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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 2048.PDF
372 FLIGHT OCTOBER 5TH, 1944 Complete Power Units A Reminder That Bristol Radial Air*cooled Engine "Eggs Were Produced Twenty Years Ago t> AT the B.O.A.C. lunch to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the inauguration of the London-Paris air service Lord Brabazon of Tara said that he was told that Rolls-Royce was the only firm which would take on the entire responsibility for the complete power unit. The Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd., has sent us the accompanying reminder of early work done in this field, and point out that even for the latest type, the Centaurus, a complete interchangeable power unit is available. A REMARK made by Lord Braba 7.011 in a recent after-luncfieon speech in London may have' given the impression that air-cooled radial aircraft engines are not available in this country in the form of complete power plants. This is very far from being the case. The Bristol Her cules sleeve-valve radial engine as a complete power plant, including all cowling, accessories, bulkhead and standardised four-point air frame mounting attach ments, was exhibited at the Paris Aeronautical Salon in November, 1938. Since then, Hercules power plants have been manufactured in thousands to equip the heavy bombers and transports of the Royal Air Force, and there is no doubt whatever that they will be used also in the post-war civil air liners. Also the new and most powerful Bristol product, the Centaurus radial engine, is already installed in complete interchange able power plant form in a certain large type of flying boat, and although secrecy regulations prevent the publication of any detailed information, it can be said that this latest Bristol power plant will appear after the war, in developed form, in large civil transport aircraft sponsored by Lord Brabazon's own committee. It is interesting, to recall that as long ago as 1924, the famous Bristol Jupiter was produced as a self-contained, hinged power plant for the Bristol Civil Transport or freighter aircraft, which was operated on the London-Paris route for some years. The engine and all accessories were installed in a four-point mounting structure with quick- release attachments, in such a way that the power plant could be hinged sideways on two of the pick-up points to facilitate inspection and maintenance. It is equally as interesting to recall that in point of fact the present type of Bristol power plant originated in !937. when the Air Ministry approached the Society of British Aircraft Construc tors and asked them to pre pare a scheme whereby engines of similar horse power, but of different types, could be interchange able at no more than 48 hours' notice at aircraft constructors' works. The Bristol design staff worked in the closest collaboration with the special committee set up by the S.B.A.C. as a result of this request, and although the scheme as originally proposed did not come to full fruition (due largely to the exigencies of the war expansion programme), the Bristol Aeroplane Com pany continued with the greatest activity to develop their design of power plant for the Hercules engine, with the result that such power plants were available in quantitor production for the start of the new heavy bomber, -^ gramme early in the war. %'•''/• The latest Hercules power plant is standardised to the following equipment additional to the engine its«P Engine mounting; bulkhead and fittings; e»?yf cowling; controllable cooling gills, with electric dri* motor ; inter-cylinder baffles, etc. ; nacelle shoulder cow ing and supports ; fire extinguishing system ; fuel system, including filter ; oil pipes ; exhaust system, complete with flame damping and cabin heating equipment; engin„ control system; electric starter, with hand turning gear attachment; miscellaneous electrical equipment, includ ing tachometer, etc ; carburettor air intake, with by- passable air cleaner. The following is added to the standard power plant to suit the particular aircraft requirements: — Engine-driven gear box for aircraft accessories; air craft accessories fitted to gear box; oil cooler; nacelle and fairing panels ; airscrew controls. AIR/SEA RESCUE MORE than a hundred lives have been saved by the R.A.F. Air/ Sea Rescue Service in one day alone during the air borne invasion of Holland. This statement was made this afternoon at the Fighter Group H.Q. of Air Defence of Great Britain, where the rescue operations on the largest scale ever known were planned. Beginning on Sunday when rescue launches were sent out before dawn to form a chain right across the North Sea, and rescue aircraft of A.D.G.B. patrolled as spotters overhead, the rescue line has been saving lives, continuously each day. Typical of the invading airmen's opinion about the organisa tion was a tug pilot's comment: "When we first went in," he said, "navigation was practically pointless, we simply fol lowed the A.S.R. line," On Sunday the launches were spaced at such frequent intervals that each was in sight of the next in the line. If a glider ditched off the line, the spotting R.A.F. aircraft gave their directions by radio and the launches dashed to the spot. Launches have picked up the great majority of the ditched men each day, including the peak day of over 100 saved," said the R.A.F. staff officer who planned the rescue arrangements, "but amphibian aircraft have gone down for some o£ them. The R.A.F. Air/Sea Rescue Service quickly brought in vessels from more distant bases to reinforce the line leading from the East Coast." CANADIAN LANCASTERS V ICTORY AIRCRAFT, Ltd., Toronto, was given an order in August for an additional 300 Lancaster bombers, it was recently announced at Ottawa by Department of Munitions and Supply. Victory Aircraft is a government-owned and operated plant.
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