Winds of Destruction ( PDFDrive )

within the Air Force.
The title was changed to Rhodesian Air Force, with Queen Elizabeth
conferring the ‘Royal’ prefix. As the Royal Rhodesian Air Force, the unit
forsook its army ranks and khaki uniforms and adopted ranks and uniforms
similar to those of the Royal Air Force.
But the major change of the Federal inception was one of scope and
responsibility. From being a minor, self-contained force, preoccupied with
territorial defence, the RRAF was now responsible for the defence of the
Federation as a whole and was also to acquire wider responsibility as a part of
the Royal Air Force’s potential in the Middle East.
At the conclusion of the Second World War, the RAF retained its RTG
airfield, Thornhill, where flying training on Harvards continued. This was the
largest and best-equipped RTG airbase sited close to the Midlands town of
Gwelo. It remained an active RAF base until its closure in 1955 when it was
taken over by the Royal Rhodesian Air Force.
With ever-increasing commercial flights in and out of Salisbury Airport,
Group Headquarters decided to reduce congestion at the jointly used facilities by
moving all Air Force training to Thornhill. Initially this was only possible for
piston operations, using existing grass runways. Two years of work during 1956
and 1957 were needed to build a tar macadam runway with taxiways, concrete
hard standings and a modern control tower, incorporating radar, before jet
training could commence.
In line with RAF practice, the RRAF pilot-training scheme was known as a
Short Service Unit (SSU). Successful applicants for pilot training were inducted
as officer cadets for a two-year training course. Failure at any point in training
resulted in the immediate release of a student with no obligation on either side.
However, students who gained their wings and had completed advancedweapons
training had the option of either applying for a medium-service
commission or returning to civilian life. Air Headquarters was under no
obligation to accept those who applied for medium service.
No 1 SSU was inducted in 1952 with successive intakes occurring at sixmonthly
intervals. Tiger Moths, Harvards and Spitfires served the training needs
initially until Provosts and Vampires replaced them. In 1956, the intake
frequency was reduced to one intake a year when No 9 SSU was the first to
undergo Basic Flying School (BFS) training at Thornhill.
At the conclusion of BFS in December 1956, No 9 SSU had to move to New
Sarum for the Advanced Flying Training (AFS) on Vampires because Thornhill
was not yet ready to accommodate jets. The first course to undergo BFS, AFS
and OCU (Operational Conversion Unit) at Thornhill was No 10 SSU. This was