FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0337.PDF
FLIGHT, 5 February 1954 161 VAMPIRE TRAINER More Details of Handling, Performance and Maintenance REFERENCES in Flight to the de Havilland Vampire Trainer, since the inception of that excellent private-venture side-by-side two-seater in 1950, have been fre quent, which is not surprising in view of its popularity among instructors, pupils and ground staff, and its widespread adoption by overseas air forces. (It is already serving, or is about to serve, in 30 air forces throughout the world.) Particularly detailed were the description and cut-away drawing in the issue of May 8th last year, and a first-hand account of flying characteristics two weeks later. Now, from the makers, comes some new material concern ing handling and performance. The aircraft, it is stated, is cleared for intentional spins, which it will perform readily at all altitudes up to its ceiling. Rotation is described as quite slow, with the characteristic "rough ride" of modern fighters. Normal action ensures rapid and positive recovery without great loss of height; for example, from the beginning of a two-turn spin to complete recovery this is usually about 4,000ft. The low wing-loading, as is well known, affords excellent manoeuvrability at the highest altitude. Specifically, without external tanks, a radius of turn of 0.95 nautical miles can be achieved at a Mach number of 0.7 at 40,000ft. "The symptoms of compressibility," the de Havilland state ment continues, "can be adequately demonstrated to the pupil, as well as the behaviour of a high-performance aircraft when Vampire Trainer and its ground-servicing equipment—refueller, air bottles and battery trolley. The equipment is similar to that for other de Havilland fighters. flown to its limits. The limiting indicated Mach number of the clean aircraft is 0.805, 0.10 higher than the Vampire fighter, due mainly to the better fineness ratio of the longer two-seat fuselage. At about 0.75 indicated Mach there is a slight nose-up change of trim, followed at 0.80 Mach at medium and high altitudes by buffeting. When 0.805-0.81 Mach is reached there is a nose- up pitch and the aircraft tends to recover from the dive." The operational ceiling of the clean aircraft is quoted at 40,000ft, and this height can be reached in 16.3 minutes. With external tanks in place the ceiling is 34,000ft and the time of climb 17.5 minutes. The claim that particular attention has been paid to mainten ance accessibility is borne out by the photograph above. Much of the equipment requiring regular attention has been housed in the nose compartment, and a useful feature is that the aircraft can be refuelled, rearmed and prepared for a sortie quickly and without ground staff getting in one another's way. Maintenance checks are straightforward, and ground equipment and spare parts are generally similar to those of other de Havilland fighters, affording economy of operation to air forces standardizing on the types. SMOKE-BOMBING THE TSETSE FLY Extermination Experiment in Africa AT the request of the Ministry of Supply and the Colonial Office, Tiltman Langley Laboratories, Ltd., of Redhill *• Aerodrome, Surrey, are developing a means of combating the tsetse fly in Central and East Africa. The method chosen involves the dropping of pesticidal-smoke canisters from aircraft. The tsetse fly, carrier of trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) has laid barren about four million square miles of potentially fertile land in Central and East Africa. In fact, the whole of Central Africa between the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and central Southern Rhodesia is infected. Ameliorative action can be taken by killing off game in the affected area, in order to prevent spread of the disease, or by clearing the vegetation in which the fly breeds; but these measures upset the processes of nature and lead to disastrous soil erosion. It is also considered ineffective to spray insecticide from the air, since the flies breed beneath the cover of foliage. Tiltman Langley, in conjunction with I.C.I., Ltd., Lea Bridge Industries, Ltd., the Metal Box Co., Ltd., and Smiths English Clocks, Ltd., have developed the smoke generator illustrated here. It is intended to drop such generators under small para chutes from an aircraft of the Bristol Freighter type, flying at about 400ft and at a speed of between 120 and 200 m.p.h. By this means, approximately 1,285 canisters could be distributed over 12 square miles in 1^ hours. Time fuses would cause the whole pattern to begin smoking at the same moment, and in the most suitable meteorological conditions for the area. Canisters dropped by day would be set to function by night, when air convection currents, which would otherwise dissipate the smoke, are weakest. Following a survey recently carried out by Mr. Marcus Lang- A J .(manaBmg director of Tiltman Langley Laboratories) in East Africa, it was decided that the "bombing" aircraft should be based on airfields along the main railway lines leading inland from the ports of Mombasa and Dar-es-Salaam. For other areas Sunderlands or Catalinas might be based on the harbours of Mombasa, Dar-es-Salaam and Lindi, and on the lakes of Rudolph, Victoria, Albert, Tanganyika and Nyasa. The behaviour and habitat of the tsetse fly have been studied on the soot and the smoke generator has now been tested in Eng land. Operational trials in Africa will be the next step. One of the problems which had to be solved was the protection of the canister from damage on striking the ground. It has been found that with the parachute, which gives it a falling speed of 50ft/sec, it can be dropped on concrete without sustaining serious damage. A later development may be the use of radio-controlled fuses in the generators. By this means a pattern could be laid and sub sequently fired by remote control when meteorological condi tions were known to be suitable. The present time-fuses, of course, can take advantage only of forecast conditions. Internal arrangement of the smoke generator and its parachute stowage. (A) Smoke vent. (B) Cruciform lid. (C) Timing pin. (D) Annular stowage for parachute and lines. (E) Timing mechanism. (F) Arming pin. (G) Spring lever to release striker (H) on to percussion cap (J), so igniting quickmatch (K) leading to 6 1b smoke charge (L). Parachute assembly: (M) arming-pin cord attached to (O) static line which extracts (P) 21 in canopy connected b> weak link (N).
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
