News on Screen

Series

Series Name

New Series Pictorial

Issue

Issue No.

308

Date Released

23 Feb 1942

Stories in this Issue:

• 1. Many Happy Returns: Air Age
• 2. Many Happy Returns: Bagdad [Sic]
• 3. Many Happy Returns: Leslie Jeffries

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 3

Section Title

Many Happy Returns

Researcher Comments

Commentary: Twenty-one today! Many happy returns to the South African Air Force, which has just come of age. And a young airwoman, and a twenty-one year old airman, find the birthday cake very good [CU]. [Iris] Looking back, we recall the frail machine that carried home Colonel van Rynefeld [Rain-a-felt] and Major Brand, ace pilots of the last war. They were the first to fly to the Union from Britain. [Flying Boat] In ‘28 came the forerunner of today’s great flying boats, bringing Sir Alan Cobham to South Africa to survey the air routes [To] Machines were becoming faster and more reliable, and in ‘31 Glen Kidston flew from England to the Cape in six days eleven hours. [Liner] That same year saw the first of the big airliners, the "City of Karachi" -- a wire-wheeled wonder. [Shaking] In ‘32, Miss Evans and Miss Douglas won the Aerial Derby, and in the same year, South Africa welcomed that gallant British flyer Amy Johnson. Women were sharing the clouds with men --- and they came down to earth by parachute. [Parachute] Here’s Pat Paterson jumping from two-thousand feet up at Durban. [CU "Helena"] Then "Helena" arrived. She was the largest machine yet, with a wing span of 130 feet, and room for forty passengers. [Men pushing] The Ten Thousand Pound Schlesinger Cup Race from Britain to the Union gave flying a great fillip. First man home was another Britain ... Scott. [Hand to face] Yes, it was a close shave! [1 Plane] Thirty-nine hours from London to the Cape -- the feat of Alex Henshaw in ‘39. [Men out] When war clouds loomed up, the young men of the Union got into their fighting kit, and this time they rode British Hurricanes. [Line of bombers] Up North, Springbok bombers were ready. [LV] Coastal Command machines patrolled the seas -- on Convoy duty and eagle-eyed reconnaissance. [Pilot] These are some of the tough young men who are bringing fresh honours to the South African Air Force. [/1] Galahads of the Sky, they go looking for trouble -- and usually find it. [Chalking] No 3 Squadron chalks up over a hundred scalps -- a fine record. Worthy successors of Captain McGubbin (who brought down Immelmann, the German ace) and Flight Commander Proctor VC. [Smuts] General Smuts is justly proud of his Air Force. So -- Many Happy Returns, and Happy Landings.

Keywords

Politics and government; Aviation; Military

Story extras:

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