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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1109.PDF
FLIGHT, 8 June 1950 099 Some of the fifty-odd aircraft which flew to the Isle of Wight to take part in the Bembridge and Sandown Aero Club's Rally. most astonishing things can be done with a Magister ifyou know how—and Mr. Bishop certainly knows how. The exceptional rate of climb and short landing characteristicsof the Chrislea Sky jeep were convincingly demonstrated, as was the helicopter-like performance of the ultra-lightZaunkoenig flown by Mr. John Flicker. The Zaunkoenig, incidentally, was barred from the bombing competition forobvious reasons; this event was eventually won by Mr. H. K. Hughes in a Piper Cub. The popular appeal of private flying in general was nodoubt considerably enhanced by the performance of one G. Thomas, who proved in no mean fashion that if he couldfly a Tiger Moth anyone could. For fully ten minutes his long-suffering aircraft completed almost every knownmanoeuvre, but never managed to travel in the direction in which it was pointed. A landing competition, which pro-duced some very accurate spot landings, was won by Mr. E. Day, of the Rochester Flying Clu^>, in a Magister. One unusual type at Bembridge was a Heston Phoenix, be- lieved to be the last of its kind in service. It is owned by Mr. A. R. ("Tiny") Pilgrim and is used for charter flights. The afternoon was rounded off by a well-disciplined fly-past by a large proportion of the visiting aircraft, some of the pilots oi which subsequently (and, we suspect, ratherregretfully) left for their home bases. A number of more fortunate participants, however, remained to fulfil certainimportant social obligations on Sunday evening. R.A.F. at SHOREHAM ; • HPHE enormous attendance of some 25,000 spectators,•*• who made the occasion the highlight of their Whitsun week-end, was patent proof of the success of the SussexR.A.F. annual " Open Day," held at Shoreham airport on May 28th. Supported by the A.T.C., the R.N.V.R., andthe 14th Parachute Regiment (T.A.), the R.A.F. laid on a most ambitious and absorbing air display which includedformation flights by Tiger Moths, Chipmunks and Ansons from three Reserve Schools, Spitfires of 615 Squadron,R.Aux.A.F., Seafires of No. 1832 R.N.V.R. Squadron, Cul- ham, and Meteors of No. 500 Squadron, R.Aux.A.F. The formation events were interspersed with such enter-taining items as the bombing of a moving target by a Tigei Moth, glider aerobatics with a Prefect, a variety of " Chipmunkey " tricks deftly performed by F/O. H. G. Hubbard R.A.F.V.R., and the inevitable, laugh-raising " pupilinstructor " act in a Tiger Moth. Probably the greatest thrills of the afternoon were pro-vided by G/C. E. M. Donaldson, D.S.O., D.F.C., who gave an exhibition of high-speed aerobatics in a Spitfire. Astream of parachutists (14th Parachute Regiment, T.A.) umped from a captive balloon and the much-travelled Dumbo" Willans succeeded in reaching Shoreham intime to do a precision drop from his Magister for the last event of the day. The numerous " floor shows " includedmarching by the bands of the 6th Sussex Cadet Regiment, R.A., and the Sussex Wing of A.T.C., together with variousstatic displays. More About the DuchessS OME additional items of information, enlarging on thedescription of the Saunders-Roe Duchess jet-propelled flying boat (in Flight, May 4th) are now available. The retractable wing-tip floats will be adjustable in pitchin order to provide a high degree of manoeuvrability on the water; they will be raised and lowered by compressed air ramsand their angle in pitch will be controlled by similar rams, which will also act as shock absorbers. The flaps, and thesplit water rudder (in conjunction with the adjustable-pitch floats, this type of rudder should render the Duchess easy tohandle on the water) will be operated in a similar manner. The cabin will be pressurized by tapping the compressorsot the de Havilland Ghost turbojets and passing the air through humidification and temperature-control installations. Protec-tion against ice will be afforded by the passing of hot gas from the turbojets through the leading edge; the tail unit will haveits own heater. Flying controls will be fully power-operated. The main electrical supply for lighting, radio, radar, etc.,will be generated at 115V D.C. by four comparatively small generators on the centre and inboard turbojets. Great atten-tion has been paid to ease of maintenance. In the region of the turbojets the wing surface will consist of large removablepanels and services will be grouped so that each team of tradesmen will be able to work without interfering'with anotherteam. The main legs of the beaching gear will be similar to, butsmaller than, those evolved for the Princess, and will be easily attached, due to their carefully calculated buoyancy charac-teristics. A new type of tailwheel will be necessary to suit the high-speed hull, with its fine after-end.The Duchess, it is claimed, will be capable of alighting in rougher water than has been considered reasonable in the past.Night landings will be facilitated by the wide range of approach angles possible.
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