IRAQ’S TINY AIR FORCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18848, 10 April 1931, Page 9

IRAQ’S TINY AIR FORCE.

All British Production. DEPARTURE FOR HOME DUTIES. United Press Association—By Electrlo Tel egraph—Copyright (Received April 9, 10.30 p.m.) . LONDON, April 9. Iraq’s Royal Air Force, whose machines were built in Britain and the pilots trained here, departed to-day from Hatfield aerodrome, to take up their duties in their own country. This must be one of the tiniest Air Forces in existence, consisting of six military biplanes, with a monoplane for King Feisal’s use. The Iraq officers speak English fluently. They wear khaki uniforms, resembling the British army pattern. FLYING BOATS FOR IRAQ. BRITISH MACHINES IN COMMISSION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, February 28. Four days ago three of the latest types of flying boats built for the Royal Air Force began a Journey of 3500 miles in formation from Felixtowe to Basra, Iraq. There they are scheduled to take the place of earlier type service flying boats belonging to No. 203 Squadron which have been employed for some years past in coastal patrol work in the Persian Gulf and the estuary of the Euphrates river. From Bordeaux to the Mediterranean the route selected traverses i 250 miles of Southern France, taking the machines as far as possible along 1 the river valleys but inevitably involving many miles of flying over j regions where a descent could only be : made on the land. British flying boats have many times accomplished sue- | cessfully such traverses of land ; regions; so sure is the faith of the ; British pilot in the trustworthiness of his aircraft and engines that he does , not consider that risk is involved in 1 such flights. From the Etang de i Berre, near Marseilles, the boats will 1 fly on to Malta, and continue the voyage to the east by way of Mirabella in Crete, Alexandretta, and Baghdad, where the boats will alight on the surface of the river Tigris. Each of these new marine aircraft, which are styled the Short “Rangoon,” is equipped with three Bristol “Jupiter” air-cooled motors totalling approximately 1500 horsepower. With normal military load on board the range in still air is understood to be about one thousand miles; one of the stages of the England-Basra journey, indeed, is 700 miles, to be flown with- , out alighting to refuel. | No effort is spared in the design to 1 j make the boats comfortable for the | crews in the torrid heat of the Per- | sian Gulf and this consideration ; reigned supreme over every detail of j the internal construction and equip- j ment. The result is a roomy, comfortable hull which should assure I comparative comfort even in the hot- I test weather, a point of vital importance because British flying boat crews are expected frequently to eat and sleep on board. Commercial boats very similar in design, called the Short “Calcutta,” have flown for some time past over the Mediterranean sections of the air mail ! route operated by Imperial Airways, I carrying passengers, mails, and j freight.