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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1393.PDF
AUGUST 21ST, 1947 FLIGHT 197 For Empire Routes 7,250ft; continuous (rich mixture) 1,550 h.p. at 4,750ft; continuous (lean mixture) 1,330 h.p. at 9,250ft; recom- mended continuous (lean mixture) 1,130 h.p. at 5,000ft. The airscrews are four-blade constant-speed fully feather- ing de Havillands, 12ft gin in diameter. Reversible air- screws may eventually be fitted. The additional 4ft in the length of hull has encouraged the interior-designers to provide more lavish incidental accommodation for the comfort of passengers and crew than in the previous Short flying-boats. As in the Sandringhams there are five separate cabins for seated passengers, each with stowage for berths. The dressing rooms, toilets and domestic stowages providing hanging accommodation for coats are more spacious. Although the actual payload f ace is greater, the layout has been designed to avoidS'gue and boredom much more than to provide greaterpassenger-carrying capacity. The main door is on the starboard side and well aft, and entry is made directly into the promenade cabin on the lower deck. This cabin is fitted out with large windows, and running fore and aft against the walls, which are furnished with peach-coloured material (Vynide), are two bench seats covered in light blue woollen cloth. The whole aircraft is furnished in this colour scheme. Undoubtedly the promenade cabin pro- vides passengers with that leg-stretching relief so much needed on long air journeys. At the forward end on the port side is the spiral staircase leading to the upper deck. Aft of the promenade cabin is the ladies' powder room, which is wood-panelled and equipped with wash-basin units with immersion heaters. Forward of the promenade cabin on the lower deck is cabin C which, like the other seating cabins, holds two double seats facing each other with a table between (similar to the Sandringham type) on the starboard side, and, on the port side, two single seats, again facing each other with a small table between. Seats similar to those of the Viking have been chosen on account of the smaller space which they occupy. They are, however, quite as comfortable as those normally associated with the larger class airliner. Between the promenade deck and cabin C there is stowage for hand baggage, coats and other articles which may be required during the journey. The gentlemen's toilet is between the front and rear spar on the lower deck, and consists of a dressing room on the port side, which :s fitted with two wash-basin units with immersion heaters, and, on the starboard side, two separate lavatories. Imme- diately forward of the main spar there are two cabins, A and B, and it is here that the extra 4ft is most noticeable, since the Sandringhams have only one cabin forward of the front spar. As already mentioned, the upper deck is reached by a spiral staircase leading from the promenade deck. At the top of the staircase is the cocktail bar, which extends over the entire width of the aircraft and measures about 5ft fore and aft. A semi-circular bench seat around one corner is the only seating accommodation, and the bar itself con- sists of a half-door with an aluminium-covered shelf. The servery and buffet is forward of this bar and contains kitchen equipment of very modern design. Aft of the cock- tail bar there are two six-seater cabins (D and E) divided by thin screens and not, as in the case of the others, by bulkheads. Luggage, four bunks and bedding are stowed in the compartment aft of these two cabins, D and E. The fresh-water supply comes from two tanks, one of which is mounted above the drag sheeting between the spar frames on the port side, and the other is inside the restric- tion at the lower forward corner of the buffet immediately aft of the rear spar frame. Each tank contains fifteen gallons. A 25-gaHon salt-water tank is also provided. Crew quarters are spacious and include a special section for resting. Immediately behind the first pilot is the navigator's station, which includes a large desk and adequate stowages for equipment. Behind the navigator is the radio officer's station, with a desk and ample room for operating. The two rest seats and tables are behind the second pilot, and behind them and immediately aft of the front spar is the engineer's station, with a complete control panel. Entry to the flight deck is made by a rung ladder between the spars. Radio and Radar The instrument panel is simple, and in addition to the normal flying instruments contains only a radio altimeter and radio compass. The Solent is well equipped with radio and radar, having M/F, H/F, VHF/DF and ASV. Mk. II, in addition to the radio altimeter and Marconator radio compass already mentioned. A general-purpose trans- mitter and receiver of the well-known TR.1154/5 type has been mounted to form a knee-hole desk for the radio operator, each installation so arranged to be on either side of him with the Marconator equipment in the centre. The transmitter covers the band of frequencies from 16.7 mc/s to 200 kc/s in four steps, and the receiver from 18.5 mc/s to 75 kc/s in five steps. For air-to-ground telephony, using the trailing aerial, the range is about 200-250 miles, and for C.W. telegraphy about 300-400 miles, but the range will be reduced to about one-third if a fixed aerial is used. Direction-finding facilities are available in the three medium-frequency ranges of the receiver, and additional D/F and homing are provided by the radio compass. High-frequency radio is provided by the TR.1196, a com- bined transmitter/receiver with four spot frequencies crystal controlled, in the 3 to 7 me band. This equipment, being remotely controlled, is directly available for the use of the pilot. For very high frequency requirements 1143A has been installed, which combines transmitter and receiver with four spot frequencies in the band 100-120 mc/s. The latter weighs only 35 lb, but the 1143A weighs about 120 lb. The wartime equipment 1134A, with a power unit, has been installed for inter-communication. An American AYF radio altimeter and ASV. Mk. II is being fitted to ail the Solents. The Mk. II radar has the advantage over Rebecca of determining the range of coastlines. ASV., however, is on a different frequency from the Rebecca- Eureka system, and B.O.A.C. have established their own chain of responder beacons. THE KEMSLEY FUND A BOARD of Trustees has now been appointed to administerthe iund which Lord Kemsley has made available to assist in the promotion and development of private flying in thiscountry. The trustees appointed are: His Grace the Duke of Sutherland, K.T.; Mr. Alan Goodfellow; Col. R. L. Preston,C.B E (Secretary-General of the Royal Aero Club); Mr. H. W. H. Moore; Capt. H. S. Broad, M.B.E.. A.F.C.; Mr.J. R. Ashwell-Cooke; Mr. B A. G. Meads (Lord Kemsley's representative and secretary). The fund consists of a sum of £100,000 which will be admin-istered ovei a period of seven years. Interest at a nominal rate will be charged. Individual claims for loan will be con-sidered on merit, and the very wide discretionary powers which are given to the trustees will ensure the most sympatheticconsideration of claims. However, it must be pointed out that clubs should be prepsjed to give practical evidence of their capacity for self-help by volunteering a contributiontowards capital expenditure which the fund will augment. The degree of self-help evidenced, and the security available,will determine the terms of interest and repayment upon which the loans will be mutually agreed. The Association of British Aero Clubs and the British Glid-ing Association, in close liaison with the Board of Trustees, will give practical assistance to flying and gliding clubs in theformulation of theii claims for loans. Applications for financial assistance from flying or gliding clubs which are members oferther of the above organizations should be made direct to the appropriate association. Clubs or individuals not membersof the above associations should make their applications direct to the Secretary, Kemsley Flying Trust, Kemsley House, Man-chester. As announced in Flight of August 7th, the Board of Trustees held their first meeting on July 28th.
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