"CHOCKS AWAY"

ATC Observer, 1 July 1942, Page 4

"CHOCKS AWAY"

The O.C. call for action. 1 .• r . \ By F./O G-. S. Troup*. -■ . —. • . ..1 An A.T.C. Unit resembles an aircraft in its working. Just as an aircraft in order to fly, must overcome the forces of gravity and drag so a squadron has to get the better of the deadweight of old habits and prejudices, and the drag of inertia as' an aircraft overcomes these by its speed, the outward expression of. the force of its engine applied through the airscrew, so a’ squadron requires a con--;

staht driving force, of leadership resulting in endless rapid "revolutions". The angle of attack of the aerofoil determines the intensity-', with which the 'plane kites on the -air; similarly the attack .oh a'squadron's work must he so judged that the unit gains altitude instead of losing it, yet does not stall. Indeed, the "attitude" of an aircraft is no more important than the "attitude" .of. a'squadron to-its, work. And so the comparison;might, go on ad infiniturn. " 's/hu Onward, r .the squadrons of. the Canterbury wing.’ . Fill up with the aviation spirit' .of enthusiasm, switch on the. spark of alertness, dash accelerating .over the ground, till, having covered it, airborne nt last,' and sanely trimmed and- steadily climbing, you strike your, true course, hold it despite wind .and bad weather, and safely : reach the- objective of thorough knowledge of the Job. .... u,.

, Just a word about recruiting, chaps - don’t tell us that you have-no/friends who would be suitable for training as pilots, wireless operators, gunners, flight mechanics, flight riggers and the almost innumerable trades in the' R.N.Z.A.F. You must, all know at least one suitable boy although the A.T.C. insists on quality, we must have quantity. We have now some four or five hundred cadets in the wing, but that is not enough -we want at least 1000. It is yOur duty to . bring them along, they are needed TODAY. Come, men, how about a new Squadron by Xmas, shanghai: every fellow between 16 and 18 years' of age. ~ ."// . //'.// y