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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1555.PDF
FLIGHT, 27 November 1953 709 CORRESPONDENCE The Editor of "Flight" does not hold himself responsible for the views expressed by correspondents in these columns; the names and addresses of the writers, not necessarily for publication, must in all cases accompany letters. Preserving Historical Aircraft IN connection with A. Cdre. Wheeler's plea (Flight, November 6th) for a national air museum, it is pleasing to note that the Department of Aircraft Design at the College of Aeronautics has formed a small collection of military aircraft for instructional pur poses. This group of about a dozen aeroplanes (including such notable machines as an S.R./A.l, Mel63 and Lincoln) is housed in a large hangar. Accommodation of this sort, as opposed to the ridiculously cramped quarters of the Science Museum, is essential. I would challenge the author's statement that "the aircraft industry already pays a lot for education in various technical colleges." By no stretch of the imagination can this be said. Furthermore, the zeal with which firms destroy old prototypes shows that they are far more appreciative of their financial rather than academic value. Until the directors of Britain's aircraft firms begin to share A. Cdre. Wheeler's enthusiasm, the air museum must remain a pipe dream. Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks. R. PRIZEMAN. IN Flight of November 13th there appeared a paragraph headed "A Shock at Southampton." Having been chairman of Southampton (Eastleigh) Airport for many years, and still being chairman of the airport consultative committee, I was very con cerned at the statements in the paragraph that the S.6.B seaplane was being "thrown out" and later that "it must at all costs be saved from the breakers." I take a very poor view of these statements and I refute them in every particular. The facts are: The S.6.B has been stored in various hangars at the airport at different times. The airport commandant, W/C. S. T. Tipper— in common with, I think, everyone connected with aviation— treasures the S.6.B and has carefully guarded it on behalf of the Southampton Corporation. The seaplane was stored in the best place possible—it was in the largest hangar, but although the seaplane has been regularly painted and preserved the hangar doors were open daily and there was always danger of a considerable amount of dust as well as damp. W/C. Tipper was anxious to get the S.6.B under lock and key and stored under the best possible conditions. A splendid oppor tunity occurred for him to do this and at the same time give more hangar space; he thought of putting the seaplane in a Bessoneau hangar and locking it up, but still subject to the weekly inspection that has been carried out for years by the airport foreman, Mr. Hayward. W/C. Tipper consulted Vickers-Armstrongs, and they co-operated; the mainplanes were taken off under the supervision of their skilled staff and the S.6.B moved to where it will be secure from being tampered with and much better protected from the elements. The S.6.B has frequently been loaned by die Southampton Corporation for various exhibitions and principally for the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund, and the mainplanes can easily be put back at any time the seaplane may be required. It will be recalled that it was loaned to the late Leslie Howard for the production of the film The First of the Few. While the Southampton Airport was owned by the Soumamp- ton Corporation the intention was that the S.6.B would be on permanent exhibition in the entrance hall of die new terminal building that would have been built but for the intervention of the war. The airport has now been taken over by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and I am very confident they would defer to the wishes of the people of Soumampton, and particularly to aircraft workers in the district, that the S.6.B should be in the new terminal building which will eventually be erected. The airport commandant has most carefully been looking after the S.6.B for the Southampton Corporation, and he has their complete confidence. The S.6.B is indeed a museum-piece highly prized by the people of Southampton and Eastleigh, not only for the achieve ment of the seaplane itself, but as a memorial to its designer, Mr. Reg Mitchell, and all those devoted pioneers who worked with him in the production of the Supermarine seaplanes and the Vickers-Supermarine Spitfire. Chilworth, Southampton. R. J. STRANGER. [The statements quoted by the writer of our paragraph—a pilot calling at Eastleigh—were, as he stated, made by bystanders at the scene described. We are indeed glad to learn that the authorities concerned are, in fact, taking such care of the S.6.B, and their attitude should be an example to others with valuable historical airciaft in their keeping.