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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1434.PDF
198 FLIGHT August i8ih, 1949 Accessibility for maintenance has received great attention in the Athena design, as the above photographs clearly show. On the left is a view into the port wheel-well showing the control linkages beneath the cockpit floor and the ducting of the cockpit heating system. At right is the starboard wheel-well in which can be seen the main junction-box and, below it, the batteries. The large pipes raking down in each well an dust tubes Originally, the tankage comprised a saddle tank immedi- ately behind the engine firewall, and port and starboard tanks in the wing centre-section. The latter tanks have been retained but the central tank is now carried beneath the cockpit floor in the position originally occupied by the jet tailpipe, and the scuttle accommodation is given over to the oil tank and the glycol tank for windscreen de-icing spray. All the fuel tanks (by Fireproof Tanks, Ltd.) are of crash-proof, bag-type construction. Use of the Merlin allows a somewhat smaller tankage capacity and the 140 gallons carried by the Mk 2 give a duration of 2| hours. Provision is also made for a pair of 45-gallon drop tanks—which, in point of fact, are slightly modified Tempest components—whereby the duration is extended to 4^ hours. Apart from re-orientation of the central fuel tank, the fuel system itself has been modified to make it as simple and foolproof as possible. To this end, a single on /off cock is used, the final portion of opening travel of which energizes the fuel booster pump, whilst the final closing movement of the cock operates the slow-running cut-put. Air from the exhaust side of the vacuum pump is used to pressurize both drop tanks (when fitted) and also the port and starboard centre-section tanks. If drop tanks are being employed, their fuel is first used, after which trans- D/tre brakes are now separate units which retract flush into recesses in the top and bottom wing surfaces ahead of the outer flaps. ference of fuel feed from the wing tanks is made auto- matically. Fuel from the drop tanks and wing tanks is commonly fed into the central tank which houses the booster pump and from which the engine is supplied. Behind the oil and glycol spray de-icing tanks in the scuttle are access holes whereby the retractable amber screens used (in conjunction with blue goggles) for simu- lated blind flying may readily be cleaned; these holes also provide a measure of access to the backs of instruments on - the facia panel. The canopy has been made somewhat smaller on the Athena 2 as the original rear seat installed in the Mk 1 has been deleted. The smaller canopy has effected a profitable weight-saving and, at the same time, «f the opportunity has been taken to improve the actuating'. mechanism, particularly for emergency jettisoning. In addition, the front screen has been strengthened by the employment of toughened instead of plate glass, whilst, in place of the tubular steel triangulated crash pylon used on the Mark 1, a heavy, built-up box-section arch is sub1 stituted, this also serving as the front frame of the rear canopy fairing. Deletion of the rear seat has also per- mitted a re-positioning 6f the radio stowage. Originally, the radio equipment was located behind the third seat, but it has now been brought forward into the vacant space so, incidentally, affording a considerable improve- The Merlin 35 Avm power-plant is mounted to the Athena fuselage at four points. An engine change should be a matter almost of minutes.
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