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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0048.PDF
34 F LI Export Trainer Prentice with Argentine markings was displayed at the S.B.A.C. display and exhibition at Farnborough during September last year. An agreement has been signed whereby the Argentine Government may also build Prentices. It seems that the present three-figure order will be sufficient to equip the schools as they are constituted at present, but as facilities— in particular, the number of flying instructors—are expanded, Argentine-built Prentices may be produced to meet the new demands. Countries which purchase Prentices will receive not only a basic trainer of the new conception, but one which is backed by exhaustive testing and experience in service. R.A.F. units which are to be equipped with Prentices have their aircraft, although some are not yet up to strength. Included in particular in this statement are "all-through, all-weather" Train- ing Schools as Cranwell, Feltwell and Little Rissington. First design to meet an entirely new Service specification, the pr type Prentice basic trainer something of a stony path to tread, for a large number of instructors were not in favour of its three-seat layout. Moreover, the aircraft itself, with its big and roomy cock- pit, deep screen to give the pupil an excellent view, and large-area, slab-like wings to provide the right kind of low-speed characteristics, turned out to be no beauty. Pupils and instructors alike still dream of a trainer having Tiger Moth charac- teristics with Vampire performance available, but the R.A.F. basic trainer specification, with economy in mind, stipulates an engine no larger than a Gipsy Queen to energize an immensely strong and lavishly equipped three-seater. The essen- tial docility has been achieved, while speed and climb are acceptable for the type of aircraft. It is praise of a positive character, and all the more to its credit, therefore, that the Prentice has increased in popularity as increasing numbers of pilots have flown it and had an opportunity to experience and appreciate its qualities and equipment as it has come into regular service in the Royal Air Force. The two- or three-seat controversy is still not entirely settled, but it is reported that R.A.F. instructors are finding the third seat of more value than some had expected. The Royal Indian Air Force are at present carrying out flying trials at high altitude with their Mark I Prentices. me Purchasing Commission at Luton. (Left to right) Zeoli; Sehor Pareta—Aviation Manager of Waldron and '.£., Percival Agents in the Argentine ; Sehor Costa ; Sehor Cao, and Mr. Ian Brown, Percival Business Manager. Veieran flying instruc- tor WIC. A. N. King- will, O.6.E., A.F.C., who demonstrated the Prentice in the Argen- tine. T.Mk.II Prentices, with 295 h.p. supercharged Gipsy Queen 51 engines to be produced, are for the time being earmarked for the R.A.F. This stipulation may be modified later and availability of the engines will depend on the extent of orders received. It will be remembered that T.Mk.I Prentices for the R.A.F. have Gipsy Queen 32 power units which give 250 h.p. for take-off at sea level. Indian and Argentine T.Mk.Is have 30 Series Queens of the same power, which differ only in details of equipment. All marks have D.H. constant-speed airscrews. Argentine Equipment Argentine Prentices will be used to train pilots for what is becoming a very powerful Air Force. Great Britain has already delivered some Lincolns and a few other war-time four-engined Avros, and orders for Gloster Meteors nearly as large numerically as for the Prentices were placed many months ago. In addition to these formidable designs, Argentina has Fiat G. 55 fighters, Sikorsky S. 51 helicopters and Piper L. 4s for reconnaissance and co-op, duties. Trainers in service are Beechcraft A.T. 11 twins, North American Na 16s, and home-built D.L. 22s—another Harvard-like design. Three other important aircraft which may go into service have been designed and built in the Argentine: the radial-engined Calquin, resembling the Mosquito, the Derwent V-powered Pulqui turbojet fighter, and the new Hornet-like A.S.A. Nancu with two Merlins. To thess must be added a powerful Transport Division equipped with D.H. Doves, Vickers Vikings, Bristol 170s, Dakotas and Skymasters. The Argentine Naval Air Ser- vice which has its own separ- ate training and transport sections, operates a few Cata- linas and Walruses. Prentices continue to come off the production line at Luton to meet both home and overseas orders, and Black- burn General Aircraft are completing their sub-contract order. These basic trainers are still at the beginning of their Service life and develop- ments may be expected. There is a degree of similarity between the Indian (below) and Argentine markings on these export Prentices.
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