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Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: Reports on’ [181r] (361/431)
The record is made up of 1 file (214 folios). It was created in 14 Jun 1938-30 Dec 1947. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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'&HK0
REPORT OF THE AFGHAN AIR FORGE
P ERIOD 1st MAY TO 31st JULY, 19 41
1. General.
EXT
8190
1941
There has been the usual seasonal increase in activities
during the quarter, though most of the efforts made have been
directed towards obtaining the best possible formation flying for
the "Independence Day Review" which takes place about the 23rd of
August.
Nothing further has been heard from the Afghan authorities regard
ing the proposal to dispatch students to India for training in
: aviation.
The British instructors attached to the Afghan Air Force state
that the general efficiency of the Air Force is still very much
affected by family influence, nepotism and jealousy.
No. 1 (Hind) Squadron has the older and less efficient pilots,
No. 2 (Romeo) Squadron has the best of the older pilots who were
trained in India or at Kabul by British instructors but were taken
\ away to fly Romeo aircraft at a later stage, and No. 3 (Hind)
Squadron has the young and promising pilots whose progress is
cramped by lack of practice, jealousy, and a poor squadron leader.
Another reason for the lack of enthusiasm in trailing is believed
to be the policy of the Afghan Government and the Ministry of
Defence regarding the use of their Air Force, senior officers
in the Air Force have stated that the aircraft are only required
to cope with internal disturbances and if pilots are able to fly
reasonably well and use their machine guns and bombs against ground
targets this standard is sufficient for their purpose.
Nine aircraft have been kept"standing by" during the month of July
for use in the Kunar area in the event of further unrest amongst
the Mohmands.
Efforts have been made to increase petrol storage facilities for
the Air Force at Khwaja Rewash aerodrome, two 10,000 gallon tanks
have been dug in on the hills North of the aerodrome and three
10,000 gallon tanks are to be sunk near the hangers and barracks.
About this item
- Content
The file contains periodical reports by the British Military Attaché at Kabul (Colonel Alexander Stalker Lancaster) on the Afghan Air Force, they cover the period 1 March 1938 to 31 October 1947. There is a gap for the period 2 May 1938 to 31 October 1940 for which no reports are present in the file.
The reports cover a range of topics such as training flights, operations conducted, condition of aircraft, accidents, maintenance work, availability of spares, petrol stores, ground facilities, administrative or political developments, and any proposals for the purchase of additional aircraft. The reports also cover the positions of the British Instructors at Kabul relative to their Italian counterparts, and indicate the progress made in training Afghan students.
The file includes a report by Squadron Leader Reid (see folios 22-23) on his testing of the Avro Anson XIX, and a report by Squadron Leader B P King on his testing of the de Havilland Tiger Moth (see folios 82-83), for service in Afghanistan.
The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (214 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the last folio with 215; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: Reports on’ [181r] (361/431), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2034, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100038334405.0x0000a2> [accessed 31 March 2025]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2034
- Title
- Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: Reports on’
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:215v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence