1912 – East Coast Air Stations announced

The Scotsman, Thursday 19th September 1912 – Page 10

AEROPLANES AT ROSYTH

The arrival of a Farman hydroplane at Rosyth marks the first step in the creation of an important naval aviation centre that is to be formed here, and important developments are to follow very shortly. A large tract of land has been secured at Carlingnose, near to the Forth Bridge, for the establishment of yet another of these aviation centres that will in due course extend in a chain from Dover in the south to the Orkney Islands in the north. The stations that have already been established are at Dover, Eastchurch, in the Isle of Sheppey Harwich, and one just in its preliminary stages on the Humber.

The primary object of the Rosyth station is to defend the new naval base, the Forth Bridge, and the estuary of the Forth. In due course, not only will at least four hydroplanes be constantly maintained here, but a fleet of aeroplanes as well. The site secured extends to about twelve acres in all and is said to be admirably adapted to the purpose now in view. It will be under the joint control of the naval and military authorities, and its cost of construction and maintenance will be borne jointly by the two Services in proportions yet to be agrees upon. It is intended that in due course rather a large staff shall be maintained here, and some use will be made of the centre as a training ground for recruits to the Royal Flying Corps and for training those naval officers who decide to take up this wing of the Service in the future.

FLYING OVER THE FORTH

So soon as the Rosyth station is in complete working order the machines stationed there will be constantly employed in testing their paces in the Firth of Forth, with various expeditions seawards. The true value of a hydroplane of the Farman pattern is but very imperfectly realised at the moment, while its potential worth to the fleet can only be guessed at. And there is no real data by which these guesses can be proved or disproved. The destroyers now told off to protect the Firth of Forth will be able to adopt a much wider radius of action, and to remain at sea for longer periods than was previously the case, since the aircraft to be maintained at Rosyth will be available for scouting purposes every day, and will be able to make prolonged expeditions out to sea. A definite range of coast will be assigned to the new centre, and this will probably be from Scapa Flow in the North, to the Tyne in the South.

Close to this new aviation centre will be the wireless telegraphic station that is being built at Rosyth, while experiments with light wireless installations upon aeroplanes are in contemplation at the present time. The principal duty of the aeroplanes and hydroplanes maintained at Rosyth however, will be to patrol the shores of the North Sea and to report any untoward happenings there to the shore authorities and likewise to any warships that might be in the vicinity. It is not yet decided how many machines shall be deployed here, but in due course this number is likely to be considerable.

REST STATIONS.

So soon as it is considered that Rosyth is thoroughly protected by means of hydroplanes and aeroplanes, a commencement with the next northerly station will be commenced. As at present arranged, this will be in the neighbourhood of Scapa Flow, and will not need to be upon such an ambitious scale. Convenient “rest stations” will be set up, both north and south of the Firth of Forth, one being probably situated on the Firth of Tay, within easy reach of Dundee, and the other somewhere in the neighbourhood of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

At each of these an aviator will be able to halt in the event of unfavourable weather or any minor accident or breakdown occurring to his machine. Petrol and other necessities will be stored at each of these “rest stations” which will be under the control of a small staff of experts, qualified to carry out repair work sufficient to enable a “lame duck” to reach its headquarters, where thorough overhauling and refitting will be carried out. The workshops ultimately to be provided at the new centre near Rosyth will be of a very extensive and complete character. While it is not intended at the moment that any construction work shall be undertaken here, the plant available would of course be quite sufficient for this, with the exception of the actual manufacture of the engines should the necessity ever arise. It is quite certain, however, that experimental work of a very important character will be carried out here, and it is probable that important improvements to both aeroplanes and hydroplanes for work in the Firth and the North Sea beyond will be envisaged.

HYDROPLANES AND SUBMARINES

The hydroplanes now to be stationed near Rosyth will in due course be called upon to work in close co-operation with the submarines that will shortly be based permanently in the Firth of Forth. It has been proved conclusively during the past few months that much useful work can be carried out by this joint effort, the hydroplane skirmishing high in the air to ascertain as precisely as may be the movements of a hostile fleet, and then returning to where its assisting submarines are lurking, and conveying this information to them in order that they may strike home. So far no really efficient means of signalling between hydroplanes and submarines has been discovered; but this is probably only a matter of a few years, and some modification of wireless telegraphy will doubtless be devised to meet the situation. It is also suggested that officers serving either in the Flying Corps or the Submarines, should have practical experience of the other arm, so that they may more readily gather what is going forward and be alert for signs that might otherwise pass them by. Therefore, there is a scheme under consideration for the training of naval officers both in submarine and hydroplane work, calling upon them to take turn and turn about in each of these engines of modern warfare.

The ultimate extent of the new aviation centre on Carlingnose cannot be gauged at the moment.

It will thus be seen that a very important era in the aerial defence of the East Coast of Scotland is about to be inaugurated with the arrival of the first Farman hydroplane, and it is quite impossible at the moment to forecast the true significance of this. It is likely that the whole of our present dispositions for the defence of the Scottish coast-line bordering upon the North Sea will undergo very considerable modifications, and these will affect both the Army and Navy alike. In due course the new centre, when it is sufficiently advanced, will be visited be the heads of both services in order that its future possibilities may be carefully studied on the spot and developments suggested.