FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0390.PDF
FLIGHT, 20 March 1953 387 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. F.E. Memories SOME little time ago you published J. M. Bruce's enthralling article on the "Fees"; and weeks later one of my old log books turned up in a spring cleaning. It covers the period in which I was a test pilot at Farnborough in 1916, afterwards commanding the first Ferry Squadron. In those days, there were no aircraft with dual control; and I was instructed on various types of F.E. by Sgt. Maj. Power—my predecessor as test pilot for Southern Aircraft Repair Depot—who was shortly afterwards killed in an F.E.2, by failing to use the enormous rudder as an elevator in a steep turn. Hucks and Gooden were the test pilots for the Royal Aircraft Factory. I was not present on the day when Lt. Organ accidentally delivered the first F.E.2D, numbered A.4, to Lille; there was a very strong west wind, which carried him over Dunkirk instead of over Calais; and as it was his first cross-Channel trip he failed to realize that he was about 30 miles off his course. Thereafter, I delivered most of the F.E.2Bs and F.E.2DS. I have not here Mr. Bruce's article, but the following are the numbers of these aircraft I tested and delivered between June and October of 1916 : F.E.2B.—4917, 6978, 6973, 4286, 4291, 6086, 6986, 6995,4932, 6996,4841. F.E.zD.—A21, A23, A28, A30, A34. I should add that in some of the F.E.2DS there was a large staple in the floor, to which was attached a length of dog-chain enclosed in a leather sleeve, fastened to a belt which the gunner would put round his waist; when I tried it, it was of sufficient length to allow me to fall out—but to climb back again, at least while the aircraft was on the ground. The F.E.2Bs were remarkably stable; and without any adjust ment to the rudder it was possible to leave the pilot's seat and climb up beside the engine to see how it was behaving—rather to the distress of any inexperienced gunner who happened to be in the front cockpic. In that year I was transferred to the department run by Brigadier-General Mclnnes, and then to Brigadier Conway Jenkins; in 1917 I took over the Directorate of Aero Engine Production from him; and for nearly a year worked alongside the late Cart. G. Geoffrey Smith, M.B.E. We were jointly responsible for a small order given to Mr. Wormald of Rolls-Royce, which permitted the trial, in the Martinsyde "Elephant," of the Rolls- Royce Eagle (I think) of that day. I cannot remember whether sufficient of these hybrid aircraft were made to enable a supply to be delivered to France. Wormald said they would climb vertically, hanging on the prop ! The initial order was for 75 engines. G. W. WILLIAMSON. Belfast. [The writer of this interesting letter, Mr. G. W. Williamson, O.B.E., M.C., M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E., M.I.E.E., F.R.Ae.S., is now technical adviser to Short Brothers and Harland, Ltd.—Ed.] Aircrew Training IT was most interesting to read Mr. Chapman's article on Air crew Training (Flight, February 13th). On the face of it the scheme appears practicable, and would create opportunities for many air-minded young men. There are surely many such indi viduals who would welcome a career in aviation, but who at the same time are loath to join the Service in order to accomplish this desire. It could be argued that, if they were keen enough, these types would gladly accept any chance to get airborne, but it must be admitted that Service life and training are not acceptable to everyone, and in consequence prospective aircrew material is lost. However, there are two points which the writer omitted. Firstly, he did not appear to consider the compulsory period of National Service which would have to be completed by his prospective pupils between the ages of 18-20. It seems highly doubtful that the Air Ministry would grant exemptions to these pupils, when, on completing their aircrew training, they might decide to enter civil aviation. Perhaps, on second thoughts, it would be better if the aircrew training was commenced after National Service was completed, for, although the finished product would be propor tionately delayed, the entrant would have had a good insight into Service life, and would also be more sure of his feelings for