FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0412.PDF
4io FLIGHT AIR TRANSPORT IN RESERVE . . . available on hire-purchase terms modern aircraft which in two or three years' time would be available from the manufacturers, plus reasonable long-term contracts so that they could guarantee security of employment for their employees as well as the ability to plan ahead. MR. WILFRIED FIENBUKGH (Lab., Islington North) said the argument as to whether B.O.A.C. or independent airline aircraft should be used was irrelevant to the strategic movement of troops and stores and equipment. The need, he thought, was for a type of aircraft in sufficient numbers for which loading tables and details had been determined. Otherwise he saw difficulties in the sudden use of various different types of civilian aircraft in an emergency. MR. CHARLES IAN ORR-EWING (Con., Hendon North) said that Transport Command must remain the nucleus of the air transport aspect. Secondly he contended that it would not be efficient to tie down large numbers of reserve aircraft in the Corporations against the possibility of their being required for military transport operations. That task would be much better undertaken by the more flexible and much smaller charter firms who operated a few aircraft. Of helicopters, he suggested that B.E.A. designs might be developed for military use. It would be desirable, indeed, if a type could be found to emulate the performance of the DC-3, which could take 30 armed men at approximately 150 m.p.h. Replying, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, MR. NIGEL BIRCH, said it was in the country's strategic interest to stimulate as much as was possible civil air transport of all kinds, including commercial air transport and, as well, to build up Transport Command as far as possible. It was to our strategic advantage to use air trooping wherever and whenever that was Weapons of Air Defence CONGRATULATIONS on your intensely interesting article (February 20th) on the above-mentioned matter, by Mr. K. W. Gatland. Regarding his mention of guided missiles being launched as far as possible from potential targets, he referred to the English Channel. If he meant launching from ships, I personally feel that this would be highly dangerous, as well as expensive. For one thing, such ships and their crews, if any, would be subject to constant air, surface and submarine attack, and the British fleet might have to take abnormal risks in defending them. If sufficient ships were defending the "launchers," an enemy might be tempted to sail an atom-carrying vessel into the defending fleet, and detonate a bomb by radio. Might I suggest a cheaper "launching platform" in the shape of simple, cabinless radio-controlled helicopters "stationed" at regular intervals along—and away from—the coast? When due for refuelling, they could be brought back quite simply to base after being relieved by another machine. Similarly, a reserve aircraft would be sent out if re-arming was necessary. As they would be pilotless, great saving in life would result, and surface sea battles avoided in the Channel. Defence would be by self-firing rockets, a la Starfire, should an enemy fighter venture near (A-bombers obviously would not!) or "conventional" piloted aircraft—Javelins, Hunters, etc.—on normal patrol. An electronic device on the latter should render them immune from the helicopters' defence arrangements. The latter should also carry sufficient guided missiles for bomber interception in the event of "decoy" aircraft being used. Being at a certain altitude, the helicopters should alleviate fuel problem of the missiles. Alternatively, the "launcher" could be sea-floated, with engines stopped and indefinite duration. I suggest rotor-tip ramjets (for economy and fire prevention) as a means of power. Re-starting the ramjets should present no great difficulty —an electric motor would suffice. In case of difficulty, small surface-craft would be used. The helicopters' positions would be observed on a radar screen, and if one were destroyed by some chance, or by some neutralizing electronic device perfected by an enemy (and the possibility must always be allowed for—defence must be 100 per cent effective) a conventional jet fighter could be monitored to the area if one were not immediately available, and a reserve "launcher" sent in to plug the gap. Again, alternatively, they could be located in groups of two or more to guard against this contingency. Norwich. VIKING. practicable and reasonably economic. By these methods mobility of strategic deployment could be achieved, and flexibility of move ment increased. He expressed the Government's view that the present size of Transport Command was the right size in relation to the size of the other Commands. But the roles of Transport Command, he continued, would be primarily of an operational or emergency nature, and civil aviation would carry out the main task in trooping. Plans had already been worked out in detail for the employment of all civil aircraft should war come. Arrangements had been made so that the personnel of the aircraft could be militarized if and when necessary. He reminded the House that conditions which varied very markedly in different theatres determined whether air trooping was economic or not. Further, it was possible to exaggerate the number of aircraft that would be required for, say, unit trooping. It was estimated that a dozen Britannias, plus operating reserves, could cover all the personnel movement to the Canal Zone and Far East on the present scale. Mr. Birch then spoke of the Government's anxiety that the civil aircraft industry should expand, and referred to two examinations going on in the Service at present. There was a short-term examination to ascertain whether air trooping to the Far East could be extended by the use of aircraft such as Stratocruisers and Constellations, and a long-term inquiry covering questions such as the length of contracts. He said that a great merchant navy of the air must be based on commercial operations. Help was needed from the defence aspect, but that was not likely to be much more than marginal, for the Government could not supply a sufficient volume of traffic. It was important, however, that planning should go hand in hand, and^the^Government were doing their best to^see that it did so. H.P. History WITH reference to J. M. Brace's excellent article on the Handley Page 0/100 and 0/400 (February 27th), may I offer the following information additionally to the details given in your data on serials and individual machines ? One of the aircraft in the picture of H.P.'s transport fleet at Cricklewood, G-EAAE, was converted from the Service aircraft D8350. Other civil registrations allotted to converted aircraft were: G-EAKE, KF, KG; G-EALX, LY, LZ; G-EAMA, MB, MC, MD; G-EANV; G-EAPA, PB; G-EASX, SY; G-EATG, TH, TJ, TK, TL, TM, TN. These were all modified to the 0/7, 0/10 or 0/11 standard. Dudley, Staffs. J. W. GUBBINGS. Eagle-eyed Readership Dept. ON page 324 in Flight of March 13th a picture caption describes a scene in the Hatfield assembly shop of de Havillands. The nearest or central line of aircraft is composed of two Trainers, five other Vampires (marks unknown, but not Trainers) and two more Trainers. On the photograph, the starboard wing of the first complete aircraft in the next fine exhibits a "fence," I think, so surely this is one of a line of Venoms ? Stanmore, Middlesex. R. G. GREGORY. [Our correspondent is right about the trainers; but we did say in our caption that the line on the left consisted of Venoms. Incidentally, the photograph was not taken at Hatfield, but in one of the other D.H. factories, "somewhere in England."—ED.] IN BRIEF Mr. N. Lyons, of 40, Vernon Court, Hendon Way, London, N.W.2, informs us that he has a number of copies of Flight, dating from August last up to the present time, which he is willing to dispose of free of charge. * * * Dr. A. P. Thurston believes that he was the first man to have experienced "blacking-out" due to g-effects in the air. The occasion was a test of Sir Hiram Maxim's "captive flying- machine," and Dr. Thurston, who had assisted in its design, says that he began to black-out on reaching 6.4g. He wonders if there are readers who recall the tests of this famous amusement- ground device (subsequently installed, we believe, at Earls Cour and/or the Crystal Palace) and can remember the date, or other details, of the experience mentioned. 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.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
