AIR DISPLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 107, 1 November 1940, Page 9

AIR DISPLAY

WIGRAM STATION

VISIT OF LORD AND LADY GALWAY

1000 MEN PARADE

(By Telograph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day

A short but impressive ceremony was staged at the Air Force Station at Wigram today on the occasion of the last official visit of their Excellencies Lord and Lady Galway to the station. The ceremony took the form of a march past by 1000 airmen of the station, followed by a fly past of aircraft, and a demonstration of the phases of training that are carried out at flying training schools beyond the elementary

stages

Air to air firing, a training which is naturally a very important consideration in the training of operational pilots, was demonstrated by the aircraft. Divebombing, as practised by pilots who will join operational squadrons, provided an effective display, low-level attacks being made by Oxfords. As all pilots must be trained to have a full knowledge of their aircraft and their behaviour in the air, there is no better method of ensuring this than by teaching a pupil aerobatics. In today's display aerobatics were limited, but they were greatly appreciated by the visitors. Instrument flying by two aircraft also provided an interesting demonstration. The final event of the display was an exhibition of synchronised aerobatics, which required considerable judgment and anticipation by the pilots of the two aircraft carrying out the manoeuvres as well as a high degree of skill in . the forming of the actual evolutions themselves. Whilst the main items of the display were in progress formations of Oxfords and Fairey Gordon aircraft flew overhead and displayed most effectively the pitch of training to which pilots can be brought to in the comparatively short space of time which is available for their training.