FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0777.PDF
SCALED-DOWN FOR PARIS: At first glance suggesting that English Electric have produced a small fighter, this splendid Canberra model of 32ft Tin span has been built for the Paris Show; its ply-covered wooden structure approximates to full-scale practice. For the A. V. Roe stand is the superbly finished Vulcan. Both are by Westway Models, of East Acton, London, one of whose directors, Mr. Ian Walker (ex-100 Sqn. air gunner) is seen on right. ourselves saw a Naval Air team well and truly beaten by Devonport in the Field Gun Display (always a sure-fire hit) and in the display by the combined Women's Services the W.R.A.F. and their Central Band more than kept their end up. Centre-piece of the R.A.F.'s static exhibit is a Meteor N.F.u, hedged in by turbojets of various dates and degrees of finish. The Meteor bears its myriad stencilled inscriptions, including tankage figures, publication of which would be most reprehensible. Peter Lawrence TT is with deep regret that we have to record the death of A Peter Lawrence, M.B.E., Gloster test pilot, in an accident while flying one of the three prototype Javelins on June nth. The crash occurred on a playing-field near Bristol and, in the words of a statement issued by the Gloster Aircraft Co., Ltd., Lawrence died "in heroic circumstances." Pending the disclosure of further information at the inquest, or sub sequently, these cir cumstances are related in the statement, which said that the pilot "had been flying for half an hour when he radioed to his home base, Moreton Valence, that he was in trouble. At this point he was over 20;oooft. If he had baled out then he would have been safe, but he elected to crash-land with minimum damage to the aircraft and homes and people on the ground. He came down in a glide, seeking to avoid built-up areas with houses, and just before landing found himself over playing-fields where teams of boys were playing cricket. He stayed with the aircraft all the way down to 250ft, put it into a straight slow run in, and baled out, using his ejector seat. How ever, he had waited too long, and he was killed on impact with the ground. The aircraft swept over the heads of the boys and landed in a field, flat. The wings and tail were undamaged "on landing." Later reports said that voice and photographic recordings had been recovered from the wreckage and should provide valuable additional evidence. Peter Godfrey Lawrence was 32 years of age. He entered the aircraft industry as a Handley Page apprentice in 1937, and in 1939 joined the Fleet Air Arm, serving in Swordfish squadrons from 1940 to 1942 and in the Naval Service Trials Unit, on test- flying duties, until the end of the war. He joined Blackburn Aircraft as an experimental test pilot in 1945 and, after taking the E.T.P.S. course, was appointed chief test pilot. His M.B.E. was in recognition of his deck-landing trials of the Firebrand 4. In June of last year he left Brough in order to become an English Electric test pilot, and at the beginning of this year he transferred to Glosters. His love of flying was not confined to duty hours : he was a great air-racing enthusiast, and from 1948 onwards flew such varied aircraft as Firebrands, an old Blackburn B.2, and a Proctor in "Flight" photograph P. G. Lawrence, M.B.E. the major events; he won the Kemsley Trophy last summer. Peter Lawrence's flying experience amounted to more than 3,000 hours on over 80 different types of aircraft. We shall remember him as an unassuming type, always good company at party occasions, and with a zest for life which, though never approaching foolhardiness, sometimes led him to make most spectacular flying demonstrations—as when, at the S.B.A.C. Display at Radlett, in 1946, he thoughtfully watched some startling aerobatics by jet pilots, then took off in a Firebrand, complete with torpedo, and proceeded to roll it at low altitude. Deep sympathy must go to his widow and his friends; and his passing will be a grievous loss not only to Glosters but to British aviation as a whole. Test pilots of such calibre can ill be spared. Provost Progress A NUMBER of Percival Provost 1 trainers have now been delivered to Flying Training Command of the Royal Air Force, and in the first place they are being subjected—mainly at Little Rissington—to intensive flying trials prior to delivery to F.T.Ss. At least one of the Provosts has already achieved what is probably the highest utilization recorded by any aircraft. In eleven flying days from May 29th it completed 200 hours—an average of 20 hours a day—and at the time of writing the trials are continuing. A Provost kept by the manufacturers for T.I. work is now being fitted with dive brakes for testing in anticipation of such a require ment on the jet Provost The jet Provost prototype itself, which heads a small initial order, will probably fly for the first time next December or January, an A. S. Viper providing the power. Air Ceylon and the Comets THREE reasons are given for Air Ceylon's decision to suspend— from the end of September—their international services, including the weekly DC-4 flight between Colombo and London. In the first place, the services have involved the operators in heavy losses, estimated at £77,000 for the current financial year alone; there are signs that potential traffic will also be inadequate; and the Skymasters cannot effectively compete against faster aircraft used by other companies—notably B.O.A.C.'s Comets. Air Ceylon's two DC-4S are operated by Australian National Airways. This Week-end LAST week we published a detailed guide to the National Air •> Races which, organized by Southend-on-Sea Corporation and the Royal Aero Club, are due to take place at Southend Airport tomorrow, June 20th. Essential details are repeated here. Visiting aircraft must land before noon. There is a total of 36 entries for three events, the Norton- Griffiths Trophy, Grosvenor Cup and Kemsley Trophy, and the first four competitors (of British nationality) successful in each of these contests will be eligible to compete in the fourth race of the day, for the King's Cup. Gates will open at 10.30 a.m., racing will begin at 2.30 p.m.; at 4 p.m. there will be a flying display with Service support, and at 4.50 the King's Cup Race, will be flown; at 5.40 there will be a final display event, and then the prizes. Admission prices are : cars (any capacity) with occupants, 15s; motorcycle-class vehicles, with occupants, 7s 6d; pedestrians, 2s 6d—children under 12, is. For those who still have time to book in advance, there are considerable reductions. Also being held this Saturday is one of the series of Fleet Air Arm "at homes," this time at Culdrose, near Helston, in Cornwall. A very full flying and "static" programme has been organized, beginning at 2 p.m.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
