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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 2111.PDF
538 FLIGHT, 7 December 1950 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor o/ " FHght" does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns. The names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. Air Safety T AM prompted to write an answer to Mr. Hornsey's letter in -*- your issue of November 23rd. He says " The low survival- rate in crashes is largely due, we know, to lack of backward- facing seats. ..." I agree, and the.re is ample evidence in support. But although Mr. Hornsey says " we know" this, I find it hard to believe the " we " includes those responsible for the form of our aircraft safety provisions. Otherwise this simple, relatively inexpensive, often-suggested modification would be a requirement in all cases except where the aircrew are obliged to look where they are going! As for briefing passengers in ditching and crash drill, while agreeing in principle I think it is unfair to compare such briefing with boat drill aboard ship. In the passenger ship, boat drill is a jolly affair conducted on a sunny day (if possible), where passengers are shepherded by polite crews and form into boat parties, thus promoting better social contact with fellow pas- sengers. No one really believes that a wreck is likely to recall him to the boat deck in conditions of grim reality. But this optimism is not present amongst all air passengers, some of whom are apprehensive throughout their flights. Ditching drill ts definitely a tricky matter and should not be plunged into with civil passengers as can be done with Service aircrew. This state of the air passenger's mind may be unjustified, but is promoted by the " good news-value" of air accidents which occur periodically. ROBERT BICKNELL. Godalming, Surrey. Those Saucers Again SO fantastic are the many theories as to the source of flyingsaucers that I am prompted to reason out a likely explana- tion myself. They are mostly reported from certain parts of America and, in the rare instances when seen over land, are said to have dissolved within a few minutes. An attempted close-up of one during flight caused an aircraft to crash. Certain areas in America are noted for violent cyclones, and " flying saucers" are possibly formed when water or water vapour is caught up in the vortex of a cyclone and sucked up to a height at which it freezes. Also, it might be caused to spin and be finally precipitated into independent flight. Its transitional and rotational speed could normally maintain it in flight through various manoeuvres until it evaporates or dis- integrates, and woe betide anything in the proximity! Bitterne, Southampton. E. WHITTAKER. Historical Aircraft THE revival of historical types of aircraft seems to be ofmore than passing interest to a widening circle of en- thusiasts in these days, and I would be grateful for the oppor- tunity of replying to the letters from Mr. R. W. Kenworthy and Mr. A, H. Curtis in your issue of November 9th. With regard to the Shuttleworth Blackburn monoplane, I am most anxious that this machine should be correctly dated, and in the light of Mr. Kenworthy's remarks (your readers will recall his distinguished record as test pilot for the Black- burn Co.) I have re-checked on the evidence. First, there is no doubt that this machine is the one built for Cyril Foggin, flown by him and Harold Blackburn, and later passed on to M. F. Glew, from whom we acquired it. Foggin was a qualified Bleriot pilot at the time that Christie, Glew, Buss, Spink and others were learning to fly at the Blackburn School towards the end of 1912, and Harold Black- burn and Foggin gave exhibition flights with this monoplane in the early part of 1913. There is a picture of them with it in your issue of April 5th, 1913. Flight records that Foggin bought the machine in the first two weeks of 1913, and thus it is reasonable to assume that it was designed and built, even if it was not flown, in 1912. I think, therefore, that it can fairly be described as a 1912 type, but I would be very pleased to hear of any further evidence that may be available. Perhaps Mr. Kenworthy would write to me about this. Mr. Curtis is quite right about the Bleriot. This machine is, of course, the same one that the late Richard Shuttleworth flew before the war, and has a rudder with a single horn balance. The larger, double-horn-balanced rudder was fitted to a few Anzani type XIs and, I think, to all the 50 Gnome versions. In an endeavour to improve the somewhat sketchy directional control *a rudder of the latter type was fitted (without much improve- ment); I am afraid the fact that the original has not yet been refitted escaped me when describing the machine in my letter of September 28th. L. A. JACKSON. Old Warden, Beds. Outmoded Fighters? TDEADERS of the Daily Telegraph dated November 15th will -*-*• have seen headlines—" Speed of Soviet Jet Planes," " Faster Than U.S. and British Types," " R.A.F. may be equipped with American Fighters." To those who take a keen interest in aviation the first two come as no surprise. Meteors and Vam- pires, good though they were, are now no good for front-line interception where swept-wing aircraft are concerned, and are outdated by the later Russian types—Yak, Mig and La, numbers of which are in squadron service. The Venom, a type not yet in service, has a top speed approximately the same as that of the P. 1040, which has been out for a long time and for which orders should have been placed long ago, so providing us with a 620 m.p.h. plus fighter which could have been in service for at least a year. The 1040s should then have been kept on while some squadrons would receive P.1052s and/or 510s, then again with P.1081s or 535s, so providing a balanced air force. Hawkers and Supermarine, whose superb aircraft brought us through the Battle of Britain, have thus produced jet types of very advanced designs for which, as far as is known, no orders have been given, except by Australia for the P. 1081. When Sweden has her first Saab J-29s it leaves Great Britain behind three Powers in production of swept-wing types. Public attention should be drawn to the fact that Fighter Command is not equipped with the latest possible jet fighters. In the recent air exercise it would have been interesting to see if Meteors and Vampires could intercept a bomber like the B-45, while, if B-47s had been used, it is doubtful if any British fighters could catch, let alone intercept, it. We should be careful not to fall in the pre-war rut of one or two fighter types in service for years; if a second Batde of Britain should ever come, I fear that we should lose unless we had a large amount of American help. The long-term policy now being pursued can let us down badly in sudden emergency. Chatham, Kent. ONLOOKER. [Should the R.A.F. be obliged to use very fast American fighters it would not be altogether surprising if, as a quid pro quo, the U.S.A.F. adopted a type such as the D.H. Venom, which possesses high-altitude-fighting qualities much superior to those of any American machine.—ED.] Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec Dec. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan. Feb. 7. 7. 8. 9. IX 13. 13. 13. 14. 14. 22 29. 10. 10. 16. 17. 31, 12. Feb. 14. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Ariel Club (Air Ministry and M.C.A. Social and AthleticAssociation) : Annual Ball. R.Ae.S. : " Relative Merits of Centrifugal and Axial Com- pressors "—Discussion between Dr. E. S. Moult, B.Sc., M.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S., and H. Pearson. B.A., A.F.R.Ae.S, R.Ae.S. (Preston) : Annual Dance. Surrey Gliding Club : Christmas Party. R.Ae.S. (Belfast) : " Boundary Layers at High Speeds," by Prof. A. D. Young, M.A., A.F.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S. (Preston) : " Rocket Propulsion and Interplanetary Right," by A. V. Cleaver, A.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S. Weybridge) : "Designing for High Speed," by Professor E. J. Richards, M.A., B.Sc., F.R.Ae.S. Herts and Essex Aero Club : Annual Dinner and Dance R.Ae.S. : "Clear-air Turbulence over Europe " by Dr. G. S. Hislop, B.Sc., A.R.T.C., A.F.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.C. : Film Show, Londonderry House. West Riding Aviation Centre : Annual Dinner and Dance. R.Ae.S. (Weybridge) : Annual Dance. R.Ae.S. (Brough) : " Problems of High-speed Flight," by H. Davies, M.Sc, F.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S. (Weybridge) : " High-speed Flying," by S/L J. D. Derry, D.F.C. R.Ae.S. (Belfast) : " Landing Gear and Equipment," byH. G. Conway, M.A.,' F.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S. (Preston) : " Aircraft Materials," by Dr. H. Sutton,D.Sc, F.R.Ae.S. R.AO.S. (Weybridge) : " Life and Work of S. F. Cody,"by G. A. Broomfield. Institute of Transport : Brancker Memorial Lecture— " Economic Aspects of Airline Operation," by Peter G. Masefield, M.A.(Eng.), F.R.Ae.S., A.F.InscA.E, G.lnst.Mech.E., M.lnstT. R.Ae.S. (Brough) : " Aero Engines," by A. Cdre. F. R. Banks, C.B., O.B.E.
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