HENDON PAGEANT DISCONTINUED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22307, 22 January 1938, Page 13

HENDON PAGEANT DISCONTINUED

ANNOUNCEMENT BY AIR MINISTRY KEEN DISAPPOINTMENT FELT BY PUBLIC (SBITISB OFHCIAL WTBILBSS.) (Received January 21, 2 p.m.) " RUGBY, January 20. A decision to discontinue forthwith the annual Royal Air Force displays at Hendon in favour of the development of an Empire air day as a link between the public and the Royal Air Force is announced by the Air Ministry. The statement explains that the reasons for the Air Council's decision include the unsuitability of Hendon aerodrome or any other available ground for high-speed manoeuvres of modern service aircraft, and the undesirability of diverting the energy of the Air Force from its regular operational training, to which the Hendon display was formerly—before recent developments in power and speed—a normal and proper culmination. The Air Council intends fully to maintain, and, as far as the exigencies of the service permit, to extend the scope of the Empire air day. The decision to abandon the Royal Air Force display, which is admittedly the most spectacular of its kind in the world, will cause great disappointment. The public regarded it as one of the leading events of the London season and it attracted distinguished persons from throughout the wovld. The attendance totalled 179,500 last year.