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Aviation History
1950
1950 - 2195.PDF
• FHA&t " Short S.6.3 carrier-borne anti-submarine aircraft, with two Armstrong Siddeley Mamba turboprops—a development of the piston-engined Sturgeon THE YIELD OF THE YEAR . . . class termed by the Americans " single-packet," by virtue of its ready adaptability for either the search or the strike role. The types concerned were the Fairey 17 and the Blackburn Y.A.5 and Y.B.1. Shortly before the Farnborough display the Short S.B.3, intended for similar duties, made its appearance. Although the first prototype of the Fairey 17 flew in 1949 (September 19th), most of the development work has been undertaken this year. During June initial deck-flying trials were in progress aboard H.M.S. Illustrious and the splendid total of 27 landings and take-offs was recorded in one day. The initial landing was historic, being the first by a turbo- prop aircraft aboard a carrier. In common with the Blackburn Y.B.I the Fairey 17 is fitted with an Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba turbo- prop, consisting of two Mambas placed side by side and each driving one of two contra-rotating co-axial airscrews. As applied to a carrier-borne aircraft an important advantage of such a unit (additional to its virtues of low weight and compactness) is that for economical cruising, either of the Mambas can be shut down and its airscrew feathered. Another significant merit of this arrangement is that main- tenance is reduced, since for much of its flying life only one half of the power unit is in use. Being seated very far forward, above the engine, the pilot has an excellent field of view. A model displayed at Farn- borough embodied a new type of two-seat cockpit enclosure for two other crewmen. Anti-submarine armament stores, certain of them still of a secret nature, are stowed in the remarkably capacious bomb bay, and provision is made for sonobuoys and other military equipment under the wings. An ingenious "double fold," with mechanical operation, has enabled the height of the aircraft, with wings folded, to be kept down to 13ft 9in—a mere half-inch greater than the " spread " height. Structurally the " 17 " is of exceptional interest in being the first aircraft to be built under the new, patented, envelope jigging system in which the structure is built from the skin inwards. The piston-engined (Rolls-Royce Griffon) Blackburn Y.A.5 and its turboprop development, the Y.B.I, with Arm- strong Siddeley Double Mamba, are very closely related and the following brief chronology of development is interesting: Y.A.5 initial flight, September 20th, 1949; first Y.A.5 landed on H.M.S. Illustrious, February 8th, 1950; second prototype Y.A.5 initial flight (3-seater), May 3rd, 1950; second prototype landed aboard H.M.S. Illustrious, June 19th, 1950; first Y.B.1 initial flight, July 19th, 1950. During recent weeks the Y.B.1, in turn, has completed its deck trials, and in fourteen months the sum total of trials with the three prototypes is over 1,000 landings and more than 300 hours' flying. In none of the new Naval anti-submarine aircraft now on test is there evidence of any defensive or offensive gun armament, though in the Fairey and Blackburn machines internal capacity for offensive anti-submarine weapons seems very great indeed, considering the modest dimensions of the aircraft. Though not readily visible in its retracted position, the radar housing in the rear fuselage is of substantial pro- portions. It is generally known that the radar range of an aircraft is considerably wider than that from a surface vessel and, of course, is greatly increased by the aircraft's speed and mobility; but it is not always appreciated that, due to the height of the aircraft, the radar beam is steeper and enables a schnorkel breathing device to be detected in con- ditions under which the flat beam from a surface vessel would be ineffective. Since the Y.B.I made its initial appearance at the S.B.A.C. display over 50 hours' flying has been logged with this pro- totype alone and, as a result of experience gained, extended wing-tips have been embodied. The makers state thar the resulting increase in aspect ratio is beneficial in reducing induced drag in the highly important single-engine cruising case. To restrict the " folded " height to the limits imposed by a carrier's hangar the new wing-tips are arranged to fold, Seafire-fashion. Developed from the Short Sturgeon T.T.2 carrier-borne target tug and photographic spotter (in its turn derived from the Sturgeon 1 bomber-reconnaissance type), the Short S.B.3 is of special interest in that the power is of the same order as that available in the Fairey 17 and Blackburn Y.B.I, but is derived from two individual Mamba units instead of a Double Mamba. The high monoplane wing Handley Page (Reading) H.P.R.2 trainer (A.S. Cheetah or AWis Leonides).
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