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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1824.PDF
6 FLIGHT, 4 July 1952 HERE AND THERE World Gliding Championships IT is reported from Madrid that the mem bers of the British team in the World Gliding Championships, now in progress in Spain, had arrived at Carabanchel air field, a few miles outside the city, by June 24th. Slight damage was sustained by Mr. Lome Welch's sailplane when the trailer swerved into a tree near Bayonne during the trip out. The Championships were opened on June 30th by General Gallarza, the Spanish Minister for Air. In practice flights Mr. Frank Foster reached 17,000ft and Messrs. Welch and Forbes flew 150 miles. Saucer Research THE U.S.A.F. has started a search to track down the origin of "flying saucers", discloses General Vandenberg, U.S.A.F. Chief of Staff, quoted by Look, the New York magazine. The Air Force, it seems, is now experimenting to verify a theory of Dr. Donald Menzel, of Harvard Univer sity, that the "saucers" are an optical illusion caused by temperature, which projects images of earthly lights into the sky. Asked by the magazine about the Air Force's revived interest in the phenomena, General Vandenberg was quoted as reply ing : "The Air Force is interested in any thing that takes place in the air. This includes the aerial phenomena commonly known as flying saucers. Many of these incidents have been satisfactorily explained. Others have not. With the present un rest, we cannot afford to be complacent." The article said that the Air Force has collected details of more than 800 inci dents in which "flying saucers" were seen, of which 38 per cent were classified as astronomical bodies, 13 per cent as bal loons, 10 per cent as too nebulous to be of value, 22 per cent as birds and aircraft, 2 per cent as hoaxes and 15 per cent as "unexplained." THE GIANT'S LAIR: A newly-released view of the Boeing YB-52 Stratofortress at Boeing Field, Seattle. The picture has been cleared by the U.S. Air Force in view of the fact that it is no longer thought practical to maintain security concerning exterior details of the aircraft while test flights are in progress from the field. The wing span is 185ft, length 153ft, and tail height 48ft, and the eight turbojets are Pratt and Whitney J-57 dual-compressor units. South Africa Pays America THE Union Government has signed an agreement with the U.S. Government in Washington agreeing to pay in dollars for American logistical support to the South African Air Force in Korea. Already the Union has paid the U.S.A. about $9 million (£3,200,000 sterling). New Honour for Sir Frank THE gold Albert Medal of the Royal Society of Arts for 1952 has been awarded to A. Cdre. Sir Frank Whittle, K.B.E., C.B., M.A., F.R.S., "for the development of the continuous-combustion gas turbine and jet propulsion." It is, of course, particularly appropriate that this award should have been made in the year when the first service by jet airliner has been inaugurated. The Albert Medal, which is the highest award bestowed by the Society, was instituted in 1864 to commemorate the presidency of the Prince Consort from SUPERSETTE is the alternative name of the Ambrosini Super 5,7, seen here with a military load and entered by G. A. Ferrari for the Kemsley Challenge Trophy Race on July 11th. The engine is a D.H. Gipsy Queen 70/3 and the gross weight is 3,814 lb. Flying impressions of the S.7 appeared in "Flight" of August 24th, 1951. 1843-1861. It is awarded annually for "distinguished merit in promoting arts, manufactures and commerce." Canadian-American Exercise IT was announced by the Royal Canadian Air Force's Air Defence Command in Quebec on June 25th that a joint air-defence exercise with the United States Air Force will be held from July 19th-27th, under the title Exercise "Signpost." Canadiatt "Lane." Conversions AMONG the Lancaster conversions being turned out by Avro Canada at Toronto are long-range nagivational trainers, photo graphic reconnaissance machines (these are doing an excellent job in mapping the Canadian North) and variants for air/sea rescue, bomber/reconnaissance and mari time reconnaissance work. Training Agricultural Pilots THE first "agricultural pilot" school in Canada has been set up at Crumlin Air port, near London, Ontario, to teach pilots the proper methods of applying insecti cides and fungicides from the air. One of the aims is to cut down the number of accidents caused by low flying above the fields, orchards and forests. According to Canadian Industries, Ltd., several millions of acres of tobacco, vegetables, fruit and forest land will be sprayed or dusted this year for the control of insects, plant diseases and weeds. In 1945 only 80 acres of crops in South Western Ontario were sprayed from the air, but this year some 50,000 acres are to be treated. New British Flying Film THE world premiere of David Lean's film The Sound Barrier—the plot of which deals with test-flying by British pilots—is to be held at the Plaza Theatre, London, on Friday, July 25th. The proceeds of this performance will be in aid of the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund and the Royal Air Forces Association.
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