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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0826.PDF
AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2206. Vol. LIX. FRIDAY, 4 MAY 1951 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR G. GEOFFREY SMITH, M.B.E. EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. L ASSISTANT ED/TOR H. F. KING. M.B.E. TECHNICAL EDITOR C. B. BAILEY-WATSON,fB.A ART ED/TOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: ,- DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET. LONDON, S.E.I. Telegrams, Flightpres, Sedist. London. Telephone, Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices: COVENTRY '- •- 8-10. Corporation Street Telegrams, Autocar, Coventry. ' • Telephone, Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM. 2 7:-*'.;/ King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams, Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone, Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER, 3 260, Deansgate. Telegrams, Iliffe, Manchester. Telephone, Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines). Deansgate 3595 (2 lines). GLASGOW, C.2 26b, Renfield Street. Telegrams, Iliffe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central 4857. SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas: Twelve months £3 3s. Od. U.S.A. and Canada, $10.00 BY AIR: To Canada and U.S.A., si* months, $16. 1N THIS ISSUE: Angola by Aerovan - 518 Speed in Gliding - - 524 Naval Target Tug - - 526 Percival P.56 - - - 527 Evolution of the Guided Missile - - - 534 ^ The Festival YearY ESTERDAY—May 3rd—the Festival of Britain was due to be opened with all the pomp and circumstance appropriate to such a vast and costly enterprise. Events leading up to the inauguration of the Festival have been far from auspicious, though a recent preliminary tour of the South Bank site (with a truly appalling amount of work remaining to be done in the fast-dwindling time) confirmed us in the opinion that this manifestation of national endeavour is, in general, a worthy one. But while recognizing the exasperating restrictions on space and scope imposed upon those responsible, we came away somewhat disappointed in what we had seen of the Air Transport section. True, many exhibits had not arrived, but the four complete aircraft, which dominate the section by their very bulk, were in position. They are, as we have already reported, the original de Havilland Comet long-distance racer of 1934, a Super- marine S.6B seaplane, and two gliders. With the showing of a single sailplane we would have no quarrel, for this type of aircraft truly epitomizes the peace and beauty of flight; but that two examples should be allotted so much precious space is, to our mind, regrettable in that the whole historical theme is thereby thrown out of balance. That the organizers were at their wits' ends in selecting the fourth aircraft we have no doubt, and sympathize accordingly; but no pains should have been spared to secure the Gloster-Whittle E. 28/39, now deposited in the National Aeronautical Collection at South Kensington. Historically, this little machine is the most significant ever built in this country, for it was the first British aircraft to fly with turbine power. To us Britons it is—or should be—what the Wright brothers' biplane is to the Americans. Nothing should have been allowed to prevent its exhibition on the South Bank, especially so as the evolution of the gas-turbine power plant is admirably typified by an early Whittle and examples of the Python, Derwent, Ghost and Proteus. In view of the unavoidable deficiencies of the Festival display, we would strongly urge interested friends from abroad—who will, we hope, be converging on our island this summer—to supplement their South Bank visit with a call at the National Aeronautical Collection. Here they will be enabled to examine the historic little Gloster jet at close quarters. They will find it in the company of some equally illustrious machines of earlier days and surrounded by a variety of exhibits which fill in, as it were, the outline sketched on the South Bank. The story told by the National Aeronautical Collection is one in which we take a deep national pride and from which many a young man has drawn inspiration. Those who find themselves in England during the third week of July mustmot fail to visit the old aerodrome at Hendon for the Royal Aero Club's "Fifty Years of Flying" exhibition and display, in celebration of the jubilee of the Royal Aero Club. This promises to be not only a pageant of progress but a social event of extraordinary appeal, and one which will arouse warm memories of the gay, sporting events put on there before 1914. In these affairs can be seen the origins of classic British flying meetings, typified this year by the Festival of Britain 1951 National Air Races at Hatfield on June 23rd. The organizers of the Hendon display, incidentally, would welcome the loan of any bygone aircraft now in private hands, and it is to be hoped that the occasion wilt bring to the light of day some veteran machines which must still be lying half-forgotten in dark corners. That it is intended to fly a number of these old-timers is especially pleasing, and, given the halcyon weather always associated with Hendon displays, the event should be a memorable climax to a programme of Festival pageantry. It will, moreover, form a fitting prelude to the greatest of all British air-shows—the Display and Exhibition of the Society of British Aircraft Constructors at Farnborough, between September nth and 16th. This annual eve.it is perennially a festival occasion in that the latest and best in British Flying Equ pment is concentrated for several days for inspection and demon- stration. Without doubt it will prove, as have all displays of the series, that the heritage of our aircraft industry—the theme of the Festival exhibition—has not fallen into prodigal hands.
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