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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0097.PDF
FLIGHT, IS January 1951 61 Details of the four-wheel bogie landing-gear as fitted to B.O.A.C. Comets are clearly shown. The assembly is sing! FUaht be even better than are the partly hand- made ones on the prototypes. The wheel-well blisters in the wing upper surfaces have also gone with the fit- ting of bogies, and the wheel doors are of a slightly different shape. In December, reference was made in Flight to the suppressed aerial systems an those developed by the Marconi Company for the The following details were given: — "The main fin, which is insulated from the stub fin, is used as an H.F. aerial. In dielectric tips fitted on the fin and tailplane are aerials for V.H.F., O.R.B. and I.L.S. In the case of M.F., a grid aerial is mounted behind dielectric flush panels in the nosewheel doors. Loop and sense aerials for AJ3.F. are mounted in the top fuselage and are covered with dielectric flush panels. The I.L.S. glide-path aerial is mounted in the cockpit behind the windscreen, whilst the remaining I.L.S. aerials, D.M.E. and radio altimeter aerials, are mounted behind dielectric panels in the underside of the wing-root fillet." In the heading picture three small dielectric flush panels may be seen on the nosewheel door. Keen-eyed spotters may, incidentally, have noticed a pro- totype Comet flying some months ago with one extended jet pipe. This was fitted in the course of normal flight investi- gations, but the modification did not prove worthy of permanent adoption and was, therefore, discontinued. Nothing has been announced to date of B.O.A.C.'s views on the use of the two Sprite rocket motors, but more will be known after the rocket motors have been tested in a Comet. However, it is thought to be unlikely that they will be fitted on Corporation aircraft. It may well be that the Comet will not require them, particularly if more take-off power becomes available from the Ghosts. For the time being, however, the fairings for the Sprites between the jet pipes of the paired Ghosts remain. Sprite development, it is learned, will proceed in any case. Ghost turbojets have been under active development for the Comet (as well as for their other military applications) since 1946, and good progress is being made on the bench with liquid injection and towards a higher power rating. As at January 10th, Comet flying hours were: (1) G- ALVG, 442hr 45min; (2) G-ALZK, 81hr 25min; (3) G- ALYP, 42min. In addition to John Cunningham, two Peters have flown them: one, Peter Bois, is an ex-Transport Com- mand pilot who also flew for a time with S.A.S.; the other, Peter Bugge, Norwegian-born, served with his chief in 85 Sqn., R.A.F., and subsequently became a S.A.S. captain. B.O.A.C.'s plans for taking over the partially furnished second prototype in February and, later, the production machines as they come off the line, are well advanced Most recent information is that the Comet flight will be based at London airport. Capts. M. J. R. Alderson, A. M. and E. E. Rodley are now taking a special course the Comet at HatfieH. After a period of experience and training the first route trials will be undertaken, almost cer- tainly on the London-Rome-Cairo run. Later, and before the introduction of regular passenger services, high-speed mail and freight flights are likely to be made over the route to India. In this way Comets will start to earn their keep before they are carrying passengers on scheduled services. The introduction into scheduled service of the Comet— the first pure-jet airliner—will mark a great stride forward in airline development, increasing as it does the accepted cruising* speed by some 200 m.p.h. and the normal cruising altitude by 15,000 to 20,000 ft. Sensibly, the manufacturers and operators are in complete agreement that there must be no hurrying into service until exhaustive route trials have been successfully accomplished. A.R.B, NOTICES TSSUE of the undermentioned Notices to Licensed Aircraft -•- and Notices to Owners of Civil Aircraft is announced by the Air Registration Board (all are dated January 1st, 1951): — Notice No.; 2, Issue 7: " Supervision of Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers." No. 4, Issue 8: " Propellers Approved for use on Civil Air- craft." No. 10, Issue 5: " Ratings of Categories of Aircraft Main- tenance Engineers' Licences." No. 13, Issue 3: "Propellers to drawings Nos. A.66410 and A.66460 fitted to Oxford and Consul Aircraft." No. 7, Issue 8: "Certificates of Safety." SOUTH COAST FLYING CLUB CLOSING T3RIVATE-FLYING enthusiasts will be sorry to hear that the ^ South Coast Flying Club, which is based at Shoreham, will cease to operate on March 31st. With a history dating back to 1925, the S.C.F.C. was one of the earliest clubs to be estab- lished after the First World War. After the Second World War it was re-opened by Brooklands Aviation, Ltd., and under the chairmanship of Mr. H. Duncan Davis, A.F.C.. has carried on successfully since that date. Mr. C. L. Pashley has been C.F.I, since the early days. Although the present membership is approximately 150, it has been found that the rising cost of operation has imposed a financial burden which the directors can no longer accept. The site of the club's activities and the club-house at Shoreham are considered almost ideal and it is to be hoped that, through the enthusiasm of local supporters, the S.C.F.C. may yet be given a new lease of life.
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