FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1950
1950 - 2230.PDF
FLIGHT, 21 December 1950 S09 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of" Flight " does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns. addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. The names ana The Professional PilotT HE leading article in your issue of December 7th is timely.For months now the Association has been pointing out that the time is not far distant when the shortage of pilots will beso acute that there will not be sufficient to man the Corpora- tions, the charter companies and the various flying schools. The solution to the problem, as we see it, is the same to-dayas it was in 1947, when the Association recommended to the Wikock Committee the introduction of scholarships, tenable attraining establishments^ for young, men interested in making a career in civil aviation. If no such method of securing pilotsis introduced the only source of supply is the Royal Air Force and, as you so rightly point out, no one is likely to leave theR.A.F. at the present time for civil aviation. It seems indisputable that if something is not done—and thatright speedily—in a few years' time civil aviation in this country will be a-dying for the want of pilots. The profession isbecoming more and moTe specialized and pilots cannot be pro- duced at short notice. D. FOLLOWS, Secretary, London, W.I. British Air tine Pilots Association. Christmas Cigar TOURING a recent cold spell a twin-engined aircraft flew-L' over my house near Bromley, Kent, at a height of approxi- mately 20,000 feet. I could identify little more than that itwas twin-engined, either by piston or turbojet. The point was that, as the aircraft gradually disappearedin a north-easterly direction it assumed the shape of a cigar. The illusion I ascribe to the combined effect of a short, tail-like vapour trail plus the reflection of sunshine on the surface of fuselage and wings. Not long after this incident, I found this report from a newsagency:— "A mysterious cigar-shaped object was seen flying high over London yesterday. According to one eye-witness, it made a noise 'like two heavy bombers.'"' I have never seen anything like it before,' said one man. ' There was an intense bright disc of light at whatappeared to be the rear of the object, which itself seemed to be silvery."' It was flying so high that it was difficult to judge whether it was travelling particularly fast. The bright light couldstirl be seen when the object had flown far away in the distance.'"Was there any connection between my observation and that reported by the agency? And is k mere coincidence that thecrop of "flying saucers" and "cigars" has come upon us at almost the same time as general introduction of jet and otheraircraft flying at great heights? Bromley, Kent. GEORGE G. LOCKHEAD. Fighter Armament MR. WEYL'S excellent articles on fighter armament empha-size the sad (and serious) fact that, while we lead the world in the design of high-speed interceptor aircraft, the weapons weare mounting in these aircraft are obsolete. Future tactical requirements will call for greater specializationin armament. The versatile, general-purpose fighter developed in the last war must give way to the specialist type, armoured,armed, and powered for each specific role. The tactical fighting approach for each role will decide such requirements as range,fire-density and calibre of weapons. For the single purpose of home defence, variants of fighter armament will be needed. Assuming the hostile formations to be composed of a few(possibly not more than two) aircraft carrying the super bomb, surrounded by close-escort defensive bombers, close fighter-screen, and fighter screens at all levels in support, the defending force can concentrate its tactics on penetrating the screen todestroy the vital load-carriers. Thus fighter defence will call for stricter discipline in the airthan heretofore, with each squadron playing its predetermined part. Briefly, the roles are as follows: — (1) Decoy units to draw off the fighter screens.(2) Frontalry armoured fighters to break up the formations of close escort bombers.(3) Heavily armed fighters to make a formation attack, diving through defence formations to the bomb carriers. (4) " Destroyer " fighters with heavy armament to fire at bomb-carriers from long range, keeping out of danger area of close escort. Clearly, these four roles call for special armament in each case:(1) Fighter v. fighter.—High density of fire from shell-guns (not less than four 30 mm, or two of larger calibre). (2) Fighter v. aerial " flak " ship.—Engine and all vital partsheavily armoured against return and cross fire; shell-guns of heavy calibre (50 mm) or rocket salvoes. (3) Fighter v. bomber (close range).—Battery of rockets tofire in ripple salvo (e.g., German " Natter "). (4) Fighter v bomber (long range).—Twin-engined fighterswith very heavy calibre non-automatic shell-gun (pilot to aim and fire, crew to reload) with shell proximity-fused; or winged super-sonic rocket projectiles with automatic target-homing or radio- controlled-aiming* by pilot (i.e., aerial battleships). It is not suggested that special aircraft should be designed foreach of these purposes, but that one, or at most two airframes be modified to sok each requirement, and give the aircrews thebest possible chance of bringing their weapons to bear with maxi- mum lethal effect. The development of suitable aiming devicesmost keep pace with development of weapons and aircraft. Ckariy, Fighter Command will be called upon to carry outmany other roles, such as close support to the army (dive- bombing, rocket firing and skip-bombing), bomber escort, nightfighter defence, night intruder, etc. All these may call for further variations in armour, armament and power, not to men-tion special training of the pilots. East Horsley, J. C. R. WATERHOUSE, Surrey. (F/L., D.F.C., ex-R.A.F.V.R.). How Doth the . . . ? A CCORDING to Darwin's theory of evolution there is no•£*• part of any creature which is without a specific purpose. It is, therefore, interesting to speculate on the possible reasonsfor the spikes which appear on both surfaces of the wings of the honey bee (see accompanying micro-photograph). Micraphotograph port/on of a bee's wing, showing the spikes referred to bf - Aeroaftiarist." The " Canals " are structural fctood-vessefa. Perhaps some of our aerodynamkist-entoinologists such asSir Geoffrey de Havilland and Mr. Scott-Hall could cast some light on the subject. The bee has been flying for some miHions of years and so,if experience counts for aught, it should know a good deaf about aerofoil design. By some it has been likened to atwin-rotor helicopter with the blades following a figure-of-eight path which, in flight, becomes an itatic curve. It has a mosteffective device for wing-folding, the hind pair of wings being stowed under the main wings while the insect is at rest. Duringflight the rear wings are attached to the front wings by means of tiny hooklets. It is thought that the main lift is suppliedby the front wings and that the rear wings are used exclusively for directional control and alteration of camber. North Cheam, AEROAPIARIST.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
