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Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: reports by British Military Attache Kabul 1 November 1947 to 31 October 1947’ [‎10r] (19/56)

The record is made up of 1 file (27 folios). It was created in 26 May 1948-29 Nov 1949. 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. .

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2
•v/'
Lack of money leads to poor pay of Air Force personnel. The result is that
personnel are ill nourished and this contributes to their general lethargy. This
* is most noticeable in the severe winter months when the lack of fats in their
diet causes them to hybernate and suffer acutely from the cold resulting in a
high sick rate.
Other factors contributing to their chronic inefficiency is that the more
promising men are offered no incentive through examinations and promotion to
excT&. Nepotism and favouritism are rife leading to a force top heavy in the
higher ranks. These higher ranks are filled by men of no ability and who accept
no responsibility.
To sum.arise; it is doubtful if the Air Force will succeed if Afghanistan
receives no outside financial aid in one form or another. A desire for progress
is apparent, and a fatal tendency to run before they can walk. The roots are
rotten, yet they contemplate buying a few more aircraft when they are really unfit
to maintain those alread}' in their possession. They even visualise organising an
internal and to a limited degree an external civil air service.
3. Civil Air Service,
The Afghan Air Force is seriously considering the establishment of a civil
air service between Kabul, Kandahar and Herat and between Kabul and kazar-iHBharif,
and if permission is accorded, between Kabul and Peshawar. This service is to be
found out of the slender resources of the Air Force. Of course it is just possible
to do it, but training of the Air Force would suffer further. To become a proficient
service, considerable mone 3 >- is necessary v, r hich is not available. In the same way
basic training will be necessary otherwise the uneconomic employment of foreigners
1 is the only alternative if the Afghans are to reach a standard whereby they will
1 qualify for the benefits available from international air (Organisations,
A. Organisation.
The Koyal Afghan Air Force is organised as follows:-
Commandant of the R.A.A.F.
Chief of Air Staff.
H.Q, R.A.A.F.
Station Commander
S.H.Q.
Avro Squadro n Training Squadron Main Store
11 aircraft 8 Tiger Moths.
(one to come) (remarks as for Hinds)
Hind S quadron
1 7 aircraft of
doubtful service
ability due to
lack of spares.
3. Comman dant of the R. A.A.F. (G.M. II (W/Cdr) Abdur Razak Khan)
The nearest equivalent in the R.A.F. is the C.A.S.
The above officer's powers are very limited as he has to refer everything to
the Defence Ministry, a body which is as lethargic as the Air Force. New ideas,
prompted by the R.A.F. Officers, generally lose themselves between the two. The
Commandant is a poor disciplinarian, being tied to his office chair. He will not
decentralise due to the inefficiency of his officers, and out of fear tbP-t they
would undermine his authority.
Workshops
Photo Section
W.T. Section

About this item

Content

The file contains periodical reports by the British Military Attaché at Kabul (Colonel Alexander Stalker Lancaster and J H Prendergast) on the Afghan Air Force, covering the period 1 November 1947 to 31 October 1949.

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 include policy discussion related to the maintenance of British instructors at Kabul.

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 (27 folios)
Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the file. A set of file notes is present at the beginning of the correspondence (folios 26-27). Serial numbers in red ink, which occur throughout the file, refer to entries in the notes.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 28; 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
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Coll 5/73 ‘Afghan Air Force: reports by British Military Attache Kabul 1 November 1947 to 31 October 1947’ [‎10r] (19/56), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/2035, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100039501280.0x000014> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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