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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 0988.PDF
25 May 1951 619 on November 7th, 1945, G/C. H. J. Wilson flew a Gloster Meteor 4 at 975.675 km/hr (606 m.p.h.). This was the first record estab- lished by a jet-propelled aircraft in any category. The figure showed an increase of 220.537 km/ht (137 m.p.h.) over Wendel's record. Naturally enough, jet types have held the absolute record «ver since, although in 1949 the F.A.I, decided to recognise records in both piston-powered and jet-propelled categories, so that Wendel's record, dropped from the official list in 1945, has since been restored as a record in Group 1. After G/C. E. M. Donaldson had increased the record for this country (to 991 km/hr) in 1946, America made four more attempts and improved the speed each time. While it has always been necessary to await suitable weather before making a record attempt, the introduction of jet aircraft flying at high Mach numbers has necessitated a further considera- tion—that of temperature. The speed of sound increases with an increase in temperature, delaying the onset of sonic waves and permitting a greater speed by the aircraft. In this country weather conditions are never good enough to permit high-speed aircraft to fly at their absolute maximum speed. At Muroc, California, the U.S.A.F. has an ideal base at which to break records, and that is partly the reason why that country has managed to increase so substantially the absolute speed record four times between 1946 and 1948. If the Meteors of the High Speed Flight flew at Muroc it is estimated that about another 20 m.p.h. would be added to their speed. The air at Muroc is relatively free from the turbulence which is always met with in Great Britain and which can make flights at high Mach numbers difficult and dangerous. The first of the American records was made on June 19th, 1947, when Captain Albert Boyd, U.S.A.F., flew a Shooting Star at 1003.700 km/hr, becoming the first man to exceed 1000 km/hr. The U.S. Navy made the next two records, both with the Douglas Skystreak. Finally the Army, represented by Major R. L. Johnson, had another go and this'time pushed up the record to its present figure of 1079.841 km,hr (670.981 m.p.h.). The aircraft used was an F-86, the first swept-wing type to hold the record. TABLE II: 1920-23 (Ikm COURSE) Date 7.2.20 28.2.20 9.10.20 10.10.20 20.10.20 4.11.20 12.12.20 26.9.21 21.9.22 13.10.22 18.10.22 15.2.23 Pilot and Country S. Lecoince (Fr.) J. Casale (Fr.) de Romanet (Fr.) S. Lecointe (Fr. S. Lecoince (Fr.) de Romanet (Fr.) S. Lecointe (Fr.) S. Lecointe (Fr.) S. Lecointe (Fr.) W. Mitchell (U.S.A.) W. Mitchell (U.S.A.) S. Lecointe (Fr.) Aircraft Nieuport 29 Spad-Herbemont Spad-Herbemont Nieuport 29 Nieuport 29 Spad S.20 Nieuport 29 Nieuport-Delage Sesquiplan Nieu port-Delaje Sesquiplan Curtiss R. Curtiss R. Nieuport-Delage Sesquiplan Engine Hispano Suiza .. Curtiss D.I2 Hispano Suiza Speed (km/hr) 275.264 283.464 292.682 296.694 302.529 309.012 313.043 330.275 341.023 358.836 361.280 375.000 For an attempt over the 3 km course the following rules as specified by the F.A.I, and detailed in The Competition Rides of the Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom must be followed:— , The distance of the course must be measured by direct measure- ment or observation by an approved method and by an official survey authority. The course must be approved by the F.A.I, and a permanent course licence issued in respect of it. The course has to be prolonged at each end by an approach of at least 1,000 m, the extreme boundaries of which must be marked by pylons. The course itself and the approaches thereto must be marked clearly enough for the pilot and the stewards appointed by the Royal Aero Club to see them easily. One steward is stationed at the entrance to the course, one at the starting point and one at the finishing point. The method of marking the course is left to the R.Ae.C, but the F.A.I, must give its approval. For the R.A.F. High Speed Flight attempts at Herne Bay and Little- hampton in 1945 and 1946 barrage ballons and buoys were used. The course can, if necessary, be marked out over land or water. The aircraft making the attempt must not fly over i,opo m before entering the course, and over the course itself must not fly higher than 100 m, so that untrue speeds cannot be built up by diving on to the course. To ensure that these conditions are adhered to, observers are carried in other aircraft flying at 500 m, *nd their certificate that the record-attempting machine has not flown above the observer aircraft is required. The record aircraft carries a barograph, the chart of which is included in the dossier of particulars subsequently sent to the F.A.I, for official confirmation of the record. • The aircraft attempting the record flies over the-course twice in each direction and the average speed of the four