The phenomenal growth of Britain's Royal Air Force in the decade beginning 1935 was the
subject of the main lecture of the evening.
The speaker was David Ransom, and the detail
and illustration were both lavish.
The fledgling RAF barely survived the revulsion from
all things military that dominated British public opinion in the decade following the end
of WW1, and by 1929 its main equipment was still wooden biplanes. The shock realization
in 1922 that the French had built a substantial air armada led to a rapid increase in
squadron numbers, but it was not until Hitler began rearming Germany in the mid 1930s
that the many schemes for massive expansion were launched. They involved drawing up
plans, building bases, training personnel, providing aircraft and developing armaments.
Belated as these schemes were, they had by 1939 provided Britain with an air force that
was fit to go to war, just. From a total of 52 airfields available at end-1934, the
number had risen to 138 by end-1939 in addition to the civil airfields taken over. A
further 540 were added between 1939 and 1944.
From a manpower strength of 30 000 in 1934,
the numbers of men and women in the RAF had risen to a peak of 1 171 421 by October 1944.
This expansion involved a massive programme of training, both basic and in the various
trades required. The problem of training large numbers of aircrew in a crowded and
vulnerable country subject to inclement weather was solved by the Empire Training Scheme,
which eventually produced 138 000 aircrew.
In 1935 RAF aircraft were of the
canvas-covered biplane type with top speeds around 200 mph and ranges of a few hundred
miles. A decade later the monoplane was standard, the jet engine had arrived, top speeds
had more than doubled and ranges exceeded 1 000 miles.
Among fighter planes the Hurricane
and Spitfire were ready in time to play their historical role in the Battle of Britain.
The first metal-clad, monoplane bomber, the Blenhiem, arrived in 1936. Successive years
saw the Battle and the Whitley enter service, with the Hampden arriving in 1938.
Until
the end of that year, however, biplanes still provided the bulk of Bomber Command's
aircraft. During the war the Wellington, Manchester, Stirling, Halifax and Lancaster came
into service, and, in the all-purpose category, the Mosquito. In addition, the RAF flew a
variety of US aircraft, including the ultra-long-range Liberator, which did valuable work
in the closing stages of the Battle of the Atlantic.
The development of armament and
bombs was equally rapid and varied. In the late 1930s the largest bombs were of the 250lb
variety. By the end of the war the 20 000lb Grand Slam had come into service.
The role of
the fighter aircraft as an interceptor changed to that of bomber escort and ground
attack, and their armament developed from machine guns, to cannon, to the 60lb rocket
used by the Hawker Typhoon in Normandy.
Altogether the development of the RAF in the
decade from 1935 was both rapid and effective, and made a vital contribution to the
eventual allied victory.
The Society event to celebrate the Museum's 50th anniversary is to be held on 14th
August. The cash bar will open at 17h30 and the first talk will begin at 18h00.
Speakers
will be Deputy Defence Minister Ronnie Kasrils on the MK;
the head of the SA Navy Museum,
Cdr M Bisset, on the Navy's 75th anniversary;
and Society committee member Heinrich
Janzen on the re-dedication of the War Memorial in 1947.
A finger supper, including a
glass of wine, will be served from 19h00 to 20h00.
The all-in charge is R45 a head, with
all profits to go to the Museum.
On Wednesday 25th June The Friends of the Museum will hold an evening on "From Chosin to Hungnam" (The carrier war off Korea), with video clips and explanations. The cash bar will open at 19h00 and the presentation will begin at 20h00. Donations of R10 for members and R15 for guests will go towards Museum projects.
The Society's Cape Town branch is working on a project to identify, clear, and if
possible restore, the numerous fortifications and gun emplacements around Cape Town, up
the west coast and around the peninsula. Some of these date back 250-300 years.
Guided
tours are being arranged, and any member interested in visiting these sites should
contact Cdr G de Vries on (021) 54-7648. Any Johannesburg member visiting Cape Town is
welcome to contact the branch Chairman Maj Tony Gordon on (021) 61-4500 or Deputy
Chairman John Mahncke on (021) 797-5167.
Members are, of course, welcome at any meeting
of the CT branch.
Kimberley's 2nd Annual SA War Expo '97 will be held from 8th-11th October.
The programme
will include lectures, historical tours, military displays, video films, pipe bands and
numerous ceremonies.
One-day, three-day, five- and seven-day tours can be arranged.
These
will include local battlefields, including Modder River and Magersfontein. There will
also be tours available to the ground covered by the Highland Brigade, the Canadians, and
the Australians and New Zealanders, the Boer retreat and the siege and relief of
Kimberley. Those interested should contact organisers Steve Lunderstadt on 083 2656436 or
0531-814006, or Owen Coetzee on 0531-31434.
George Barrell (Chairman/Scribe) (011) 791-2581