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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1031.PDF
Advertisements FLIGHT JUNE 2ND, 1949 Last year 1 ioid you that we had been selected to design andconstruct a fleet of aircrirr for B.O.A.C's Empire Services. Since then many technical discussions have taken place and theaircraft—the Bristol Type 175 —has been extensively redesigned in order to make it suitable for use with Bristol Proteus propeller-turbines as well as with Bristol Centaurus piston engines. Contract negotiations with B.O.A.C. and the Ministry of Supplyare now nearing finality and preparations are in hand for carrying out this large and important order. In the military field, the Company has recently undertakena new project on behalf of the Ministry of Supply—the develop- ment, jointly with those expert in electronics, of guided weapons.Details of our programme must remain confidential and it will inevitably be some years before you see results, but your Boardis confident that the step we have taken, which is of the greatest significance for our future technical policy, is wise and timely.This work will concern both Aircraft and Engine Divisions. ENGINE DIVISION. Referring now to current activities in the Engine Division,I am able once again to report most favourably on the achievements of Bristol engines. Last year I described the Bristol Hercules as the most widelyused high-powered British civil aero engine in service today, and as their numbers increase so does their reputation. The periodbetween overhauls has been raised progressively for the Hercules 630 series engines and now stands at 725 hours. We estimate thatin the past 12 months, Hercules engines have flown 50,000,000 miles in passenger aircraft. This year will see a considerableextension of their use in civil and military transports, as Bristol Freighters, Handley Page Hermes and Hastings, Short Solentand Vickers Valetta aircraft increase in numbers. Centaurus engines also continue successfully: the coupled Centaurusunit for the Brahazon I recently completed its type test—an out- standing achievement for our Engine Division—and other verygood type tests have included the Hercules 763, the Hercules 733 and the Hercules 261. Further development of both Hercules and Centaurusengines continues to be regarded as of great importance and in the transport field future prospects for these outstandingly reliableand economical engines continue to be most promising. The development of ; Bristol gas turbines has continuedduring the year under review: in particular, much progress has been made with the Proteus propeller-turbines for the BristolBrabazon Mk. II, the Saunders-Roe Princess flying boats, and the Bristol 175. We also look forward with much interest to the firstflight later this year of the Handley Page Hermes V with Bristol Theseus propeller-turbines. Fuel consumptions are beingreduced as experience is gained and, if still better economy can be combined with the simplicity and reliability which havealready been achieved by the Theseus, there is no doubt in our minds that the propeller-turbine will be recognised as the bestform of power unit for high speed long range air transportation. CAR DIVISION. In our Car Division the BRISTOL 2-litre car has beengaining an international reputation for itself both in the hands of owners and in some of the leading European sporting events.At the same time, in common with other motor car manufacturers, we have been seriously frustrated by circumstances outsideour control. As indicated to you last year, we had decided even then that it would be wise to restrict the scale of our activitiesand we shall for the present time continue on the same lines. It is disappointing that in the export market foreign exchangedifficulties and, at home, double purchase tax and continued petrol restrictions should have so gravely prejudiced developmentin this direction. We have produced a car of really high-quality capable of competing effectively in the most difficult worldmarkets : obviously for this purpose a good home market is essential, and I endorse every word of the recommendations onthis subject which have been made by the S.M.M.T. to the Chancellor and to the Minister of Supply BRISTOL AEROPLANE COMPANY (HOUSING) LTD. Last year I advised you of a programme of construction ofaluminium schools which we were undertaking with the en- couragement of the Ministry of Education for Local Educationand other school authorities. Progress has been rapid, pro- duction has been achieved at economical prices, and valuableorders have been secured. Unfortunately, many serious delays appear to handicap local authorities in putting their contractsin hand, and sites have not become available nearly as rapidly as had been expected by the Ministry of Education. We have,however, completed 45 contracts in the 12 months since we started this work and the Company, which had its origin in the construction of aluminium houses in a war-time aircraft shadow factory, is continuing to perform a peace-time service to the community. ; ROTOL LTD. ^ Continued progress can be reported for the year 1948, and asatisfactory volume of business has been secured. The demand for aircraft propellers continues at present but Rotol Ltd. arewell aware that increasing use of jet propulsion will reduce the demand for propellers and therefore both the future of propellerdesign and the development of other suitable aircraft components are having the attention of their designers. BRITISH MESSIER LTD. Last year I informed stockholders of the incorporation in 1947of this Company. It is working closely with Rotol Ltd., who have been making manufacturing resources available, and the interestwhich has already been displayed by the aircraft industry in the Company's designs is indicative of a promising future. GENERAL. The foregoing review will have given you an impression ofthe range of the Company's current projects. We feel that there is good reason for continued confidence in our capacity to keepin the forefront of aviation, civil and military, and to supplement our aviation interests as we are doing. Although our exportsales in 1948 were by no means small we should like to obtain a still larger share of the export market, and in particular to earnmore dollars for the United Kingdom, but strategic as well, as economic factors, especially in relation to North America, createpeculiar export problems for the Aircraft Industry. Traditional markets in Europe have disappeared or involve overriding econo-mic difficulties, and the development of sales in new countries, for example, in the African colonies, competes with other demandsfor the limited resources available in those countries for capital investment. Achievement in this direction is therefore slow,but taking a long view there are many encouraging factors. It is evident that a very large share indeed of the next generationof British civil aircraft depends upon your Company's efforts : we are fully alive to our responsibility and the task of developmentwill go steadily forward. Aviation makes unending demands: there is no respite and sometimes bitter disappointment andloss. I cannot in this connection fail to mention the tragic accident three weeks ago when one of our aircraft on experimental flighttest work crashed into the sea and was lost with seven valuable lives. The Board wishes me to express our profound sympathyto those who have been bereaved by this disaster. STAFF and WORKPEOPLE. During the year there was notable evidence of sustained effortand enthusiasm throughout the Company. With such differing products and the continual variations required by changingdesign it is not practicable to extract simple comparisons of productive efficiency, but we are satisfied that there is a goodspirit throughout the Company and that in workshops and offices alike there is energy and vigour. The Company's house magazine, the Bristol Review, circulateswidely throughout the Company and is an effective means of keeping the Company's employees acquainted with our activities.The flying Club, providing both gliding and powered flight, which was started by the Company a year ago for the staff—principally the design office staff—has' proved a great attraction and we feel that benefits are accruing in the additional interestbeing taken in the practical aspects of flying. Education and training of junior staff and workpeople, and inparticular the progress of our works training schools, continue to receive much thoughtful attention from the management.In addition to the schemes for apprentices and students, the nature of our products demands an increasing proportion ofgraduates with specialised knowledge of mathematics and physics as well as mechanics and aerodynamics, and we are thereforemaintaining close touch with the universities. The new arrange- ments for deferment of military service are causing us anxietyin regard to graduate technicians and it is very much to be hoped that a liberal view will be taken in official circles of what con-stitutes in appropriate cases the most useful form of national service. In conclusion, I am happy to be able to say, on this as onprevious occasions, that the Directors recognise and appreciate the splendid efforts of staff and workpeople by whose combinedefforts the Company's record of success has been maintained.
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