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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 0938.PDF
68o JUNE 24TH. 1948 P.108 IN THE AIR Since its earlier public appearances, a new fairing has been addedbehind the P.I03's roomy cockpit. The flaps are set for take-off. might expect, and the fairly pronounced but steady swingto starboard is easily held with the rudder. A small red button is pressed to retract the wheels, which take onlyseven to eight seconds to lock up tImmediately on becoming airborne, the aircraft gives an impression of steadiness and solidarity. As take-offflap is raised there is a slight sink and nose-down change of trim, but so light and effective are all three controlsthat there is no need immediately to retrim the aircraft, if it is inconvenient to do so. Climbing speed is H5kt and the rate of climb is inthe region of 1,400ft/min. As we gained height I made a series of medium and steep turns and found the controlsto be very well harmonized and extremely pleasant and smooth to operate. Elevator stick force is given as 6-7 lbper g. The ailerons carrv tabs of the geared type, but for operation at the relatively low speed of the P. 108,they are designed to give only slight movement. Enough height was found beneath cloud to stall androll with safety. With flaps and wheels up the stall occurs at round about 6ikt, but with everything down thespeed is approximately 9kt less. The stall was gentle BOULTON PAUL P.108 DATA 840 h.p. Bristol Mercury 25 Engine Length 35ft Bin Span 39ft 4in Span (wings folded) 21ft Sin Height 10ft liin Gross wing area 250 sq ft Track 15ft Weight empty 5,939 Ib Normal all-up weight ... 7,595 1b Makers' Performance Figures Max. level speed at 10.000ft 280 m.p.h. Max. cont. cruising (rich mixture) ,, „ 250 m.p.h. Max. cont. cruising (weak mixture) ,. .. 230 m.p.h. Endurance (at max. cruising) ... 2i hr Fuel capacity 117 gal Take off to clear 50ft 603yds. Landing out 50it screen ... ... ... ... 650yds and straight, warning was given and, when the air- craft was held in the stall attitude for a second or two, the left wing and nose fell fairly abruptly. Stall characteristics are thus mildly indicative of fighter behaviour, as they should be. The most comfortable type of roll is one just sufficiently barrelled to avoid negative g, and manoeuvres of this sort are very easy to perform and are taken in its stride by the P.108. For a powered approach the speed should be about 85kt reducing to 75 over the hedge The angle of approach is steep and the forward view of the landing path very good. The best landing technique is to fly the P.108 right down to the ground rather than to commence the round-out at a slightly higher level. If speeds have been approximately correct on the final approach the machine then sits down sweetly as soon as the three-point attitude is assumed. Directional control on the landing run is first-class, and one again feels the advantage of the wide undercarriage. A glide approach was also tried at 95 to iookt and with a steady wind of around I5kt blowing. The angle of approach was very steep indeed, and I was glad to disguise the fact that I was undershooting by a prolonged burst of power "to clear the Mercury." The engine was, in fact, inclined to oil up, and it was necessary to keep revs up when stationary on the ground, and also to clear the, engine frequently when gliding. * •- In the P.108 and the Balliol which this prototype heralds, Boulton Paul Aircraft, Ltd., have produced an- other characteristically manoeuvrable design to carry on the tradition of the amazing old Sidestrarid and Overstrand and the war-time Defiant, which managed to carry a power--**, driven turret and still retain the liveliness and almost as high a speed as single-seat designs with the same Merlin power unit. CHRISLEA CONTROLS FROM Exeter Airport comes the information that the Chris-lea Super Ace is to be produced with conventional rudder controls, but that the up-and-down movement of the wheolfor operation of the elevators will be retained. This change in plans follows careful observation of the reactions of manypilots to the unconventional control system fitted Hi the proto- type Super Ace. It seems that although the single-wheel flightcontrol system has received official approval from the Air Registration Board and a full British certificate of airworthi-ness has been granted, and, furthermore, that 500 hours fly- ing, including aerobatics, has been completed, there was astrong and persistent psychological resistance to the accept- ance of new-type controls by potential purchasers even thoughthey operated them successfully and accepted their advan- tages. With near-standard control system and full equipment andinstrumentation, the fly-away price of the Super Ace will be ^1,995. Delivery to meet orders already placed will not beaffected as the modification work is well in hand. ILIFFE I TECHNICAL BOOKS "FLIGHT" HANDBOOK A Manuil of Aeronautical 7s. 6d. Theory and Practice, 4th edition (By post 7s lOd ) GAS TURBINES AND JET PROPULSION FOR AIRCRAFT by G. Geoffrey Smith, M.B.E., 4th edition, 3rd impression 12s. 6d. (By post 13s.) WALL DIAGRAMS: Rolls-RoyceDerwent s De Havilland Goblin II I 4s. each. Metrovick F'3 Gas Turbine j (By post 4s. 4d. each) TURBINES FOR AIRCRAFT (4-page colour leaflet re printed from " Flight *') HANDBOOK OF INDUSTRIAL ELECTROPLATING E. A.OIIard, A.R.C.S., F.R.I.C, F.I.M., and E. B. Smith YACHT RACING. A textbook of the Sport. 3rd edition. B. Heckstall Smith. Revised and enlarged by G. Stanbrooke Sturgess. 6d. (Bypost7£d.) 15s. (By post 15s. 8d.) 25s. (By post 25s. ed.) From all leading booksellers or from tliffe and Sons Ltd., Corset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.I.
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