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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 1921.PDF
420 FLIGHT, 16 November 1950 A BRITISH AIRSHIP AGAIN ments provide a method of transmitting load evenly to a number of webbing bands spreading fanwise from a D-shaped plastic ring, both webbing and ring being sewn inside the patch. The latter, which measures some 30in chord by 30in depth, is solutioned to the envelope fabric. So much for the structural details of the ship; naturally, performance estimates must be considerably more flexible than those for a heavier-than-air craft, but it is thought that the calculated disposable lift (i.e., for fuel, pas- sengers and ballast) will be of the order of 1,180 lb. This should enable the ship to have an endurance of eight hours at economical cruising speed of 26 knots. Clearly, one of the most expensive items in the con- struction of an airship must be a hangar and at the present time it is one which, in a private venture, would be virtually impossible of achievement. Surprisingly, however, an air- ship is quite amenable to being tethered in the open, and we are assured by Lord Ventry that, with the aid of a protective screen of trees, a small non-rigid can safely ride out a 70 m.p.h. gale if properly picketed. This, therefore, is the plan for the Bournemouth—she will be kept inflated, and out-of-doors, during all spells of operational activity that promise to be fairly continuous. Deflation will certainly be avoided so far as possible, since hydrogen in cylinders—the form in which it will be obtained —costs about £2 10s per 1,000 cu ft. In any case, it is calculated that normal, unavoidable gas-loss will amount to nearly one complete refill (45,000 cu ft) in a month of continuous operation. So far, the enterprise has largely been supported by private enthusiasm, though the Bournemouth Corporation has made a substantial grant from its Festival of Britain funds to assist in the completion of the craft and preparations for the first flight, which it is hoped will take place early next year. Thereafter the Bournemouth will play a part in the local celebrations of Festival year. An Airship Club member, W/C. R. S. Booth, A.F.C., who captained the R.100, has been invited to act as the ship's pilot on her first flight. Unless a very large number of members is recruited, subscriptions to the Airship Club are unlikely to assist development costs considerably, for the membership fees are on a very modest scale—£1 Is a year for full members, 10s 6d for associates and 5s for juniors. Already a good many applications have been received, including two from America and one from France. A club-room, in Boscombe, has been secured. The hon. secretary of the Club is Mr. A. C. Leith, 1, Lystra Road, Moordown, Bournemouth. Among those who have shown interest in the venture are names that have been linked with airship history—such as that of Maj. Gen. Sir John E. Capper, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., who, as Col. Capper, was in charge of the balloon factory at Farnborough from 1906 to 1909, and of the Balloon School, and whose work greatly influenced early airship development in this country. He holds Airship Pilot's Certificate No. 1. A member of the committee is S/L. T. P. Yorke-Moore, who has flown more than 2,000 hours as an airship pilot, while among other ex-airship skippers who are associated with the Club are: A. Cdre. E. A. Masterman, W/C. J. Wheelwright, Lt. Col. F. Lucas, Capt. G. Meager, Capt. Beckford Ball and Capt. G. Nicholls. The present intention is to give members of the Club an opportunity of flying in the ship and of learning to pilot it, though rates cannot be quoted until more is known about overall operating costs, which at the moment look like working out at about £8 an hour, the cost of hydrogen figuring largely in this sum. At present anybody who aspires to pilot an airship must hold a 1st, 2nd or 3rd class Airship Pilot's Licence (accord- ing to the size of the craft)—having first qualified by securing a private or commercial Balloon Pilot's Licence—and a Navigator's Ticket. There is, it seems, no lighter-than-air equivalent of the Provisional Pilot's Licence, so the eager pupils of the Airship Club are, clearly, going to present the Ministry of Civil Aviation with some new problems when the time comes. Already the Air Registration Board is studying the question of a C. of A. and registration and, says • Lord Ventry, its officials have proved most helpful. WESTLAND TO BUILD S.55 HELICOPTER TI7ESTLAND AIRCRAFT, LTD., whose Yeovil factory is* * the largest in Europe concerned with the manufacture of helicopters, has for some time been producing the WestlandSikorsky S.51 powered with an Alvis Leonides. It is now learned that, by agreement with the United Aircraft Corporationof America, the Sikorsky S.55 is to be built by Westlands for military and naval purposes. It will also be available for com-mercial work—carriage of passengers, mail or freight—for which it is equally well suited. Engine power rather in excess of that provided by the AlvisLeonides is required for the larger S.55, and manufacture will begin with the use of the Pratt and Whitney R.1340 Wasp,which gives 600 h.p. for take-off. As mav be seen from the illustrations, the two-seat cockpit is placed above and forward of the main cabin, while the radialpower unit is installed at an oblique angle in the nose. Clam- shell doors encase the power installation, which is unusuallyaccessible. A quadricycle landing gear is provided, with the alternative of amphibious equipment. All-metal main and tail rotors are fitted to the S.55, which instandard form is intended to carry a crew of two and ten passen- gers. An ambulance version is planned to accommodate sixstretcher cases. Performance and dimensions are as follows: Max. speed, 110 m.p.h. normal range, exceeding 400 nauticalmiles; gross weight, 6,8001b; disposable load, 2,4051b; accom- modation, two pilots and 8-10 passengers; length of fuselage,41ft 8iin; width, 9ft llin; height, 14ft Sin; rotor diameter (3 blades)", 53ft. Demonstration of the Sikorsky S.55's amphibious undercarriage (left) and the accessible installation of its 600 h.p. P. & W. Wasp.
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