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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0273.PDF
FLIGHT, 6 March 1953 27* Weight/power relation ship for some Avons is shown in the graph below —which does not, of course, include mention of the much more advanced Avons under development. ment work on re-heat produced the RA.7R, which successfully passed its 150-hour type test in January of this year at a rating of 9,500 lb thrust. In addition, further Avon development has produced the RA.14 and a civil engine of 9,000 lb thrust without afterburning. Although no performance figures may be quoted for the RA.14, it may be assumed that its static thrust without afterburning will probably be not less than 9,000 lb. Nine different Avons are currently in production, seven being of RA.7 rating, and the others corresponding to the RA.3 and RA.9. As with the Merlin, these variants of the basic Avon have been developed for fighter, bomber, naval and civil aircraft. The RA.7 will be manufactured under licence overseas. The incorporation of a complete anti-icing system is a major development and it will be provided on all produc tion RA.7S as from this month. Aquila Airways Purchased FIRST news was released on Tuesday of an important trans action affecting two British independent airline companies. Aquila Airways, Ltd., have been bought outright by Britavia, Ltd., parent company of Silver City Airways, and two directors of the latter company—Mr. E. C. Mekie and A. Cdre. G. Powell—are expected to join the board of Aquila. W/C. Barry Aikman will continue to manage Aquila Airways but the staff and maintenance and bookings facilities will be integrated with those of Silver City. Aquila will continue to operate flying-boats, principally on the well-known Southampton-Madeira service. Loss of a C.P.A. Comet AS we close for press we learn with great regret that the first Comet 1A to be delivered to Canadian Pacific Airlines was destroyed with the loss of eleven lives when taking off at night from Mauripur, Karachi, last Monday, March 2nd. The aircraft, CF-CUN, Empress of Hawaii, was on its delivery flight to Australia and had landed to refuel for the next leg to Singapore. First, unofficial, reports state that the aircraft travelled 3,270 yards along the ground before crashing into a deep ditch beyond the runway and catching fire, and that the tail had been scraping. Those who lost their fives were D. H. Edwards, H. Waters, D. Morgan-Tipp, B. Rees, and J. Wilson of the de Havilland .Company; N. G. Gardner, of Smiths Instruments (Australia); and the Canadian crew—from Vancouver—Capt. C. H. Pentland (director, overseas flight operations), Capt. North Sawle (chief pilot, overseas lines), P. D. Roy, R. J. Cook and J. Smith. The aircraft was to have opened the Sydney-Honolulu service on April 28th. Luftwaffe Revival Plans Disclosed WEST GERMAN RADIO reported last Sunday night that "A spokesman of Herr Blank's office [Blank is the future Bonn Minister of War] said in Bonn today that the organizational preparations for the raising of a German Air Force contingent were virtually completed. If the E.D.C. treaty were ratified, the Federal Republic would have, within the tactical European forces, a total of 20 basic units with 1,326 aircraft and 80,000 men. These figures had been agreed upon in the negotiations about the E.D.C. treaty." The speaker then went on to quote the following "breakdown" : Ten basic units of fighter-bombers and ground attack aircraft, with 75 aircraft for each unit; four units of fighter for air defence, also with 75 aircraft per unit; two units of all-weather fighters, with 36 aircraft in each; two reconnaissance units with 54 aircraft each; and two transport units with 48 aircraft each. Herr Blank's spokesman had also said that the German Air Force contingent within the Allied Tactical Air Force was propor tional to the German army contingent, and could be described as strong. Compared with the other E.D.C. countries, the Federal Republic had certain disadvantages with regard to the Air Force. It would be the first task of the A.T.A.F., operating within NATO, to safeguard the air defence of Europe in co-operation with the anti-aircraft defences. Its second task would be to SERIES SEVEN: The Avon RAJ (shown above, and referred to at left) is the latest sub-type of which details may be given. Much ad ditional equipment is carried by the new engine, yet the weight has increased only slightly in com parison with that of earlier Avons. 1948 I9S.O 1952 1954 achieve, with the Strategic Air Force, air superiority. The main task of the German Air Force units would be support of the ground groups. The jet fighter would be the standard type of a European tac tical air force : it would be equipped for special tasks such as air reconnaissance, all-weather flying, and fighter-bomber action. Experience gained during-the second world war and in Korea had been taken into account. The report continued : "Experts of Herr Blank's office— officers of the former Air Force with high personal and profes sional qualifications—point out that the raising of the national air force would be impossible if only for financial reasons, and that for this reason alone a European integration was an inevitable necessity." Mr. P. J. C. Vos TPHE sudden death, following an operation, of Mr. Pieter J. C. -*• Vos will come as a severe blow to his many friends and admirers in this country. Mr. Vos, who was in only his fiftieth year, was commercial director of the Fokker Aircraft Company and a member of the Netherlands Aircraft Development Board. He was also a founder of the International Association of Aircraft Constructors, and for this work was awarded the French Legion of Honour. Before joining the Dutch Air Force in 1927 as an observer Mr. Vos had studied mechanical engin eering at the Technical University at Delft. Later, for a time, he was with the Royal Packet Steamship Company and subsequently he joined Fokker. Many people in this country will recall Mr. Vos's escape to England in 1941, made in company with a test pilot in a Fokker G.i fighter. On arrival here he joined the R.A.F., became a pilot and served as an instructor and flight commander, taking part also in many operational sorties. Later he joined the Dutch Air Force in England, and at the end of the war was appointed director of K.L.M. in London. For his work in this country he received an O.B.E. After the liberation of Holland he served in various official capacities, including membership of the board of the National Aeronautical Laboratories and later as presiding director of the United Dutch Aircraft Factories. We recall Mr. Vos as a cheerful and always charming enthusiast for everything aeronautical. He was a good friend of Britain. Not only Fokker but international aviation will feel his loss. Mr. P. J. C. Vos.
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