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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0050.PDF
48 FLIGHT, 9 January 1953 THE INDUSTRY The Ultimate Autopilot "T CAN now reveal that this company is engaged on certain A projects of national importance in the field of guided weapons," said Mr. Ralph Gordon-Smith, chairman and managing director of S. Smith and Sons (England), Ltd., in his speech at the recent annual general meeting of the company. He made the remark during the course of his review of the progress of Smiths Aircraft Instruments, and went on to say that in these projects the com pany's lengthy experience in highly specialized instrumentation was able to play a valuable part; also, there was no doubt that the knowledge gained from the new developments would prove valuable in other fields. Of less secret equipment, Mr. Gordon-Smith said the company was proud of the part which its equipment was playing in the Comet, Viscount and other British jet aircraft for which there now appeared to be such a well-deserved future. Sensitive Temperature-control IN laboratory work, and in certain industrial processes, the need may arise for an instrument capable of controlling liquid- temperatures (e.g. of water- and oil-baths) to very fine limits. To meet this demand, the equipment division of Mullard, Ltd. (Century House, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W.C.2) has made commercially available a new electronic temperature controller, type E.7594. This instrument embodies a temperature-sensitive resistor for immersion in the fluid to be controlled. The resistor forms one arm of an a.c. bridge network, the output of which is amplified and used to control a phase-sensitive circuit operating a relay. The phase of the bridge output changes very rapidly at the point of balance, so quick action of the relay is ensured. The instrument has a normal temperature range of 15-75 deg C, covered in three steps. A large dial allows the setting point to be precisely located and locked in position. The makers state that although the calibrated accuracy of the scale is ± 1 deg C it is possible to control the temperature to within ±0.02 deg C about the working point. A four-position range-switch is provided to alter the value of the resistor in the fixed or standard arm of the bridge circuit. By the choice of suitable resistance-values, the range can be extended to cover any temperature between minus 50 deg C and plus 3o deg C. At the lower position, however, the range covered by the fine control is reduced. A.O.P. Austers' Radio FROM the Plessey Co., Ltd., comes news that, in order to stand ardize the V.H.F. equipment in Austers engaged in artillery co-operation, the R.A.F. has now completed arrangements for the installation in all these aircraft of the Plessy transmitter- receiver type P.TR.61. This equipment gives communication on six channels within the 116-132 m/cs band, and the crystals can be changed in flight. Specifically designed for light and medium aircraft, the P.TR.61 —which is particularly simple to operate by virtue of its single- knob tuning for both sections—has already been adopted by the Belgian and Netherlands Air Forces, and by civil airlines in many parts of the world. MR. R. R. RHODES, F.R.Ae.S., who, as we recorded last week, has retired from the board of Blackburn and General Aircraft after 36 years with the firm. VV/C. J. C. G. BELL, B.Sc, F.R.Met.S., A.M.I.E.E., has been elected to the board of the Sperry Gyroscope Co., Ltd. He has been sales manager since 1947. OIL TANKER: This smart little vehicle is now in service at London Airport, delivering Vacuum Mobiloil Aero Green Band to a variety of aircraft—in this case an Air Ceylon DC-4. The body on the 25-cwt Morris chassis houses two 125-gallon tanks, and a power pump feeds the lubricant direct to the aircraft through a trigger-valve hose. A meter records the supply to within one-tenth of a gallon. Capt. R. T. Paul's New Post IT is announced that Captain R. T. Paul, C.B.E., R.N. (Retd.), A.M.I.E.E., has joined the equipment division of Mullard, Ltd., as commercial manager, in which capacity he will co ordinate the activities of the company's three product-groups —radio, telephone and electronic equipment. One of the appoint ments held by Captain Paul during a distinguished career in the Royal Navy was that of Chief Signals and Radio Officer to the Allied Naval C-in-C, Expedi tionary Force, in which he was responsible for the naval signal, radio and radar organization for the Normandy invasion. Later he was in charge of the naval wireless network and was the first chairman of the Western Union Communications Com mittee (Naval). His last Service appointment was as CO. of R.N. Air Stations Yeovilton and Henstridge, where he flew jet aircraft and added practical knowledge of air radio tech niques to his long experience of land and sea communications. Captain R. T. Paul Rubber-Technology Awards THE Colwyn Gold Medal, "for conspicuous scientific services to the rubber industry," was recently presented by Sir Clive Baillieu (president of the Institution of the Rubber Industry) to Dr. Geoffrey Gee, director of the British Rubber Producers Association. The Hancock Gold Medal—"for services to the industry not necessarily of a scientific nature"—was awarded to Dr. T. J. Drakeley, principal of the Northern Polytechnic since 1931; he was mainly responsible for setting up the National College of Rubber Technology, of which he is director. Swedish Representation in London AS from January 1st, the Commercial Office of the Swedish **• Air Attache in London is closed. With the exception of accounts, the work previously done there is being undertaken by a new organization headed by S/L. A. R. Moore, with Mr. K. Kallgren as his assistant. Their offices are at Standbrook House, 2-5 Old Bond Street, London W.i. For several years past, S/L. Moore—with an office in Jermyn Street—has been the London technical adviser to Kungl Flyg- forvaltningen (Royal Swedish Air Board). Reinforced-Plastics Committee THE British Plastics Federation, which has been considering provision in its organization for firms interested in low- pressure reinforced plastics, has decided to form a special tech nical committee consisting of representatives from the appro priate groups of the Federation. The committee, which is to be known as "The Glass and Asbestos Fibre Reinforced Plastics Technical Committee," will hold its first meeting at the Federation's offices at 47-48, Picca- dillv, London, W.i, next Thursday, January 15th. While membership of the committee is restricted to members
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