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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1284.PDF
66S FLIGHT JUNE 22ND T044 LOCKHEED LIGHTNING interest in aviation circles, is actually a hybrid type designed by Lockheed to provide high-lift, low-drag properties and, as is now well known, the wing has proved an unqualified success. The twin-boom layout was chosen as a means of providing a light, rigid structure with great stability over a very wide speed range; to give small-unit vertical area by having fins and rudders in each slipstream; and, probably most important of all, to give entirely independent super charging, oil, coolant and auxiliary systems with consequent reduced vulnerability. This factor is reported to have' proved its worth time and again. Armament of the Lightning is concentrated in the nose of the pilot's nacelle, and comprises four 0.50m. Browning machine guns and an AN-M2 20 mm. cannon. Grouping the armament like this provides a " column " of fire power ;\a distinct from the "conic" fire pattern obtained from wing gun installations. A great advantage, which fighter pilots will recognise, is that the reflector sight line and the trajectory of the guns are virtually parallel, and very close together. Cannon, guns, and ammunition box nesting is very neat indeed The boxes serving the 0.5s were designed to accom modate 500 rounds each, but this concentration of load in the nose proved too much, and the boxes are now fitted with false bottoms which reduce their capacity to 300 rounds each; 150 rounds of cannon ammunition is carried. Rate of-fire o*f the cannon is 600-700 rounds/min., and of the guns 825 rounds / min Guns and cannon are elec trically heated and electrically fired, solenoids for the latter being fitted direct to the breech mechanism; cocking is done on the ground prior to flight. Belt links and empty cannon shell cases are collected in a box beneath the cannon breech, but links and cases from the 0.5s are evacuated through small chutes emerging on each side of the lower nose cowling In the centre ol the nose is housed the cind-camera which is arranged to operate either by itself or synchronously with whatever armament is fired—the cannon can be fired alone or together with the four guns. The nosewheel strut is mounted beneath the gun emplace ment, on a cross-head trunnion with raking side braces Nosewheel and main undercarriage legs. The scissor-type torque drag links which maintain direction but allow shock absorption motion can clearly be seen. the cross-beam pivoting in plain bearings between the inner and outer walls of the nose. The spoked, light-alloy wheel with its 27m dia. tyre is carried on a cantilever axle ter minating the overhung bracket of the lower telescopic strut member. The nosewheel, together with the main wheels of the tricycle undercarriage, is hydraulically retracted and lowered. The cockpit of the Lightning is roomy, comfortable, neat and quite well laid out. The most unconventional aspect of it is the use of a control column on the right hand side, at the top of which is a horizontal cantilever beam carry ing the control " spectacle " grips. This arrangement works well in flight and allows great freedom of leg movement and easy access to various control switches mounted for ward. The instrument panel is screened by a black fabric anti-glare hood, the Lynn-3 type reflector sight being mounted above the hood. Forward vision is excel lent, surprisingly so in view of the fact that the bullet proof, front panel is raked at about 27-30 deg. to the hori zontal, and the general view is quite exceptional, the seat ing position being well up towards the wing leading edge. Warm air is ducted from the exhaust cooling shroud and played on the inside of the front screen to prevent ice- formation. Airscrew Pitch Phasing On the instrument panel are carried the normal indi cators and gauges; it carries in addition two D.R. com passes (one is a stand-by), and warning lights for exhaust- turbo overspeeding. At the base of the fascia panel is a transverse tray carrying on its top and front face various switches, among them the oil dilution switches which control solenoids of cocks which admit petrol to the lubri cating oil to facilitate cold starting. Mixture controls, anto-setting and over-ride, and the air screw pitch control and throttle levers, are nicely placed on the left hand, a particularly useful refinement being the inclusion of a vernier phasing control governing the star board airscrew pitch, With this, the pitch levers are adjusted to give the required r.p.m. and phasing of the engines can be rapidly and exactly performed by the vernier control. The undercarriage lever is beneath and behind the throttles, whilst forward and at the side is the elevator trim wheel and scale. The starboard side of the "office" forward is given over to circuit-breaker press-buttons for every electrical service in the aircraft. Conveniently mounted behind this panel is the flap control
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