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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 1387.PDF
470 FLIGHT. MAY II, 1939 "A.C." a la mode No. 16 Army Co-operation) Squadron Demonstrates Its Equipment. Illustrated witli " Flight " photographs. , M ARMY co-operation work—always one of the more '' individual'' branches of Service flying—is, if any-!f thing, becoming even more specialised—than it has been in the past. The flying and ground equipment of a modern army co-operation unit was lately demonstrated for Flight's benefit by No. 16 (A.C.) Squadron, which is stationed at Old Sarum, near Salisbury. This unit, which is allotted the tasks of artillery and tactical reconnaissance, is under the command of Sqn. Ldr. G. P. Charles, who, with Group Capt. J. B. Cole- Hamilton, brought home the truth of our opening statement. The specialisation is reflected in the aircraft used. No. 16 Squadron co-operates with the Southern Command and works with the Mobile Division in particular. It is equipped with Westland Lysander high-wing monoplanes fitted with rnedium-superharged Bristol Mercury XII engines, though subsequent machines of the Lysander series series are being powered with the Bristol Perseus sleeve-valve unit. We are becoming accustomed to the enthusiasm of Ser vice personnel when discussing their new aircraft, but the keenness of the pilots of '' Sixteen '' (including seven Army officers) emphasised that in the Lysander the R.A.F. has a machine of quite exceptional merit. Its unique qualities not only make for safe and comfortable flying, but directly benefit Service efficiency. Many of these qualities may be directly attributed to Handtey Page slots and slotted flaps, of which a great deal has already been written, though a resume of their characteristics may not be out of place. The slots extend along the entire leading edge to the wing, which tapers outwardly as far as its junction with the bracing struts and inwardly toward the tip. They are in two sections, the portions in front of the ailerons being of the normal automatic type which confer lateral stability and control at low speeds. The inner sections are linked together and are also connected to slotted trailing-edge flaps, which are lowered as the inner slots open. In describ ing the Lysan der, Mr. H. J. Pen rose, the manufacturers' test pilot, once wrote: ' There is no winding-up and down of the under carriage, no setting of flaps for taking off and landing, and thus no consequential subtleties in adjusting trim. The landing technique is simplified, as quite a large margin of error can be made on flattening out. The glide path can be flat or steep. The machine will not spin and controls remain fully effective to the minimum speed. Despite a modern high wing loading the machine can take off or land en a football pitch. The successful design of the Lysander was followed in a foreign machine of the same class exhibited at the last Paris Salon. Not only is this unorthodox Westland a very tractable flying machine, but it intro duces many supplementary advantages as compared with previous types intended for similar work. From the comfortable cockpit enclosure (appreciated particularly one cold afternoon near Salisbury while we waited for the photographic machine) the crew has an exceptionally wide field of view, the pilot being placed forward of the Pilots—in a nice variety of Army uniform and Squadron overalls —receiving instruc tions from their CO., Sqn. Ldr. Charles.
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