flights, calculated to the nearest km /hr below the recorded speed, is accepted as the record figure. If more than four flights are made, any four alter- Date 12.11.06 26.10.07 20.5.09 23.8.09 24.8.09 28.8.09 23.4.10 10.7.10 29.10.10 12.4.11 11.5.11 12.6.11 16.6.11 21.6. II13.1.12 22.2.12 29.2.12 1.3.12 2.3.12 13.7.12 9.9.12 17.6.13 27.9.13 29.9.13 TABLE 1: SPEEDS FROM 1904 Pilot and Country A. Santos-Dumont (Fr.) H. Farman (Fr.) P. Tissandier (Fr.) G. Curtiss (Fr., later U.S.A.) L. Bleriot (Fr.) L. Bleriot (Fr.) H. Lathan (Fr.) L. Morane (Fr.) H. Leblanc (U.S.A., later Fr \H. Leblanc (Fr.) E. Nieuport (Fr.) H. Leblanc (Fr.) E. Nieuport (Fr.) E. Nieuport (Fr.) J. Vedrines (Fr.) J. Vedrines (Fr.) J. Vedrines (Fr.) J. Vedrines (Fr.) J. Vedrines (Fr.) J. Vedrines (Fr.) J. Vedrines (U.S.A., later Fr ^M. Prevost (Fr.) M. Prevost (Fr.) M. Prevost (Fr.) Aircraft Santos-Dumont Voisin Wright Flyer Curtiss Bleriot XI Bleriot XI Antoinette Bleriot Bleriot Bleriot Nieuport Bleriot Nieuport Nieuport Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin Deperdussin TO 1913 Engine Antoinette Wright Curtiss Anzani Antoinette Gndme ,, Speed (km/hr) 41.292 52.700 54.810 69.821 74.318 76.995 77.579 106.508 109.756 111.801 119.760 125.000 130.057 133.136 145.161 161.290 162.454 166.821 167.910 170.777 174.100 179.820 191.897 203.850 nate consecutive flights, provided they are made within 30 minutes, may be selected. In measuring the speed an accuracy of plus or minus 0.5 per cent (recently increased from 0.2 per cent) is required. The old figure of 8 km /hr required before a new record could be confirmed has been abolished, and it is now necessary for the existing record to be beaten by one per cent. That means that any aircraft attempting to improve upon Major Johnson's record in the F-86 Sabre will have to fly at about 1091 km/hr (678 m.p.h.). After the demonstrations of the Hawker P.1081 and the Supermarine 535 flying at Farnborough last year there seems to be no reason why, with developments of these aircraft, Great Britain cannot regain the record. It is six years since we held it. Not one of the "absolute" records—speed, height and distance— stands to the credit of Great Britain; all are held by America. (It should, of course, be remembered that the absolute height record is held by a balloon; Britain does possess the "heavier-than-air" record, secured by G/C. Cunningham, Vampire, at 59,446ft.) Since the Annual Conference (the 43rd) of the F.A.I., held in Stockholm last year, it is possible for the absolute speed record to be made at an unlimited height. With aircraft flying at supersonic speeds the maximum speed cannot be achieved at low level. Obviously the 3 km course would be too short over which to measure such attempts, so the length of the course in this case is extended to 15-25 km with an entrance, or "run-in," of 5 km. Two flights, one in each direction, must be made and measurement must be to within an accuracy of 0.5 per cent. One of the most important of the conditions for the speed record at unlimited height is that any means of launching an aircraft making such an attempt is authorized. This means that a small aircraft with rocket- or jet-propulsion, provided it carries a pilot, can be carried up to height under a larger aircraft. Other conditions are as for a speed attempt over the 3 km course. So far no attempt has been made to gain a record under these new conditions, and the whole question of accurately observing and timing such a flight is one raising important issues. The cine- camera methods employed in 1945 and 1946 are obviously out- dated and it seems like a job for the National Physical Laboratory to establish a suitable means by radar. TABLE III: 1923-1948 (3 km COURSE) Date 29.3.23 2.11.23 4.11.23 11.12.24 4.11.27 30.3.28 12.9.29 29.9.31 10.4.33 23.10.34 26.4.39 7.11.45 7.9.46 19.6.47 20.8.47 25.8.47 15.9.48 Pilot and Country R. L. Maugham (U.S.A.) H. J. Brow (U.S.A.)A. J. Williams A. Bonnet (Fr.) M. di Bernard! (It.) M. di Bernardi (It.) A. H. Orlebar (G.B.) G. H. Stainforth (G.B.) F. Agello (It.) F. Agello (It.) F. Wendel (Ger.) H. J. Wilson (G.B.) E. M. Donaldson (G.B.) A. Boyd (U.S.A.) T. Caldwell (U.S.A.) M. E. Carl (U.S.A.) R. L. Johnson (U.S.A.) Aircraft Curtiss R-6 Curtiss R-6Curtiss R-6 Bernard-Ferbois Macchi M.52 Macchi M 52bis Supermarine S.6 Supermarine S.6b Macchi-CastoldiM c T> Macchi-Castoldi M.C.72 Meuerschmitt Bf I09R Gloster Meteor 4 Gloster Meteor 4 Lockheed P-80 Douglas D-S58 Douglas D-558North American F-86 Engine Curtiss D.I2 Curtiss D.I2Curtiss D.I2 Hispano Suiza Fiat AS 3 Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce Fiat Fiat Daimler-Benz 2 R-R. Derwent 2 R-R. Der- went 5 G.E.C. J-33 G.E.C. J-35 G.E.C. J-35 G.E.C. J-47 Speed (km/hr) 380.751 417.059 429.025 448.171 479.290 512.776 575.700 655.000 682.078 709.209 755.138 975.675 991.000 1003.700 1031.178 1047.536 1079.841
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