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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1730.PDF
4°4 FLIGHT A View of France Maryse Bastie, head ot the Force Feminine Aerienne, whose achievement is equalled by her charm. From the balcony we overlooked the airfield used by com- munication aircraft, among them JU52S, production of which has been continued in France. For dinner we returned to the Maridor, where General Domino received us on behalf of General Piollet. Here we talked with Commandant Troussier, of the Deux- ieme Bureau (Intelligence), whose post corresponds to our A.C.A.S. (I). An electricity cut failed dismally to mar an evening of great cordiality. February 24.H1. visit this morning was to the Kellermann plant of the Societe Nationale d'Etudes et de Construc- tion de Moteurs d'Aviation S.N.E.C.M.A. (or " Sneckma," for short) on the outskirts of Paris. This organization succeeds the Gnome-et-Rhone concern, which was nationalized two years ago, and is directed by M. Marcel Weill. Our guides included M. Racine, Chief Project Engineer, and M Nojac, Technical Works Director. The configuration of the plant, due to space limita- tions, has greatly increased manufacturing difficulties ; as a member of the organization put it, some of the departments are "more like gangways than work- shops." Nevertheless, pro- duction has been so planned as to allow a monthly output of forty 14R engines of 1,700 h.p., forty B.M.W.132 (700 h.p.). and the overhaul and testing of various units of 70- 700 h.p. The Research De- partment has been busy during the past three years on both piston engines and gas turbines, and we were shown examples of the new 14R1000 radial and of the Atar 101 turbo jet, which the plant will manufacture. The '1000" series is distin- guished from earlier 14R en- gines in having a one-piece cylinder, stiffer master rod, and detail refinements. Single-cylinder units have been ruu successfully and powers of 2,000-2,500 h.p. are expected. We saw a Ratier con- tra-rotating airscrew for the new engine and watched the testing of an earlier 14R with a water-methanol injection system which may eventually be applied to the " 1000." A pair of the new engines, driving contra-rotating air- screws, should be on test in a LeO45 by next June, and in- stallations in new types of transports are foreseen. When the B.M.W.132 passes out of production in 2-3 months the "1000" will be the only—and probably the last—large piston engine to be produced in the Kellermann works. In one of the shops, however, we saw the mock-up, com- plete with cowling, of a 36-cylinder unit, designated 36T, Cowling of the S.N.E.C.M.A. I4R. The new " 1000 " series will use a one-piece cylinder and have provision for a counter-rotating airscrew. Plans are in hand for the production of 1,500 of these three-seater Norecrins. The price is about £2,300. of 3,000-4,000 h.p. Development is understood to have been abandoned, despite the current need for large engines in this category. Possibly it is felt that the Arsenal 24H liquid-cooled unit and, later, airscrew turbines of S.N.E.C.M.A. - design, will meet France's • needs in this respect. The Atar 101, our inspection of which was all too brief, is basically of German (B.M.W.) design, originating— hence the name—in the Ateliers Technique Aeronautique Richenbach, near Lake Constance. In France the tech- ^ ' development of the unit studied by Voisin, responsibili- ties being mainly the manu- facturing and testing. A hundred Germans are em- in France on Atar evWppment. The prototype engint should be running on the bench at Melun within a A promising new feeder-liner is the Noreazur (Nord 2100), the second prototype of which will have Beam engines.
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