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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 1954.PDF
3*° FLIGHT SEPTEMBER 17TH, 1942 THE TORPEDO BOMBER 2. No great directional deviation if one engine defaults. 3. Additional protection for pilot. 4. Shorter fuel leads, and controls, with consequent diminution of vul nerability. 5. Smaller frontal target area offered to ships' gunners. The pilot would be placed in an armour plate enclosure between the engines. This enclosure would be stressed as part of the airframe and would encompass the fuel tanks, main controls, and the pilot's accom modation as one unit. It is, in fact, virtually a tank turret in miniature, and it should be well within the limits of designers to cope with this. I believe I ajHl right in saying that Lindbergh largely relied on a periscope for forward view when carrying out his famous transatlantic flight, and thus it may be possible that this feature also could be incorporated with a view to providing as much bullet-proof protection to the cockpit as vision would permit. I have no data available on the behaviour of the tricycle undercarriage on a landing deck, but at first sight it would appear to have several desirable features for this duty, and in this case would enable the rear airscrew to have a good ground clearance. > The low-wing monoplane arrangement would of course give housing to the retractable undercarriage, and would develop into a bulbous centre section containing the two 21 in. torpedoes which I consider essential for packing the required punch. The nose wheel would retract within the narrow space between the torpedoes, or vertically into the front engine bay. For operational purposes I would suggest that the wings fold upwards from the centre section, and presumably these could function by the hydraulic system whilst the pilot is still at the controls. The radiator scuttles arc one on each side of the nacelle, and in passing it should be pointed out that the liquid Probably the most advanced torpedoplane in use in any navy is this Grumman Avenger (U.S. Navy), which carries its 2iin. torpedo internally, so that drag is reduced and heating facilitated. cooling system is probably the weakest link in the whole structure where vulnerability is concerned, and that special measures would need to be adopted for its protection. If it were possible to provide #sV-cooled motors of adequate power and still retain efficient cooling on the rear one, it would be preferable to employ this arrangement. A short-range two-way R/T system would probably be quite sufficient, as it is proposed that these aircraft should operate under fighter escort the whole time. Summary Hence it will be observed that the bulk of normal aircraft equipment is superfluous, and should in this case be treated as such. Many of the usual manufacturing difficul ties and expenses will then disappear, and the design will not be quite so difficult or take quite so long as at first imagined. As regards the operational strategy employed, obviously a mere flight of half a dozen '' Torpedo Attack '' machines on every carrier is sufficient. Add to this the systematic location of shore-based aircraft of this pattern along our coasts and on the Empire routes, and an effective network would then establish a deadly threat to all our enemies afloat. Boutton Paul Changes (-*\ >l. W. H. SAYERS and Dr. A. G V^ their connection with Boulton Paul Aircraft, Ltd. Their future plans have not been made known to us, but long con nection with aircraft design and manufacture would appear to be an indication that they are not likely to stray very far Irom the aeronautical fold. Top-scoring Hurricane Squadron A N R.A.F. Hurricane squadron which has carried out many successful intruder patrols over enemy territory is Fighter Command's top-scoring unit for this war with more than 230 enemy aircraft destroyed. The records of this squadron—one of Britain's oldest—proves I he versatility of the Hurricane as well as the skill of its pilots. When war broke out the squadron was ordered to France and, with other Hurricane units, fought against the vastly superior numbers of aircraft thrown against them when the Germans broke through in May. 1940. By the time they withdrew they had destroyed more than 150 enemy aircraft. Back in England, they helped to smash the Luftwaffe's attempted air invasion of this country, and when, in 1941, Fighter Command began its own offensive the squadron was again in the front line. By this time their Hurricanes were more deadly machines, with a much greater fire-power than those with which they had fought in France. In between their daylight sorties ovet the Channel they carried out night patrols, and on May roth-nth, when our defences had their most suc cessful night against the German raiders, they destroyed seven out of the 33 enemy aircraft brought down. It was about this time that a Czech sergeant, named*" Kuttelwascher, began to shoot down German aircraft at regular intervals. To-day he is a flight lieutenant and Fighter Com mand's top-scoring intruder pilot—three in one night is his best " bag " to date. The squadron began its intruder work with four-cannon Hurricanes early this year, and so far has destroyed 23 enemy aircraft at night over or near their own bases. Its repeated attacks on railway engines have also helped to disorganise com munications and transport in Northern France. Aircraft Gunner's Seat Turns vftth Gun A COMBINATION swivelling machine-g that preserves the same relative posi gun so that no time is lost in taking a new is swung from one target to another has United States by Major Alexander P. Se to the Republic Aviation Corp., of Farmiri| The inventionjWMBprises a circular track upper part of tfie re* cockpit of a dvigl carriages that nrJe orithe tracks and which is fixed a trusj fa*(the hand lever enables Je-jurtjt to desired position. Without Wvilkg his 4eat swivel around, facing inward anW tak/ o the 'plane in case theVpilOTis disabled* mount and seat ons of gunner and ight when the gun n patented in the rsky and assigned dale, New York. be mounted in the lighter 'plane, n tfl^carriages to gurwifc's seat. A and lofced in any the gunner can perating control of '<.
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