flying, and less likely to change his mind in mid-course than a younger person. Secondly, if at the end of the training period, a choice between entering civil aviation or the Service was allowed, it seems that civil flying would be the more popular—which the Air Ministry would not take to particularly well! However, such schemes should be encouraged, so that more of our young men will have the opportunity of getting into the air other than through the Services. Chesterfield. T. R. NEEDHAM. Prickly Harvest T HE description of the G.E.C. magnetic sweeper in your issue of February 27th recalls what was possibly the first use of such a device. In 1943, when White Waltham was the H.Q. of A.T.A., the airfield was re-sown with grass and a top layer of soil was added which would act as manure. By some mischance, never explained, the soil had been mixed with, or consisted entirely of, rubble carted from blitzed sites, and the entire field was covered with a fine sprinkling of broken glass, nails, screws and odd fragments of metal. For some days, from dawn to dusk, all the A.T.A. personnel, from commanding officer and ferry pilots to canteen waitresses, advanced slowly on hands and knees in a thin line across the field, reaping the barren harvest of glass and metal. In the end a machine of the type you now describe was, I think, invented and successfully completed the clearance. E. C. CHEESMAN, Ruislip, Middlesex. Editor, B.E.A. Magazine. T.V. Inaccuracies I N the television series Victory at Sea on February 16th (the particular episode was named "The Killed and the Killers" and dealt with anti-submarine warfare in the Atlantic), one of the shots illustrated a Martin Marlin of the U.S. Navy alighting on what was obviously an American harbour. The Observers' Book of Aircraft states that the XP5M-I, the pro totype Marlin, did not make its first flight until May 13th, 1948, and that the first production model did not fly until June 20th, 1951- I may, of course, have been wrong in identifying this aircraft, but the cranked wings and large snout-like nose made it fairly easy to distinguish. Could any reader who also saw this episode put me right, one way or the other? Leeds 8. M.G. IN BRIEF A reader informs us that she has copies of Flight, from January, 1934, to December, 1938, inclusive, for disposal in good condition. Letters will be forwarded. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. 20. 21. 21. 25. Mar.24-2 Mar. 27. •Mar.27-3 Mar. Mar. Apr. 31. 31. 11. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Institute of Navigation: "Dead Reckoning in Space," by Dr. Samuel Herrick. Air Britain: Annual General Meeting. British Interplanetary Society (Manchester): "Establishment of a Lunar Base," by R. A. Smith. R.Ae.S. Graduates' and Students' Section: "Convertible Air craft," by J. Shapiro, Dipl. Ing., A.F.R.Ae.S. Instituce of Metals: Annual General Meeting and (Mar. 25) All-day Symposium on "Control of Quality in the Production of Wrought Non-ferrous Metals." R.Ae.S.: Full-day Discussion on "Fatigue." ASLIB Aeronautical Information Group: 1953 Conference, Cranfteld. R.Ae.S. Section Lecture: "Experimental Work on Boundary- layer Flow," by W. E. Gray. R.Ae.C.: Film Show. British Interplanetary Society (Manchester): Conversazione and Film Show. Apr. Apr. Apr. Apr. April 15. 18 22. 23. 28. May14-17. May May May May June June 16. 21. 25. 29. 6. 11. Aircraft Recognition Society: Annual General Meeting. British Interplanetary Society: Film Show. R.Ae.S. Graduates' and Students' Section; "Accident Investiga tion," by H. Caplan, D.C.Ae., Grad.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S.: "Civil Jet Operations," by Capt. A. J. Majendie, M.A., A.F.R.Ae.S. (as Glasgow). Air League of the British Empire: Aviation Jubilee Ball, London. American Helicopter Society: Forum, Washington. Wolverhampton Aero Club: Goodyear Trophy Race and Display. R.Ae.S.: All-day Meeting on Aeronautical Acoustics (jointly with the Acoustics Group of the Physical Society). S.S.A.F.A.: Display, Yeadon. R.Aux.A.F.: Officers' Coronation Ball, London. Leicestershire Aero Club: Coronation Air Display. R.Ae.S.: Ninth British Commonwealth and Empire Lecture: "Problems in Development of Air Transport in West Africa," by Sir Hubert Walker, C.B.E.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
