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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0904.PDF
FLIGHT, 10 July 1953 An Aveling-Austin motorized grader in action. (Right) The remarkable all-electric-controlled Le Tourneau scraper. It has a supercharged two-stroke Diesel engine. THE WHEELS UNDER THE WINGS . . . trademark on its nose may not be new to them. The example at Odiham has been driven down from R.A.F. Church Lawford, which is the U.K. depot of the Airfield Construction branch. Whether grading or handling light bulldozing and angle-dozing, one driver /operator is required. Power is provided by a six- cylinder Leyland diesel giving 100 h.p. at 1,800 r.p.m. The control of the blade is entirely hydraulic, and in view of the precise movements in every direction, including horizontal and vertical angle, traverse, and pitch, it occurred to us that the designer of the equipment might be very valuable in the helicopter business. We hope that the driver will be available on the 15th to demonstrate his vehicle to visitors. Its road speed is 13 m.p.h. normal and 19 maximum, and working speed depends upon the job in hand. This Aveling-Barford product also carries a scarifier. It is 24ft 3m long and weighs 11 tons. Having four-wheel steering, its radius of turn is as small as 30ft ioin. Le Tourneau Motorized Scraper: The Americans are experts in heavy vehicles for clearing rough country and building roads and airfields, and it is from R. G. Le Tourneau Inc. of Illinois that this enormous vehicle has been sent to the R.A.F. Its purpose is for cutting landing-strips in conjunction with other vehicles by removing top soil to formation level, and it is able to transport away a load of 14 tons of earth and to dump it as required for filling or other disposal. Having examined the 186 h.p. supercharged six-cylinder two- stroke diesel, which is a General Motors product, visitors may next interest themselves by studying the drive through generator to gearbox to enormous front driving wheels. Then they may try to discover what constitutes the basic chassis of the vehicle, for the entire engine is cantilevered forward while the trailing back wheels appear only to support the "bowl" or soil-container. It is surprising to learn that the maximum speed of this enormous contraption is 32 m.p.h. in its fifth, overdrive, gear. In very heavy soil and when working at full capacity, provision is made for it to receive an extra shove at die back from another vehicle. Its maximum weight with full bowl (14 cu yd) is approximately 30 tons. Sergeant Strickland, who has taken a special course on these vehicles, drove to Odiham in the "Turnapull" (as it is named on its nose) in a convoy of other vehicles, and found that it was easily controlled and most flexible, bearing in mind its size. The entire machine is controlled electrically, and it has no steering- wheel. Directional control by differential steering of the main driving wheels is obtained smoothly and rapidly by no more than a touch on a small switch. The switch is mounted to move transversely, and in the correct sense on the instrument panel, the sprung mid-position being neutral. Electric switches also control the attitude of the bowl, the position of the apron or front gate of the bowl, and the movement of the tail gate, which is, in fact, a ram to push the soil forward out of the bowl as required (with apron up). The vehicle is 33ft 3in long, 10ft 7m wide, and the heavy-duty Firestone tyres are 21 x 25m section. The engine starts as easily as would that of a well-kept car, and is remarkably responsive for its size. Crawler Tractor: Before turning from heavy construction equipment a brief reference may be made to the huge D.8 Cater pillar tractor, a product of the Caterpillar Company of America, which is carried on a 40-ton plant transporter, and of the towing unit which is a Scammell product. The D.8 tractor carries a large blade for heavy bulldozing, and also has towing attachments for scrapers or tree rooting. It weighs 17 tons and the blade is under hydraulic control. The maximum speed is 4.9 m.p.h., and the drawbar pull is 26,208 lb. Landmark Beacon: In quite a different class from the fore going is the mobile landmark beacon which is trailer-borne (J.B. and Co., Ltd.) and is the modern version of what in wartime was known as a Pundit. Its purpose is to give a flashing two- letter identification from its red neon tubes. The power is provided by a Coventry Climax generator set, although attach ments are provided should an external power supply be required in emergency. Once started, it needs no attendant for a night's operation, but continues to push out—in the case of the vehicle at Odiham—"O M" as dictated by the cam plates controlling the electric contacts, driven themselves by a small electric motor. The eight neon tubes are each separate, but provision is made for using only two or four at a time should this be desirable. Aerial Lighthouse: Another piece of equipment for night- flying and also trailer-mounted is the aerial lighthouse produced by Chance Bros, of Smethwick. This also employs a standard Coventry Climax generator set, and is one of the more familiar towed vehicles to be seen at airfields. Heavy-load Carrier: Although this title is descriptive, it would not necessarily bring to mind a fine, sturdy-looking Leyland 10-ton lorry. The particular model to be displayed has four driving wheels and power is provided by a Leyland Hippo diesel of 9.8 litres capacity and giving 125 b.h.p. at 1,800 r.p.m. A point of interest is the provision of four separate trailer brake connectors at the back: one for pressure air brakes; another for vacuum; a third for an opposed combination of the two (a system found on 20-ton trailers) and the fourth for 24V electric systems. Used in conjunction with this vehicle might be the Hands 10-ton multi-wheel trailer which has four double wheels. Hangar Cleaner: A smart little blue vehicle which will catch the eye in passing is the brush-type sweeper collector designed for hangars and tarmac and known as the Lewin (Victoria Works, West Bromwich) Universal Model. Mark V Fire and Crash Tender: One of the smartest vehicles to be displayed is also the newest in its class in service. It is the Thornycroft Mk V crash and fire tender. It consists of a Thorny- croft "Nubian" four-wheeled-drive cross-country chassis fitted with a Rolls-Royce Mark I ID eight-cylinder petrol engine and crash tender body widi fire extinguishing equipment by the Sun Engineering (Richmond) Ltd. The power unit develops 160 b.h.p. at 3,750 r.p.m., and power is transmitted through a main four-speed gearbox and thence to a two-speed transfer box fitted amidships which distributes the drive to the front and rear axles, the hubs of which incorporate epicyclic gearing. Minimum ground clearance of 13 inches is provided. A "Sun" 2,300 g.p.m. foam pump and a second 200 g.p.m. pump for water are driven by means of a power take-off from the chassis transfer box and main gearbox respectively. The capacity of the water tank is 400 gallons and that of the foam compound tank 70 gallons. The total foam output without replenishments is 5,880 gallons, or by using two 500 gallon water tenders the total foam output can be increased to 20,500 gallons. The sergeant in charge had happily not had occasion to use the vehicle, either for an aircraft crash or for a fire among station buildings, but he said that for covering ground the control and springing were the best he had tried of any kind. On roads and runways, in spite of its size, it can achieve 65 m.p.h., and even over a rough airfield 35 m.p.h. is quite possible. We understand that nearly 100 of these fine vehicles are now in service at the larger operational stations. A crew of six is carried, including (he driver, who is also the pump-operator (most controls being handy from the driver's seat). A full complement of rescue equipment is carried, including CO2 cylinders and asbestos and leather suiting. The loaded weight is 10I tons. Aircrew Coach: With memories of some of the vehicles used for transporting R.A.F. personnel during the war, we do not hesitate to say that the new 25-passenger Bedford is a smart and luxurious coach. The one on display is one of the first of its kind in service. It is based on the Model S.B. coach chassis by
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