مجموعة ٥/٧٣ "سلاح الجو الأفغاني: تقارير من إعداد الملحق العسكري البريطاني في كابول خلال الفترة من ١ نوفمبر ١٩٤٧ إلى ٣١ أكتوبر ١٩٤٧" [و‎‎١‎٦] (٥٦/٣١)

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2• (Gontinued) .
(iv) The Hind Squadron has done very little flying this year due to
a lack of balanced spares. Of the 17 Hinds 11 are servicealle. The
question of Hind snares is being taken un.
(v) The Training Squadron is equipped with Tiger Moth aircraft.
Of the 8 Tiger Moths, 5 are serviceable and 3 unserviceable. ^ Little
flying has been done due to lack of snares. The ’"hole question of snares
is to be reviev/ed again.
•»>
(vi) The Stearman P.T. 17 is serviceable but difficult to fly at
these altitudes and i 0 seldom used.
3• Airnort or Landing Ground I mpro vement.
(a) The only improvement that has taken place during the pexiod under
review is at the Khwaja Rawash airfield, where ground has been^ levelled
to give an additional run of 300 yards in a N. Tr . - S. ln . direction,
airfield is one of two in Kabul).
(b) Two large hangars are under construction under the supervision of Ma,i.
F.E. Donnithorne, a retired Army engineer under contract to the Afghan
Government. One hangar is complete except for doors at either end, ana
overall painting. The second is half completed.
(c) Morrison Knudsen (American Engineers employed by the Afghan Government
on many engineering projects), have offered to make the Kandanar axrf-eia
fit for all weather. So far the Afghans have not approved tnis offer but
will probably do so when they start a civil service.
4• Civil Aviat ion.
(a) The question of an internal Government air service is t' : ng seriously
considered by the Afghans, T,1 ith but few pilots trained in -lying A.vro-,
the Afghans are not ready to start yet.
(b) The Russian courier plane has made regular flights using Dakota
aircraft. On one occasion it was reliably reported that a Russian made
Dakota was used. This aircraft found difficulty in taking off and since
then only American Dakotas have been used.
(c) One or two INA aircraft have flown in to Kabul, these ouanes having
been chartered by the Indian Embassy,
(d) One R.P.A.F. Dakota flew to Kabul bringing a ’good will 1 party of
Pakistan officials.
5. Efficiency of Afghan Pilots.
(a) The flying efficiency of the Hind Pilots is deteriorating due to
lack of flying time.
(b) There are 9 pilots trained in flying the new Avros of which one is
rated above average, 5 average and 3 below average.
(c) A certain amount of dive bombing has been carried out b,.t the standard
of skill displayed was poor.
(d) Formation flying was carried out at the Afghan Independ r ace
celebrations after some practice. The standard of flying ..gain poor.
4. R. A.F. personnel seconded to the Royal Afgh an Air_F oP£_ ; -
(a) S/Ldr G.F. Reid, D.F.C., carries out pilot instruction .nail types
of aircraft used by the Afghans. He acts as G.O. of the refining
R.A.F. personnel. His advice is sometimes sought on all ma' ters connected
with the Afghan Air Force, quite apart from pilot instruction affairs.