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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 0086.PDF
74 f LIGHT JANUARY I6TH, 1947 6ALANCE TABShort-Span Meteor Rate of Roll Improved: Performance Slightly Affected A REDUCTION in wing span from precisely 43ft to only37ft 2in and a lowering of aspect ratio from 4.95 to 3.9, coupled with a complete change in tip shape from elliptical toblunt, might have been expected to afiect drastically the per- formance of the Gloster Meteor IV. The facts are that, apart R.P. REAR MOUNTING BEAM from improving the rate of roll and providing a stifier struc-ture, the modification has had the results shown below: Long-Span Short-Span Top speed (S.L. and l5,OOOft) 585 m.p.h. 580 m.p.h. Rite of climb at S.L 7,900ft/min 7,800ft/min „ 30,000ft 4,l00ft/min 3,9OOft/min Time of climb to 40,000ft ... 8 min 8.5 min Altitude where r.o.c. is 500ft/min 52,000 50,000 Endurance at 30,000ft (after climb and J hr it max speed) with 325 gal I hr 0.85 hr Endurance at 30,000ft (after climb and i hr at max spesd) with 505 gal 2.2 hr 2.0 hr Flight speed for max endurance ... ... ... 170 m.p.h. 175 m.p.h. Take-off run (still air) 430 yd 460 yd Stalling speed (flaps and u/e down) 100 m.p.h. 105 m.p.h The accompanying sketch shows structural features of thewing and of the latest form of aileron and balance tab. The main plane aerofoil section outboard of the nacelles is nowEC 1240 to EC 1040 (instead of to EC 0940) and the gross wing loading at normal weight (14,460 lb) is 41.4 lb/sq ft,instead of 38.7 lb/sq ft. Each aileron now has an area of 24 sq ft (previously 31.5 sq ft), but the balance-tab area isgreater. It is, perhaps, not generally realized that the Meteor's span isnow only 3m more than the Spitfire's, or nearly 3ft less than that of the Vampire. TBE BOOKSBELF Aircraft of the Fighting Powers, Volume VIII—1946 Aircraft.O. G. Thetford and E. J. Riding. Editedfby D. A. Russell. * The Harborough Publishing Co., Ltd. 31s 6d.'"FHE thorough research behind this attractive book is J- paralleled by the scrupulous artistry of the general-arrange-ment drawings. In particular, the 3-view of the Lincoln is an example for draughtsmen.The volume completes a series of books which has already taken its place among the standard aeronautical referenceworks. Camouflage. 1939-42 Aircraft. By O. G. Thetford. Camou-flage Publications, Ltd*, 8s 6d. LIKE all Mr. Thetfords work this book bespeaks intenseindustry and enthusiasm. It is not everyone who isanxious to know the serial .numbers of Vought-Sikorsky King- fishers, the camouflage and markings of the Fortresses of No. 90Squadron, nor yet the insignia of Netherlands Lodestars, but Mr. Thetford well knows from the reception of his previouswork Camouflage of 1914-18 Aircraft that for many years after a war there is intense interest among certain people—notablymodellers—in the most intimate and apparently insignificant facts concerning the opposing aircraft. Fibre. By Batry Sullivan. Faber and Faber, Ltd., 8s 6d net.THIS is a first novel written by a young R.A.F. pilot who tackles a delicate and difficult subject very competently.The main character is a pilot operating with a reconnaissance squadron flying Marylands and Blenheims in the North Africandesert. He loses his flying nerve and is mentally tortured by believing himself to be an "L.M.F." (Lack of Moral Fibre)case. The efforts of his friend and his squadron commander to help him regain his confidence, and, finally, the shock whichrestores his " guts," make interesting reading. The author manages to convey an authentic atmosphere to his vividdescription of life in a desert squadron during "the early years of the war. Flight of Birds, Bats and Insects Paris 1 and II), by FrankW. Lane. Daily Mail School Aid Dept., is 3d each. Tj*ASCINATING is the word to describe these well-illustrated-L little booklets on a subject which must interest the airman as much as the naturalist. Frank Lane writes with consider-able knowledge both of Nature's natural flyers and of aero- dynamics, and the wide range of the types he has selectedshows that birds and insects vary even more in their flying technique than do human aviators. Incidentally, how manyof our readers—including the aircraft designers—know that many birds have an anti-stalling device for slow landingapproaches incorporated in their wing design? That is but one of the scores of interesting facts the author discloses. Themany photographs are really excellent, often strikingly beautiful, and are alone worth the money.
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