AID from the AIR

In October 1956, Farnborough was the scene of a special demonstration of ambulance-configured aircraft

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Five willing volunteers from the ranks of the senior medical personnel in attendance prepare to be loaded on to Royal Navy Whirlwind HAR3 XG583, with the Beverley in the background. ALL PHOTOS AEROPLANE

By 1956, there was nothing new in using aircraft for the ambulance or medical evacuation roles. Then as now, though, the range of types available for this purpose was constantly evolving, and with it the array of supporting equipment, to say nothing of the practices involved. This was seemingly the rationale behind a demonstration held at Farnborough on Saturday 6 October that year, just weeks after the Hampshire airfield had staged the SBAC display.

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