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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0889.PDF
long-distance bomber in the world having turboprop power (other than the experimental carrier-borne North American Savage development referred to under the heading "Carrier-borne Strike Aircraft"). There is still a distinct possibility that a number of forthcoming long-range bombers will be driven by turboprops, using very advanced types of airscrew; in fact, Convair are said to be working on a new "intercontinental" bomber (additional to the pure-jet YB-60, later mentioned) powered either by a turboprop version of the Curtiss-Wright J-65 (Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire) or by a similar development of the Pratt and Whitney J-57. Boeing, moreover, are considering a turboprop development of their B-47, likewise with Curtiss-Wright Sapphire-type turboprops, and for this development a range nearly twice that of the jet-propelled B-47B has been suggested. Meantime, however, interest is con centrated on pure-jet machines typified by the American Boeing B-47 and B-52, and North American B-45, Britain's Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant and English Electric Canberra, and certain Russian designs. For convenience these jet bombers will be considered according to whether they have four or more jets or only two—an arbitrary segregation, but one which approximates to the accepted "strategic"/"tactical" subdivision and which has the additional merit of honesty, for there is no doubt that the so-called "tactical" Canberras would function in a strategic r61e should circumstances allow. The only British four-jet bombers which may be named, and briefly described, are the Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant B.i and the Short S. A. /4 prototypes, both with Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets. Perhaps the cleanest multi-engined aircraft yet built, the Valiant, displays, when compared with its nearest American counterpart the Boeing B-47 Stratojet, a large wing area, and the wing roots are of sufficient chord and depth (thanks to a sharp sweeping for ward of the leading edges) to accommodate the bulk of the Avons. The double-slotted flaps are in three sections and of very large Uppermost is a B-47 Stratojet, escorted by an F-86. Immediately above is a Martin XB-51 and, below, the first of the vast Boeing XB-52s.
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