GREAT DISPLAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 159, 8 July 1935, Page 7

GREAT DISPLAY.

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

Mass Demonstration Before the

King and Queen.

THOUSANDS SPELLBOUND

P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, July 7.

Hundreds of people slept in motor ears and had breakfast in the fields in oz'der to secure good positions for the review of the Royal Air Force by His Majesty at Mildenhall aerodrome yesterday. Floodlights all night long threw into relief the gleaming wings of 350 aei-o-planes. An endless stream of traffic congested the roads until they were cleared for the Royal party. The Prince of Wales joined Their Majesties at Newmarket, whither he flew in his own machine. The Queen and the Duchess of York paid a graceful compliment to the Air Force by wearing dresses of Air Force blue. Crowds lining tho country lanes cheered the King as he passed. He wore the blue service uniform of an Air Marshal. The enthusiasm was tremendous on His Majesty's arrival at the aerodrome, where the Commander-in-Chief handed him a parado tally showing that 367 officers and 1751 other ranks were lined up. After His Majesty had inspected the parade he decorated two commanding officers. Announcers through loudspeakers called for three cheers for the King, and all ranks as well as the spectators enthusiastically responded. \ King's Good Humour. The King was in very high spirits and continually joked with the officers. He was deeply moved by the cheers. Their Majesties lunched at Duxford aerodrome before watching the fly-past there". In the meanwhile Mildenhall reverberated with the roaring of engines as aeroplanes took the air. After luncheon His Majesty inspected new recruits. A minute later, with a low roar, the first aeroplanes appeared in perfect formation, followed by a seemingly endless procession which extended below tho horizon. The machines passed the Royal dais at a height of 800 ft. The varying speed of the aeroplanes and the "bumpiness" of the weather emphasised the perfection of the organisation. No machine was an inch out of position. Air Squadron Drill. The last squadron—Gloucester Gauntlets—thundered past at a height of 200 ft and then detached themselves from the main body to give a thrilling exhibition of squadron drill, flying wingtip to wing-tip with incredible accuracy. The entiro 17 squadrons, comprising 155 aeroplanes, concluded the display by changing formation and sweeping past the Royal dais. Their Majesties then left amid enthusiastic cheering and entered their car for tho return to London. The King, in a message to the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Philip Cun-liffe-Lister, expressed his appreciation of the review. He said: — I warmly congratulate all ranks on the magnificent display. I was greatly impressed by their smartness on the ground and efficiency - in the air, which left no doubt that they are fully equal to any task they may be called upon to fulfil.