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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 1961.PDF
4i6 FLIGHT BRISTOL 173 First Photographs of the Twin-rotor Helicopter : Ground-running Tests WHEN, earlier this year (March 16th), we gave a detailedanalysis of the twin-engined twin-rotor Bristol 173helicopter, we expressed the view that the design formula was unquestionably a right one, but that it was not necessarily the only right one. Since that article was pub- lished, the 173 has been undergoing ground-running trials, not without tribulations—but then, tribulations go hand-in- hand with trials. If the full flight test programme proceeds smoothly it is to be hoped that the time will not be too far distant when the 173 will appear in B.E.A. colours. The aircraft in its present guise is not really big enough to meet the Corpora- tion's current ideas about helicopter operations; there is, however, an old adage about birds and hands and bushes and it may well be that, when B.E.A. have a few 173s to operate, the aircraft will be found doing a useful job of work. The Corporation is, at any rate, likely to obtain experience with the 173 appreciably before it makes the acquaintance of the larger types which may follow. In the "straight" helicopter, overwhelmingly the greatest number of safety eggs reposes in the rotor basket—and an exceedingly complicated and critical basket it is; so attention is being directed with increasing emphasis toward the com- promise convertible-type in which the characteristics of the fixed-wing and rotary-wing configurations are blended. As we implied in a leading article a fortnight ago, there is a great deal to be said for such a compromise, particularly for com- mercial aircraft; but whether the arguments hold good with quite the same force for military applications is questionable. The cardinal virtues of the helicopter are its ability to land and take-off vertically and to hover. These are qualities which have a special value in the military scheme of things, perhaps a greater value than in the commercial sphere. It is, therefore, likely that even if the fixed-wing-cum-rotary-wing aircraft should win the commercial day, the orthodox heli- copter is at least assured of a future as a military type. In the heading picture, the simple elegance of the 12-seot Mk 173 is shown to advantage, whilst, below, with the A&j ft counter-rotating rotors spinning smoothly, the aircraft stands tethered by safety ropes to large blocks of concrete. Ground-running trials are now going well and it is therefore only naturally to be expected that flight trials will not be much longer delayed. Power for French-built Jets A BRIEF review of French Vampire, Mistral and Venom pro-**- duction appeared in Flight of August 10th last and, although the details were clearly stated, questions have since arisen as to thetypes of turbojets and intakes employed. In answer to our request for confirmation of facts we have received a letter from the SocieteNationale de Constructions Aeronautiques du Sud Est in which it is stated: "In particular there is no question at all in your articleabout the mounting of the de Havilland Ghost in the Mistral. On the contrary, it is made clear that the French Vampire 5 is equippedwith a Goblin, the Vampire Mk 53 Mistral with a Nene, and that the Venom will be equipped with a Ghost, and we assure you thatit is by reason of the thinness of the Venom wing that it would have been impossible to employ the same type of air entry as onthe Mistral, had it been desired to fit Nenes in the Venoms." Lockheed Aircraft Developments A REPORT to Lockheed Aircraft shareholders by the presi-dent, Mr. Robert E. Gross, sums up the highlights of the company's current aircraft-production activities in the following terms :— "Production progressing of F-94B and F-94C jet fighters; tooling started for F-94D; T-33 and TO-2 jet trainer output rising to highest level for any aircraft since World War II; T-33 manufacture by Canada licensed; large quantities of P2V patrol bombers being built for U.S. Navy, Great Britain and Australia; commercial and military Super Constellation production assured through 1953; preparations progressing for B-47 jet bomber manufacture at federally owned facility at Marietta, Ga.; three new models, including first turboprop all-cargo transport XC-130 for Air Force, under development."
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