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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0567.PDF
5 March 1954 255 BOEING'S BIG HOPE : Sug gesting a pike waiting to dart from the reeds, the proto type Boeing 707 (see below) lies in its extensive wooden scaffolding, surrounded by test gear, progress charts, filing cabinets, and all the paraphernalia of any "keep- out" experimental section. This particular prototype is an adaptable demonstrator which, although having a bias towards U.S.A.F. require ments, is intended to be able to show prospective airlines what a civil 707 would be able to do. Delta Test-pilot ATOW recruited to the Avro test-pilot staff at Woodford, 2 sP^caUy for delta-flying, is S/L. J. G. Harrison, A.F.C., who has flown more than 60 types of aircraft ranging from Tiger ' Moths to deltas. James Gor don Harrison, who is now 36 years of age, joined the R.A.F. in 1935 and was commissioned in 1942. Thereafter he served with No. 605 Squadron and was subsequently on the H.Q. staff of 64 Group. In 1949 he was at the Empire Test Pilots' School, where he was runner-up to that year's winner of the McKenna Trophy (who, for the first time, was a non-British pilot, Lt. Cdr. Joe Smith x>f the U.S. Navy); at the prize presentation, the Com mandant said of Harrison: "If ever a man deserved the runner- up prize, he did; he was only beaten by a short head—he put up a good show." Before leav ing the Service, S/L. Harrison completed a Staff College course. SjL J. G. Harrison. The Barnwell Lecture at Bristol THE 25th anniversary of the formation of the Bristol branch * of the Royal Aeronautical Society was due to be marked last night (Thursday) by the presentation of the first Barnwell Memorial lecture by Major G. P. Bulman, C.B.E., B.Sc, F.R.Ae.S. Major Bulman's paper was devoted to an account of the life and work of Captain Frank Barnwell, who, as chief designer to the Bristol Aeroplane Company, delivered the first lecture to the branch on February 28th, 1929. The renowned Bristol Fighter and the Blenheim were two of his designs. Sir Raymond Quilter Joins Folland Board AS from Wednesday of last /* week, Sir Raymond Quilter, Bt., becomes a member of the Board of Folland Aircraft, Ltd. Sir Raymond has had a long association with the aircraft industry, in which he is well known as chairman and managing director of the G.Q. Parachute Co., Ltd. He started flying, as a private owner, 26 years ago, and soon afterwards became interested in the design and use of parachutes; subse quently he made many descents, including delayed-action jumps. During the war he was chair man of the Parachute Panel of the Airborne Forces Committee. Boeing 707 Revealed "POLLOWING the extensive reports published in our issues of x August 7th and December 11th and 25th last year, we can now present the first actual photograph to be released by the Boeing Airplane Company of the prototype 707 as it nears completion at Renton, Washington. Appearances are, of course, deceptive; there is much work still to be done to this impressive aircraft, and the first-flight date is scheduled for about June or July. But there are a number of points worth noting. The four Pratt and Whitney JT3L (civil J57) turbojets are already installed, in their single, very widely spaced pods. These engines are designed to give 11,000 lb maximum thrust, this being the sea-level wet rating. The 130ft wing, which is swept 35 deg at the quarter-chord line, appears small in comparison with the huge 128ft fuselage. Tankage is contained within the highly stressed inter-spar structure; the rest of the wing consists largely of (a) a hinged leading-edge covering control runs, cables and piping, and (b) the rear portion, which includes the four large flaps, two-section ailerons (only the outer sections of which are used at high indicated air-speeds) and four two-piece spoilers on the upper surface. The four-wheel main bogies are hinged to the inner rear spar, and retract inwards to lie in the fuselage, where they are covered by large doors hinged on the ventral centre-line. The fuselage is pressurized to 9 Ib/sq in on both upper and lower decks. The wing passes through the lower deck, which is used only for cargo and equipment. The upper deck is fitted for use in various roles, but five or six-abreast seating for 80 to 150 passengers can be installed. Windows are few, but a point of great interest is the provision of large, outward-opening freight doors. These doors embody very small rectangular windows, whereas the few windows in the fuselage shell are ellipses with the longer axis horizontal (d la Comet 3). The cockpit fenestra tion consists of six large panes, with smaller windows in the roof. The tail is quite conventional, except that the fin folds to star board as on the Stratocruiser. The quality of skinning on the 707 appears to be high. A dielectric nosecap betrays the presence of a scanner, probably an APS-42 cloud/collision warning set. Boeing state that the 707—which at 190,000 lb all-up is of about the same weight as the less-powerful B-47 Stratojet but much lighter than the 350,000 lb, twice-as-powerful B-52—is designed for use in a variety of service and airline roles. As a military tanker it could "refuel present and future bombers, fighters and reconnaissance planes," and also provide global logistic transport. As an airliner, it would make possible—in theory, if not in practice—trans-American schedules of five hours, and transatlantic services of seven hours eastbound. The proto type, which is a military /civil demonstrator, represents a private investment by Boeing of some $15m. NOT TO BE MISSED NEXT WEEK—on Friday, March 12th—the special "Helicopters of the World" number of Flight will be published. Very fully illustrated, it will cover all current types of rotorplanes and their power units. In addition, our usual regular features will be included. Last year's Helicopter Number was quickly sold out, so to make certain of securing their copies of next week's issue readers should place orders with their newsagents now.
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