Hal-Far Official opening, 16 January 1923.
Three F2.a’s became airborne over Calafrana at 15:00hrs, flying in an East-West direction at 700 feet. When passing the Governor, the crews fired a salute of 19 Very lights, returning in a single file at 300ft, descending to 200 feet, and dropping a bouquet to be presented to Lady Plummer by F/Lt. Elmhirst. The bouquet, bound with a ribbon in the colours of the RAF, was in a sack well-padded with straw, attached to parachute.
After the ceremony, guests drove to Calafrana, and proceeded to the Torpedo Pier to watch a display by an F.2A. The aircraft (one of three that over flew Hal-Far) landed and taxied as close as possible to the Pier. On being signalled by an Aldis lamp, the aircraft will commence its take-off run, getting airborne as close as possible to the Pier. Climbing to 700 feet, the pilot would drop two Cooper bombs, descend to 300 feet, and fire bursts of a Lewis gun at a target, followed by a flypast by the Pier at 20 feet. This was then followed by what today would be called a ‘touch-and-go’ before returning for a final water landing, an estimated 15-minute display.