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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0027.PDF
2 January 1953 CORRESPONDENCE . . . of power much greater than at present in use, possibly an atomic converter to electrical energy, we could suggest the following possibilities:— (1) Given unlimited power potential we can increase the number of blades until the blades become a rotating ring with a supersonic section. (2) Control would be effected by altering the angle of attack of the wing. (3) The rotating ring would be the annulus round a fuselage which would present the same profile from any position in a plane at right angles to its vertical axis. (4) To prevent the fuselage from spinning, an anti-torque gyro must be fitted below the cupola. If an atomic plant is used, a good position for the installation would be below the gyro, as this would be some distance from the crew and be shielded by the gyro. (5) If an atomic-energy power plant was used, the energy could be converted with a straight conversion to electrical energy and a relatively silent motor could be used—possibly some device using electromagnetism to create an increasing magnetic potential round a ring, then falling to zero and beginning again. This would impart rotation to the annulus. Enough has possibly been said to show that a "flying saucer" layout would possess the flying characteristics ascribed to it in popular reports. Luton, Beds. P. A. EABRY STEWART. In Favour of Airships IT has been rumoured recently in the Press that the Germans have completed plans for building a new Zeppelin. Although it is fashionable to decry the airship as a means of transport a strong case for static lift can be made out, especially when large loads* are considered. Although the airship will never be able to compete with the aeroplane in speed it may yet prove to be its complement for the carriage of air freight and may also draw those travellers who desire swifter and smoother transport than can be provided by the largest liner. The liner, for all her luxury, remains subject to the ocean swell. The airship could also offer more comfortable, cheaper and, basically, safer flying than is obtainable in the aeroplane. The pre-war airship was unnecessarily slow, due to under- powering and for this reason was too much at the mercy of adverse winds. Higher speeds, it is true, will call for a stronger structure with a stressed-metal skin in place of the traditional fabric cover, but even so, it should prove possible in a ship of the same gas capacity as the Hindenburg (7,000,000 cu ft) to provide an adequate strength factor within half of the gross lift (212 tons) for the ship complete with engines and all gear and fittings. Assuming a power installation of four compound engines such as the Nomad (a quadrupling of the pre-war power), would it be unreasonable to expect at least double the speed, or 150 knots? One may guess that the total fuel consumption when cruising at this speed would be not more than one and a quarter tons per hour. On a flight from London to New York, a distance of some 3,000-odd nautical miles, the weight analysis would work out somewhat as follows :— tons Weight of airship complete 106 Weight of fuel and lubricating oil, allowing one-third reserve 30 Weight of crew, say, 80 (including cooks and stewards) at 10 to the ton 8 Weight of food and drink for all on board 2 Payload (e.g.):— 240 passengers with baggage at 8 to the ton 30 Freight and mail 36 Total 212 Ballast has deliberately been omitted from these calculations. There appears to be little point in wasting payload by initially carting around tons of water ballast when the ship can perfectly well be trimmed by pumping fuel from one end to the other. Further, if a reasonable time of day is chosen for starting the flight the tendency will be for the ship to become "light" owing to the superheating of the gas, rather than "heavy"—the only condition which might call for a release of ballast. The adverse wind on the east-to-west flight would be roughly compensated by the difference in time between G.M.T. and American time. Commencing the flight in the early afternoon the ship should reach New York before the beginning of the working day on the morning following. Greater speeds appear to confer little practical benefit, since sleep is a necessity for all men. If a passenger travels by night in a chair in a fast aeroplane his capacity for business the following day is unlikely to be high. If he does the same by day, he loses that day in any case, and is no better off than he would have been had he flown in the more spacious comfort of the airship, in which he would have a cabin and a comfortable sleeping berth and possibly even a hot bath in the morning, derived from the plant for recovering water from the engine exhaust gases ! The danger of fire must, however, be overcome. To this problem there are three lines of approach, firstly the hope of discovering some form of inhibitor which will suppress the high affinity of hydrogen for oxygen; secondly, the insulation of the hydrogen from the air by a jacket of inert gas, not necessarily itself buoyant; and, thirdly, the use of helium, whose disadvantages are its cost, rarity and greater weight than hydrogen. The only nation with experience of the economics of commercial airship operation is Germany and it may be that, as the construc tion of heavier-than-air aircraft is forbidden to her, it may prove to the benefit of all if she were permitted to develop this other form of air transport which has no direct military value and will otherwise inevitably be lost to mankind. Southsea, Hants. BLIMP. