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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0225.PDF
and AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2145 Vol. LVII. THURSDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 1950 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR G. GEOFFREY SMITH, M.B.E. EDITOR •-•" • • MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT EDITOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. TECHNICAL EDITOR C. B. BAILEY-WATSON, B.A. ART EDITOR JOHN YOXALL s, . Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices : ~4 DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.I. Telegrams : Flightpres, Sedist, London, Telephone : Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices : ' COVENTRY 8-10, Corporation Street. Telegrams : Autocar, Coventry. Telephone : Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM, 2. King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams : Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone : Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER, 3. 260, Deansgate. Telegrams : Hiffe, Manchester. Telephone . Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines). Deansgate 3595 (2 lines). GLASGOW, C.2. 26b, Renfield Street. Telegrams : Iliffe, Glasgow. Telephone . Central 4857. SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas : Twelvemonths £3 Is. Od. Six months, £1 10s. 6d. U.S.A. and Canada, 810.00. BY AIR : To any country in Europe (except Poland). Twelve months, £5 Is. Od. Six months, £2 10s. 6d Canada and U.S.A. Six months, $16. In this issue: Twenty-two Weeks' Pro- gress - - - - 148 Sprite Rocket - - - 157 For " Lighter " Landings - 162 British Guiana's Airline - 164 American Notebook - 168 Power-assisted Controls - 171 B i Rocket Relativity IN'this issue are to,be found details of the Sprite liquid-fuel rocket, developed bythe de Havilland Engine Company. This little unit, the first physical outcome ofthe company's rocket research programme, can be regarded as a promising fore- runner of future developments about which, however, nothing may as yet be said. When it comes to the point there is, in fact, very little that can be said about British rocket work; the subject is swathed about with multiple veils of evasion and secrecy for which, certainly, there may well be every justification. Equally, however, the veils might well hide apathy and inconclusiveness. Any intelligent person with some elementary knowledge of aviation is capable of reasoning for himself that it is logical to employ rocket units in jet aircraft—be they fighters or bombers—for the purpose of obtaining greatly increased thrus: at high altitude in combat emergency. Not only is it a logical thing to do, but it has the backing of factual success achieved experimentally in America. We cite this as merely one application of the rocket in military aviation; there are many others. In any event, virtually the whole of British rocket knowledge—other than of R.P.s using solid propellants—is based upon German research and experience, and whilst German rocket scientists are now working for us in this country, their colleagues are also working in America and in Russia. American achievements with rockets since the war have been somewhat spectacular and much publicized, but there is no reason to believe that they are any the less real on that account. Furthermore, such is the rate of development in the U.S.A. that it adds weight to informed opinion in this country that the science of rocket propulsion is as far advanced in America to-day as it was in Germany at the end of the war. The British picture is very different. Certainly, it can be pleaded that we have neither the manpower nor the money; nor have we had, so far, the desert areas necessary for testing, although the Australian station at Woomera is being devel- oped. Nevertheless, the fact remains that, although an enormous mass of data and equipment, and a large number of personnel fell into our hands with the sur- render of Germany, the discouraging paucity of evidence available at the present time offers scant reassurance that our progress in this enormously important field is a matter for congratulation. The contrary, in fact, seems to be the case, for there is no published evidence to suggest that rocket progress in Great Britain to-day is as far advanced as was that of the Germans seven years ago. Unified Screw-ThreadsT HE decision to replace the British standard screw-threads by a unified form, so that both the Americans and ourselves utilize a common standard, recently brought forth the publication of provisional specifications. Whilst stating that it is not intended to adopt the unified thread in the production of existing designs, the Ministry of Supply has also declared its intention to require that the new thread shall be employed wherever practicable, even though this may involve the use of both the new and previous standard thread forms in the same equipment during the transition period. There is thus every indication that aircraft and engines will eventually exist which will incorporate components, accessories, bolts, nuts, studs, unions, and so forth, both with the unified and present standard thread form, and that this condition might obtain for at least ten years. Apart from the inevitable complication which must result throughout die whole of the enormous field catering for British Service needs, the position with regard to aircraft purchased by foreign powers is complicated by the fact that some countries operating British aircraft have decided not to adopt the unified thread. If, there- fore, we are to continue to sell aircraft in these markets we shall, presumably, have to continue to supply the existing thread standards. The whole subject is one of extreme importance, and the imperative need for issuing comprehensive, official guidance without delay cannot be overstressed.
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