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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0901.PDF
io July 1953 LE BOURGET 1953 . . . 57 Secretariat d'Etat a l'Air. The forward portion of the fuselage, containing the cockpit, is jettisonable in flight. The main pro pulsive unit is an S.E.R.P. rocket in the rear of the fuselage, but to date only the tip-mounted Turbomeca Marbore turbojets have been utilized. Irreversible hydraulic controls are fitted and, as diligent readers will already know, the tailplane has negative dihedral. Various features such as the controls and rocket unit have been tried out on prototypes of the Espadon family, and the "sandwich"-type construction employed has been the subject of considerable study by the enterprising S.O. organization. S.O.4050 Vautour.—Few flights—about 20 it is understood— were made by this twin-Atar fighter/bomber before it exceeded Mach 1 in a dive. Extensive use is made in its structure (as in that of the S.O.9000 Trident) of metal-to-metal and metal-to- wood bonding. "Sandwich" and "honeycomb" forms of construc tion have also been developed. The Vautour weighs about 33,000 lb and, equipped as a light bomber, has a range of about 1,240 miles. With auxiliary tanks it is said to be capable of flying the Atlantic and its bomb bay is capacious enough to take an atomic weapon. The French Government have lately placed an order with S.O. for a pre-production batch of Vautours among which there will be several versions, variously powered. One machine will have Armstrong Siddeley Sapphires. S.O.1310 Farfadet.—This "convertible" made its first flight on May 8th and since that time, pending delivery of its Turbomeca Artouste II turboprop, has flown on a number of occasions as a helicopter, on the power of a Turbomeca Arrius II, which supplies compressed air to the burners at the rotor tips. The first flight as a true "convertible," with both engines operative, was on July 1st, and this occasion is believed to have been the first on which an aircraft has flown with both "helicopter" and "aero plane" propulsion. A large transport helicopter with 25-30 seats is to be built in the light of experience with the Fardafet. S.E.3120 Alouette.—It was announced during the Salon that this three-seat multi-purpose helicopter, piloted by Jean Boulet, had beaten the world's closed-circuit distance record for heli copters of all categories (formerly held by a Sikorsky R-5A with a distance of 1,000 km) by covering 1,252 km over the Buc- Etampes-Rambouillet-Buc circuit. The first congratulations received by the company came from the Sikorsky concern, with whom a close technical liaison is maintained. S.E., of course, hold a licence for the S-55. M.D.316.—This trim-looking light transport is a development Potez 75 ground-attack aircraft- guided missile platform. of the 315 but has a single fin and rudder and is powered with two SNECMA 14X engines of 820 h.p. It first flew on July 19th last year. Due to the increased airscrew diameter the under carriage is taller than that of the M.D.315. Accommodation can be provided for 15-18 passengers. S.O.30P (flush-intake Turbomecas).—Compared with the usual type of auxiliary jet with frontal intake the flush-intake S.O./Turbomeca installation, seen on this aircraft, is claimed to reduce the drag of the jet pod by 25 per cent. Moreover, the air does not enter the pod while the aircraft is flying with the jet units cut out; thus, there is no free-wheeling and wear and tear are commensurately reduced. Drag is not increased by air entering the pod, and the possibility of foreign bodies, such as stones, entering the jet at take-off is lessened. Relighting in flight, even in heavy rain, is greatly facilitated, and icing hazards are said to have been practically eliminated. N.C.856A.—During the course of the Salon twin flat-topped floats were exhibited with this A.O.P. Max Holste 1521 Broussard.—The following data apply to this light "bush" transport, the prototype of which was demonstrated: span, 44ft; empty weight, 2,1961b; gross weight, 3,202 lb; top speed, 174 m.p.h.; cruising speed on half power, 146 m.p.h.; take-off run, 410ft; range, 750 miles. "Going astern"—jet deviation demonstrated by a French Vampire. A second—standard—Vampire landed simultanously for comparison. •* t
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