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Jan. Jan. 10. Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan Jan. Il l Jan. Jan. Jan. Jan, Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. 15. 16. 17. 17. 22. 27. 28. 29. 29. 30. 31. 31. 7. 7. 9. 11. 14. 17. 18. 20. British Interplanetary Society: "Planetary Engineering," by E. Hope-Jones, M.A.(Cantab.), F.R.A.S., A.M.I.Mun.E.: "Landing on Airless Planets." by R. A. Smith. British Interplanetary Society (Birmingham): "Physiology of Interplanetary Travel," by C. R. Armstrong, B.Sc. R.Ae.C.: Film Show. Institute of Navigation: "Radar and Ice," by L. S. Le Page and A. L. P. Milwright. Aircraft Recognition Society: Sixth All-England Recognition Contest. British Interplanetary Society (Manchester): "Cosmic Radiation, its Intensity and Biological Effects." Lecturer to be announced. R.Ae.C.: Talk by William Courtenay, O.B.E., M.M.: "The Pacific Islands Campaign." Plymouth Aircraft Recognition Society: Meeting. R.Ae.C.: British Air Racing Championship Dinner. R.Ae.S.: "Titanium," by Maj. P. Litherland Teed, F.R.Ae.S., M.lnst.Met., M.I.M.M. R.Ae.C.: Film: "Colour Movies of the Pacific War," by William Courtenay, O.B.E., M.M. Junior Institution of Engineers: "Metal Spinning," by R. E. Baskerville. S.L.A.E.: Lecture (to be announced). Closing date for England-Chrlstchurch (N.Z.) Race Entries. Helicopter Association: Discussion on Standards of Mainten ance, and Requirements for Helicopter Engineers.' Licences. Papers by Members of the A.R.B. and S.L.A.E. British Interplanetary Society: "Limiting Performance of Rocket Motors," by W. N. Neat, B.A., A.F.R.Ae.S. Institute of Transport: Brancker Memorial Lecture: "The Influence of Military Aviation on Civil Air Transport," by Sir Frederick Handley Page, C.B.E. British Institution of Radio Engineers: "Modern Trends in Communications Materials." by L. A. Thomas, B.Sc. British Interplanetary Society (Birmingham): "Rocket Test-bed Instrumentation," by J. Venn, B.Sc. R.Ae.S. Section Lecture: "Recent Developments in Gliding," by A. H. Yates. Aircraft Recognition Society: Meeting: Guest Speaker, Peter G. Masefield, M.A.(Eng.), F.R.Ae.S. Institute of Navigation: "Navigation and the Operation of Jet Aircraft," by Capt. R. C. Alabaster, D.S.O., D.F.C. Feb. 21. "Structural Prob- Feb. Feb. Feb. Mar. 25. 26 28. 6. Mar. Mar. 14. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Apr. May May May June June J June July July Sept. Sept. Oct. 14. 18. 19. •21: 24-26. 27. 15. 16. 25. 29 20. 26- uly 5 27-29 4-6. 15. 6. 7-13. 8. British Interplanetary Society (Manchester): lemsof the Lunar Base," by P. L. Sowerby. R.Ae.C.: Britannia Trophy Dinner. R.Ae.S.: "New Materials and Methods for Aircraft Structure," by H. J. Pollard, Wh. Ex., F.R.Ae.S. S.L.A.E.: " Aircraft Fire-protection Equipment," by R. W. J. Cockram, A.M.I.E.E., A.I.Mech.E. Helicopter Association: Discussion on Flight-testing Experi ences: contributions by C. T. D. Hosegood, S/L. W. R. Gellatly and Capt. J. A. Cameron. British Interplanetary Society: "Fabrication of the Orbital Space-vehicle," by K. W. Gatland, A. M. Kunesch and A. E. Dixon. British Interplanetary Society (Birmingham): "Artificial Satel lites," by H. E. Ross. The Cranfield Society: A.G.M. and Dinner. Aircraft Recognition Society: Meeting: Guest Speaker, Prof. A, A. Hall, M.A., F.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S.: Sixth Louis Bleriot Lecture: "Making Commercial Aircraft Pay," by General Guy du Merle. British Interplanetary Society (Manchester): "Establishment of a Lunar Base," by R. A. Smith. Institute of Metals: Annual General Meeting and (Mar. 25) All-day Symposium on "Control of Quality in the Production of Wrought Non-ferrous Metals." R.Ae.S.: Full-day Discussion on "Fatigue" (postponed from Dec. 18). Aircraft Recognition Society: Annual General Meeting. Wolverhampton Aero Club: Goodyear Trophy Race and Display. S.S.A.F.A.: Display, Yeadon. R.Aux.A.F.: Officers' Coronation Ball, London. Southend Corporation and R.Ae.C.: National Air Races, Southend Airport. Paris Aero Show. R.Ae.C.: Members' La Baule Rally. R.Ae.C.: Members' Deauville Rally. Royal Air Force Coronation Review. S.M.A.E.: "Yorkshire Evening News" Model Flying Festival, Sherburn-ln-Elmet. S.B.A.C: Farnborough Display and Exhibition. Start of England-Christchurch (N.Z.) Air Race.
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