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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0875.PDF
4 April 1952 389 drop tanks reduce the operational ceiling to 34,000ft and increase the time to this height of 17.5 min. At a Mach number of 0.7, at 40,000ft, the radius of steady turn is 1.95 nautical miles, and at the same speed and height a minimum radius of turn of 0.95 nautical miles can be achieved. The figures for turning radius are of particular interest, and though comparative data for other types are not available, a steady-turn radius of 3-4 miles would not seem an excessive estimate for faster machines with a higher wing loading. The Vampire retains the standard 4 x20 mm gun armament, as does the Meteor N.F.u; in the Meteor, however, installation of radar in the nose has necessitated the transfer of the guns from the fuselage to the wings, outboard of the nacelles. In theory at least this location is prejudicial to accuracy and to aircraft stability with a gun or guns inoperative, but in practice these objections do not appear to be serious. The crew of two are seated in tandem, and in the latest version the external wing tanks have been transferred to the tips, in conformity with generally accepted practice. A ventral tank is carried as standard equipment. The U.S.A.F. has standardized on the Lockheed F-94 and the Northrop F-89 Scorpion as its two-seat night and all-weather fighters, and the U.S. Navy's counterpart is the Douglas F3D Skyknight. Closely related, like the British machines described, to a two-seater trainer development of a basic single-seater design, the F-94 has been produced in several variants, all of which have an afterburner to improve climb at the increased all-up weight. The latest version (production-type F-94C) has thinner wings than had previous aircraft of the series, an extended nose, swept-back tailplane and redesigned vertical surfaces. Both pilot and radio operator have radar, though the latter's is considerably more elaborate. The four-gun armament can be supplemented by 24 "Mighty Mice." Weighing, probably, over 16,000 lb, the F-94C may have a wing loading of at least 65 lb sq ft, so that its manoeuvring powers at altitude should be much inferior to those of the Vampire N.F.10. Equipment is thought to include fire-control radar, Sperry Zero Reader, and a Lear F-5 lightweight automatic pilot. Technically of greater interest in that it was designed specifically for its duties, and not adapted from an established design, the Northrop Scorpion has likewise passed through various pro gressive stages of development. The F-89A, as at present in service, has two Allison J-35-A-21 turbojets, of 5,200 lb, with Solar afterburning equipment. Six 20 mm guns (combined rate of fire 4,800 r.p.m.), with a generous ammunition supply, are grouped in the nose. The Scorpion is a massive machine, measur ing 55ft in span and weighing well over 30,000 lb, the maximum overload weight being 40,000 lb or more. Pilot and radar operator are seated in tandem. Equipment includes a radar scanner and modulator unit in the nose, radar servo gear, radar indicator panels, radar gyros, I.F.F., radio compass, radar gun-laying computer, Spcrry Zero Reader, special anti-icing measures for the wings, rail and air intakes, and (shades of Jutland!) a power-operated ammunition hoist. The maximum speed is over 600 m.p.h. and is made possible by a very thin wing (8 J per cent at the root), claimed to give the same drag alleviation as would a sweep- back of 35 deg. Whereas the sub-type A has provision for rocket projectiles beneath the wings, the new F-89D carries this type of armament in massive tank-like housings at the wing-tips. The rockets and guns are electronically aimed and automatically triggered. The straight-winged, carrier-borne Douglas Skyknight (4 x 20 mm guns) is a smaller machine than the Scorpion but, in its current form at least, appears somewhat underpowered. A point of special interest is the system of cockpit lighting, designed to prevent glare and assure constant iUumination of all necessary instruments, the gradations of which are etched in transparent Lucite and are lit up from behind by a red light. Another unusual feature is the ventral "bale-out 'chute" for the crew of two, the usual ejector seats being absent. It would be a little surprising if Russia did not have at least Northrop F-89D Scorpion (two Allison J-35) with wing-tip rocket housings. Early Lockheed F-94, with Pratt and Whitney J-48 (Rolls-Royce Toy). (Below, drawing and key) Internal arrangement of the F-94C, 1. 2. 3. 4. b. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. VS. u. 1S. 16. 1;. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Plastic nose. Radar aerial. Radar modulator. Oxygen bottle. Radar-range servo gearbox. Ammunition boxes (4). Position-light flasher. Radio receivers. Gun sight. Pilot's radar. Instrument panel. Pilot's seat. Radio-compass loop aerial. Radar-indicator power supply. Radar manual control. Operator's radar. Radar operator's seat. Fuselage fuel-tank. Elevator control-rod. Turbojet. Fuselage aft*--section. Afterburner. Radio aerial. Afterburner track. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. Afterburner-eyelid actuator. Elevator-tab motor. Gyrosyn compass flux-valve. Aileron booster unit. Wing spars. Dive brakes. Turbine and cooler unit. Aileron torque-tube. Cabin air mixing-valve. Interphone amplifier. D-2 inverter. Radar inverter. Radar vertical gyro. Censored radar. Batteries. Aileron-elevator control assembly Rudder pedals. Nosewheel landing-gear. Fuselage nose-section. Case-ejection door. Machine guns (4). Air-speed pitot. Gun-sight computer. Gun-sight amplifier servo
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