FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0725.PDF
FLIGHT, 21 March 1952 331 ATOMIC POWER for AIRCRAFT . . . the fuel elements as "impurities." After the fissionable matter had decreased to below the critical value, the remaining fuel would need to be removed, purified, and prepared for re-use. Thus, the total fuel investment per aircraft would not only involve a "reactor-full" on board, but also an amount on the ground in various stages of recovery. Internuclear collisions resulted in the dislocation of the nuclei involved. While the full results of this type of reaction were unknown, it was realized that changes—usually of a detrimental nature—could take place to the properties of the materials. A decrease in thermal conductivity might occur, making heat- removal progressively more difficult. Some liquids or gases pro posed as reactor coolants were decomposed by radiation and rendered useless. Organic materials appeared particularly sus ceptible and, even outside zones of intense radiation, most lubri cants turned tarry, or even solidified; lubricated machinery could not, therefore, be used in such locations. A further source of trouble was the fact that electrical insulation broke down or dis integrated upon prolonged exposure to such radiation. This whole subject said Dr. Leverett, was known as radiation damage, and a great field of investigation was being explored in finding suitable materials for such installations. The actual materials used in the power plant would need to resist high temperature, corrosion by various coolants, thermal and mechanical stresses, and radiation damage, which could com bine to form an extremely severe demand. By painting the reactor heat-transfer surfaces with a thin corrosion-resistant coating, the critical mass might be doubled. A brazing alloy con taining a few per cent of boron (a strong neutron-absorber) might render a critical mass impossible of attainment, while the same characteristic might necessitate the use of materials with poorer mechanical and corrosion properties than other alloys in which neutron-absorbers—like nickel—were present in higher percent ages. In many respects, the propulsion of aircraft was an ideal appli cation for nuclear energy; for example, a highly-concentrated heat source could be used to advantage. It was only such a high- performance, premium use of energy which could justify the consumption of such a rare resource as U-235 or P-239. The lecturer felt that efforts to fly a nuclear-powered aircraft would be successful. In his opinion, the difficulty of the task and the value of the result formed a challenge unmatched elsewhere. RESERVIST WITHOUT REGRET SOME six months ago—to be precise, in Flight of August 10th, 1951—we published a brief article recording the impressions of an ex-war flying instructor on first finding himself recalled from the Volunteer Reserve for 18 months' regular service with the R.A.F. It may be recalled that the impressions were not altogether un critical; but now, those who were the first to be recalled have completed over half their time and—in the words of our friend— "many of their initial difficulties have ceased to trouble them." Most of the Reservists, he says, have been absorbed into Flying Training Command, and on some stations their influence is being felt in more ways than one. Some are to be found in station sports teams, and some in the many other activities which contribute to the well-being of a unit. In particular, many Reservists were selected to fly aircraft in displays held in various parts of the United Kingdom on Battle of Britain day. Whilst the majority of Reservists are employed on Prentices and Harvards, there are a few who are doing excellent work on Opera tional Flying Units, where they are able to pass on their valuable war-time experiences to the young crews now being trained. All this goes on (continued our informant), but we are reminded of the daily hazards which these Reservists face side by side with the Regular Air Force when we hear of narrow escapes such as that of F/O. Bennett (Cardiff Reservist), who was forced to abandon his aircraft at a very low altitude at night. His friends will be glad to hear that he was last reported enjoying a well-deserved pint among his fellow Reservists at his parent unit, though a plaster jacket is keeping him inactive for the time being. And so, at the end of nine months' service with the Regular boys, the 18-month V.R.s have said good-bye to their three-month colleagues recalled during last summer for jet conversion, and have wished them good luck with the £50 tax-free gratuity which they received upon completion of their service. The 18-monthers are now bent on the job for which they were recalled—namely, to teach the young Servicemen of today the art of flying. They look with added hope towards the new Secretary of State for Air, in the belief that it will please him to regard their efforts kindly, and so announce a gratuity payable to them on completion of their tour of duty, in like manner to the one already granted to the three-month V.R.s. These instructors, separated from their homes and families for 18 months, after some five years of resettled civilian life, have given up their jobs, their chances of promotion, and the many opportunities which present themselves from day to day in civilian life, to give further service to their country. Is it not, therefore, reasonable that they should receive a gratuity with which they might fortify themselves to face the rigours of civvy street, when they return to their schools to teach, their benches to work, their shops and businesses, their banks and offices—their job well done, and their uniforms once more back on the coat hanger in the spare bedroom ? HAffi IN HIS CHEST: THE INTERNAL ECONOMY OF A SYNTHETIC PARACHUTIST WITH due respect to the Hairlok Co., Ltd., whose creation he is (to the design of the G.Q. Parachute Co., Ltd.), we cannot help associating this overalled type with certain characters who are wont to stray into our more phantasmagorical nightmares. As described in Flight of February 29th (p. 243), he, or it, is intended to undertake a number of dangerous roles, notably the testing of parachutes and ejector seats : an example has lately been tested at Woomera. The dummy reproduces the physique of the average aircrew member, to which end the internal mechanisms of 1,200 human bodies were analyzed from data provided by the Air Ministry Medical Department and the University of London. In the group, reading from left to right, are Mr. H. A. Howard (Hairlok); Dr. R. E. Gibb (London University); S/L. R. Albrecht (G.Q.); and Mr. Raymond Quilter, G.Q. chairman. "Flight" photographs
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
