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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 0648.PDF
282 FLIGHT "A MOST IMPORTANT STEP" was last week's assessment, by the Under- Secretary of State for Air, of the equip ment of the first R.A.F. squadron with Vickers-Supermarine Swifts. The squad ron concerned—No. 56—took over the first of its new machines several weeks ago, after many of its maintenance per sonnel had attended a special course at Supermarine's South Marston works. Depicted in this "Flight" photograph is the blue-painted Swift FA prototype WK198 (reheat Avon). FROM ALL QUARTERS Air Power Debated A LTHOUGH there were marked differences of emphasis and **• argument, the broad concept of air power as the dominant weapon in modern war was well sustained in the House of Commons last week, when the Defence and Air Estimates were considered in debate. Certain reservations were made as to the effectiveness of any fighter screen, however versatile, but few disputed that the policy of the Royal Air Force should be one of strength through quality and hitting power. Nor was there much significant criticism of the NATO strategy of defence in depth as expounded by Mr. Nigel Birch, Parlia mentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, and later by the Prime Minister in a typically thought-provoking contribution. Both took for granted—though some Members did not—the wisdom of building up a British strategic force of medium bombers as our main contribution to the deterrent or, should the deterrent fail, as the most immediate offensive weapon. Mr. Birch was able to announce the decision of the U.S. Government to place certain substantial further orders in the United Kingdom for aircraft and ammunition for allocation to the Royal Air Force. The U.S. Government had already allocated some $110 million (nearly £40m) for the placing of contracts during 1953-54, and almost as large a sum was being requested for 1954-55. In presenting his Department's Estimate for approval, Mr. George Ward, the Under-Secretary for Air, said that financial provision had been made for some Variants to be delivered into squadron service during the coming year. The development of the Vulcan and Victor was going well, and it was hoped they would not be far behind the Valiant. It was to be noted that these aircraft would be two-and-a-half to three times as effec tive as their 1945 counterpart in altitude, speed and range. [Tak ing the "1945 counterpart" as the Lancaster, with a maximum speed of 275 m.p.h., the V-bombers might be supposed, on the basis of Mr. Ward's remarks, to have all-out speeds between 685 and 825 m.p.h. It would be more reasonable, however, to assume that he had in mind an operating speed of some 200 m.p.h. for the Lancaster and of 500-600 m.p.h. for the three jet bombers.—Ed.] Defensively, a most important step had been taken by the re-equipment of the first squadron in Fighter Command with Swifts, while the Hunter was also expected this year. Develop ment of the all-weather, all-important Javelin was going well. The size of our existing night-fighter force would be nearly doubled during the coming year, and a new mark of Venom was to be introduced. More than half this force would be fitted SUPERSONIC IN LEVEL FLIGHT is this Dassault Mystere IVB (Rolls- Royce Avon). It is the second French aircraft to achieve this distinction; first was the turbojet-cum-rocket S. 0. Espadon. As reported on this page, Mr. Ceorge Ward has said that Britain' may "soon befable to demontrate an aircraft capable of supersonic^speed in .[level flight." with a new form of radar that would treble the area of search. Generally, it was expected that more than half our regular force would consist of British swept-wing fighters by this time next year; Sabre squadrons would do much to strengthen quality during this interim phase. But the effectiveness of re-equipment would be much reduced if the country's radar defence did not advance with the per formance of modern aircraft. Having pointed the problem, but no more, Mr. Ward went on to discuss fighter control and to state that by the end of 1955 it would be possible to direct about twice as many formations of fighters against enemy bombers. The first Command to complete its expansion and re-equip ment, both of which were already nearly finished, would be Coastal. Some more Shackletons of an improved design and per formance had been ordered. [Reference has unofficiallly been made to a nosewheel Shackleton.-—Ed.] The recent development of the Air Force had been on two main fronts—expansion of the front line and the preparation for new and more advanced aircraft coming in. Policy would con tinue to concentrate on quality and hitting power rather than on numbers. For example, the immensely improved cannon to be carried by the Hunter and Swift would increase the fire-power of the day fighter force by more than nine times in the coming year. [Although it is common knowledge that both the Hunter and Swift are armed with four 30 mm guns, official confirmation of this armament has not yet been forthcoming.—Ed.] As to the future, already a pattern of requirements for the next ten years was to be discerned. Developments in both aero dynamics and engine design gave promise of advances in per formance far beyond those thought likely even a year ago, and were essentially based on the fact that, with the achievement of supersonic flight, performance could be increased so much that kinetic heat generated became a dominating factor. It was hoped soon to have a glimpse of the next generation of fighters, and to be able to demonstrate an aircraft capable of supersonic speed in level flight—a project whose development would be hastened by the ordering of 20 pre-production air craft under the new procedure. [The new fighter to which Mr. Ward alluded is believed to be an English Electric design.—Ed.] During the debate, several Members strongly urged the need for a light fighter in the ground support role. References were naturally made to the Folland Gnat and to the Avro delta (see news item on this page), but Mr. Ward held tenaciously to the view that the light fighter involved sacrifice of versatility. While he regretted his Department had no requirement for the Gnat, he wished that project success elsewhere in the NATO alliance. He was not distressed by complaints that the 1953-54 Estimates had been underspent to the extent of some £20,000,000. There were several good reasons for this, including a fall in prices, accelerated deliveries in the last period of 1952-53, a reduction in the requirements for mechanical transport, and so on. Avro's Fighter/Bomber CANADA is the source of new, unofficial, information on the Avro delta-winged fighter/bomber, first announced in Flight of February 19th. Said to be an adaptation of a delta-wing super sonic intercepter now being built by Avro for the R.A.F., it will weigh 8,000 lb and take off fully loaded from a forward P.S.P. strip in less than 1,000 yd. A braking parachute will enable it to land in a similar distance. The power unit is to be an axial-flow turbojet weighing less than 1,000 lb and having a thrust of just under 5,000 lb. The ground-support model should be capable of Mach 1 and the intercepter should attain Mach 2 at heights above 42,000ft.
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