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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0216.PDF
144 FLIGHT FEBRUARY 3RD, 1949 Able Mable Martin Mauler Carries Three Torpedoes and R.P.s UNDER the title A Ferocious Breed, a sur-vey of modern Naval single-seat strikeaircraft appeared in Flight o£ January 6th.In this account, due reference was made to the Martin Mauler, as now in service with the U.S. Navy under the designation AM-i, but at the time the latest information on the capabilities of the type, summarized below, was not available. Now dubbed "Able Mable," by reason of the symbols " AM," the Mauler has lately flown, with a disposable load of 9,000 lb, at a gross weight of 25,000 lb, and has landed at a weight only slightly less. Armament comprised three tor- pedoes, each of 2,200 lb; twelve 5-in rocket pro- jectiles; and four 20-mm guns. It has further been revealed that the Mauler, flying under maxi- mum overload conditions, can operate at a gross weight of over 29,000 lb—a remarkable figure for ' \ a single-engined machine of only 50ft iin span, A maker's claim that the gross weight of the Mauler "is believed to be the heaviest ever flown by a single-engine air- craft" may sound unconvincing when much larger aircraft, such as the Vickers Wellesley, are remembered. Research shows, however, that even when tanked for their 7,i62-mile world's record flight in 1038, Welleslcys weighed a mere 19,000 1b. The pilot who flew the Mauler at 25,000 lb reported that Showing the disposition of the three 2,200-lb torpedoes and twelve 5-inch R.P.S on a Martin Mauler of the U.S. Navy. take-ofl climb and control response (even at low speeds) were" pleasant and easy," and that landing was no problem. About two thirds of 149 Maulers on order have already been-delivered to the U.S. Navy. These have been fitted with four- blade Curtiss electric airscrews for their 3,000 h.p. Pratt andWhitney Wasp Major engines, but later machines of the series will have Hamilton Standards. Optional external loads include A.S.V. radar and extra fueltanks, giving a maximum range of over 2,000 miles. Gliding in France Subsidized Soaring : Opportunities for Youth FRANCE resumed gliding when the war ended, at a dis-advantage by comparison with Great Britain, which wasjust beginning to dissolve the most intensely developed,and, per head of population, the largest, of air forces. It began, however, in a big way, during the short pre- austerity period when things were not done by half in the field of'policies and subsidies. M. Tillon, the Air Minister, was very much in favour. A fair amount of equipment had been brought back from Germany (where it was plentiful since gliding had become an important part of flying training—indeed, the young rocket- lighter pilots were entirely trained on sailplanes of progressively increasing wing loading). More equipment was designed and ordered, and a generous subsidy made gliding free at National Centres and Aero Clubs. All the necessary apparatus: high- performance, medium, and training aircraft; tugs and winches for launching, and the inevitable transport vehicles, were lent by the State to these responsible organizations. Private ownership of a sailplane is not prohibited, but as there is no call for it, it simply does not exist. There is no doubt that German influence and the insistence of the old Marechal on the building of a strong and disciplined youth are discernible in these large-scale measures. .This, we hasten to say, is all to the good. Immediate results were not in proportion to the national investment; the French are not as apt at doing things by numbers as the Germans. It may well bo, also, that a thing given loses some of its value and arouses suspicion. Tillon went the way of all French Ministers; and it was fairly soon realized that the cost of gliding could not be entirely borne by the State. The subsidy was reduced, and it was decided that, although the equipment would still be provided free of charge, the running expenses should be borne by the club members. A special government department, ''"Service de L'Aviation I^egere et Sportive," controls gliding in addition to other nationally useful and sporting aspects of aviation. Thus the State has inevitably saddled itself with all sorts of additional responsibilities. It is accountable for the airworthiness of the materials used and the safety of the methods of instruction. Training of intructors is receiving much careful and intelligent consideration, the aim being a high and uniform standard. The accident record for 1948 is extremely good : only four people were killed, and in two cases the cause of the accident was definitely established as failure of the human frame in the air; soaring, in the words of our much-regretted Donald Greig, most delightful of occupations, can be very strong wine. The National Soaring Centres and Gliding Clubs of France are spread all over its surface, sampling its natural riches: the thermal lift of the plains and the natural up currents of the mountains. In this respect there is much to discover and exploit in Scotland and in Wales, but individual efforts, hampered by restrictions and lack of funds, are puny and heart-breaking. " - Cost of State-run Gliding In spite of the share borne by the State, the price of gliding in France has increased steadily; and it is now more ex- pensive to hire a government-owned sailplane than it is to fly a club machine in Britain. The hire of a single-seater high-performance machine is now 1,500 francs per hour. It must, however, be said at once that young men below the age of 21, and bona fide pilots who cannot afford these high charges, are allowed to fly at very much reduced rates. Also, the cost of staying at the hostel of a gliding centre is very reasonable, the maximum being 300 francs a day. Why should gliding in France, in spite of the fact that it is subsidized, be more expensive than it is here? The answer may well be that the government is such an impersonal owner that its goods are treated with less care. Also, once it has started to give there is no limit to what is expected from it, thus causing wastage. In this country gliding is done by a band of en- GLIDING IN FRANCE 1947 1948 Flying hours ... ... 39,900 62.050 Launches . 235,000 477,568 Gliding Certificates "B" 1,803 2.054 " C " 949 970 Silver " C " not available 248 Gold " C" t available 10 Silver " C " Legs ... .;. 965 1,548 Gold " C " Legs 23 58 Four international records were also broken. T) 14
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