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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 1846.PDF
256 FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 3RD, 1942 RELATI VITY-I the flaps ; the c.s. airscrew controls were far from being in take-off pitch, but by touching them he had somehow — covered the matter in his own mind. A few more things must be added in the case of " giant bombers," though the principle remains unaltered. For instance, the modern aircraft engine gives so much power at take-oil and pulls so much fuel out of the tanks that the ordinary mechanical fuel pumps can actually suck the pipe-lines closed and even collapse the tanks when all engines are giving take-off power; auxiliary fuel pumps have been installed to push the fuel along from the other end—so we have fuel booster pumps to turn on before ..departure and arrival. Then, again, control surfaces offer such a large area in the case of large aircraft that it is very much simpler to leave the controls locked until the actual moment of take off ;. unlocking must not therefore be forgotten. And tail- wheels, too, can be locked with advantage in the fore-and- aft position, so that there is a check on the swing both on take-off and after landing ; when such a control is in cluded, here is another item for the mental guide. But the basic things are covered with the original scheme, and it is only necessary to think "... and what next? '.' instead of eyeing the entire control system with a worried look. Even fuel or hydraulic booster pumps and tail-wheel locks in time become second nature. And after a few hour.-, the enormous cabin, with the complicated bank of con trols in the centre, the screen a couple of feet or more away, and the nose running off into the distance, the heavy and comparatively unfeeling controls, the sight of a row of engines on an apparently silly little wing several miles behind and below your seat, and the sound and sight of an army of people wandering about the place are equally familiar. The twenty-five ton, six-thousand horsepower affair becomes just a pair of rather heavy wings on one s shoulders. Everything is under control. The novice, with the awful feeling that he is being flown rather than flying the thing, and the fear that something might happen which js not understood, and which cannot be coped with, slowly becomes the casual pilot who knows that he is always the master even if two of the four engines stop and the hydraulics blow up. Just a matter of relativity and habit. The TigeryMotti- felt just as uncontrollable and strange once upon a rafk. INDICATOR. BOOK REVIEWS "Aircraft Instruments." By J. Riley. N.A.G. Press, Ltd. is. 6d. I NFORMATION on most of the instruments fitted to the modern aircraft is given in this paper-bound booklet, and although the author does not claim to have treated the subject exhaustively the contents will unquestionably be of consider able value to the student. Mr. Riley is an accomplished tech nician on instrument design and construction, and he has dealt with his subject in a "simple and straightforward manner in describing the functions of the various instruments and the basic principles of their design. Fighting Lights. By Lee. Sgt. John E. Cross, It.A. (Williams and Norgate. is. (>d. net.) T HIS is a small paper-covered book with a lot of Interest inside the covers. Sgt. Cross was a journalist, and he writes well. His story is that of life in a searchlight battery (these units now belong to the Royal Artillery, not, as formerly, to the Royal Engineers) and many people must have wondered what sort of a time these gunners have had since the war started. This book answers the question. They have had lots of hardships and discomforts at times, especially in winter, when they were under canvas, but they have had good times, too. Gradually his battery came to feel itself a unit, and to take a pride in itself. " When the inside story of the R.A.F. night ftghtoi is told," he writes, "searchlights will be found to be credited with a considerable portion of their success." He adds that the enemy can have no knowledge of our new types of defences, and says that " he will receive a great sur prise on the next occasion when he tries to carry out full-scale night bombing raids on this country." He believes that the women of the A.T.S. will take over some of the searchlight areas, and considers that women are by nature more suitably equipped to deal with the intricate, manipulation of radio location and the delicate adjustment of range-finders and height-recorders. One thing this author could never understand, namely, the frequent moves of his unit and others from one county to another. Civilians (including many old soldiers) cannot understand it either, and sometimes wonder whether the War Office is not abusing the almost complete monopoly of railway transport which has been entrusted to it. " Wits' End." By John Moore. J. M. Dent and Sons. ys. 6d. I N an autobiographical note the author says that he joined the Fleet Air Arm because he was an amateur pilot before the war and liked the sea. "However," he adds, "having now flown for nearly a thousand hours, almost all of it over the sea, I am determined, when the war is over, never to have anything to do with aeroplanes or the. sea again." Probably most of the R.N.A.S. pilots of the last war said much the same thing before November, 1918—and many of them lived to become some of the best civilian pilots of the post-war years. John Moore was known as a novelist before the war, and this is his first book since he joined the Service in September, 1939- His chief characters are Anthony, a Fleet Air Arm pilot! and Tessa, a driver in the Auxiliary Ambulance Service, and while their charming love story is the book's main theme, the Service background against which it is told is so authentic in atmosphere that one can easily forget that the actual incident.- described are fictional. There is much admirably descriptive writing in this book, as when Tony flies in his Swordfish (the old " Stringbag") above Dunkirk and sees beneath his wings the procession of little ships " crawlLig through the wrinkled sea." There is plenty of virile Service humour, plenty of excitement, and, inevitably, grim tragedy. This is more than a novel; it is a sincere tribute from the author to his comrades, especially those who " didn't get away with it." Ark Royal. The Admiralty Account of Her Achievement. H.M. Stationery Office, gd. net. "M'OT long ago there was reviewed in these columns a book -1~ with the title Ark Royal written by Sir Herbert Russel in collaboration with Cdr. Pursey, R.N. Now the Admiralty has published its own account of the career of this famous ship. and was naturally in a position to give more details tharC appeared in the private venture. In particular, this story' brings out many of the difficulties with which a carrier has to contend, which would not occur to the ordinary landsman or airman, though they are easy to understand when set before him. Things were especially difficult during the chase of the Bismarck. The Atlantic was so rough that the rise and fall of the " round down" at the after end of the flight deck was no less than 56 feet. The Ark Royal had been ordered to send off a striking force, but she could not do so until all her recon naissance aircraft were back. Some of the Swordfish coming in to land-on when the stern was rising and failing too quickly had to be waved away three times, and the last pair returned with three minutes' petrol left. The deck control officer had to attach a rope to his waist before he could stand, holding up the "bats" to signal the Swordfish on. Once the Flight Deck officer had to "strike" the aircraft below after they had been ranged to save them from being blown off the deck. When the last of the striking forces was landing-on, after the Bismarck had sunk, a HeiukeTattacked the Ark Royal, which was in an almost defenceless position, steaming into wind, and unable to use her.4.5 guns, but the fire of her consorts, H.M.S. Renown and Sheffield, was accurate and drove the Heinkel off with smoke pouring from one engine. The bombs fell 400 yards away from the carrier. This is only one of the thrilling stories told in this little book. There are many others, and we have seldom come across a better nine-pennyworth.
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