggy morning de Havilland flew its prototype DH.98 “Speed Bomber” from its Hatfield aerodrome today. The exceptionally sleek all-wood bomber looked ultra-modern on its roll out and the power from the two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines quickly thrust the DH.98 into the air. The flight was regarded as successful and it’s clear whatever the arguments for a “defenceless bomber” the type will be very fast and agile. Entry into service should be late 1940 and 50 are on order. The maximum bombload is 2,000lbs internally; a crew of two is carried sitting side-by-side. Maximum speed is estimated at over 380mph.

April 17
British European Airways have begun two new services today, London to Frankfurt and London to Budapest. Both are daily flights both ways.

April 24
A ceremony and flypast at FAA Yeovilton today marks the entry into service of the latest Fairey creation, the sleek and powerful Fairey Firefly carrier-borne fighter. Powered by the extremely powerful Rolls-Royce Griffon V-12 giving 2,035hp the Firefly, which is armed with four 20mm cannon and two 1,000lb bombs, can reach 380mph. 200 are on order to replace the Gloster Gannet fighter and for the first time the FAA has a fighter equal to anything employed by the land-based air forces.

April 28
The Air Ministry confirmed today that the advanced Supermarine 328 Southport flying-boat has been cancelled. The reasons cited were the technical problems with quadruple 20mm cannon powered turret, cost considerations and the duplication of effort with the Blackburn B.20 Boston already in service. While another blow to Vickers-Supermarine, as the second project to be cancelled this year, it also places concern on Bristol’s ‘Ideal Bomber’ due to fly later this year since it’s due to be armed with two of the 20mm turrets. The Air Ministry so far has confirmed the ‘Ideal Bomber’ will go ahead.

Quoted

Powered by the extremely powerful Rolls-Royce Griffon V-12 giving 2,035hp the Firefly, which is armed with four 20mm cannon and two 1,000lb bombs, can reach 380mph. 200 are on order to replace the Gloster Gannet fighter and for the first time the FAA has a fighter equal to anything employed by the land-based air forces.

That's no Firefly. That's Mjolnir!

So it's kind of between a Firefly I and a IV, then, judging by the engine. Speed seems a little high, based on the IV, though.

So nobody else besides me remembers what it looks like?

Heh, that's the problem with using a historical plane's name....

Thanks Brock for posting the pic. I'd forgotten too!

The first of the "strike fighters" I think.

It's a pretty plane, so I remembered it.

Quoted

April 24 A ceremony and flypast at FAA Yeovilton today marks the entry into service of the latest Fairey creation, the sleek and powerful Fairey Firefly carrier-borne fighter. Powered by the extremely powerful Rolls-Royce Griffon V-12 giving 2,035hp the Firefly, which is armed with four 20mm cannon and two 1,000lb bombs, can reach 380mph. 200 are on order to replace the Gloster Gannet fighter and for the first time the FAA has a fighter equal to anything employed by the land-based air forces.

Greece may be interested in purchasing some of those Gannets as you phase them out of service to bolster our naval air arm. Currently there are no spare aircraft in the Greece Air Forces only enough of each plane to fill out the squadrons.

Sure, the FAA can send the lowest air-time aircraft to Greece. I was going to offer that anyway. All would be overhauled before delivery and would amount to 10-15 aircraft per year for the next 2-4 years.

Excercise Strongbow April-May 1939

The newly formed 8th Armoured Division based in Iraq was still forming up when divisional excercises were planned by Middle East HQ.

Lt. General Horrocks was in command of the excercise as the CO of 8th Armoured. The excercise also included the 1st Independent AT Brigade of the Iraqi Army led by Lt. Col Sittar and elements of II Brigade Iraqi Army. Also taking part was a Brigade from the 7th Infantry Division (also stationed in Iraq) and the 4th Armoured Regiment from Canada newly equipped with TC-2 Ram tanks.

