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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 2154.PDF
4i4 * FLIGHT OCTOBER 15TH, 1942 DORN1ER Do 217E2 mechanism for the normal fuselage stern portion, and a diagram of the diving brake. When the machine is not to be used for dive-bombing, the normal stern por tion is fitted. There is a quick-release mechanism in the form of toggle bolts operated by a shaft and worm, and when the much longer tail cone housing the diving brake is fitted, this mechanism can be used for jettison ing the whole drogue unit. The operation of the drogue is simple enough in prin ciple : rotation of the threaded shaft causes the nut to travel along, and in so doing it tilts the " umbrella ribs " on which are mounted the four plates of the air brake. It does not appear by any means certain that this form of diving brake is the best possible. The drag of it, being applied at the very extreme end of the fuselage, is a long way from the centre of gravity, and one imag ines that as a result of this the pilot has little control over the angle of dive. Doubtless the area of the drogue blades has been carefully chosen to give the correct angle of dive, but circumstances must often arise in which a change of flight path would be desirable. A form of air brake placed nearer the centre of gravity would, there fore, appear preferable, since obviously the ideal air brake is that which offers the desired amount of drag while still leaving the pilot free to manoeuvre. SUNDERLAND ACCIDENT Findings of R.A.F. Court of Enquiry T HE findings of the R.A.F. Court of Enquiry which investigated the accident to the Sunderland flying boat in which H.R.H. the Duke of Kent lost his life were made known by the Secretary of State for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair) in the House of Commons In reply to Sir R. Glyn, who asked if he was in a posi tion to make a statement on the subject, Sir Archibald Sinclair said that the court found, first, that the accident occurred because the aircraft was flown on a track other than that indicated in the flight plan given to the pilot, and at too low an altitude to clear the rising ground on the track ; secondly, that the responsibility for this serious mistake in airmanship lies with (he captain of the aircraft . thirdly, that the weather encountered should have pre sented no difficulties to an experienced pilot; fourthly, that the examination of the propellers showed that the engines were under power when the aircraft struck the ground, and, fifthly, in accordance with K.R. & A.C.I., paragraph ^25, that all the occupants^jf the aircraft were on duty at the time of the accident. The Chief Inspector of Accidents is in agreement with the findings of the court. Sir Archibald Sinclair explained that the sequence of events leading up to the accident were as follows: — The aircraft, which was proceeding from a Royal Air Force Station in Scotland to Iceland, was airborne just after 1 o'clock in the afternoon of August- 15th. Before departure, the correct procedure for briefing the captain as to the exact route to be followed and for providing full information about the weather conditions likely to be en countered, was complied with. Local weather conditions were not good at the time of the take-off but the general indications showed a likelihood of improvement to the westward. The captain of the aircraft was a flying-boat pilot of long experience on the particular type of aircraft which he was flying that day, and of exceptional ability. About half an hour after take-off the aircraft was heard approaching land from the sea at what appeared to be a low height, and shortly afterwards it was heard to crash into the hills At the time of the accident the casualty list gave the name of the Sunderland's captain as Fit. Lt. Frank McKenzie Goyen. Lord Trenchard in the Middle East J UST as Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, stepped out of his aircraft at a Middle East airfield, word came through for the Squadron's four-engined Liberator bombers to strike at a Mediterranean convoy. After greeting Air Commodore A. P. Ritchie, A.F.C., Air Officer Commanding the heavy bomber group, Air Commodore L. O. Brown, C.B.E., D.S.C.. A.F.C., Air Officer Commanding Levant, ind Group Captain F. M. Denny, commanding the heavy bomber wing. Lord Trenchard went immediately to the intelligence room to listen to the briefing. He addressed the aircrews assembled there, telling them that the spirit of the air force surpassed even the pioneer spirit of the last war fliers which he once thought would never be equalled. Lord Trenchard then went out on to the airfield to watch the take-off The machines were airborne on the average one every 30 seconds. Urgent War Freight by T.C.A. TRANS-CANADA Air Lines is daily assisting the war effort of the United Nations. Not only is T.C.A. geared to the war effort in the transpcitation of personnel of the Armed Forces and of the Government, but also in the speedy handling of war materials. Just as transportation of personnel means connections with air lines of other nations, so does the handling of Ireight mean the linking up with United States and South American air lines. Recently a request was -eceived for T.C.A. to handle a 235-pound crankshaft which was urgently required for an oil tanker docked in an Atlantic port. The firm selected for the job is located in the Maritime Provinces of Canada. The shaft was completed, put aboard the T.C.A. aircraft at Halifax, and just 72 hours later it was being installed in the tanker. Another instance was in the shipment from a Canadian plant of a 450-pound part needed for a torpedoed ship laid up in a South American harbour T.C.A. got in touch with connecting air lines in the United States and South America, and in an unbelievably short time the ship was repaired and back on active service for the Allies. Fitting a coliapsible dinghy into £ bomb container on the stub wings of aj^Air Sea Rescue jtysander. The ballistics of ' dinghy must bePdifficult to assess. ; of aj/j i fo|ded
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