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Aviation History
1951
1951 - 2436.PDF
FLIGHT, 7 December 1951 71* the corollary to the immense power demands of the twin Sapphires. "Hawker Siddeley Group, of which we are a member, have been concentrating for some time past on delta develop- ment. Our sister company, Avro in Manchester, have done a great deal of the successful basic research on deltas, and we in our Group are convinced that this is the shape of the aircraft of the future. The recent Avro demonstrations of their experimental 707 deltas were convincing proof of the For comparison with the G.A.5 on the opposite page these frontal aspects of (reading down) the £.1 44, Meteor and £.28/39 are reproduced to illustrate evolution. The £.28 first flew with a Whittle turbojet; the Meteor is powered as standard with two Rolls-Royce Derwents, though early versions had a variety of experimental units, and there is a flying test-bed with two Armstrong Siddeley Sapphires; the £.1/44 had a single Nene. The new G.A.5 has two Sapphires. capabilities of this plan-form. There has been a complete interchange of research information between ourselves and Avros on deltas, and since Armstrong Siddeley is another sister company in our Group, there has been extremely close liaison between our designers and the Sapphire jet-engine team at Armstrong Siddeley. "The G.A.5 is the world's first twin-jet-engined delta. We believe it marks another significant milestone in the lead of British aviation over the rest of the world." If antecedents are any guide, the G.A.5 should be assured ' of a most distinguished future, for it is directly descended from the historic E.28/39 of 1941—Britain's first jet- propelled aircraft, in the design of which "requirements for a fixed-gun intercepter" were officially specified. The Meteor, which followed in 1943, was our first twin-jet fighter, and though the next type—the experimental E.1/44— had only a single jet, it was characterized, as our photograph shows, by a very broad fuselage, bearing a striking resem- blance, in frontal aspect at least, to that of the G.A.5. The wide-track undercarriage is another E.1/44 feature repro- duced in the new delta. One may speculate as to whether the new fighter has no horizontal tail surfaces or whether a tailplane is fitted— probably temporarily, as on the Fairey F.D.I. Other features, the assessment of which must await further photo- graphic releases, are the cockpit arrangements and the con- figuration of the fuselage taii-end, in which region, it will be judged from the photograph herewith, the jet streams emerge. It may be remarked that the apparent troughs in the fuselage-sides ahead of the intakes are probably the reflections of the intakes themselves in the highly finished fuselage skinning. THE O.U.A.S. DINES TCOR their annual dinner this year the Oxford University Air -1- Squadron were able to revert to pre-war practice in holding the function at the Squadron Headquarters in Manor Road. In on e particular, however, nothing was changed: as ever, the whol e evening was immensely enjoyable The Loyal Toast having been honoured, the Commanding Officer, W/C. A. Willan, D.F.C., as is usual in proposing the toast to "The Guests", took the opportunity to review the affairs of the Squadron. First of all, however, he expressed the general regret at the absence of the Chief of the Air Staff, who had had to go to Rome. The Squadron was up to strength—was even a little over strength—and had a short waiting-list. The CO. then announced the fateful news that, after 26 years' service, F/L. Jack Acres was leaving the Squadron and he (the CO.) wondered whether or not he oughtn't to commit ceremonial hara-kiri as a result. Acres had always been the greatest friend of the Squadron, and everybody was very sorry to see him go: at the same time, they hoped he would be happy in his new job. It had been a good year, continued W/C. Willan, and they had done a lot of flying—in fact, he could produce statistics to prove that Oxford was "easily the best U.A.S." They had been lucky in their summer camp at R.A.F. Station, Middle Wallop, and he wished to express the Squadron's appreciation for the hospitality they had received there, and also for the wonderful work done by the civil contractors, Goodhew Aviation. W/C. Willan then observed that the Squadron had a great tradi- tion, jjKit it had to be remembered that it was a training unit. The best way for squadron members to get in some operational flying was to do it during their National Service. Squadron members who did their National Service in the R.A.F. could, in fact, put in more than six months' operational flying. So far as a career in the R.A.F. was concerned, this was a path which used to be a broad highway, but which was now rather narrow and somewhat over- grown. The only other outlet was through the Auxiliary Air Force, but, in order to get his wings, a man had to fly an advanced type of trainer. He knew that the Auxiliary Air Force wanted university Air Squadron members, and he also knew that therew « many O.U.A.S. members who would like to join the Aux. He hoped it would become possible. The reply to the toast was made by A. V-M. W. F. MacNeece Foster, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., who told a story of a speech he had made at the inauguration of the Chinese Air Staff College; he had been overcome when, at the end of his speech, the senior Chinese officer present said that to have listened to the air vice- marshal speaking for half an hour was equal to a ten years' educa- tion. This example of polished ambiguity was most appreciatively received. A. V-M. MacNeece Foster then announced that he had some- thing really interesting to say. In a letter he had received that morning from the Chief of the Air Staff, he had been informed that Fighter Command were to give up 20 Harvards to the University Air Squadrons. This news was, as may well be imag- ined, received with rapturous applause. Sir Maurice Bowra, M.A., Warden of Wadham and Vice- Chancellor, proposed the toast of "The Squadron" in a masterly speech. He remarked how, during the mornings, when he was trying to say something, he would be deafened by the noise of aircraft overhead, and he was amazed that these young men were able to do all this in the morning when, of course, they should be attending lectures—or drinking coffee. In concluding his speech, the vice-chancellor said that he knew the Squadron's tenancy was precarious, but he could assure them that, so long as he was alive, the Squadron would be there—and he wished to emphasize that he had every intention of living for a very long time. The Hon. J. G. T. Lawrence, of New College, replying on behalf of the Squadron, likewise fulfilled his task with wit and polish. From the point of view of the Squadron, the year had been unexciting, although of course, there were tales of derring-do above the clouds—solo, of course. There was pretty tense con- troversy between Oxford University and London as to who should have the honour of flying underneath Tower Bridge. Mr. Law- rence then referred to the instructors, saying that they were easily recognisable—they were the old, haggard-looking men. Not, he hastened to add, as a result of nerves; they feared nothing but the licensing hours. Speaking more seriously, however, he thought that the Squadron was in fact blessed with first-class instructors. He con- cluded by referring to the departure of Jack Acres and said that, in wishing him au revoir, they all wished him the best luck in the world
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