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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0169.PDF
FLIGHT, 25 January 1951 109 potassium perchlorate, i.e., some sort of photographic flash-powder. The latter, however, is considered less dependable for quick and reliable action, because of deterioration when stored. The electrical-squib igniter is preferably located at the foremostend of the grain, i.e., nearest to the warhead, so that the flame moves in a direction straight towards the discharge nozzle. Against shock and rough treatment, rocket missiles are generally[less sensitive than percussion-cap rounds of shell-guns. Guided Air-to-Air Rocket Missiles.—As mentioned previously,there is enthusiasm, both here and in the United States, for intercepters launching guided and homing missiles. The generalidea is to employ these as one-shot weapons (as with the marine torpedo), and great advantages are expected in regard to combatrange and to the possibility of launching attacks from other than ramming courses. This policy of tactical development, however, is fraught withsnares and pitfalls, partly because of its potential application and partly because of the intrinsic nature of guided and/or homingmissiles. . This is one of the snares of the " aerial-torpedo " interceptionpolicy. Suppose that waves of many small aircraft were to attack—what would be the use of a fleet of intercepters eachequipped with one or two " torpedoes "? Such methods would savour of attacking a locust-swarm with a rifle. A guided and/or homing missile must necessarily be large incomparison with a shell. It needs stabilizing and controlling devices, besides propulsion, regulation and the monitoringapparatus to serve guiding and homing. An intercepter could carry a few such weapons and, even then, stowage would presentdesign-problems. Besides, such missiles are complicated and need most careful adjustment and handling. They are expen-sive, too, and make more claims upon the industrial war effort than do shells or plain rockeis. An application of naval-warfare methods to air interceptionalso suffers from the basic difference that, at high altitude, the DKI. M rocket. American M.8. We ought to beware of the notion that the atomic bomb as now known, or the hypothetical hydrogen bomb, will form the main weapon of air attack, i.e., that the enemy will base his major blows upon the use of a small number of rather sub- stantial bombers or "flying bombs." First of all, there is evidence pointing to the existence, or possibility, of smaller atomic weapons that could be conveyed by twin-engined aircraft of medium size. Moreover, there are prospects that means might be contrived to frustrate weapons which rely on nuclear-fission processes. Hopes of such solutions may yet be faint indeed, but it is obvious that, were there a possibility of reducing the minimum critical size to an impracticably small value, by means of accelerated particles more powerful than stray neutrons, the "big bang" would have had it! This is, perhaps, one reason why Soviet Russia is so bent upon collecting atomic scientists from the Western Powers, and why the study of cosmic rays has become of so great importance for defence. On the whole, it would seem unwise to base defence on the supposition that the attacker will rely on a comparatively small number of fairly large aircraft. A greater danger might, in fact, be presented not by a few " aerial battleships " but by a multi- tude of small, high performance craft. — Fuse = Warhead C = Electric squib D = Diglycol propellant*; (Above) Section through original (1944) German RA (Left) An interesting comparison is provided by the A = Warhead D = Igniter with blow-out cover B = Tubular ballistite propellant grains E = Folding fins C = Powder trap intercepter cannot hide when stalking the target: there is no such thing as a " submarine of the air." The victim will, from the beginning, be aware of the intercepter and his intentions; he will have time and opportunity for defensive measures. More- over, naval torpedoes cannot be traced by radar, but solely by less swift and/or accurate means, whilst the directed air-to-air missile (unless wire transmission is applied) can be effectively detected, interfered with and foiled, once the method of guid- ance or homing is determined. There are only a few physical principles of guiding and homing which are practical: all of them are well known and studied; none of them excludes a priori interference by an enemy, and/or appropriate protective methods. In addition, guided missiles present inherent dangers for the attacker, particularly if, as will be the case, intercepter formations operate together. Robots are notoriously incapable of distin- guishing between friend and foe; and their intricate mechanism easily goes wrong at the most inappropriate moment. No such danger arises from shells and simple rockets. Besides, the manoeuvrability of supersonic missiles is a moot point. The trajectorial radii are large; and this fact reflects adversely upon the possibilities of guiding the weapon to its target. The guided air-to-air missile, however ingeniously designed, Type Bordsprengrakete (1943) Bordschrapnelrakece R-IOOBS M/M RZ.73 ' Finn " MHI (Pb.lll) M.8 H V.A.R. (1945) 3-5in Anti-Sub. Might/ Mouse 3in Calibre (mm) 210 210 55 73 55 114 127 89 76 COMPARATIVE Stabilization Method Spin fixed fins Eight folding fins. AsR4/M Folding fins Fixed fins Fixed fins Folding fins Length (in) 49.5 ' 31.9 36 72 54.9 40 (appr ) DATA ON AIRBORNE ROCKET Weight at launch- ing (Ib ) 248 220 7.75 8.85 35 140 54 at impact (Ib) 206 5.85 6.95 30 115 45.5 Propellant Weight (Ib) 41 __ 1.9 1.9 5.0 24 8.5 Material 7 tubular diglycol grains. Multigrain Single tubular grain __ As R.4/M Multigrain bal'tstite. Single cruciform grain ballistite. Single cruciformgrain ballistite MISSILES Time ofBurn- ing (sec) 1.4 0.8 0.333 _L 0.18 - — Veloci- ty atEnd of Burn- ing (ft sec) 990 1,480 1.800 SIO 1.600 1.500 1,380 1.133 — Explo- siveCharge (Ib) 20.9 1 1 __ — 5.05 7.25 — Remarks Ground weapon adapted for air combat ; obso- lete in 1944. Time fuse.Carried 400 incendiary charges, type BR/44, of 2 oz. each. Original version as op erationally ured in 1945. Impact fuse. Converted army missile; predecessor of R.4/M. Shaped ("hollow") H.E. charge to rend armour.Obsolete. Obsolescent Obsolete ; based on Bri- tish U.P.3 design. Design bas d on R.4 M, but with proximity fure.Prmary weapon for U S Navy fighters. NOTE : The first five designs are of German origin ; the remainder are American weapon-
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