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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 1543.PDF
JULY IOTH, 1941- F LIGHT Double-Row Cyclones of 1,600 h.p having been modified to the two latci versions, the DB-7A and the DB 713 But the appearance of the Havoc i.~ not familiar as no photographs of this night fighter are permitted. Some oi its features can be described, however, without giving the enemy information of value. Soot-black all over, this hawk of the night would certainly ap- pear like an aeroplane of death to the German night bombers—if any of them see it, which they probably do not—before its avenging fire sends them down to destruction or capture. The internal lay-out is different and the nose has not the usual transparent panels, this part of the aeroplane be ing taken up by the very heavy arma- ment, details of which are secret. There are also other devices which are secret. The Havoc is a very suitable air- craft for night fighting as it has the speed of a Hurricane coupled with an endurance very much greater, allow- ing it to stay aloft for long periods for searching out the enemy with the help of radiolocation and perhaps a little moonlight. And its nosewheel under- carriage should make it easier to land at night than the orthodox type. One flew away from the station during the visit, giving an impression of ease and power in the take-off. It was in the charge of an A.T.A. pilot for delivery to a squadron. The Boston and Havoc are placed in the "four plus" class with the Lockheed Hudson for A.T.A. purposes. This means that they are regarded as the most difficult to fly of the twin-engined types, which are all "class four," and only less difficult than the four-engined bombers which make up " class five." It was indeed both inspiring and reassuring to walk through the hangars of the station and see chalked on a fuselage, HAVOC II POLISH, and on another BOSTON III. The Douglas DB-7 design in its various forms, with the British night fighters, should do much to help us through the prevailing trouble. When American aircraft fiist started arriving in England, their armament had to be removed and replaced with British, The American machine gun is the Colt of .300 inch calibre, " From a seat in the cockpit it was evident that the pilot had a ' lot of aeroplane' under his control." whereas oui gun is the Browning .303. Needless to say, the ammunition of one does not fit the other, This situa- tion has been rectified and no waste work is now done as bomb racks to correct British standard dimensions are fitted in U.S.A. and other modifications are installed on this side. In another of the hangars is the engine shop, and here were seen rows of Allison liquid-cooled V-1710S, newly taken out of their packing cases. Pratt and Whitneys and Wrights, both new and overhauled, were present " in quan- tity " also. The station runs instruction classes in maintenance work and crashed engines are sent to it so that instruction engines may be rebuilt out of the unbroken parts. More and more engine test houses were being built outside the main hangars, so that it was evident that the station's present capacity, though considerable, was as nothing to what it will ho later, Compensation to Clubs THE General Council of Associated Light Aeroplane Clubs,with headquarters at the Royal Aero Club, 119, Picca- dilly, W.i, has now received from the Air Ministry an ex gratia payment amounting to £25,000 for distribution amongst those clubs who were unable to meet liabilities incurred in connection with the Civil Air Guard Scheme. The distribution of this sum is being carried out by a sub- "LOPPY " : Our correspondent's idea ot the unsymmetricai aeroplane referred to last week. We have added the second half of the tailplane in dotted lines. committee of the General Council consisting of Sir W. Lindsay Everard, M.P., Major K. M. Beaumont, and Harold E. Perrin, Anti-gas VentilationM \NY air-raid shelters require ventilation by a forced meanssuch as an electrically driven pump. But in a gas attack this system might have to be turned ofl so (hat it would notdraw gas into the shelter. To guard against this happening, Andamite, Ltd., who are ventilating engineers, have developedan air-purification system which can deal with gas. A centri- fugal pump driven by electric motor supplies air to the shelterat a pressure slightly higher than atmospheric, so that a dis- charge occurs at all openings anJ leaks. Included in the in-stallation is a filter, containing asbestos merino wool and activated charcoal, which is capable of dealing with the poison-ous smokes, and gases ol war. During a gas attack all air for the shelter is passed through this.' The pump can be drivenby hand it the electric supply fails. Installations are available in sizes suitable for 25, 50, 100, and 150 people. Particularsof the plant may be obtained from Andamite, Ltd., at 52, Ebury Street, London, S.W.i. Tablet to American Pilot SIR ARCHIBALD SINCLAIR, Secretary for Air, unveileda tablet to the late P/O. W. L. M. Fiske, R.A.F., the first American-born pilot to give his life for Great Britain in this war, in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral on his country's Independence Day, July 4th. vrt;
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