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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0908.PDF
,_^^^^*^fesl The second prototype, which recently completed C. of A. tests at 18,000 Ib all-up weight. Marathons on the Way Development and Production Regain Impetus at Handley Page (Reading) Ltd. : Mamba -Ma rath on 2 Progresses INEVITABLY there has been a serious interruption inthe original development and production programme •of the Marathon. A large integrated organization with 5,000 employees quite suddenly ceased operation and the factory was left in the hands of a staff of about 200. After some weeks one product, the Marathon, was singled out and the task of replanning a portion of the Miles factory for efficient and economical production was tackled by the new company, Handley Page .(Reading), Ltd. A very creditable job has been done in a few months; employee- strength has been built up again to about 2,000 and there are encouraging indications of production in the form of an assembly line headed by No. 1 production Marathon, already on its wheels and with engines installed. It is expected to fly at the end of June. The work of rearranging and re-equipping that portion of the original factory which has been taken over for aircraft production continues. The remainder, devoted to other former Miles products, is now operated by Western Engineering, Ltd. The Technical School has been taken MARATHON I DATA (Four MS h.p. Geared and Supercharged D.H. Gipsy Queens) M»x. take-off and landing weight 18,000 Ib Wing loading .„ 36.14 lb/«q ft Power loading 13.31 Ib/h.p. Max. fuel capacity 280 gall Rate of climb, !9,000 Ib, S.L 683ft/n.in Rate of climb, 18,000 Ib, S.L. 3 eng 240ft/min Time to 10,000ft 14 min Service ceiling 18,400ft Max. level speed (6,750ft, 17,100 Ib) 232.5 m.p.h. Max. w.m. speed at 10.000ft 209 m.p.h. Ben range speed at 10.000ft ... 157.5 m.p.h. Take-off at 18,000 Ib I.C.A.N. S.L 461yd Take-off at 18,000 Ib I.C.A.N. S.L. to clear 50ft 841yd Take-off speed (18,000 Ib) 82.5 m.p.h. Landing speed (14.000 1b) ... ., 68.7 m.p.h. over by the local educational authorities and, regrettably,, aerodynamics are no longer included in the syllabus. The V.R. training centre operates at Woodley under the control of Handley Page (Reading), Ltd., which is served by the same board of directors as the main company, and their's are the decisions as to policy. i A production schedule for Marathons has now been worked out. The first production aircraft is to fly late in June and the second three months later. Four will have flown by the end of the year and the rest of the first order for forty should be completed at two per month, increasing to four. This schedule is, of course, dependent, among other things, upon the delivery of engines and airscrews. There are, in addition, one prototype (which has recently completed C. of A. tests at the increased all-up weight of 18,000 lb) and the Mamba-Marathon 2, which is coming on well and will, it is hoped, have done enough flying to make an appearance at Farnborough in September. Of this more will be said later. A word about the performance, present position and
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