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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0187.PDF
FEBRUARY 3RD, 1949 FLIGHT 123 MAMBA Experience Behind a Small Turboprop : Pitch and Power Control \. By WING CDR. MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C.T HIS country may have few new fighter prototypes under development, by* comparison with America, and may have only the promise of new bombers, but of trainers we now have quite a number. So far as advanced trainers are concerned we have been permitted the luxury of two entirely different types, built to the same specification—the Balliol and Athena, and these two are subdivided into variants with important differences. Moreover, examples of both types are now flying on the power of an Armstrong Siddeley Mamba, one of three small British turboprop designs now well advanced in development and without counterpart abroad. Many months ago it was Flight's privilege to handle the Boulton Paul P. 108, forerunner of the Balliol basic trainer. This earlier machine is powered with a Bristol Mercury piston engine. Since then a Merlin-powered Balliol 2 and Mamba-powered Balliol 1 have been produced, and we were enabled last week to fly the Mamba-Balliol. The chief purpose was to observe engine and airscrew be- haviour. As might be expected, the Balliol itself has been much improved since the prototype flew, and certain small altera- tions, in addition to the main difference of power plant, are noticeable in the photo- graphs. The enclosure for the 2-seat cockpit is much superior, and, following fashion, a small dorsal fillet has been added, while the ruddeV horn balance seems Both Mamba and Python turboprops are undergoing flight trials at B/ttes- well airfield. S/L W. Price-Owen, the chief test pilot, is assisted by 1 SfL • B. Starky. now to be no more than a fairing for a mass balance weight. Ailerons—always pleasant controls on the Balliol —have been further improved by more than doubling the area of their tabs. This has overcome a tendency towards heaviness at the higher speeds at which the later versions fly. The other controls carry trim tabs only. It is reported that the machine is to be dived to something over 450 m.p.h. High-speed and great strength are essential features of advanced trainers, but this figure will be considered excessive by some people. Limitations during the present development period restrict top speed to about 300 m.p.h. Because the Balliol carried quite a lot of non-standard equipment and is engaged on technical development flying, this description and commentary should not be taken to indicate too precisely what the machine may be like as a " finalized " trainer. For example, the bulk of the pilot's starting operations mentioned will later be included in an
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