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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 0748.PDF
388 FLIGHT Flying the Typhoon APRIL 13TH, 1944 One of Our Latest Fighters in the Hands of an Experienced Pilot T By » SPARROW THIS account of how :he Hawker Typhoon impresses those who ; fly it has been written by a senior test pilot at the special request of "Flight." The writer emphasises, itwill be noted,the docility and \ manoeuvrability of Britain's most powerful single-engined fighter I ~^ A PILOT S first impressions of any aircraft are apt to change enormously when he becomes more familiar with the machine. This is particularly true of the Typhoon, and I am sure that the majority of experi enced Typhoon pilots will agree with this. The predominant impressions of a pilot making his first flight on the Typhoon are of tremendous power encased in a well-rounded, smooth cowling, of handling a rather large aircraft and above all, of great speed. While taxying, a clear view ahaad is obtained with a surprisingly small degree of jinking, and the view in all directions given by the Perspex ".tear drop" hood gives great confidence when taxying even in confined spaces. The cockpit is comfortable and the controls, instruments and auxiliaries are well laid out. The seat is spring mounted up to 4 " G " when it becomes rigid. Springs strung horizontally across the cut-out back of the seat add greatly to the pilot's comfort. Take-off On the take-off there is naturally a tendency to swing on such a powerful single-engined aircraft,' but this is easily corrected, and after a few flights it is even difficult to remember to which side the aircraft wants to swing. The undercarriage retracts quite quickly and the machine accelerates rapidly to its best climbing speed. On levelling off to cruise one is soon impressed with J. Crosby-Warren, a senior test pilot of the Hawker Siddeley group, about to fly one of the earlier Typhoon types. Jf ,
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