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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 1443.PDF
JULY 25TH, 1946 . • F LI G H due lion of an airborne testerweighing only 15 lb—half the weight of previous models. It isso designed that installation is very simple; the Breeze cable tothe ignition switches in the cock- pit is broken at the bulkheadjunction and a five-core cable in- serted to take primary leads from5, each of the four magnetos and an - earth. The lead is also removedfrom the selected triggering plug and a two-core lead inserted toh continue the circuit. ]Lj* Interpretation of the visual in-dications is not difficult and the •-•* controls are quite simple. Lengthand height of images are adjusted by two controls, and a magnetoselector switch is, of course, pro- vided. The spark attenuator con-trol, by varying the loading in the primary circuit, causes the variousfaults to be accentuated and according to the configuration .ofthe images, the operation of each sparking plug, its gap and faultselsewhere in the ignition system . can be ascertained. In commercial use it would bethe work of the flight engineer to check the plugs at the beginningand end of a flight, and instead of reporting, for example, a mag.drop on No. 1 switch, port outer, he could state positively whichplug was at fault, thus saving a great deal of time and ground-run-ning. At present it may be neces- sary to change a whole set of plugs 93 Two quick-release toggle fasteners secure the sidepanels on the neat ctfwlings for the Tempest annular engine installation. . *7 COMPARISON OF POWER PLANT WEIGHTS Item. Dry engines Mounting, cowling and exhaust... Cooling system, complete Engine accessories Airscrew and spinner Sundries... Total installed weight Maximum b.h.p. ... Specific installed weight... P. & W. Double Wasp R2B00 Type SI-A4-G. 2,330 Ib 567 Ib 181 Ib 237 1b 524 1b 3,839 Ib 2,000 • l.92lb/b.h.p. Napier Sabre VI. Annular radiator with fan-cooling. 2,663 Ib 493 Ib 905 1b 1201b 519 1b 6 1b 4,706 Ib 2,600 1.81 Ib/b.h.p. model, or on special ones as forthe Warwick previously men- tioned. Jn order to improve thequality of the photographs by re- moving the shadows and reflection,experiments have been carried out with polarized lighting and verysatisfactory results obtained. The shortcomings now lie chiefly inthe absence of suitable specially- designed cameras. In addition to the items de-scribed above in some detail, the following list of some of the detailwork provides further proof of the versatility of the establishment.Production of a gravity air filter for the Warwick installation. Pro-duction • of horseshoe header- tanks in light alloy and with neiv(S.B.A.C.-adopted) quick-operat- ing filler cap. Anti-corrosion testson coolant systems, including heat transfer experiments with in-ternally plated components. Tests of an air separator for water-methanol installations. No mention has so far been madeof future work, and as much of this is of a secret nature no detailscan be given. Some most interest- ing figures and complete layoutdrawings have, however, been pre- pared for projected 500 m.p.h.plus fighters powered with a later piston engine, the E-122,which was to give 3,500 h.p. Piston engines for bombers andfighters are now a thing of the past, and the Napier Compatiyhave naturally prepared designs for other types of power units, installation problems for whichare being handled at Luton. An Avro Lincoln will probably be used as the first flight test bed in somewhat the same way asthe Lancaster flying test bed has been used for various turbine- jet units. For the time being the Sabre Va and VII with water-methanol injection are the latest production power units, and further details of the Sabre VII are given on page 99. Largely through the enthusiasm and hard work of membersof the Napier staff at Luton, the local branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society has become most active and efficient, andis now also supported by a number of members who have no connection with the aviation industry. (48 per engine in the case of a Sabre) to locate a fault.Automatic camera recorders have for some time been the subject of special development by the Napier Company, andit would be very difficult to improve upon the latest standard One of several advanced designs produced by the Napier project designoffice at Luton. This tailless fighter was to have the 3,350 h.p. Sabre £.122 engine. MORE CIVIL AIRFIELDS AN encouraging note of realism is evident intwo recent announcements from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Air Ministry have agreedto allow civil flying facilities at Chivenor airfield. This co-operation is a good omen for the future andthe gesture is appreciated in the West Country, the North Devon Development Board havingalready expressed its gratitude. The other an- nouncement was in connection with airfieldfacilities in the North. The Ministry holds the view that the population and industry of the WestRiding justifies the provision of two transport air- fields in the area. Doncaster being suggested assuitable lor Sheffield, but the other, which, it is hoped will be made available to serve Bradfordand Leeds, has not yet been named. PROVING FLIGHT TO SINGAPORE A NOTHER proving flight to the Far East leftil on July 18th from Poole, this time by a Short Seaford, the prototype of the Short Solent, flownby Capt. R. C. Parker. Capt. Parker claims the distinction of having made the fastest flying-boatjourney when he flew Lord Wavell home from Karachi in 1945 in 28J hours. The Solent, it willbe remembered, has an all-up weight of 75,000 lb and can carry thirty-six passengers. B.O.A.C.have twelve of these flying-boats on order. •
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