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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1110.PDF
262 FLIGHT, 28 August 1953 THE INDUSTRY Titanium—at 1,500 Tons a Year ( A S a private venture, Imperial Chemical Industries are to build '*• a plant to produce sponge titanium for conversion into titanium ingots at the rate of 1,500 tons a year. Production is scheduled to begin in two years' time. The cost of the new plant is to be borne entirely by I.C.I., but the Ministry of Materials has contracted to buy up to three- quarters of the output over the first four years if the metal is not otherwise sold in various forms for use by Government contractors. The Ministry also has an option on the full output, should it be needed for defence purposes. The price paid will be equivalent to the world price current at the time of purchase. Pilot titanium-producing plants, now under construction and distinct from the above-mentioned plant, will produce 150 tons of sponge titanium a year, starting next year. In their annual report this year I.C.I, announced that a new method of producing titanium which was being developed in their laboratories was giving encouraging results. It seems probable that, since the large new plant is now projected and Government backing given, this new method will be employed. The fact that no similar information has been released in the United States or Canada—the other two countries producing the metal—suggests the possibility that I.C.I, have now gained a lead in titanium pro duction methods. A study of the aeronautical possibilities of titanium appeared in Flight on June 27th, 1952, and a digest of an R.Ae.S. paper on the subject, read by Maj. Teed of Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., was given in our pages on February 6th, 1953. Secret Service A N entirely new type of service for the aircraft industry is **• offered by the 20th Century Joinery and Packing Co., of Queen's Drive, Thames Ditton, Surrey, who speciahze in the pre- packing of aircraft and component parts. For security reasons it is often essential to pack such products in the factory where they are made. So, following the lead of American firms, 20th Century have fitted out a three-ton Bedford Luton van as a mobile packing station, complete with portable saws, thermal sealing-machines and all other equipment necessary to provide a complete packing service. The staff who man the vehicle, it is stated, are all security-vetted. Only a small percentage of the work being done at present for leading companies in the industry is secret; and to cope with its fast-growing volume of other business, 20th Century will move early in September to new premises at Hamoton Court, where they will have their own rail siding facilities. That is only a start, for all senior executives are ex-aircraft industry and Fleet Air Arm SEEING HOW: Sir James Helmore, K.C.M.G., Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Supply, recently visited the Cheltenham works of Smiths Aircraft Instruments, Ltd., accompanied by Mr. S. F. Follett, M.o.S. Director of Instrument Research and Development. He is here seen closely watching an autopilot on test. On the left is Mr. Follett and on the right is Mr. Watson (works manager). people, and their aim eventually is to operate their own freight- carrying aircraft to deliver urgently needed cargoes after packing. The company has applied for associate membership of the S.B.A.C. Laminated Nimonic/Copper Sheet FOR many years past the high-strength, high-temperature alloy developed under the name of Nimonic 75 has been widely used in sheet form for the combustion-chamber linings in many British gas turbines. In this type of service the chief requirements of the metal are strength to resist distortion and cracking through the stresses arising from thermal expansion, plus high resistance to scaling. Nimonic 75, it is stated, fulfils these needs to an ade quate degree and, in addition, readily lends itself to normal fabricating including argon-arc and resistance welding. For some time, work has been going on to develop a material which would have the characteristic properties of Nimonic 75 but, at the same time, would have a much higher conductivity in order to dissipate the heat of the combustion in the chamber more quickly and secure much more even temperature-distribution. Under the registered trademark "Nimoply 75," Henry Wiggin and Co., Ltd., of Birmingham, now announce the introduction of composite metal sheets in which Nimonic 75 is used on both sides of a copper base. This metal sandwich is produced by rolling copper between sheets of Nimonic 75; the result is a clad sheet having many potential uses, not only in gas turbine construction but also in other fields of high-temperature engineering. IN BRIEF A new leaflet (No. B.H.28) from Hellermann, Ltd., Tinsley Lane, Crawley, Sussex, describes and illustrates their binding system for electric cable-ends. Various types of sleeves and /or markers can be attached with the aid of a simple tool. * * * Shareholders attending the annual meeting of Oldham and Son, Ltd., held yesterday, were invited by Mr. John Oldham, O.B.E., J.P. (chairman), to inspect the company's new department for the manufacture of Fibrak battery separators. * * * Jenolite, Ltd., 43 Piazza Chambers, Covent Garden, London, W.C.2, have added a new preparation to their range of chemical degreasants—an emulsion-type degreaser, which may be used either in concentrated form or in warm water dilutions. Non- inflammable, it is claimed to be an excellent degreasant for all metal surfaces on which no chemical attack can be tolerated. DIRECTORSHIP: Sangamo Weston, Ltd., the instrument specialists, announce the appointment of Mr. H. A. Springer, A.M.I.E.E., to their Board. Horace Springer joined the company in 1932 and, after holding posts in the production and con tracts department, was appointed contracts manager a year ago. Northern Aluminium Co., Ltd., announce that as from August 24th the address of their Newcastle area sales office is Groat House, Collingwood Street, Newcasde-upon-Tyne 1. (Tele phone: Newcastle 20878/9; telegrams: Noraluco Newcastle- upon-Tyne.) * * * A feature of the Australian Jindivik pilotless target is its rocket- propelled take-off trolley. Dunlop have supplied the wheels for this trolley, and the automatic brakes which bring it to a halt as soon as the aircraft becomes airborne. They have also provided the pneumatic shock-absorbing system for the Jindivik's skids. * * * The British Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., announce the appoint ment of Mr. W. Bowden as group chemist, Mr. W. Glover suc ceeding him as works chemist at the company's Leyland factory; Mr. C. H. Holyoak becomes group works accountant; and Mr. fl. Ackers is appointed deputy works superintendent at Leyland. * * * Civilian and Air Force radar specialists from Holland and Sweden are attending a three months' course of instruction, at die Highbury, London, works of Cossor Radar, Ltd., in the maintenance and use of surveillance radar. The company is at present supplying equipment to these two countries. * * * The British Standards Institution is now installed in its new premises at 2, Park Street, London, W.l (Mayfair 9000). The new building will contribute to more efficient working by con centrating the B.S.I.'s scattered departments under one roof, and it will also provide increased and more convenient accom modation for the 13,000 specialists who attend the 3,500 committee meetings held during the course of each year.
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