FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1943
1943 - 2577.PDF
OCTOBER 28TH, I943 FLIGHT 47* i'A cycle engines; these gave 23 h.p. for a cylinder capacityof 0.25 litre at 6,000 r.p.m., and using a fuel composed of a 50-50 mixture of petrol and benzol, viz., of 80 octane number. Endurance tests lasting up to two hours were run. The Husqvarna figures obtained represented a b.m.e.p. of 12.5 kg./cm.2 (178 lb./sq. in.), and if that figure is Main Data of the BoreStroke Frontal AreaLength o.a Max. Diameter Capacity of 1 cylTotal capacity Weight (estimated) .... Mannerstedt M Engine no mm. (4.33m.).no mm. (4.33m.). 0.7 m2. (7.5 sq. ft.).1.9 m. (6.25ft.). 950 mm. (37.4m.).1.04 litres (63.5 cu. in.). 44 litres (2,685 cu- in-)-950 kg. (2,100 lb.). inserted in the formulae the value of k becomes 23.1 in- stead of 15.1, a very different result. By taking the Husqvarna cylinder as a model and scaling it up, similar results should be obtainable. The improve- ment in b.m.e.p. due to size (according to the British for- mulas) should then bring the value- up to 16.8 kg/cm.2 (239 lb./sq. in.). Considerations of other factors, such as engine speed, heat transference due to cylinder wall thick- ness, etc., gas velocities and piston speeds, conclude Mr. Mannerstedt's arguments in defence of his unorthodox design. He comes to the conclusion that the M engine should develop 2,500 b.h.p. for a capacity of 44 litres. Six of the seven camshafts of the Mannerstedt engine aredriven by an oscillating ring operated by cranks on the remaining camshaft, which is in turn driven from the air-screw shaft. .G. for the R.A.A.F. The King has been graciously pleased to confer the Victoria Cross on Fit. Lt. William Ellis Newton, No. 22 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron, in recognition of Most Conspicious Bravery. FLT. LT. NEWTON served with No. 22 Squadron,Royal Australian Air Force, in New Guinea from May,1942, to March, 1943, and completed 52 operational sorties. Throughout his operational career he displayed great courage and an iron determination to inflict the utmost damage on the enemy. His splendid offensive fly- ing and fighting were attended with brilliant success. Dis- daining evasive tactics when under the heaviest fire, he always went straight to his objectives. He carried out many daring machine-gun attacks on enemy positions in- volving low flying over long distances in the face of con- tinuous fire at point-blank range. On three occasions he dived through intense anti-aircraft fire to release his bombs on important targets on the Salamaua Isthmus. On one of these occasions his starboard engine failed over the target, but he succeeded in flying back to an airfield 160 miles away. When leading an attack on an objective on March 16th, 1943, he dived through intense and accurate, shell fire, and his aircraft was hit repeatedly. Nevertheless, he held to his course and bombed his target from a low level. The attack resulted in the destruction of many buildings and dumps, including two 40,000-gallon fuel installations. Although his aircraft was crippled, with fuselage and wing sections torn, petrol tanks pierced, main planes and engines seriously damaged, and one of the main tyres fiat, Fit. Lt. Newton managed to fly it back to base and make a success- ful landing. Despite this harassing experience, he returned next day to the same locality. His target, this time a single build- ing, was even more difficult, but he again attacked with his usual courage and resolution, flying a steady course through a barrage of fire. He scored a hit on the building, but at the same moment his aircraft burst into flames. Fit. Lt. Newton maintained control and calmly turned his aircraft away and-flew along the shore. He saw it as his duty to keep the aircraft in the air as long as he could so as to take his crew as far -away as possible from the enemy's positions. With great skill he brought his blazing aircraft down on the water. Two members of the crew were able to extricate themselves and were seen swimming to the shore, but the gallant pilot is missing. According to other air crews who witnessed the occurrence his escape- hatch was not opened and his dinghy was not inflated. Without regard to his own safety, he had done all that man could do to prevent his crew from falling into enemy hands. Fit. Lt. Newton"s many examples of conspicuous bravery have rarely been equalled, and will serve as a shining in spiration to all who follow him. Fit. Lt. Newton was born at St. Kilda, Victoria, in 1919/ and was educated at Melbourne Grammar School. He was at one time a member of the Victoria State 2nd Cricket XL On the outbreak of war he was one of the first to apply for enlistment in the Royal Australian Air Force. Called for interviewing in October," 1939, he was commissioned in 1940, and subsequently went into action against the Japanese in New Guinea. AN AIR LEAGUE APPOINTMENT WITH effect from January ist, 1944, Mr. E. Colston Shep-herd will become Secretary-General of the Air League of the British Empire. The growing work of the Air Leaguehas rendered such an appointment desirable, and Mr. Leonard Taylor, the present Secretary, will then be free to devote allhis time to the editorship of the A.T.C. Gazette, a post which has combined with the secretaryship since the inception of thatjournal. It will scarcely be necessary for us to recall to our readersthat Mr. Shepherd was until recently editor of our contem- porary, The Aeroplane. Previously he had been on theeditorial staff of The Times for seventeen years, the last ten as aeronautical correspondent. Mr. Shepherd, it may be remem-bered, covered the Houston Mount Everest flights in 1933 by going out to India with the expedition. Although Mr. Shepherd does not take up his duties until theNew Year, correspondence may be addressed to him at the Air League, Kinnaird House, IA, Pall Mall East, London, S.W.i.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