The crews of the 8th Armoured were keen to get experience of this new tank since it will soon join operational service with the British Army and the 8th Armoured will be among the first overseas units to receive the type.

The full range of tank Vs tank and tank Vs static defences excercises were held along with infantry support missions, attacks allied with aerial support, defensive AT gunnery and mobile all-arms long range operations in the desert. Live firing was also carried out by tanks, AT guns and artillery. It was one of largest mechanised excercises carried out in recent years and one of the most successful.

It was rumoured tactics and battle scenarios based on those fought in the Persian Civil War were re-enacted and the new Armoured Regiment tactical handbook throughly tested. No foreign observers were present apart from the three countries involved in the excercise.

May 3
Today Mr Alexander Lance, recent purchaser of licence rights to the American Taylorcraft light aircraft under the Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Ltd banner at Crowthers textile mill in Thurmaston, Leicester, flew the first Taylorcraft Plus C from Ratcliffe airfield.
The flight went very well and was trouble free. The Taylorcraft Plus C is based on the American Model B but with thicker wing spars, smaller higher pressure tyres, a rudder mass balance and higher-strength steel tubing in the fuselage and is powered by a 55hp Lycoming O-145-A2. It is known as the Plus C to differentiate it from the US models. Maximum speed is 110mph and initial rate of climb 550ft/min.
Taylorcraft (England) Ltd have only imported 50 Lycoming O-145-A2 engines which limits the production run but Mr Lance is hoping to install a 90hp Blackburn Cirrus Minor I to give a 1,000ft/min initial climb and 120mph maximum speed into the eleventh production machine and he also hopes that the Plus D will become the main production variant during 1939/40. The Plus C costs £480, a very reasonable price.

May 6
Today after a ceremony attended by several dignitaries including the Lord Mayor of London the newly electrified LNER King’s Cross suburban line was opened. LNER hopes that the next phase of its electrification programme, the electrification of the East Coast Mainline, will begin next year for completion in 1942.

The Times May 3rd 1939
'The Political Situation in Iraq'

Since the death of King Ghazi of Iraq in an automobile acident on April 4th the Arab nation has been leaderless. The King's only hier, his son Faisal who is only three years old is too young to take the throne. Therefore Crown Prince Abd al-Ilah, cousin and brother-in-law to King Ghazi, will serve as Regent to Faisal II until he comes of age.

Numerous rumors still abound around the circumstances behind King Ghazi's death. Rumours are rife and some believe he was killed on the orders of Prime Minister Nuri as-Said due to a clash between their politics, the Prime Minister being pro-British and the King being anti-British and Pan-Arabic in outlook. Others claim that the Ibn Saud regime were involved and more rumors suggest he was killed by Bharati SPEARFISH operatives and thus link his death with that of the Shah of Persia. Royal Iraqi police have so far denied any suspicions of foul play and the British Government has also investigated the matter without uncovering a plot to assissinate the King. Even so uneasy has settled over the Arabian penninsula as rumors drift on the desert winds and via the caravans up and down the coast and across the interior. Mr Jinnah, Prime Minister of Baluchistan, recently made a public speech praising King Ghazi's Pan-Arabic politics but spokesmen for the King of Jordan strongly pushed for Britian to solve the mystery and to bring the murderers to justice.

May 15
The British Sea Cadets sail training ship, British Steel , has won first place in the Class A Division II of the Tall Ships Race of 1939. The ship docked at Gibraltar today and the news was quickly flashed home. Once again British seamanship has triumphed and no doubt these young sailors will become the future men and officers of the Royal Navy and they will remember this day for a long time.
The British Steel is a brand-new vessel, constructed in Bulgaria and donated by the Tsar to the Sea Cadets. She is a handsome vessel and by these standards is also fast and agile.

