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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1798.PDF
446 FLIGHT OCTOBER IOTH, ig47 PITOT HEAD St. Eval R.A.F. Station, Cornwall: October 8. OLD Father Neptune swallowed up another fairprize to-day in the shape of a ^20,000 model air-craft launched from a R.A.F. Mosquito at 36,000ft between here and the Scilly Isles. Whether the long- suffering taxpayer will eventually see any dividends from this half-a-million sterling transonic research investment, with rocket-driven flying models high-*living into the ocean, we, do not know ; but at any rate we came away with the impression that our scientific friends had had a well-earned field day. We say "well-earned" because many of them had obviously spent long hours getting this first trial pro- ject in working order for the sacrificial day. (Incidentally, one of them told us quite cheerfully that he had been chased by a ghost during the previous night — apparently the ghost of the local Saint trying to horn in on the model aircraft game !) Flight Plan In order to refresh readers" minds on the intended flight plan, we reprint a chart showing the expected se- quence of events upon release of the model from the parent aircraft to the final dive to destruction of the model into the sea. It will be noted that after the initial dive-away from the aircraft for the first 15 seconds, the model is then levelled out by its internal gadgetry (a special design of auto-pilot) and the rocket motor is started. This acceler- ates the model up to sonic speed (approximately 670 m.p.h. at 35,000ft.) in about 18 seconds, beyond which it con- tinues to accelerate up to a maximum of 880 m.p.h. (M=i.3) in a total time of 70 sees after release. At this point it is estimated that the fuel is exhausted, and the model will decelerate through the transonic range before diving into the sea. In this way it is hoped to obtain many useful aerodynamic data in the transonic region CREW AND CRAFT : S/L D. A. C. Hunt (left) and Mr. Gerald Bayne in front of their Mosquito which has the Vickers model slung underneath. Operation Neptune Qualified Success of First >Experiments during the hurried run up and down the Mach ladder. The model itself is instrumented to provide these aero- dynamic data, the various dial readings being telemetered to the ground station in the Scillies via a six-channel trans- mitter. These six channels of information provide measure- ments of pitot-tube pressure, static pressure, longitudinal acceleration, transverse acceleration, tailplane angle and combustion chamber pressure. From these it is hoped to analyze the height, speed, Mach Number, drag, lift and tailplane angles. Further check results are obtained by tracking the path of the model by radar. TOP SECTION REMOVABLE RETRACTINC LIFTING HOOK AIR BALANCE WEIGHT CONTAINING BATTERIES FOR TRANSPONDER C-STOFFTANK TELEMETERING TANK 1 TRANSMITTER AILERONSERVO MOTOR REAR T-STOFF TANK TAILPLANE SERVO MOTOR ROCKET COMBUSTION CHAMBER . A section through the model, showing the disposition of the main units housed in the body< and the relative positions of the wing, tailplane and fin. Having got a general picture of what was intended, let us now take a brief look at the news side of the story to see what actually happened on the day of the initial trial —the first of a series of 24 related model experiments. In actual fact, of course, there was really very little for the ordinary observer on the ground to see, since most of the action took place above a 10,000ft cloud layer, and naturally well out to sea in the interests of safety; hence the main interest centred on the radio room to pick up the cryptic comments of the Mosquito pUot, Sqn. Ldr.
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