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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0035.PDF
FLIGHT, 9 January 1953 AIRCRAFT INTELLIGENCE DAKS WITH DIFFERENCES : From Australia come these views of R.A.A.F. Dakotas which will be strange to most readers. Uppermost is A65-117, a radar-equipped machine, the exact function of which is not known. It is definitely not a rain-maker, like A65-113, the business end of which is shown in the lower picture. This last-mentioned machine, incidentally, recently crashed into the sea near Sydney. It was fitted with equipment transferred from Qantas DC-3 VH-EBJ Great Britain Bristol Type 170 Mk 32. The first of Silver City's long-nosed machines, G-AMWA, has now been assembled and is in the flight shed at Filton. Its maiden flight was imminent at the time of writing. The standard Freighter, incidentally, is still selling well, and Bristols plan an increase in production rate. Bristol Type 171. An order for Bristol 171 helicopters for the use of Fighter Command is expected. No indication of the role of these machines is given, but radar calibra tion is obviously a possibility. (Autogiros were used for this purpose during the war.) In view of sales prospects, the rate of Type 171 output is being stepped up. Arrange ments have been made to test the type on operations in Malaya, and British European Airways have bought two examples. U.S.A. Boeing B-47 Marietta-built). The first Boeing B-47 six-jet bomber to be built in the Lockheed plant at Marietta, Georgia, made its first flight on December 16th— two month;, ahead of schedule. The Stratojet is now being built by three com panies : Boeing at Wichita, Kansas; Lock heed at Marietta; and Douglas at Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Marietta factory employs 10,500 people and is also scheduled to produce the new Lockheed C-130A, the first American transport planned from the outset to be powered with turboprops. Prototypes of this machine are being built at Burbank. 35 Light Fighter. It is reported that the U.S.A.F. is preparing a development con tract for a lightweight, supersonic, "strip ped-down' ' intercepter. North American are tipped as being the probable recipients. Supersonic Bomber. A U.S.A.F. produc tion contract is likely for the Convair supersonic bomber, which is to be built when the B-36 is "phased out" at Fort Worth. Known as the Hustler by Convair, the design is tentatively styled XB-58 by the Air Force. Douglas XA3D-I. Much is expected of Navy's heaviest carrier type, the prototype of which was flown by George Jansen at Edwards A.F.B. last November. Large slots are fitted along the outer wings, the main undercarriage retracts into the fusel age, a G.E.C. radar-controlled tail turret is specified and a large tail bumper is pro minent. The prototype carries an anti- spin parachute in a fairing at the tip of the fin—a unique location for a type with a low tailplane—and power comes from two podded, afterburning Westinghouse J-40S; poor availability of this engine has resulted in selection of the bigger J-57 for later A3DS. France Hurel Dubois HD-J, I. This twin-engined freighter, some details of which were given in our issue of November 28th, 1952, emerged from the makers' Villacoublay factory on December 21st for engine runs. An unofficial weight check showed that it weighed 7,569 kg, whereas the figure fore cast was 7,579 kg. Sipa 200. The results obtained with this light two-seater jet trainer have induced the French Government to order a second prototype, identical in all respects with the first. A number of countries have been in touch with the SIPA concern with a view to procuring licences. Chance-Vought F4U-7 Corsairs (French Navy). The first of these American-built ground-attack aircraft intended for the French Navy were recently despatched aboard the aircraft carrier Lafayette. They have a top speed of nearly 450 m.p.h. and are armed with four 20 mm guns. Fouga IJOR Magister. The second pro totype of this light jet trainer has under gone several modifications, based on the findings of the inquiry into the accident which recently destroyed the first example. The modified aircraft should fly within a few weeks. The third prototype, which has a conventional type of tail unit instead of the "butterfly" of the earlier machines, and is fitted with an Hispano-Suiza under carriage instead of a Messier gear, should be ready by April. PERCIVAL PROVOST 7.1 (Alvis Leonides 25) Span 35ft 2in Length 29)t Height ... 12ft |
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