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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1529.PDF
8 September, 1949 FLIGHT 293 FARNBOROUGH WEEK in these islands is the mostsignificant of the flying year, and invariably it is theoccasion for Flight to take stock of Britain's aircraft industry. The compilation of these annual reviews affords an unequalled opportunity of appraising the progress of twelve months. That, here and there, the rate of technical advance observed in past years has not always been so great as could have been hoped, or even expected, is frankly admitted; but with equal sincerity we can now record that never before has our yearly task afforded greater satisfaction MILITARY TYPES BRITAIN'S AIRCRAFT and pride in the extent of British achievement. The merest glance at the following pages, we believe, will give the measure of this achievement. Outstanding are those types of aircraft having gas-turbine power and embracing this year not only fighters and research aircraft, but a very fast bomber, trainers, transports (including the world's first pure-jet long-range airliner) and a carrier- borne strike-fighter. Piston-engined transports offering exceptional performance and comfort and rotating-wing machines of the highest promise are also prominent. Auster A.2/45 POWERED with a D.H. Gipsy Queen,giving almost twice the output of the engines used in earlier Auster A.O.P. machines, the two-seater A.2/45 has been planned for rapid servicing by ground crews with limited facilities; to this end the top and bottom fuselage are quickly removable. Large split flaps are fitted, and additional Hit is obtainable by drooping the ailerons. With the intention of keep- ing the ailerons "alive" at low speeds, wing-tip slats are installed. Notwith- standing its docile handling qualities, the A.2/45 can be looped and rolled with ease. Span, 48ft 6in; length, 29ft lOin; height (tail down),8ft 4in; track, 8ft 6in. Auster A.O.P.6 and T.V OTRUCTURALLY similar, with welded- O steel-tube fuselage and wood-and-metal wing, these two sturdy military Austere differ in function : whereas the Mk.6 is equipped for service as an air observation post, the Mk.7 has been developed for ab initio training in pilot instruction and army co-operation. Characteristics of the Mk.7 are :— Span, 36ft; gross weight, 2,122 lb; max. speed.122 m.p.h.; range with typical load, 315 miles. Avro Athena '"PHREE variants of the Athena trainer A (two Mk.ls, respectively with A.S. Mamba and R-R Dart turboprop, and a Merlin-engined Mk.2) will, it is hoped, be presented at Farnborough this week. Irrespective of power plant, the Athena is fast and highly manoeuvrable, and is suited for day and night flying training, navigation, gunnery, bombing, photo- graphy and glider towing. Seated side-by- side, the instructor and pupil have an exceptionally wide field of view, and the use of amber filters in the wind-screen and canopy, together with tinted goggles, enables night flying training to be under- taken in daylight. The two-spar wing is built in five sections and has pressed ribs; the fuselage, assembled in two halves, is a semi-monocoque structure, except at the cockpit, where the bending loads are taken by two longerons and the floor members. The following figures apply to the Mk.l (Mamba) :— Span, 40ft; length, 35ft lOin; wing area, 270 sq ft; gross weight, 7,500 lb; normal tankage, 180 gall; max. speed at 10,000ft, 287 «n.p.li.; rate of climb at sea level, 2,63Oft/mm; service ceiling, 34,800ft. Avro An son T.2O Series TT^HIS up-to-date twin-engined seriesA comprises the T.20 Empire naviga- tional trainer, the T.21 home-servicetrainer, and the T.22 radio trainer. All three marks are structurally identical, butby comparison with wartime Ansons are of much higher efficiency, both in respect ofstructure and equipment. Radio for example, includes V.H.F. transmitter-receiver, M.F. and H.F. transmitter, and M.F. and H.F. receiver in duplicate. "Gee"and "Rebecca" are optional. Span, 57ft 6in, length, 42ft Sin; normal wing load-ing, 23.fl lb/sq ft; max. speed, 171 m.p.b. at 5,000ft. Ser A.2/4
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