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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0478.PDF
400 FLIGHT APRIL 15TH, 1943 with the sudden decision, taken in December last, not to proceed with the Vickers Viscount, a decision which we challenged at the time, and which we still think was regrettable and unwise. While it will be obvious that the Viking, originally designed for relatively modest performance, cannot be expected to achieve speeds which will permit turbo-jets to function economically from the fuel consumption point of view, the machine will give an excellent oppor- tunity for study of the many aspects of the application of pure-jet propulsion to passenger aircraft. That ex- perience will be of great value in the design of future and more advanced types. When the makers' flying trials are completed, it would be worth while operating the Nene-Viking on an air route experimentally. Not that the increased cruis- ing speed expected from the new combination would be of any great benefit on the short routes for which alone the high consumption would fit the machine. But the prestige value of frequent visits to those European capi- tals which lie within its range would be considerable. The Cost of the GiantsI LLUMINATING figures of what the Brabazon and Saro giants are costing are contained in the Second Report by the Select Committee on Estimates published last week-end. As was to be expected, the Brabazon accounts for by far the greater proportion, the cost of the large erecting shed and the new runway, a picture of which is shown below, having added very materially to the total sum. The original estimate for the two prototype airframes was £3 million ; this has now increased to £4,160,000. Original estimates of the cost of the assembly building and runway were £3,405,250; the new figure is £5,220,500. CONTENTS Outlook - -_ - - - - White Waltham at Work - - - - The 100-km. Record Here and There - Civil Aviation News - Airscrew Testing Foreign Service Intelligence Airways Training - North Atlantic Refuelling Trials - The SG Mark Vl-D Helicopter - Circuit of the Earth Record Attempt Correspondence Service Aviation - - - - - - Forlhzoming Events, page 423 399 401 - 404 405 407 - 411- 415 416 418 420 422 423 424 In the case of the Saunders-Roe flying boats, thre^pf \Vhich were ordered, the original estimate was Xr £812,750 ectch, or £2,438,250 for the three. Until the detailed specification has been completed, no price can be fixed, but the committee estimates that the cost of the whole project will be about £5 million. The ques- tion of runways does not arise, as the boats can be flown from the lower part of Southampton Water, and no extra cost to the taxpayer is involved in buildings, th? firm having, at its own expense, made alterations to existing buildings to the extent of £90,000. Bases will, of course, be necessary when operations begin, but the interesting disclosure is made in the report that Saunders- Roe have investigated a mobile base suitable for flying boats up to 500,000 lb gross weight, and with facilities for customs, embarkation, refuelling, and engine chang- ing. The firm has recently submitted a report, agreed with B.O.A.C., and the estimate of the cost is surpris- ingly low at £70,000. PRIVATE ROAD : The runway on Bristol's a John Laing & Son Ltd., the well-known Lorgfai^ each end are of 200 yards diameter/ Jke^iop SL Between™* or J ''" * specially laid for the 127-ton Brabazon. This has been constructed by ictors, and is nearly l\ miles long by 100 yards wide. Turning circles at very high-quality concrete, being a foot thick and made of granite aggregate, a further 8in of concrete to serve as a foundation.
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