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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1284.PDF
126 FLIGHT AUGUST 7TH, 1947 livered overseas; their reports have now been coming in for a year and form the basis of the bulletin. We feel that the de Havilland firm has adopted a wise policy in thus being perfectly frank and open about the troubles encountered. To us it seems that nothing but good can result, and we should like to see the practice become general. The Right PerspectiveS ELF-DEPRECIATION and excessive modesty can very easily be carried too far. British civil aviation has been suffering from the cumulative effect of persistent and often unfair home-grown criticism for a long time, and it is scarcely surprising if foreigners are ready to take us at our own evaluation. Last week the Minister of Supply called a Press con- ference specifically to attempt to bring things into their proper perspective by counting some of our blessings. That civil aviation has been having and is still having a difficult time there is no denying, and it would be idle to pretend that in some classes our civil aircraft can compare with the best American. But by harping on the shortcomings, as so many papers have done, a very lop-sided picture has gradually been built up, and Mr. Wilmot did his best to correct that fault. That the British aircraft industry has not been doing so badly, bearing in mind the difficulties with which it is beset, is obvious from the fact that, in the first five months of this year, exports amounted to something like £yl million, while estimates indicate that for the whole year the value may reach a figure of £20 million. Not only have Rolls-Royce and de Havilland jet engines been exported, but licences to build them abroad have been granted. Piston engines have been sold in many parts CONTENTS Outlook ' - ' The Saro Al • • . - Advanced Trainer - Here and There Airscrews for Gas Turbines Aircrew Selection - ' - - Prelude to Glory - - Elstree Display and Rally Weather Observer ----.- Civil Aviation News • - Correspondence - Service Aviation ------ Forthcoming Events, page 136 125 127 129 - 130 132 - 135 137 142 - 144 145 • 149 150 of the world, and among aircraft mentioned by Mr. Wilmot as doing well in the export market were the Dove, the Viking and the Wayfarer. Of the Dove he said that "It is proving a best-seller. A total of over 200 aircraft are covered by firm orders already placed, the largest being from Argentina." A review of the work being done by '' interim '' types showed that they are performing valuable services, and the Minister defended the decision on American aircraft purchases by saying that a short-term loss in sterling was preferable to dollar expenditure and loss of operational experience with British types. B.O.A.C.'s operational experience with Constellations was of more practical benefit to Lockheeds than to the British industry. The importance of close co-operation between manu- facturer and operator cannot be over-stressed, but it is not helped much by the present complicated system. " And why the sea is boiling hot—and whether pigs have wings "—LEWIS CARROLL " Flight " photograph graft which is thrustS.R/A/ : In his most imaginative moment the author of "Alice in Wonderland" could hardly have foreseen by the reaction of hot ga:es into the air from a sea which at times literally boils around it. Such a craft is flying-bo2t fighter which, as our picture proves, however, is by no means a flying pig.
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