May 17
Sidney Camm’s latest creation, the Hawker Tempest, developed as an improvement of the Tornado/ Typhoon series has flown for the first time. The prototype Tempest I with a prototype-series Napier Sabre III flew well but engine overheating and oil cooling problems curtailed the flight. Great improvements are hoped for but as with many current programmes it seems to be engine problems that is dogging development.
The first RR Griffon-powered Tempest II is hoped to give less trouble and should fly within two months. The Tempest I should reach 455mph and the Tempest II 460mph.
The Tempest has new 42ft span wings, elliptical in planform and much thinner with a wing area of 300ft sq. A new, and stronger, tail unit is fitted and the engine has been moved forwards to fit another fuel tank ahead of the cockpit. Armament is four 20mm Orkileon FFB cannon. 200 of each of the Napier Sabre V powered Tempest I and the Rolls-Royce Griffon III powered Tempest II are to be ordered.

May 20
Today was the sixth Empire Air Day and across the Empire 63 service fields and 15 civil aerodromes opened their gates to one million visitors. At RAF Northolt a crowd of 56,000 gathered and RAF charities received £30,000 of donations. There were several large displays across the country.

May 24
The engineer C. C. Mitchell, formerly working for Mac Taggert, Scott & Co Ltd, who supplies naval catapults to the Royal Navy and holder of a patent for a steam-powered catapult has joined the E-in-C Dept at the Admiralty.

May 26
Today Gloster flew the prototype SS.44 Reaper twin-engined fighter for the first time.
The Gloster SS.44 Reaper is a variant of the G.39 tendered to Spec F.18/37 for the RAF. Although it lost to the Boulton Paul P.97 the RAAF placed a development contract in mid 1938 and the second prototype G.39 was rebuilt. The SS.44 Reaper has a second crewman in new glazed cockpit and is powered by two 1,185hp Rolls-Royce Merlin V engines. Armament is four 20mm cannon in the nose. Ceiling is 35,500 feet and maximum speed is 390mph at 22,500 feet.

June 5
The first Army units in Malaya have begun to receive the new .303in Rifle No.4 Mk I. The Rifle No.4 is a shortened Rifle No.3 for use overseas and for export. This rifle is 3ft 3.5in long, weighs 7.15lbs, muzzle velocity is 2,400 ft/sec and has a ten round magazine. It has a conical flash hider and a rubber pad on the butt to compensate for the flash and recoil effects.

June 8
Unoffical reports indicate that the world renowned Belgain detective, Hercule Poirot has been called in by the Foreign Office to investigate the mysterious death of King Ghazi of Iraq. Calls to his London residence have met strong denials by his secretary Miss Lemon but a sighting of Monsieur Poirot and his associate Capitan Hastings aboard a P&O steamer bound for Palestine has been reported.

June 11
After poor sales and production difficulties the British aircraft group AIRCO have decided to terminate the de Havilland Siam venture. All production and licence rights will be transferred to de Havilland Australia. The former factory site will be sold but all tooling and machinery will be transferred to Australia.

June 19
The Royal Gunpowder Factory at Waltham Abbey, Essex has further developed its new explosive RDX. Its use and properties are not yet known (classified top secret) but it is thought that RDX has been mixed with Beeswax for shells and that development of a usable explosive continues.

June 20
The Vickers Wellington Mk IIIF interim night-fighter with IR detection equipment in the nose compartment replacing the nose turret has entered service according to an Air Ministry communiqué today. The total order is supposed at only 24 aircraft but official confirmation is lacking and the units equipped with the Wellington Mk IIIF are classified. The armament is a new Boulton Paul four.303in Browning MG dorsal turret with fitted along with a ventral pack with four 20mm Orkileon in the former bomb bay.

June 27
At RAF Duxford 19 Sqn showed off its brand-new Supermarine Spitfire Mk III fighters to the world’s press. An improved Spitfire, the Mk III has a revised armament of two 20mm Oerlikon cannon and four .303in Browning MGs and is powered by a 1,185hp RR Merlin V with a two-speed supercharger for speeds up to 370mph and heights of 37,000 feet. A daring display was put on by the skilled pilots during the afternoon.