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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1218.PDF
FLIGHT JULY 24TH, 1947 Lincolns Westward Bound the delicacy of line which characterises their own B-29 may be lacking, they will learn that the British bomber is " no slouch," having a maximum speed of 319 m.p.h. at 18,500ft. They may also remark on the excellent take-off characteristics: at a flying weight of 75,000 lb the Lincoln will clear a 50ft screen in only 1,150 yards. Her service celling at mean weight is 30,500ft. For the transatlantic crossing bomb-bay tanks are in- stalled and will allow a range of up to 3,800 miles. These will be discarded at Gander. Another point which will prove interesting to the Americans, but which is somewhat regrettable from the standpoint of our national prestige, is that Packard-built Merlins are fitted. These are not, however, the original Mark 68s but have been modified according to the latest standards—hence the "A" designa- tion. They embody the latest strengthened connecting rods, filters for the constant-speed unit, and their carburet- tors are adjusted to avoid surging and the ill-effects of ice. British magnetos with fixed ignition have been adopted, and there are various other modifications which improve dependability. The Lincolns will carry full armament of four 0.5-in and two 20-mm guns but no ammunition. The Gee has teen displaced by Loran, and oxygen points have been embodied for the use of passengers. According to the planned itinerary, the squadron will csrrive on July 28th at Andrews Field, Headquarters of the Strategic Air Command, U.S.A.A.F., Washington, D.C. On August 1st they will take part with American squadrons in Air Force Day celebrations, afterwards landing back at Andrews Field. August 4th should see them at Selfridge Field, Detroit, Michigan, which is the Headquarters of the 56th Fighter Group, 15th Air Force. En rotrfe to this base they will fly over Toronto, Windsor and London* (Canada). Four days later they are due at Smoky Hill, Salina, Kansas, the home base of the 340th Bombardment Squadron lately seen over England. The next call (August i«th) will be at Mather Field, Sacramento, California, where the U.S.A.A.F. Training Command has its main navigational and bombing school. March Field, Los Angeles, the Headquarters of the 12th Reserve Command, will be reached on August 13th, and Fort Worth, Texas, Headquarters of the 8th Air Force, on the 18th. Four days later the squadron will be <^t Maxwell Field, Mont- gomery, Alabama (the A.A.F. University is located here), and by the 25th they will be back at Andrews Field. On Third from the left is G,C. W. J. P. Thomson, D.F.C., who is leading the mission. The other officers, from left to right, are SIL. C. K. Saxslby, D.F.C., VV/C. G. D. Milne, D.F.C., and SI. A. C. Lang, D.F.C. September 2nd they will be at Trenton, Ontario, one of the largest R.C.A.F. stations, housing the Central Flying School and Staff College, and on the following day are due to fly over the Dominion exhibition at Toronto. Gander or Greenwood, Nova Scotia, will be reached on September 5th, and on the gth the Lincolns will take-off for home, arriving on the following day. It is to be hoped that their pilots will not be too tired after their long trip to fly over London and demonstrate the standard of formation flying they have attained in recent weeks. By then they will have had a great deal of practice. SR/A1 FLIES ON the evening of July 16th the first prototype of theSaunders-Roe SR/Ai twin-jet fighter flying-boat was taken up for its first flight by Mr. Geoffrey Tyson, chief test pilot ofSaunders-Roe, Ltd. Mr. Tyson was in the air for about fifteen minutes off the Isle of Wight, and his flight was uneventful.Earlier he had done taxying trials near Cowes. Thus, a unique new military aircraft has been initially proved, and it is reason-able to expect that it will make an appearance over Radlett during the S.B.A.C. display in September. A good idea of the dean appearance of the Saunders-Roe SRjAI jet-propelled flying-boat can be formed from this picture of a model. Technically the SR/Ai is of interest not only in being the first jet-propelled flying-.boat, but in being fitted with two Metropolitan-Vickers F2/4 axial-flow jet units. These are totally enclosed in the hull and are fed from a single intake in the bow. The pilot's cockpit is pressurized, and an armament of four 20 mm guns is concentrated in the' bow. Of -single- spar construction with chordwise stiffening, the wing is of high-speed section. The wing floats are retractable. Hull construction features closely spaced frames and relatively light stringers. Estimated performance data have not been released but the following technical particulars may be given: span 46 ft; length 50 ft; height 17 ft; wing area 415 sq ft; aspect ratio 5:2; hull beam 6.83 ft. There appears to be no reason why the SR/Ai should not attain over 500 m.p.h. when the latest Metrovick jet units are installed. B.O.A.C. LEADERS A DINNER party in honour of Lord Knollys on his retire- •*• x ment from the chairmanship of British Overseas Airways was arranged last Friday by l^ord Nathan, Minister of Civil Aviation. The venue was the Con naught Hotel and the new chairman of B.O.A.C., Sir Harold Hartley, was among the guests at this informal gathering, which included representa- tives from every sphere of British civil aviation. LE ZOUTE RALLY CANCELLED '"THE Royal Aero Club of Belgium announce that owing to•L circumstances beyond their control the week-end rally at Le Zoute, scheduled to take place from August 2nd-4th, hasbeen cancelled.
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