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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1763.PDF
27 June 1952 763 himself placed his knowledge at the Government's disposal, and was appointed Director of Forgings and Castings at M.A.P. In 1941 he was made Controller of North American Aircraft Supply, in which post he was responsible for the reception, assembly and repair of American airframes and engines. When war ended he returned once more to the metallurgical research side of engineering, and among his enterprises was the founding of the Fulmer Research Institute at Stoke Poges. He also founded, in 1945, the Associated Light Metal Industries Group. Aside from his engineering work, Col. Devereux was a keen farmer, and his inquiring mind led him to make some important advances in methods of, for example, grass-drying and cattle-breeding. He was a Fellow of the R.Ae.S. and, this year, was elected vice-chairman of the R.Ae.C. Sir Lindsay Scott THOUGH best known in recent years in the field of archaeology, in which he was a distinguished worker, Sir Lindsay Scott, K.B.E., D.S.C., F.S.A., whose death occurred last week at the age of 60, had influential connections with aviation between the two world wars and during the second. Shortly after the first war—in which he served with the R.N.V.R. in minesweepers, receiving the D.S.C.—he joined the Air Ministry, and held a number of administrative posts in it during the inter- war years. When the Ministry of Aircraft Production was formed in 1940, he received an appointment there as Second Secretary. This was during the memorable period when Lord Beaverbrook was in command of the battle for production, and it was part of Lindsay Scott's duties to keep the Ministry's internal mechanism running smoothly under the high-pressure power input from its dynamic chief. His valuable work at this time earned him, in 1942, his knighthood. When M.A.P. was absorbed into the Ministry of Supply at the end of the war, Sir Lindsay continued in his post for a short time, and then retired from the Civil Service in order to devote the whole of his time to archaeology. He subsequently held office in a number of learned societies concerned with this science. "Unrealistic" Searchlight Training MR. GEORGE WARD, Under-Secretary of State for Air, was asked in the Commons on June 1 ith to specify the types of aircraft used for night training co-operation with searchlights; and at what speeds they normally flew when engaged on these duties. He replied that Beaufighters, Oxfords, Proctors, Rapides, Geminis, Ansons, and Consuls were used for this work, on which they flew at speeds ranging from 125-200 m.p.h. Mr. Ian Harvey (Con., Harrow E.) wondered if this training was really very realistic, particularly when many of the men who were training in this way had actually served under operational con ditions. It was hardly likely, he thought, to increase their enthusiasm. Mr. Ward replied that additional squadrons could not be spared for searchlight co-operation because all available flying hours were taken up on normal interception and all-weather training. Search light co-operation training was not regarded as useful nowadays, because the use of searchlights to help fighters in interceptions had been replaced by radar. The Herr Doktor Dogmatizes ACCORDING to Dr. G. J. Sissingh—German helicopter expert—as reported in a Washington interview, Britain is behind in helicopter development and her military leaders are "simply not interested"; they believe that the United States will supply helicopters should the need arise. "There is no future in helicopter development anywhere except in the United States," he declared. Dr. Sissingh, who worked after the war in the helicopter department of the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, has been in the United States since last autumn and is now chief of aerodynamics at the Kellett Aircraft Corporation, Camden, New Jersey. Germany was well ahead of other countries in helicopter development at the end of the war, he said, because the Reich Government made ample funds available for research. None of the German helicopter experts went to Russia after the war, but German developments had had a considerable influence upon U.S. progress. Dr. Sissingh claimed that Germany flew the first jet-propelled helicopter—brought to America after the war—and, in 1938, four years ahead of the U.S.A.—the first intermeshing-rotor design. Of the future, he believes that the solution of remaining stability problems will make the helicopter suitable for general instrument- flying and night-flying in about two years' time. KING'S CUP COURSE : The circuit for the King's Cup and other National Air Races, to be flown from Newcastle-on-Tyne Municipal Airport on July 11th and 12th. Forty-three entries—a preliminary list of which was given in "Flight" of May 30th—have been received. Mr. J. Albert Thomson WE regret to have to record yet another death—that of Mr. J. Albert Thomson, Ll.D., J.P., chairman and managing director of Brown Brothers (Aircraft), Ltd., the well known London suppliers of aircraft parts. After several months of illness, Mr. Thomson passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 20th, at the age of 72. Father Sets the Pace MR. MAX CONRAD, of Minneapolis, is the father of ten children, the first six of whom can fly. But, said their father, "they think of nothing but cowboys. I'm trying to get them air-minded." And, in pursuit of this laudable ambition, Conrad phre set out alone from Washington National Airport on Friday June 13th, on a "personal goodwill mission" to Scandinavia. His aircraft—a Piper Pacer 135 (125 h.p. Lycoming with c.p. airscrew)—has thus become easily the smallest aircraft to have made (or, to our knowledge, attempted) a transatlantic flight. Mr. Conrad flew via Old Town, Maine; Goose Bay, Labrador; Bluie West, Greenland; Keflavik, Iceland; Stornoway, Hebrides; and Stavanger, Norway. A cruising level of 7,000ft was maintained whenever cloud or ice permitted. Unlike so many previous solo Atlantic pilots, Mr. Conrad appears to have been not only at ease, but physically comfortable. His Pacer had an efficient heater and the good trim allowed him to spend much of his time keeping a log while flying hands-off. It was, apparently, quite simple to replace a defective radio-altimeter valve while airborne, while another part of Mr. Conrad's log reads "More icebergs below. Circled one to take movie film." On the face of it, such an entry gives the impression that-provided one doesn't mind starting to fly at 3 a.m. each day—this solo transatlantic flying is all too easy. Perhaps Mr. Conrad's ten children will each confirm this. MAX CONRAD at Stavanger after his Atlantic flight (see above).
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