—ED.] Airline and Transport Command Pilots V^HILST not wishing to enter into an unnecessary controversy ^•" as to the relative standards of Transport Command and civil pilots—the vast majority of both are undoubtedly first class—I really cannot allow one statement of Capt. R. E. Gillman's article (September 18di) to go uncorrected. We are surprised to learn that our days as straight navigators on long-range aircraft are at an end; and that our duties are discharged by the second or third pilot. It is unfair to the 160 specialist navigators of B.O.A.C., not to mention those of Q.E.A., S.A.A., T.W.A., N.W.A., Swissair, Air France and others, all of whom, in common no doubt with Mr. Gillman, like to think that they earn their salaries. Admittedly, the duties of the specialist navigators have, in some cases, been modified to enable a second or third pilot to under take the work. This has meant accepting a much lower standard of specialist plotting and log-keeping, lengthening of routes to permit beacon-to-beacon tracking (which increases operational costs) and sometimes the restriction of the pilot-navigators to certain routes and/or to daylight flying only. No case has yet been made for the carriage of a third pilot in civil flying to undertake navigational duties. Practically always it means the replacing of the skilled experienced specialist by an officer who regards it as merely something he had to do until he can move into the right-hand seat. Long-range navigation is a full- time occupation, and a high standard cannot be maintained by part-time second pilot navigation. In time, and with experience, a third pilot would undoubtedly approach the standard of the specialist navigator, who has ten or more years' experience of the world's routes, if he gave his full time and enthusiasm to navigation. We cannot help but wonder if there is not an unfortunate tendency amongst some of the older executives and pilots mentally to minimize the importance of navigation today. It may be that their navigational thinking is not yet adjusted to present-day methods. We believe specialist navigators will have an important part to play in the future of civil flying, for we cannot credit that such a wealth of knowledge and experience will be wasted. Edgware, Middlesex. E. PALMER. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Nov. 28. S.L.A.E.: "Training the R.A.F. Apprentice," by G/C. R. J. Carvell. Dec. 1. R.Ae.S. Section Lecture: "Integral Construction," by K. L. G. Legg, B.Sc, A.M.I.Mech.E., A.F.R.Ae.S. Dec. 4. Helicopter Association : "Ground Resonance," by R. Howarth. Dec. 4. Photogrammetric Society: "Stereoscopic Vision applied to Photogrammetry," by Professor W. D. Wright. Dec. 9. Royal United Service Institution: "Effects on the Human Body of High-speed and High-altitude Flight," by G/C. W. K. Stewart, C.B.E., A.F.C., B.Sc, M.B., Ch.B. Dec. 10. R.Ae.S. Main Lecture: "Training Devices for Aircrew," by N. J. G. Hill. A.M.I.A.E., A.R.Ae.S., or deputy (at Belfast). Dec. 12. British Interplanetary Society: "Techniques of Protecting and Cooling Rocket Motor Walls," by H. Ziebland, A.M.I.Mech.E., Dpl.lng. Dec. 15. R.Ae.S. Section Lecture: "High-speed Wind Tunnels," by D. L. Ellis, B.Sc., A.R.T.C, F.R.Ae.S. Dec. 15. R.Ae.C: Film Show. Dec. 17. R.Ae.S. Graduates' and Students' Section: Film Show (jointly with Inst. Pet.). Dec. 17. R.Ae.C. and R.Ae.S.: Commemorative Dinner, 50th anniver sary of Powered Controlled Flight. Dec.18-19^lnstitution of Production Engineers: Conference: "Problems of Aircraft Production" (at Southampton University). Jan. 2. British Interplanetary Society: "Cosmic Radiation Hazards in Space Flight," by Dr. L. R. Shepherd, Ph.D. Jan. 6. Institute of Metals: Informal discussion, "Lubricants for Non- ferrous Metal Working." Jan. 7. R.Ae.S. Main Lecture: "The Fun of Finding Out in Flying," by Sir Leonard Bairstow, C.B.E., F.R.S., Hon. F.R.Ae.S. R.Ae.S. Branch Fixtures (to Jan. 8).—Nov. 27, Birmingham, "Uses for the Small Gas Turbine" (speaker ro be announced). Nov. 30, Halton, films. Dec. 2, Luton, "Short-haul and Charter Operations," by a charter operator; Chester, "Rocket Propulsion and Interplanetary Flight," by A. V. Cleaver. Dec. 4, Bristol, Engineering Association joint dance. Dec. 7, Halton and Henlow area meeting, "Design of Fast Load-carrying Aeroplanes," by D. H. Lee, F.R.Ae.S. Dec. 8, Bristol. "Fly-past, Present and Future," by Capt. J. Laurence Pritchard, hon. F.R.Ae.S.; Henlow, "The Training of Test Pilots," by G/C. S. Wroath, A.F.C. Dec. 9, Manchester, "Principles of Weight Control," by F. Howarth, A.F.R.Ae.S. Dec. 11, Preston, Wright Brothers' Jubilee dinner dance. Dec. 17, Bristol, celebration of 50th anniversary of powered flight. Dec. 18, Birmingham, films. Jan. 4, Bristol, "Review of Developments in Aircraft Equipment," by G. H. Dowty; Jan. 6, Belfast, joint meeting with Queen's University Film Society; Luton, Wilbur Wright Centenary film.
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