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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 1644.PDF
FLIGHT, 29 September Approaching for her first landing on September 4th, after 25 minutes in the air, the Brabazon I presents a lordly spectacle. The vast expanse of the trailing-edge flaps, the eight-tyred main undercarriage and the great depth of the wing are especially well shown. Brabazon Bulletin . . . " Brab " is naturally proud of his association with it, especially where his co-operation has called for some extra- special effort. The satisfaction which comes of a difficult job well done has, for instance, rewarded the firm of George Salter and Co., Ltd. Not only did Salters supply a very large number of springs, but, in response to a telephone call three days before the first trials were due, to the effect that last-minute "mods." demanded some new springs, worked through the night and had them ready for collection on the following morning. Many performances of similar merit lie behind the production of the great aircraft. Left to roam over the Brabazon (a somewhat fanciful suggestion, calculated to send Mr. Chard and the Bristol wardens clean through the roof of "Brabazon Hall"!) a student of aircraft construction and equipment could spend engrossing days. He might choose any component at random and seldom fail to discover something unusual, or appealing to his engineering sense. In the ailerons, for instance, he would note the G.E.C. heavy-alloy balance weights, the effect of which is to prevent inadvertent move- ments of the controls ; each weighs 7J 1b, but measures only 6in x 2in x lin, so that six of them provides a total of 45 1b weight in an astonishingly small space. On the flight deck, apart from the array of instruments and controls presented on pp. 426-427. his eye would not miss the Evershed all-electric throttle controls, providing absolute synchronism of movement, since the slave units on the engines move at exactly the same speed as the control levers. The variable-pitch airscrew controls are identi- cal in principle. Such instances of in- genuity, of course, are well-nigh inex- haustible. Among those items for which " outside " firms may take credit are some which, though vital to the operation of the Braba- zon, are not an intrinsic part of the air- craft itself. For example, on a visit to Folland Aircraft, Ltd., early this year, a member of Flight's staff discovered that not only was this company responsible for the detail design and construction of the rudder, elevators, ailerons and flaps, but that an impressive quantity of special ground equipment also stood to Folland's credit. This included massive transport trolleys for the undercarriage, outer wing, rudder, elevators, ailerons and flaps; slinging gear ; towing gear ; servicing plat- forms ; wind and tail steadies ; and sundry tools and trestles. Much detail design of Brabazon I and II components has been sub-contracted; thus, Auster Aircraft are responsible for major components of the Mk II tail. On the day preceding the first flight: TheBrabazon undergoes her taxying trials. This view affords a unique comparison in size•' as between the aircraft, the assembly hall and the runway. In pondering this picturethe reader may find it helpful to bear in mind that the overall width of the assemblyhall is 1,052ft, the span of the Brabazon 230ft, and the runway length and widthrespectively 2,750yd and 100yd. From the western end of the runway, for whichshe is seen to be headed, the " Brab." took off on her maiden flight. Loaded to a weightof 210,0001b (of which 30,0001b was fuel), she was airborne after a run of about 500yd. D 16
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