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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1713.PDF
290 FLIGHT, 34 September 1950 AIRCRAFT AT THE SHOW - • - this formidable submarine killer is eminently tract- able and lively. Aileron control at all speeds seems especially good. It was made known that not only are attack weapons stowed inside the roomy bomb-bay, but that provision is made for carrying sonobuoys and other war equipment under the wings. In the flying display on the first day the pilot made full use of the reverse torque mechanisn in the Double Mamba; this is, in effect, an automatic feathering device enabling him to switch from one half of the engine to the other in a matter of seconds. • Messrs. Slade and Twiss were the demon- stration pilots. A model showed a new "17" variant, with rear cockpit enclosure (for two) well aft, and a redesigned nose. Fairey firefly. Stacked before a Firefly were such warlike stores as R.P.s, bombs, depth-charges, sonobuoys and guns, which, of course, this carrier- borne two-seater handles impartially. Fairey Firefly T.T.I. A target-tug of this type, owned by Svensk Flygtjanst A.B. of Stockholm, was displayed, together with a 30-ft winged target. Closter Meteor 8. Among the most remarkable - certainly the most novel - flying displays were those by "Mike" Kilburn on a Meteor 8 carrying two 1,000-lb bombs and a belly tank. Mot only was the standard of piloting skill extremely high and every manoeuvre placed to a nicety, but the Meteor did not appear in the least handicapped by its weighty excrescences. Half an outside loop suggested that Kilburn waa flying almost to the structural limits of the Meteor, but even more spectacular (because it was performed at close quarters) was his sus- tained inverted turn into the circuit, during whi«i. he extended his undercarriage prior to righting the aircraft and landing. The spectacle of this slen- der fighter flying on its back, with three wheels, two bombs and a large tank between it and the sky, can be imagined. Gloater P.V. Meteor. Developed specifically intensified ground attack, this latest Meteor was •the show-piece of the static park. The "extra*", upon which interest centred (for the airframe is basically a Mk.8), were painted cream, to contrast with the red aircraft, and a highly edifying study they made. Rather than catalogue them exactly aa displayed, however, their significance may be ex- plained. Briefly, this P.V. Meteor will carry four 1,000-lb bombs, under wings and fuselage; or twenty-four 95-lb R.P.s (wings and fuselage); or five external tanks (wing-tips, under-wing, and ventral) of 580 gallons total capacity; or., in place of the ventral tank, two extra guns, making a total of six. Though, as shown, the additional guns were of 20-mm calibre, one had no doubt that the fairing (or belly-tank dimensions) would accom- modate a brace of "30s" if necessary. Various mixed loads are possible. At the higher loadings RATOG is required (two bottles under the fuselage and two on the fuselage sides), and an arrester hook, for land use, mounted well forward beneath the fuselage, is intended. Handley Page (Reading) H.P.R.2. This highly pro- mising basic trainer can be fitted with almost any piston engine in the 400-600 h.p. range, the normal power unit being the Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 16 or Alvis leonides 502/4. With the Cheetah the top speed at 2,500ft is 150 kt; endurance at maximum weak-mixture power (normal fuel), 2.84 hrj climb to 5,000ft, 5 min; and take-off distance to 50ft, 450 yd. Corresponding figures for the version with the Leonides are: 165 kt, 2.62 hr, 3.8 ain, 350 yd. The span is 37ft; wing area, 223 sq ft; and all-up weight, 4,400 lb. In the flying display the type gave a zestful performance in the hands of Hugh Kendall, the flick rolls being especially appreciated. Hawker P.1081. It was made known that the Rolls- Royce Hene 4 installed in this "all swept" fighter can be provided with reheat to 1,500 dag absolute. Notwithstanding the unusually short span of 31&ft, the wing area is 258 aq ft; thickness/chord ratio is 10 per cent constant and the sweepback at the quarter chord line, 35 dag. As always, Trevor Wade's aerial demonstration was faultless, espec- ially in revealing the extremely high rate of roll. Hawke •evil Sea Hawk F.± There is little doubt thate exceeded the Sea Hawk's fastest S.B.A.C. Challenge Cup epeed of 584 m.p.h. in hisinitial run at Farnborough; in fact, one judged that this clean-lined, Rene-powered laval fighterhad never been flown faster In a public display. Its passage was relatively silent, and the cockpitis said to be unusually qulst throughout the speed range, which oontrifrutes much to the reduction offatigue. Duke's demonstration was sheer perfec- tion, and he had the happy notion of lowering thearrester hook on the approach and retracting it immediately before touch-down. ~ Hawker Sea Fury F.B.ll. A standard Sea Fury was ;;.displayed with representative external stores and - under-fuselage RATOG. The makers point out that fwith over a ton of effective armament this type ¥ can operate some 330 miles from baas or, with six :R.P.s and cannon, can attack ground forces nsarly 600 miles distent. - Perciyal P,56. For the first time, performanceand other data were released for this basic train- er, which is powered by a 420 h.p. Armstrong Sidde-ley Cheetah 18 engine, though an Alvis Leonides is to bs installed in the third prototype. Salientcharacteristics are: max, speed at 2 f500ft, 178a.p.h.; continuous cruising speed at the earns height, 155 m.p.h.; climb to 10,000ft, 10.7 mini •:take-off distance to 50ft, 421 yd; service ceiling, 17,600ft. The gross weight is 4,050 lb. Flyingdemonstrations by Mr. Wheldon showed this vsry com- pact-looking trainer to be extremely lively. Percival Sea Prince. A Sea Prince, with laval .markings, and fitted out for communications flying, looked very ship-shape in the static park. Saundere-Roe Flying-Boat Fighter. A design studyhas been made of an S.H./A.l development with swept and tail surfaces, faired step and lateral etabil-ising floats, which retract on to the wing tips Duchess-fashion. Could two Sapphiree be intended? Short SrB.3. Many a quip directed at the pendu-lous fore-end of this businesslike Sturgeon anti- submarine development died half-uttered as themachine scurried off the runway for a zestful dem- onstration. Stopping the port Mamba appeared toaffect performance relatively little. Messrs. Brooke-Smith and Crossley were the demonstrators.The S.B.3 seems to possess in generous measure the most desirable attributes of a carrier-borne air-craft. Vickers-Armstrongs Yaletta T.3 Classroom. Mis-placarded as Valetta C.3 (makers please note),this near-relation of the Valetta transport sported sixastrodomes, which evoked some rustic humour. More will be heard of thle latest Valetta development. yickera-Armstronjra Varsity T.I. With its twinBristol Hercules 264 engines this excellently plan- ned crew trainer again showed that it is quits fastand handy, notwithstanding its sise (span 94ft 11ini George lowdell was at the wheel. Vickers-Supermarine Attacker F.I. An AttackerNaval fighter (Rolls-Royce lene), from Vickers- Supermarine ' s South Marston production line, wasshown with folded wing-tips, 250-gal belly tank, and RATOG, though the latter was not actually af-fixed. Vickers-Supermarine 535. Although this new ffene-powered development of the 510 flew for the first (continued on page 299)
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