FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0391.PDF
AIRCRAFT ENGINEER First Aeronautical Weekly in the World Founded 1909 No. 2305 Vol. LXIII. FRIDAY, 27 MARCH 1953 EDITOR MAURICE A. SMITH, D.F.C. ASSISTANT EDITOR H. F. KING, M.B.E. ART EDITOR JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.1. Telegrams, Flightpres, Sed/st, London. Telephone, Waterloo 3333 (60 lines). Branch Offices: COVENTRY 8-10, Corporation Street. Telegrams, Autocar, Coventry. Telephone, Coventry 5210. BIRMINGHAM, 2 King Edward House, New Street. Telegrams, Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone, Midland 7191 (7 lines). MANCHESTER, 3 260 Deansgate. Telegrams, lliffe, Manchester. Telephone, Blackfriars 4412 (3 lines) Deansgate 3595 (2 lines). GLASGOW, C.2. 26b Renfield Street. Telegrams, lliffe, Glasgow. Telephone, Central 1265 (2 lines). SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home and Overseas: Twelve months £3 3s. Od. U.S.A. and Canada, $10.00. BY AIR: To Canada and U.S.A., six months, $16. IN THIS ISSUE : Jungle King ... - Dassault Fighters - - High Speed Considerations - - - Control of Python Power Helicopter Noise - - A-roving by Hastings - 7 he Need for Technologists - - - American Evaluation ilaval Aviation Outlook 390 395 396 398 400 402 406 407 409 Jungle Lessons 1AST week saw Bomber Command engaged on its most important exercise since the war. It was code-named "Jungle King," said the A.O.C.-in-C, Air Chief J Marshal Sir Hugh P. Lloyd, because the lion was king of the jungle and today we lived in pretty much of a jungle. At some other time, Flight would like to take up the aptness of this simile with Sir Hugh, because we have yet to hear of any but mythical lions which have grown wings, and we also believe that, because elephants have been known to triumph over lions through sheer strength and weight, the two have come to an understanding not to "mix it." However, here our purpose is to record first impressions of an R.A.F. exercise which from every point of view seems to be the most valuable of its kind to date. As is always the case, a full assessment of results will entail many weeks of analysis, but it is not too soon to appreciate that "Jungle King" has been the most realistic of exercises. The widespread bomber raids over Europe, and the employment of new methods and tactics, sets it apart from previous air manoeuvres, just as the increasing employment of Canberra bombers is making the retention of dated operational practices impossible. As to the attention to detail, Flight's representatives who visited squadrons and flew with Canberra and Washington crews were gready impressed with the "opera tional" atmosphere and the seriousness with which every man tackled his work. The exercise was clearly a realistic dress-rehearsal for all ranks. From all the indications we received, defence exercise "Ardent," staged for Fighter Command last October, brought out two points clearly: the first that the Command was shaping well, and had been greatly strengthened; and, secondly, that it was a long way from being effective against Canberras and jer bombers of similar or even better performance. Interception of fast, low-level intruders also continued to pose real problems. By day there are now some Allied fighters which can make a pass at Canberras operating without height and speed restriction. By night these 40,oooft-plus bombers are still likely to flash on unmolested. Moreover, specially selected crews are understood to have been trained to carry out simulated atomic attacks by individual aircraft. This is something new, which lays stresses on the need for delivery of more Canberras and for the later "V-bombers" without a day's unnecessary delay. It also suggests that the time has come to discard the Washingtons and faithful Lincolns of Bomber Command which, frankly, can serve little useful purpose in the European theatre. New radar and weapons are seldom discussed in detail, but it is clear that their development, production and deliveries are not exactly ahead of requirements. All the same, it is gratifying to read that, having flown round the bomber stations in his Meteor, Sir Hugh Lloyd was able to report that radar target photographs were accurate. Reconnaissance aircraft had also obtained excellent photographic coverage. At the con clusion of the Exercise last Sunday, the A.O.C.-in-C. reported increasing bombing accuracy despite the intensityjof operations. It seems that today small practice-ranges can safely be used by aircraft flying at 40,000ft at 450 kt, but he also added that the force would never achieve pin-point accuracy with the free-falling bomb. The development of the guided bomb would be the biggest contribution which a scientist could make towards preventing war. On more than one occasion diversions were necessary when aircraft were returning to base areas in the British Isles. With comparatively small numbers of machines engaged, homing and control of returning forces—and particularly G.C.A. landings for the Canberras—were carried out successfully. As more of Bomber Command's machines become jet-powered, and bearing in mind the local dislocations to be expected in war-time, the task of landing large forces back at their bases at night and in bad weather may become one of the most difficult to achieve. Such machines cannot "hold," nor do they take kindly to diversions. Technically much has been learned from "Jungle King." Jet aircraft have proved easier to maintain, and there have been virtually no Avon engine failures in the Canberras. If all branches of the organization can keep a pace ahead of requirements and are, in fact, already able to stand the strain of intensive operations, then the foundations have been well laid.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
