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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1729.PDF
FLIGHT, 14 September 1950 Blackburn Cirrus Minor II. Blackburn tirrus Bombadier. BRITAIN'S POWER UNITS... Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah THIS aeven-cylinder, 13.67-litre radial engine began itshighly successful life in 1932. It has been associated mainly with Service trainers and, by the end of the war. Cheetah production totalled 35.000. It is still in uses—notably as the power-unit for Ansons, Oxfords and Consuls—and has been adopted in slightly derated form to power the new Handley Page (Reading) and Percival basic trainers, so further life seems assured. Modifications to fuel system to permit aerobatics will probably be embodied, but the basic design will be unchanged. Current power-ratings for recent Cheetahs are 430 h.p. (max.) and 265 h.p. (economical cruising). Bristol Centaurus "DASICALLY, the Centaurus is a 3,000-h.p., 18-cylinder, JD sleeve-valve radial engine; its character changes consider- ably, however, according to application. One of the newest developments is the Centaurus 661, with torquemeter, developed as a complete power-unit for the Airspeed Ambas- sador, featuring petal-opening cowlings, flexible mounting and fuel-injection. This version is rated at 2,700 h.p. Reliable service has been given recently by the coupled-Centaurus units of the Brabazon I and by several Centaurus-powered military aircraft. Much of the manufacturers' energy is now being devoted to increasing steadily the period of hours between Cen- taurus overhauls, the essential prelude to economical civil usage. Bristol Hercules TXROBABLY the most widely used of large British piston •*• engines, the Hercules, in the 2,000-h.p. bracket, is a two-row, 14-cyliader, sleeve-valve radial. An overhaul period of 1,000 hours has now been authorized for Hercules powering certain Vikings, and a larger period still may soon be per- mitted. Most marks have two-speed superchargers; a typical Bristol Hercules 264. unit, the 264, is rated at 2,000 h.p., and is equipped with torquemeter and provision for reversing airscrews. This ver- sion is specified for the Universal Freighter. Petal-cowled, exceptionally clean installations have been produced for the Hermes IV (Mk 763), Varsity (illustrated)—and the projected Vickers V.C.3. Later marks have been permitted higher take- off powers—for the 763, the maximum is 2,100 h.p. Blackburn and General Aircraft Cirrus Minor and Major *"PHESE are four-cylinder, air-cooled, inverted engines for •L light aircraft; the smooth-running Minor II is rated at 100 h.p. and the Major III at 155 h.p. Both types have become increasingly popular with makers and operators of several light-aircraft designs. For air racing, long stretches of '•' full-bore " engine running are entailed, and machines with standard Cirrus Minors have shown up well at several meet- ings. Provision has been made for operation with v.p. air- screws in special versions of both Minor and Major. Cirrus Bombardier and Grenadier THE Bombardier—a four-cylinder inverted unit with under-head camshaft—is the first of a new series of Cirrus units, of more modern conception than the well-established engines mentioned above. Although its development has, necessarily, been slow, the Bombardier has passed type-tests, is now rated at 180 h.p., and will be installed in a new light military air- craft. Successful service usage—with civil adoption as a probable consequence—can therefore be foreseen. Bristol Centaurus 661. "V
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