FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1946
1946 - 2079.PDF
OCTOBER 17TH, 1946 FLIGHT 421 ,^ J MORANE-SAULNIER 571 The centre-section is offered up into the fuselage cut-out and bolted at four points. Outer top extremities of the front spar carry the wing-fold hinges; the wing locking points being on the lower front spar extremities and the rear spar. Both centre-section leading-edge portions form integral fuel tanks, the port section also including the oil tank. Operating mechanism for the main undercarriage legs is located between the spars although the wheels retract sideways and outwards to be housed within the extension planes. The outer wings hinge directly upwards until the tips nearly touch above the fuselage. Some arrangement whereby the wings lie alongside the fuselage when folded would seem to have been preferable, for ver- tical storage space reasons, but was perhaps ruled out because of the added mechanical complications and cost. All-metal flaps, in four sections, are hydraulically oper- ated and are normally used at a 40 deg setting for landing. The ailerons and flaps may be rapidly detached from the main wing torsion box. A very neat job has been made of the tricycle gear which, although it has been lengthened in comparison with the 570 to alter the machine's ground angle and provide addi- tional shock-absorber travel, is still low enough to permit an easy step on to the wing. For taxy-ing, the nose-wheel is steerable from the control column, but the wheel may be locked in the correct fore-and-aft position at take-off and before the unit is retracted. Main wheels are partially enclosed in the retracted position by fairing panels attached to the struts, and have brakes operated from extension bars on the rudder pedals. The power plant is modern, in that it is quickly detach- able. Either an air-cooled 140 h.p. Renault 4 P<ji or an L.E.M. (Potez) 4 D of similar power is suspended, through rubber shock dampers, on a simple cantilever m<"inlinj» and drives a variable-pitch airscrew. Tropical Trials S Qruelling Tests of Qriffon-Firefly in Iraq A FAIREY Firefly IVfighter / reconnaissanceaircraft, fitted with a Rolls - Royce Griffon 74 engine, has completed in Iraq a series of tropical trials ' which are Claimed to have exploded the myth that there is difficulty in operat- ing liquid-cooled engines in hot climates. With Group Capt. Slade, of the Fairey Aviation Co. as l h Fifl fl t A Firefly IV with Griffon 74 engine as used for tropical test work in Iraq. pilot, the Firefly was flown to Baghdad via Malta, Cairo and Habbaniya. The object of the trip was to demonstrate in practice what had been decided in the design stage— that the Firefly IV and its engine will function satisr factorily at the extremely high temperatures prevailing in Iraq during the hottest summer months. • The most severe test involved prolonged taxying with the Griffon running at 1,200 r.p.m. for about 45 minutes at a temperature of 106 deg F. Officially the Griffon is cleared for a coolant temperature of 125 deg C, with an emergency combat peak of 135 deg C, and in this connec- tion it-may be mentioned that the highest ground air temperatures in the world are in the region of 125 deg F (52 deg C). The temperature of the coolant on starting "V-was 69 deg C, and on completion of the test was still within 'the safety margin. After reaching the highest temperature obtainable under these deliberately freak conditions the aircraft was flown off at maximum r.p.m.. (2.750) and 18 lb boost. One minute after becoming airborne the coolant temperature was down to 113 deg C, and by the time the Firefly had climbed to 12,000ft, was 101 deg. In spite of the climatic conditions excellent performance figures were recorded in flight. The cruising speed, with 7 lb boost at 2,400 r.p.m., flying at 5,000 ft, was 260 m.p.h., and at 17,000ft 289 m.p.h. Temperature control was very good throughout as there was always plenty ,of latitude with the radiator shutters open and closed. It is significant that the Firefly was being flown under conditions of maximum load and drag In addition to two 50-gallon wing-tip tanks the machine was carrying two 90-gallon drop-tanks, providing a total fuel capacity of 426 gallons and raising all-up weight to 14,800 lb. Some of the tests took the form of a demonstration in the presence of H.R.H. the Prince Regent of Iraq and staff officers of the Royal Iraq Air Force, including Colonel Sami Fattah, Chief ot the Iraqi Air Force, and Wing Commander Fisher, Air Adviser to the British Mission. The short take-off and landing characteristics of the Firefly, its excellent manoeuvrability and suitability for operation in mountainous country, were displayed. At Heliopolis more demonstrations were given before Air Vice-Marshal Sir Brian Baker, Deputy Air Officer Com- manding in Chief Middle East. GEOFFREY DE HAVILLAND "C^VEN those who knew him well and fully appreciated the •*-' importance of his work in aircraft development must have been warmed and impressed by the numbers, of all ranks and positions, who attended last Thursday's rnemona] service for the late Mr. Geoffrey de Havilland. The Cathedral at St. Albans was filled to overflowing by members ol the British and foreign fighting services ami Government?, airlines, the aircraft industry and his own flying anrl staff colleagues. In his memory it is proposed to -start a fund for a scholar- ship in aid of the advance*! study of aeronautical problems. It is hoped that the R.Ae.S will administer the lund and that a capital sum of ^5,000 will be reached. Donations may be sent to Barclays Bank, Burnt Oak, Edgware, Middlesex. During his last months, one of Mr. de Havilland's interests lay in the possibility of organizing national air races in this country. It would be a fitting unofficial tribute if, in addition, this idea could be developed.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
