FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0063.PDF
FLIGHT, 16 January 1953 6r LENGTHENING LINE—t: The encouraging groups of Vickers-Super- marine fighters in the two upper pictures were recently photographed in the hangar at Chilbolton. In the top view the foreground is occupied by second prototype Swift, WJ-965, which has been tufted at the rear end of the fuselage, and has new small fairings on the fin. On the left is the prototype 535, VV-119, on which the shorter air-intakes and dorsal fin are retained. The line-up in the middle picture includes first and second production Swifts, WK-194 and 195, and the first and second prototypes, WJ-960 and 965. The most distant aircraft is either incom plete or exhibits minor differences around the rudder and dorsal areas. FROM ALL QUARTERS . . . the 126 at present planned being either complete or under con struction—but in the case of some of those on the Continent it is said that not all will be capable of standing up to the wear and tear of modern military-aircraft operations. While the maxim "quality rather than quantity" is particularly applicable to this country—especially to aircraft construction—to carry such an attitude to an extreme would be dangerous, for quality alone patently cannot make up for deficiencies in numbers. U.S.A.F. Accidents TPHE disturbing total of 288 lives was lost in accidents involving * American military aircraft during November and December. Great concern is felt in Washington at these figures, and Mr. Finletter, Secretary for Air, said last week that "nothing less than the complete absence of accidents" would be regarded as satis factory. Both Mr. Finletter and Gen. Hoyt S. Vandeaberg (Air Force Chief of Staff) produced statistics showing that major accidents had, during 1952, dropped to an all-time low of 29 per 100,000 flying hours : this was calculated on a total of 8,000,000 flying hours during the first 11 months of the year. If our slide-rule does not lie, this works out at approximately one accident in every 3,450 hours, and makes a total of 2,320 for the 11 months. The figures showed pilot-error to be responsible for 51.3 per cent of the crashes, equipment failure for 27.4 per cent, and maintenance trouble for 6.5 per cent: the remaining 14.8 per cent were unaccounted for. No evidence of sabotage, it was stated, had ever been discovered. The statistics included events in Korea that were unconnected with enemy action. Commenting on the number of accidents, Mr. Finletter said that the present "desperate race for air supremacy" necessitated putting into the sky "hot planes with a larger danger content—a risk we have to take in this business." General Vandenberg, in an accompanying statement, pointed out that over 20 new types of aircraft had been introduced into the Service during the preceding five years, and with these it had become commonplace for crews to fly in all kinds of weather at altitudes and speeds unknown to commercial aviation. The House Armed Services Committee had called for these statements as a preliminary to deciding whether to hold a full- scale investigation. Sir Vernon Brown's New Post THE impending retirement—at his own request—of A. Cdre. Sir Vernon Brown, Chief Inspector of Accidents, Ministry of Civil Aviation, was announced in November, as was the appoint ment of Mr. P. G. Tweedie, the Deputy Chief Inspector, as his successor. Last week, on January 6th, an informal party was held at Ariel House, London, in honour of Sir Vernon. His many friends and acquaintances in the aircraft industry will be glad to learn that he will continue his association with aviation, for he has been appointed technical adviser to the Graviner Manufacturing Co., Ltd., specialists in fire-suppression and fire-fighting equip ment. He told us on the occasion of the party that one of his special interests would be explosion suppression, both for aviation and industrial applications. Death of Rolls-Royce Pioneer THE death of Mr. John De Looze, a pioneer executive of Rolls-Royce, Ltd., took place in a Derby hospital on January 6th, at the age of 80. Mr. De Looze joined the then Mr. Royce as cashier in 1893, when the firm was gradually changing over from crane and electrical manufacture to that of cars. He was one of the very few who strongly believed in the future of the motor car, and he was promoted to secretary when the business became a limited liability company. This position he held until his retire ment in 1943, playing an important role in establishing finance on a sound basis, and being closely concerned with most of the major expansions that took place. LENGTHENING LINE.—2: At Weybridge, three 6.E.A. Viscounts, near completion, while beyond them can be seen several more fuselages. I
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
