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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0607.PDF
Looking back through the diffuser into the Avon jet-pipe, four bi-metallic thermocouples for jet-pipe temperature measurement can be seen. The position of the diffuser itself is longitudinally adjustable, to accom modate varying jet-pipe lengths. thermometers and transmitting-type pressure gauges, a Vokes filter, a hydrometer, and an electrically operated magnetic stop- valve are also provided, while heat-resisting glass windows permit observation. Other items include a fuel reclamation tank and contents gauge, and a Rellumit filter, fitted in the fuel feed line at the engine cradle. The control panel, of neat, pleasing appearance, is made of folded and welded steel plate. It is fitted with fuel and throttle levers, and a large array of instruments. Where the piping or cabling of these fittings passes through the wall into the engine room it is packed with sound-insulating material in a wall-box. A steel-plate manifold is fitted on the engine cradle to form a neat and convenient station from which the permanent piping etc., can be coupled up to the particular engine to be tested. From the control room all operations and tests are directed, a large double- glass window permitting observation of the engine. A comprehensive system of fans and ducting ensures the con stant removal of all fumes from engine and control rooms, pump house, and battery room. Speck 1 extracting fans with flameproof motors enable air to be continuously sucked through the fuel cubicles, this air being warmed to 70 deg F by heaters. Suspended heat-diffusers and high-level heating coils provide adequate working temperatures in the rigging shops, control room and else where. The neat design of the test-bed controls is well shown in this view. Tubes on the extreme left indicate jet-pipe static head, jet-pipe total head and oil sump pressure; on the right-hand side of the central desk are fuel and throttle levers, and on the right-hand wall are the large, circular thrust indicator and the selective temperature indicator. 15 May 1953 601 The fire-fighting equipment consists of a piping system arranged to distribute CO2 to stragetic points in the engine room, fuel cubicles, battery rooms, and fuel pump house. The system is provided with pull handles and automatic change-over switches (interlocked with the CO; pipework) to shut off the fuel supply, switch off the fan motor of the ventilating plant, and sound an alarm. To provide means of testing the engine auxiliary take-off drive, two small Froude dynamometers are fitted to each engine cradle, one on each side, with Rotol special drive-shafts. A small Heenan water-cooler continuously cools and recirculates the heated water leaving the dynamometers. A two-ton travelling pulley-block, with runway, was supplied for the engine room, together with a runway for a hoist in the diffuser exhaust chamber (forming part of the sound-proofing). The soundproofing was installed by Cementation (Muffelite) Ltd., using an exhaust-gas diffuser developed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company and manufactured (with the exception of the flared inlet) by Heenan and Froude. On leaving the jet-pipe, the exhaust gases are led into die inlet of die large steel venturi or diffuser, where a considerable volume of cool air is entrained, reducing die gas temperature. At the end of the diffuser a large "basket" spreader is fitted, to break up and spread out the gas stream, which dien passes through sound- absorbing dog-leg "splitters" in the final outlet passage to the atmosphere. Similar splitters are used at die air inlet to each engine room. A similar installation was described in Flight of December 12th last. Owing to die large volume of air consumed, the areas of die air passages and of die soundproofing materials are extensive. Specially constructed doors are used for communication between quiet and noisy areas; the roof and walls of the exhaust chamber are lined with felted mineral wool, held in position by corrugated aluminium sheeting, and acoustic tiles are incorporated in the control room. In die case of die Heenan plants for Rolls-Royce and Napiers, a different form of soundproofing is specified, supplied in this case by Horace W. Cullum and Co., Ltd. Instead of passing through a diffuser and thence tiirough vertical splitters, die exhaust gases flow directiy into a Cullum Detuner in which they are gradually expanded; diis Deruner is constructed of sound proofing materials, and is of circular cross-section with internal annuli. This system was described in Flight of September 5th last. The layout of these test plants diemselves is also different, as the engines are tested at ground-floor level, and die control room is in line witii (and slighdy above) the engine instead of on one side. The general construction is, however, substantially die same as tiiat of die test-beds at Coventry. IWO JIMA ON T.V. SOME excellent combat camera-gun shots introduced Target Suribachi, Episode 23 of the B.B.C. Television Film, Victory at Sea. These were taken during fighter sweeps against die Tokyo airfields Katori and Mobara, and against aircraft factories, trains and shipping, and were remarkable for dieir clarity. It was difficult to appreciate that tiiey were taken under die stress of battle. Shots of B-29 raids on Tokyo included cuts from Japanese news- reels showing civilians scurrying into air-raid shelters and views of some of die big fires started by incendiaries. The film also covered the attack on Iwo Jima. This minute island, about 800 miles south of Tokyo, was required as an advanced fighter base, so tiiat the B-29S based in the Marianas cou.'d mount really effective raids against die Japanese mainland. Some of the most exciting sequences yet seen in the series were those of a Typhoon enveloping the invasion fleet on its way to the island. Very heavy spray could be seen sweeping over Corsairs which, parked on wildly pitching carriers, seemed to be suffering considerable damage. In spite of a tremendous naval bombardment—most vividly poitrayed—and air attacks for 72 consecutive days, the deeply dug-in Japanese were little affected and fierce fanatical opposition greeted the advancing Marines. In fact, nowhere else in the Pacific did the softening-up arrangements get such a black eye as on Iwo. But the 5,563 who died before the island was won did not die in vain, for before die war ended no fewer than 2,251 B-29S and over 24,000 aircrew were to be saved by emergency landings on the little island. The Road to Mandalay, Episode 24, stressed the difficulties of supplying China when the Japanese cut the Burma Road and covered the opening of the alternative route from Ledo to Lashio. Apart from a mention that 47,000 tons of munitions a month were flown on the famous airlift over the famous "hump," there was little air interest in this episode.
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