FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0695.PDF
The imposing factory of the Fairey Clyde Aviation Co. (Pty), Ltd., Australia. It is situated at Bankstown, near Sydney, New South Wales, and is chiefly concerned with the servicing of Naval aircraft. WOOMERA... recent addition to the list of guided machines. This, as readers will know, is being tested under the control of a human pilot, but later, after No. 3 machine has been completed, an automatic pilot will be substituted. For the first two aircraft the power units are Armstrong Siddeley Adders; later, similar but expendable Vipers will be fitted. Vipers are said to weigh 400 lb for an output of 1,500 lb thrust for ten hours' life. The diameter is z8in. The aircraft has a span of 20ft and a length of 22ft, and was built to a specification prepared jointly by the M.o.S. and Australian engineers. To recap, to use the popular phrase, design and production of guided missiles involves the services of specialists in several industries to look after aerodynamic form, propulsion, controls, electronics, fusing and explosive content, launching and sighting. Additionally, the missiles themselves can fall into one of many classes: ground-to-air, air-to-air, air-to-ground, ground-to- ground, defensive, offensive, propelled or dropped and, finally, subsonic or sonic. Defensive weapons of the sort which could be used against attacking aircraft will, it may be assumed, be very- high-speed radio-controlled missiles launched from the ground or deck (file Fairey Stooge is a forerunner) or from other, defending, aircraft (e.g. American Firebird). Offensive missiles may be fast or slower (German V-i and V-2) or may take the form of guided winged bombs dropped from aircraft (e.g. German Hs 293 or American Bat, Gorgon, Gargoyle or Glomb glider). The Village and Range Woomera, appropriately the Aborigine term for a boomerang- launching device, is situated some 350 miles north of Adelaide. The range there is capable of expansion up to some 1,200 miles over desert land and then over the ocean. Weather—almost always hot and dry—is nearly perfect for the work to be done, but the 5in to 6in of rain per year is not very conducive to growth of vegetation. All sorts of grasses and vegetation are being imported from the dry areas of the world in order to find which, if any, will take to the Woomera climate. Water for the new town (known as "the village," we are told) has to be piped 140 miles from the Murray River. The homes for the staff and constructional engineers, numbering about 3,000 with their families, are wood or metal prefabs. A hospital, schools, stores and church are being, or have already been, provided, and there is a second airfield— the first, constructed by the R.A.A.F. is a 5,000ft strip. Buildings have been erected near the firing area, some 18 miles from the village; they include accommodation for power generators and radar tracking devices. In describing the progress at Woomera, Sir Alec Coryton spoke ; highly of the energy and enthusiasm of the Australians—depart- ments and individuals—concerned. The initiative had come • from them and as work proceeded the control was being taken j over more and more by Australia. At the outset an English party numbering about half a dozen was sent out to advise and get things started. An ex-aircraft factory at Salisbury was taken over for the supply and controlling base for Woomera. Here the superintendent is Mr. H. C. Pritchard (a double Blue), who is on loan for two years from the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, where previously he had been head of the instrument and photographic section. Salisbury looks after all supporting activities for the range missiles : aero- dynamics, electronics and propulsion, for example. The cost of tests on the range are borne by the country concerned, f pn.examDle °f the modus operandi, we may assume that a group of British companies may, in collaboration, have completed the construction of the various components of a guided missile and carried tests as far as possible on the two very limited ranges available in this country. The components might next be sent to Woomera for individual proving in what Sir Alec described as This unusually interesting photograph—probably the first to be released —shows one of the testing vehicle (experimental rocket) launchers and rocket in the workshop of the Government factory at Salisbury. test vehicles, and, finally, the components would be married up and launched as a whole. It is unfortunate but unavoidable that the full-scale range should have to be so far away; however, air travel has reduced the time for a return journey to under a week. To permit free consultation and discussion between technicians here and in Australia, the possibility of installing a direct teleprinter system ("scrambled," of course) is being investigated. Through their Australian subsidiary Fairey-Clyde, the Fairey company has already tried out certain components at the range. The general manager, appointed in August, 1950, is A. Cdre. C. B. Wincott, C.B.E.j who, incidentally, was previously Air Attache in Moscow. The manager of the Special Projects Division of the Fairey Clyde Aviation Co., who is at present on a visit to this country, is Lt.-Col. Reginald T. Elvish. Mr. Elvish, as he now calls himself, had previous experience in the Australian Army Ordnance Corps, with the Ministry of Supply—he spent some time at Westcott—and with the research division of Fairey Aviation (since December, 1948). It should be explained that Fairey Clyde have two principal activities; the first, which takes place at the Bankstown factory and airfield illustrated above (near Sydney, some 1,200 miles from Woomera), is the servicing and overhaul of all types of naval aircraft in Australia; the second is concerned with missiles, the centre for which is at the government factory at Salisbury. It is probable that little will be heard of the work going on at Woomera, but there is no doubt that its volume will increase rapidly in the coming months. Money and materials have been made available and, if a shortage exists, it is of scientists with the knowledge and experience to forward the work. To date, to quote Sir Alec Coryton once more, in relation to the expense and effort involved British progress has been satisfactory. In sombre conclusion it may be added that, though there is no official confirmation, suggestions have been put forward that Woomera range will be used for the testing of the first all-British atom bomb. Observation at the Woomera range: on the left is the tower at present used in connection with bombing tests; at right is an Auster returning to the command-post area from a patrol for the security officer to confirm that all is clear for firing.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
