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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1244.PDF
104 FLIGHT JULY 31st, 1947 Miles at Home and exhibited at White Waltham in January, is not one of the number. At a works' "At Home" it was natural" to find some other interests represented in addition to aircraft and flying. The Miles fire brigade demonstrated their efficiency in dealing with three sorts of fires; the brass band played; the Technical School gave a gymnastic display, and there were half-hour film shows. For those interested in produc- tion, or who simply wanted to "see where Dad worked," there were tours of the factory. In the static exhibition could be seen a model of the M.52 supersonic project, demonstrations of the Miles actuator and Copycat, and examples of Philidas nuts. Outside also there were demon- strations of weight lifting, and to those who were feeling very strong, prizes were offered if they could lift the equiva- lent of their own weight above their heads. The Sky Observers—" the only civilian youth flying club in Great Britain"—were present in their headquarters—a captured German J1152 fuselage. The Reading Aero Club had their Hawk Majors on the field, and Aerovan joy rides were provided for '' lucky '' programme holders and others by Air Contractors, Ltd., and Universal Flying Services. In addition to the Miles aircraft, an old Hurricane, a Spitfire and a Tempest were displayed as representative of British fighter types in the war. A first-class flying programme was arranged between 4.40 and 6 p.m., when various Miles types were demon- strated, and the company's chief test pilot. Ken Waller, once again gave an aerobatic display on the Sparrowhawk. A long spell of inverted #ying at low altitudes followed by a short inverted climb was a new item in his repertoire. He also demonstrated the second Marathon, which has n0 central fin and to. which has been added an air scoop well s back on the top of the fuselage. The machine's take-off was excellent and the landing run in a light wind extremely short. It was shown to have a good turn of speed and manoeuvrability of the order permitting practically vertical climbing turns from the zoom. The Marathon also flew well with the two port engines feathered. " Ginger " Essler demonstrated the Aerovan and, if possible, achieved even tighter and steeper turns than had been seen before from this highly manoeuvrable and slightly amusing-looking machine. ' The single-engine performance of a Gemini, which was airborne with the Aerovan, was the subject of much favourable comment. A demonstration of a different type was that given b four Vampires of No. 54 Squadron accompanied by F Carter of 247 Squadron. Every member of the crowd fascinated by their formation aerobatics and tremendous speed. S/L. Lyne, A.F.C., with F/L. Colquhoun, D.F.C., F/O. Stacey and Pilot I. Wood flying in tight formation (one in the box) turned and dived with perfect precision and executed two slow rolls without losing station by more than a few feet. F/O. Carter in the fifth Vampire, in the meantime, dived across the field at a terrific speed within a few feet of the grass, pulling up at the boundaries into huge rocket loops and upward rolls. The hush during the event followed by the great brabble of conversations as the machines flew away testified to the thrill the crowd got from the whistling Vampires. The 21 Miles types mentioned above are: Martlet; Magister; Gemini; Martinet Trainer; Falcon; Monitor; High- lift M.18; Hawk; Messenger; Sparrowhawk; 'Master II; Closed M.18; Mercury M.28; Libellula; Aerovan; Speed Six; L.R.5; Martinet; Nighthawk; Marathon; Gillette Falcon. :. Boeing Turbines Two Very Small Research Units Produced in the New Propulsion Laboratory SOME news of the American Boeing Company's gas turbineactivities has recently become available. Pioneer work on exhaust superchargers was carried out as long ago as 1925, butnot until 1943 did the company study the gas turbine as a prime mover, and at that The Boeing 502, air- ^^^ tim(J' 7"% sf s|bly. it wasrcrew turbine version j|^ decided first tO *mld of the Model 500, is a M^M, ™"«™ components- very small research unit weighing 140 Ib. "* it * g/v and delivering 200 **/ 1||^ _ *. g jr \s.h.p. * 1™ /» li *^ * compressors, turbines, gear boxes, etc., and to study anddevelop each as a.separate unit. The first unit was designed as a pure research project, butsuch promising progress was made that two complete power units were built, the first a pure jet giving 150 lb thrust andweighing only 85 lb, the second a modified version to give shaft power. The pure jet model 500 is reported to have com-pleted almost 100 hours' running to date, and individual com- ponents have done more than 1,000 hours' running. It has acentrifugal compressor and single-stage turbine, and between these units are its two combustion chambers. The turbine is7jin in diameter and has an operating speed of 36,000 r.p.m. The airscrew driving version, known as the model 50^, hasbasic components interchangeable with the 500, and delivers 200 s.h.p. foi a weight of 140 1b. It is suggested that should these small power units reachthe production stage they will be suitable for starting very large turbines, as a power source for small aircraft or missiles,and might be adapted for use in boats or perhaps, after further development, in road vehicles. Design, construction r*j|testing took place in the new propulsion latoratory and t private venture is entirely the work of the Boeing "Compai OPEN DAY AT ARBROATH WARM sunshine, tempered by an ofi-seabreeze, welcomed between three and four thousand visitors to an Open Day at H.M.S. Condor (R.N. Air Station Arbroath) on^ July 23rd. Precision aerobatics by a Naval Harvard opened the show, and there followed, very low and very fast, two Mos- quitoes which assaulted a dilapidated Barra- cuda. A second attack by the Mosquitoes was passed home despite" interception by- two Seafires. By this time the hapless Barracuda was well ablaze, and S/L. Sand- bags was unceremoniously dragged from the cockpit. The display ended with a fly-past by Naval aircraft led bv a Firebrand IV.
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