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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0389.PDF
388 FLIGHT, 20 March 1953 THE INDUSTRY G/C. "Willie" Wilson Joins Blackburns FAMED for his part as a test-pilot in the development of high speed jet aircraft during and after the war, G/C. H. J. ("Willie") Wilson has recently joined Blackburn and General Aircraft, Ltd. Also taking up a post in the firm is Mr. F. R. Bell, whose name is well known in connection with the development of the Rover gas-turbine car. The two appointments signify a number of changes made in the company's engine division following their acquisition of the manufacturing and selling rights for the Turbomeca range of gas GjC. H. J. Wilson. Mr. F. R. Bell. turbines. Under the new arrangement, posts in the division are being filled as follows :— Sales.—G/C. H. J. Wilson, C.B.E., A.F.C., to be sales manager (engines), and Mr. J. J. Gadd as commercial sales manager (engines). Design.—Mr. F. R. Bell to be chief designer (engines), with Mr. W. B. Mathison as assistant chief designer. Works.—Mr. E. Mitchell to be works manager (engines). G/C. Wilson, who joined the R.A.F. in 1929, is renewing his connection with the Brough firm, for he was one of their test pilots in 1936-37. From there he went on to the Royal Aircraft Estab lishment, and during the war he became its chief test pilot. He participated in the original gas-turbine research and was responsible for training the first jet squadron in the R.A.F.—and in the world. He was twice posted to the United States to assist with flight testing and the development of jet aircraft. In 1945 he was appointed Commandant of the Empire Test Pilot's School and in November of that year, flying a Meteor 4, he gained the World's Speed Record at 606 m.p.h., for which achievement he was later awarded the Britannia Trophy. He finally left the Service in 1948 to become managing director and chief test pilot of Planet Aircraft. Mr. Bell was in complete charge of research on the Rover gas- turbine car until he returned to his homeland, New Zealand, last year. Before this he had been in this country for 15 years and had worked with Rolls-Royce on gas turbines during the war. There he was engaged on project design work, and later was in charge of axial-compressor research. Mr. Gadd, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Mathison have all been associated with the Cirrus engine division of Blackburn's for many years past. Laminated Shims FROM B. Attewell and Sons, Ltd., Southall, Middlesex, come details of the range of "R.L.A." laminated aluminium shims and packings—of which, after carrying out the early experimental work, they are now sole distributors. Laminated aluminium for this purpose, under British patent No. 562795, was first adopted for aircraft use by de Havillands in 1943. Previously; brass foil had been the packing material usually employed, but aluminium offered obvious advantages in weight saving; also, it is stated, the material employed is pressure-tested to 20 tons/sq in. "R.L.A." shims are available in thicknesses ranging from I/64m to i/8in., and their most valuable asset is the fine packing-adjustment which can be obtained by simply peeling off the laminations, which are o.o02in and 0.003m thick. Belfast Re-appointments CHANGES in the organization of their sales and contracts departments are announced by Short Bros, and Harland, Ltd. The post of sales controller has been abolished, and its holder, Mr. W. H. Hambrook, F.R.Ae.S., is appointed technical manager, in which capacity he will be responsible for the general administra tion and co-ordination of work in the technical departments. Mr. Mark Howard, formerly contracts manager, now has the post of sales and contracts manager. He will combine his former duties with those previously performed by Mr. Hambrook. Both joined the company in 1927. Mr. Hambrook was originally in the stress office, where, before the war, he was in charge of all stress-work on the Short-Mayo Composite. In 1937, when Short Bros, became Short Bros, and Harland, he went to Belfast as chief technical assistant, and in 1939 he became assistant chief designer He was appointed chief project engineer in 1947 and sales controller in the following year. :••••••••••••• Mr. W. H. Hambrook. Mr. M. P. Howard. IN BRIEF TELEFLEX Products, Ltd., Chadwell Heath, Essex—well known as makers of aircraft control equipment—have published two new brochures, one dealing with their 0.705m overhead cable conveyor and the other with industrial remote-control equipment. * * * A new leaflet from the British Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., Herga House, Vincent Square, London, S.W.i, describes and illustrates the wide variety of B.T.R. vibro-insulator machinery mountings. These devices, which are of rubber bonded to metal, and are used in shear, are claimed to permit deflections far greater than any previously achieved. * * * At the International Magnesium Exposition, to be held in Washington from March 31st to April 2nd, Magnesium Elektron, Ltd., will be represented (together with virtually all their licensees, both British and foreign) on a large stand covering 1,400 sq ft. Not since 1937 (in Berlin) has so comprehensive a display of magnesium cast and wrought products been on view. * * * After some years of development work, the British Thomson- Houston Co., Ltd., are now in quantity production of Permitol impregnated capacitors. In the aircraft field, these devices— designed initially for use with fluorescent lamps—are employed as components of high-energy ignition units and as radio sup pressors for electrical machines. * * * A strongly bound and profusely illustrated 192-page catalogue of their engineers' and carpenters' tools and small parts has been pro duced by Woodhurst Equipments, Ltd., Kingsbury Green,London, N.W.9 (Colindale 3111), and is available to firms on request. * * * Docker Brothers, Ltd., Ladywood, Birmingham 16, have recently completed arrangements whereby Roxalin of Canada, Ltd., New Toronto, Ontario, will manufacture and distribute their aircraft finishes in the Dominion. The Canadian company will be pleased to give advice on painting problems to constructors interested in the aircraft market there. * * * Wolf Electric Tools, Ltd. (Hangar Lane, London, W.5), announce that their solder-guns Types 31 and 41 and soldering irons Nos. 32 and 42 will in future be fitted with a patented wire-Stripper for baring plastic-covered wires prior to soldering. The stripper—which is not intended to deal with rubber insula tion—is conveniently fitted to the barrel of the tool.
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