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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1472.PDF
FLIGHT, 21 May 1954 641 AIRCRAFT INTELLIGENCE SPARROWS BY NIGHT: It can now be announced that the U.S. Navy's "Sparrow One" air-to-air guided missile is in production. Incorporating a guidance system developed by the Sperry Gyroscope Company, the Sparrow airframe is made by Douglas Aircraft, who also built the F3D-2 Skynight, twin-jet night-fighter, here seen with four Sparrows under the wings. Great Britain Vickers Armstrongs Valiant. At present, much of the effort in the Weybridge main assembly shop is devoted to production of the Valiant B.l, of which a number are on super-priority order. The production rate is gradually building up, although each Valiant must require three or four times as many man-hours in building as did the Viscounts, the first of which were built in the same shop. Production Valiants are flown off the Brooklands runway—which is only 1,525 yd long—and are thereafter based at Wisley for testing. Also at Wisley is the slightly larger, black Valiant B.2. At present an experimental "one-off" machine, this aircraft was seen over North London recently, seemingly flying at full power and leaving a persistent white trail from each wing-tip. U.S.A. Grumman Cougar. Scheduled to join American carriers this autumn, the F9F-8 Cougar is an advanced development, with very many improvements over earlier vari ants. Powered by an afterburning Pratt and Whitney J48-P-8 of some 9,000 lb thrust, the F9F-8 has wings of increased chord, the extra area being a down-cam bered portion added forward of the original leading edge and housing additional tank age. Other alterations include much larger wing-root fillets, a longer fuselage, and an improved clear-view canopy. McDonnell Demon. One of five transonic all-weather fighters now being delivered to the U.S. Navy's carrier-based fighter units, the Demon is the largest and heaviest American naval fighter in production. Illustrated in our issue of February 5th, 1954, the F3H-1N is the first squadron type, with automatic radar interception equipment and an offensive armament of four 20 mm guns and a large number of air-to-air rockets. The enormous 59-ft fuselage houses all the combat fuel, but underwing tanks can be carried. The Demon can also be catapulted while carry ing "the payload of an attack bomber," including nuclear weapons. Photo-recon naissance, missile-launching, and other special sub-types are to go into production at St. Louis in a few months' time, the later aircraft having J57 or J71 turbojets. France Nord 2501. Subject of this week's three- view drawing, the Noratlas is a "Packet like" transport, with a capacious hold equipped with large "clamshell" rear-load ing doors. At least 70 are being produced in France, the construction being widely dispersed among several plants. About 20 are involved in a barter agreement with Brazii. Italy Fiat Trainers. From the Goblin- powered Fiat G 80-IB has been developed the G 80-3B production variant, of which a batch is under construction. There are numerous detail differences, including the addition of four tiny fences near the wing tips, eight zero-length rocket launchers under the wings and a revised nose with transparent top; equipment alterations are also extensive. The G 81 is a Ghost- powered development, and a G 82 has also been built, with a Rolls-Royce Nene and tip tanks. NORD 2501 NORATLAS Two 2,100 h.p. S.N.E.C.M.A.- built Bristol Hercules 739) Span 106ft 7in Length 71ft 8in
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