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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0945.PDF
Correspondence The Editor does not hold himself responsible /or live views expressed by correspondents. The names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. TOPICAL AIRCRAFT PROBLEMS Pressure Cabins for Civil Types BEING a constant reader, I am very grateful to Flight and its Editor for publishing my correspondence, thus giving me the opportunity to take part in discussing the present-day technical problems of aviation. The question I want to raise here is the description of a pressure cabin installation in Prof. Bock's article in your issue of April 2nd, from which it is jfcident that the passengers or crew are breathing in pure d*kygen till a certain critical height is attained, when the com pressed air is admitted in order to keep them alive. This process is unlikely to be applied in civil aviation, as we have to face the necessity of denitrogenisation of the pas sengers before placing them in a stratoplane (considerable loss of time and great discomfort) and the tiring conditions of a long flight. The ideal pressure cabin is that in which the normal sea- level conditions could be maintained irrespective of altitude. In this case, neither supply of pure oxygen nor low-pressure valve is necessary, and there is no anxiety of forcing-in the walls of the cabin, but they must be stressed against the possibility of disruption owing to the higher pressure in the interior of the cabin in relation to the external one at high altitude. I think that Prof. Bock is treating this subject from a military viewpoint only. One also wonders why there is no exhaust arrangement in his cabin for removing the exhaust products of the human body. W. JAVVORSKI. HOME GUARD AIR ARM Plenty of Enthusiasm I HAVE read with interest the article in Flight of April 16th headed " Home Gua'rd Air Arm," signed " 1926 A Licence." The idea, I think, is good; my suggestion would be to find out the number of machines available, and for replacement. Then obtain the permission of the Air Council and Home Guard Authorities. The efficient maintenance would, of course, depend to a great extent x>a financial support; but if this scheme depends on the enthusiastic co-operation of " old pilots " like myself, JKhen I feel sure that it will eventually materialise. ' I have served in the R.A.F. in the last war, also this one, and A.T.A. My A licence expired in 1940. *' ONLOOKER." Keeping Communications Alive I AM very glad to see the suggestion for an H.G.A.C. and your valuable interest in the idea. It is certain that plenty of men above military age will accept the chance of putting their flying experience to good account. The inspiration of " 1926 A Licence " has given me the hope that my training can be put to useful service. Whenever Press photographs or films show officers " going places " in the course of their duties in actual operations they frequently travel by air. To get about when a " do " is on and keep communica tions alive when the area for miles around is full of transport and troops on the move I can think of no better means than a light aircraft able to get down in a small field which ordinary Service aircraft could only do with risk of disaster. I sincerely hope the suggestion of " 1926 A Licence " meets with success C. A. H. I **.-, Holiday Refresher Training AM sure the suggestion of a Home Guard Air Corps wii! appeal very strongly to those pilots with "A" licences, whose work has so far prevented them from using their enthu siasm for and training in flying. The problem of finding time for intensive refresher ami training courses is very teal, but if the authorities thought "ell of the scheme, and took immediate action, I am sure many people would be glad to use such summer holidays as their work allows in attending training camps. In regard to the conditioning and servicing of the H.G. aircralt, could not such a comparatively small number of aircraft be initially rendered serviceable at E.F.T. schools, and thenceforward, after a suitable training and lecture period, be maintained by the H.G. pilots, perhaps for a time being taken to the Dearest suitable airdrome for a periodic inspection by qualified ground crews, until the H.G. personnel were regarded as competent By the very nature of their reserved position it is very prob able that most prospective H.G. pilots would be men with considerable knowledge and aptitude in mechanical affairs and would be able to pick up the necessary maintenance knowledge and skill reasonably rapidly. Certainly there would be all the enthusiasm in the world in' their application to their task. G. S. FREEMAN ("A" Licence 8297). Impetus to A.T.C. and H.G. B Y advocating the formation of an Air Arm to operate in conjunction with the Home Guard, your correspondent reminds us of one of those things which, so far, we have left undone. There are, as your correspondent estimates, at least 100 light aircraft in storage throughout the country, most of which could be put in flying condition. Maintenance and operation would, of course, come within the administration of the Air Training Corps. Were a corps of this kind to be formed the impetus it would give to the A.T.C. and Home Guard efficiency scarcely requites comment. In addition, those "A" licence pilots who are ineligible for the Services would have the opportunity of doing a useful flying job, if only in their spare time. Between May and October we have favourable flying weather, so the scheme is worth immediate consideration. Even if each A.T.C. squadron, together with the local Home (iuard unit, were to have a single aircraft in operation, the resulting assistance to training would be considerable-, particularly in regard to manoeuvres and "recco." We presume that the initiative would have to come from the Air Training Corps, as they are in the best position to ascertain the number and location of available aircraft. Were the new corps to be formed there would be no lack of interest on the part of the remaining "A" licence pilots, who, as yet, have been unable to make use of their air training It is as well to remember that,' apart from a " refresher " to equirx them for the relatively elementary flying duties in volved, the scheme would not incur prolonged flying instruc tion. H. W. G. Would Suitable Fields be Available ? WITH reference to the letter by " 1926 A Licence " in Flight of April 16th on "Home Guard Air Arm," the leading article in this journal criticises "1926 A Licence's" sugges tion, and there is one phrase which I do not agree with. That is: "A small and slow aircraft flying low looks pretty much like a larger and faster one flying higher." Evidently this statement refers to the problem of identification being made more difficult. A typical example of a small and slow aircraft flying low is a Miles Magister, is it not? Now the majority of the wing span of all single-engined jobs range from about 30ft. to, shall we say, 50ft., and these are the jobs which the Home Guard propose to fly. So we can say now that all aircraft with single engines and with the aforementioned span could not look like a larger and faster one flying higher, for the simple reason the larger one which would be flying higher would undoubtedly have to be a twin-engmed job to have a wing span in excess of 30ft. to 50ft. except in very rare cases. Therefoie, I do not think that the work of the R.O.C.C. would be made more difficult. Coming back now to "1926 A Licence's" letter. In the first place I disagree with his statement that Home Guard air craft would be able to operate from small fields. (1) The majority of fields throughout the country are far too small and have too rough a surface for an aircraft to take off unless, of course, the aircraft has a short take-off run and a steep angle of climb to clear the obstacles which would
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