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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1078.PDF
12 FLIGHT JULY 3RD, 1947 National Gliding Contests made the 70 miles to Finningley in an Olympia. An aggre- gate of 1,120 miles was flown and Nicholson and Blake made a new altitude record for two-seaters by reaching 6,700 ft. The best day of the whole meeting was Wednesday, when an aggregate of over 2,000 miles was flown. A west wind was blowing, and on reaching the east coast, competitors had to descend. There were 12 flights each of over 100 miles, and all but two of these reached their declared goals. The longest flight was one by Philip Wills of 130 miles, but he missed his declared goal of Caistor by three miles. Stephenson got the most marks with a 126-mile goal flight to Beccles. A Swiss team which attended the meeting hors concours set up new Swiss records with a single-seater goal flight of 117 miles, and a two-seater flight of 125 miles. Thursday was only a moderately good day, and about 850 miles were flown. Gardiner, on his blue Olympia, brought off a nice goal flight to Doncaster (72 miles) and Ann Douglas tried the Swiss two-seater S.25 Spahlinger, landing at Full Sutton.. Yorks. The violent thunderstorms of Friday carefully avoided Bramcote—the only place where they would have been reasonably welcome. A com- petitor from the B.A.F.O. team tried to contact one in the distance but the pilot, however, found conditions too hazy to see the structure of the storm or ascertain the likely situation of good thermals. Distant storms were again a feature on Saturday, and nobody was able to reach them. Sunday, the last day of the meeting, was unprofitable until midday and, since the meeting closed at 4 p.m., there was insufficient time to take advantage of the better weather which came at lunchtime. The week had proved delightful for everybody, and numerous important visitors put in an appearance. Among these were Lord and Lady Tedder who both flew in the Slingsby two-seater. Lord Tedder expressed his joy at getting back once more to an open cockpit. Civil Aircraft Types Progress Summary of Existing Designs IT is not an easy matter to keep up to date with theprogress of all the aircraft buiit to the specificationsof the Brabazon Committee and others sponsored under the Civil Aviation Ministry's development programme. In particular, the estimated dates for first flights, delivery, and the numbers ordered are subject~fo revision at frequent intervals. Recently the Ministry made available some new facts concerning the types built to Brabazon specifications, and these, together with information about contemporary civil designs, are tabulated below. In future only the first prototype of the Bristol 167 will be called Brabazon, which is, in fact, to be its name. The three other aircraft to be built to this specification will be known by their own names as decided by the Bristol Com- pany. This course is suggested very sensibly in order to avoid confusion, particularly in foreign countries where the various Marks previously grouped under the general name of Brabazon have been thought to be modified versions of the Bristol 167 Brabazon I. Sonic deviation from the previously announced orders will be noticed, particularly of aircraft for British European Airways. A few months ago there was some controversy between the Ministry of Supply and B.E.A.C. concerning som-e twenty Wayfarers on allocation to the Corporation. Following some exhaustive tests of the aircraft, the Cor- poration decided that in its present form the Wayfarer was not suitable for their routes as it did not reach certain required operating standards. Since the order was placed before B.E.A.C. existed, the Corporation refused to accept the allocation. It is understood from the Ministry of Supply, however, that tests are continuing to improve the single-engined performance and, in consequence, eight Wayfarers and six Freighters remain on the allocation to B.E.A.C. An entirely new allocation is the six aircraft for B.S.A.A.C., and the Corporation strongly deny any know- ledge of such an order. The Marathon position is slightly different in that, whereas twenty-five Mark Is (Gipsy) and twenty-five Mark Us (Mamba) were ordered, the fact that the Mamba air- screw turbines are not yet available and that the perform- ance figures of the Mark I with Gipsy engine are very en- couraging the Corporation have decided to take thirty of the Mark Is and the order for the Mark Us is to be left in abeyance. Tender designs have been prepared by various firms for a type, known as M.R. (E) the specification of which may not be disclosed, and these are now being examined. The sponsored types mentioned earlier are those aircraft for which a specification has been approved and the cost of building prototypes is to be borne by the Ministry. Maker's Name and Aircraft Name orType Name Engines First Flight Orders(P = Pro- totype,1 For Whom Remarks Bristol !67 Mk. I 167 Mk. II Airspeed AS.57 AS.S7 VickersVC-2 A.V. Roe De Havilland DH 106 Miles M.60 De Havilland DH 104 Armscrong-Whitworth A.W.55 Bristol 170 Cunliffe-Owen Percival A.V. Roe A. V. Roe A. V. Roe A. V. Roe Short Vi:kers IB The Brabazon (to be decided) Ambassador I Ambassador II Viceroy DH 106 Marathon Mk. 1 Marathon Mk. II Dove Apollo Wayfarer Mk HA Freighter Mk I Concordia Merganser ... Tudor I (III and IV) Tudor II (V and VI) Tudor VII Tudor VIII ... Solent Viking 8 Centaurus ... 4 Proteus 2 Centaurus 4 airscrew turbines (J Napier Niads) 4 airscrew turbines (Dart or Mamba) ... 4 airscrew turbines. ... 4 Ghosts 4 Gipsy Queen 71s ... 4 Mambas 2 Gipsy Queen 70s ... 4 Mambas 2 Hercules 632 2 Uonides LE.4M. 2 Gipsy Queen Sis 4 Merlin 600 series 4 Merlin 600 series 4 Hercules4 Nenes 4 Hercules 637s 2 Hercules 634s Early 1948 ... Mid 1949 July 1947 Mid 1948 Early 1950 ... Late 1947 September I94S Late 1943 December (945 May 1947 May 1947 June 1945 March 1946 .. Early 1947 . September 1947 December 1946 June 1945 I P I P-r 3 I PI P 2P Number secret. 3 P -r 50 Prod'n. 2P 2 P 23 2 I P 2 P 22 2 P -;- 44 I P I P 12 Prod'n. B.O.A.C. B.E.A.C. B.O.A.C. and others 20 private sale 30 for B.E.A.C. ... Private sale 8 Wayfarers and 2 Freighters for B.E.A.C. 6 Wayfar- ers for B.S.A.A.C. 2forB.E.A.C. 3 for B.S.A.A.C. 2 for V.I.P. work. . . B.O.A.C. B.S.A.A.C. Experimental B.O.A.C. B.E.A.C. Brab. Spec. No. I. Orders to be decided after flight.Brab. spec. No. lla. Brab. Spec. No. lib. Viking Replace- ment on European Routes. Brab. Spec. No. 111. Doubtful if project will be continued. Brab. Spec. IV Similar to Brab. Spec. Brab. Spec. Va. Mamba version delayed. In seriei production. Brab. Spec No. Vb. Renamed (from Avon). Production delayed in favour of Prince. Ill <or V.I.P. IV fjr B.S.A.A.C. (one with 6ft. nose extension) V and VI for B.S.A.A.C. and F.A.M.A. II with Hercules engines. For High-altitude tests. Civil version of Seaford. In production. One to be fitted with Nenes experimentally.
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