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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 0656.PDF
VAMPIRE AND METEOR CONTRACTS Variants Adopted by British and Foreign Services FLIGHT, 6 April ig50 One of a Datcn of Gloster Meteor *» intercepters (two Rolls-Royce Derwent 5 turbojets) supplied to the Danish Government. The camouflage is distinctive, ONE of the most heartening features of British airnews in recent times has been the steady flow ofoverseas orders for de Havilland Vampire and Gloster Meteor jet fighters, fighter-bornbers and trainers. Licences for the construction of both types have also been granted on an important scale. For the convenience of readers these contracts and licences are now summarized, though in most instances, at the customer's request, the quantities involved, and deliveries made to date, are not divulged. Great Britain.—The Royal Air Force is using the Vam- pire Mks. F.i, F.3 and F.B.5, all with Goblin 2 turbojet, and Vampire is form the equipment of certain R.Aux.A.F. units. Naval Aviation has taken delivery of a quantity of Sea Vampire F.20S (Goblin 2). Of the Meteor marks in British service, the F.4 (two Derwent 5) forms the principal equipment of Fighter Command daylight intercepter squadrons; the dual-control T.7, with the same power plant, has been delivered iu substantial numbers for train- ing. Meteor F.3S (two Derwent 1), together with a small number of F.4S, are in service with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Canada.:—Eighty-five Vampire F.3S (Goblin 2) have been supplied. Australia.—The de Havilland Aircraft (Pty.), Ltd., at Bankstown, Sydney, is manufacturing an unspecified num- ber of Mk. 30 Vampires (Rolls-Royce Nene). South Africa.—A quantity of Vampire F.B.5S (Goblin 2) has been supplied to the South African Air Force. India.—The Indian Government has contracted for an unstated number of Vampires, principally of jthe F.B.52 type, with Goblin 3. Egypt.—The Egyptian Government has ordered Meteor F.4S and T.7S and Vampire F.B.5S and F.B.52S. France.—Delivery has been made of an unspecified num- ber of Vampires—principally Mk F.B.5S (Goblin 2)—and licences have been granted to build the Vampire airframe. French-built Vampires will be powered with the Rolls- Royce Nene. Italy.—Vampires of several marks are being supplied. and licences have been granted for the manufacture of " de Havilland fighter aircraft and engines." Sweden.—Substantial numbers of Vampires have been supplied; these are Mk is (Goblin 2) and Mk 50s (Swedish- built Goblin 3). Norway.—:An unrevealed quantity of Vampires—mainly Mks. 3 and 52—has been ordered. Switzerland.—Four Vampire F.i (Goblin 2) and seventy- five F.B.6 (Goblin 3) have been procured and a licence has been taken to build the Vampire airframe. Belgium.—Meteor F.4 fighters and T.7 trainers are being delivered. Denmark.—This country, likewise, has adopted Meteor 4s and 7s. Holland.—Meteor F.4S and T.7S have already been sup- plied, and Fokker have the newer F.8 in production. Argentina.—A large quantity of Meteor F.4S has been delivered. Venezuela.—This country has ordered an unspecified number of Vampire 5s (Goblin 3). The de Havilland Aircraft Co., Ltd., state that they are not authorized to comment on the considerable overseas interest in the D.H.113 night fighter, although it may be said that the type is on order for two air forces. In some quarters opposition has been expressed to the whole policy of selling modern British military aircraft to foreign Powers outside the Western Union. When (as. reported in Flight of March 23rd) Mr. Churchill raised this particular point in the Defence Estimates debate, Mr. Attlee said that, though we could not afford to buy for ourselves all the jet aircraft that the industry produced, it was desirable to keep to a war policy of manufacture in case of need for rapid expansion. Sales of aircraft abroad did not mean any weakening of our Air Force. The sale of jets to Argentina [specifically cited by Mr. Churchill] could be justified, for there was the need for both war potential and exports. Our own view is that R.A.F. and R.Aux.A.F. squadrons should have the latest fighters available. At present they have not. POST-WAR ROUMANIAN .•:<?-• THE first aircraft to be built in Roumania since the waihas been completed at the Sovromtractor works at Brasov. This company was formerly known as Regia AutonomaIndustria Aeronautica Romana, and before trie war it was controlled by the Roumanian Ministry of Air and Marine. Itwas responsible for several original designs, including th( I.A.R.80 and 81 radial-engined single-seat fighters, and theI.A.R.37, 38 and 39 three-seat reconnaissance/bomber biplanes. After the Balkan coup in 1941, interest in the firmwas taken over by the Hermann Goring Werke and the Messer- schmitt A.G., and production was centred on the Me 109F,certain Italian designs, and parts for the Me no and 210. Following the armistice with Roumania, the Soviet-Roumaniancommercial agreement provided for the conversion of the undertaking for tractor production, which is now in fullswing. Technicians of the tractor works have nevertheless managedto fit in the design and construction of a two-seat experimental touring aircraft, designated I'.A.R. 811. Difficulty was en- countered in construction, where all facilities were devoted to the production of 2,000 tractors per year. All work was carried on in the experimental section, whilst wind-tunnel tests were accomplished with the co-operation of the Bucharest Poly- technic University. The I.A.R. 811 is a neat low-wing monoplane of mixed con- struction, powered by a 60 h.p. Train air-cooled in-line engine. The first flights were made in May, 1949, and since then the machine has logged a number of hours, during which it is said to have proved very manoeuvrable, with good general flying characteristics. It may be adopted as an aerobatic trainer, and plans are under consideration for building a small series with Czech Walter Mikron engines. Data (with a fixed- pitch wooden airscrew) are: Span, 34ft lin; empty weight, 926 lb; gross weight, 1,434 lb; wing loading, 8.4 lb/sq ft: cruising speed, 84 m.p.h.; landing speed, 40 m.p.h.; climb to 3,280ft, 8 min.
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