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Aviation History
1948
1948 - 1468.PDF
Planet Satellite BOLD in concept and embodying veryadvanced structural features, theSatellite has been designed as a cheap, quiet, comfortable aircraft for privateownership or taxi work. It was found that pure monocoque construction, whichwas desired, could only be made practi- cable in such an aircraft if a materiallighter than aluminium were used, and a new alloy called magnesium-zirconiumhas been selected. The buried D.H. Gipsy Queen 31 or Gipsy Major 10 engine drivesa pusher propeller through an extension shaft, and extremely fine fuselage lineshave thus been obtained. Other points of interest are the nylon crashproof fueltanks, hinged arm-rests, which fold down to provide steps, and forced-draughtengine cooling. Structurally and aerodynamically theSatellite is perhaps the most interesting light aircraft to be built since the war. Portsmouth Aerocar AN idea of the purpose for which theAerocar was designed is given by itsname; four or five passengers are carried in car-like accommodation and comfortin an unusually shaped cabin slung beneath the wing and twin booms. Con-struction is all-metal and the wheels retract. Experience with the prototype isexpected to lead to modifications resulting in reduction of structure weight, also, pos-sibly, the fitment of twin main wheels and the provision of alternative fuselages—a larger for freight, a smaller for private- owner use. Blackburn Bombardier enginesmay be fitted to five-seat Aerocar Majors in place of Cirrus Major Ills. FUGHT Short Solent A CCOMMODATING thirty passengersIX. by day or twenty-four by night, the Solent is the latest Short commercial flyingboat, and is now in service on B.O.A.C. routes. It differs from its predecessorsprincipally in having a larger hull and in being fitted with Bristol Hercules 637civil power plants. The hull being 4 ft longer than in the earlier Sandringhamboats, the interior designers have been encouraged to provide very lavish accom-modation, and there are separate cabins, dressing rooms and a promenade deck.The crew's quarters are likewise spacious, and include a special section for resting.Very complete radio and radar equipment is installed. Short SealandT HAT there is a real demand for asmall commercial amphibian is proved by the interest aroused by the Sealand,the first prototype to be produced in the Short and Harland works .at Belfast.A typical layout provides for seven pas- sengers and luggage—a good load for sucha machine, considering that the total power, from the two Gipsy Queen 70geared and supercharged engines, is 660 h.p. The Sealand is also being developedfor the more powerful Alvis Leonides radials, necessitating a small increase inspan and resulting in a better all-round performance, particularly at take-off andon the climb. Technically, one of the most interesting features of the Sealand is themethod used for retracting the main landing wheels into the sides of the hull.Employment of the Sealand not only for passenger and/or freight work, but asa luxury "air yacht," has been foreseen. A PPROXIMATING in size to the•*~V Brabazon landplane, but consider- ably more powerful in having ten BristolProteus turboprops instead of eight, the S.R.45, now under construction at Cowes,has a hull of "double-bubble" section, the midship radius of the top "bubble" being5 ft 7 y t in, and of the bottom, 7 ft 3 in.These dimensions can, however, hardly convey an idea of the spaciousness of this,the most modern marine transport air- craft in the world. Up to one hundredpassengers will be carried, and all accom- modation is pressurized. In order to allowcruising speeds of over 300 m.p.h., the lateral stabilizing floats are retractableinto the wings, of high-speed section. Motor Tutor POWERED by an Aeronca Jap flat-twin engine of 36 h.p., the Motor Tutor has been designed to meet therequirements of the Ultra-Light Aircraft Association. Tests have shown thecruising speed to be about 60 m.p.h., and the airframe has been stressed for thesemi-aerobatic category, so that the machine can be looped or can performstall turns. Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. hope to market the Motor Tutor in kit or semi-kit form to reduce the price for the home market and lower export costs. By comparison with the Tutor glider,the front portion of the fuselage has been redesigned and the cockpit is being movedaft, so that it is now under the mainplane. Sponson Tribian 3- A NEW firm—Sponson Developments,Ltd.—will market a small 3/4-seater amphibian to be known as the Tribian,which is characterized by having sponsons with floats at their extremities for lateralstabilization on the water. This neat little machine will be of all-metal constructionand will be powered by two engines (Gipsy or Cirrus). A cruising speed ofabout 140 m.p.h. is estimated; the stalling speed should be 55 m.p.h. and the initialrate of climb in the neighbourhood of 900 ft/min. Tiltman Langley Labora-tories, Ltd., will build the prototype but a larger firm will be sought to undertakeproduction of this most interesting and promising amphibian.
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