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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1876.PDF
U.S.A. Boeing B-47E. Of the B-47—the latest production version of which is the "E"—General Gruenther has said, "We have one asset of tremendous value . . . the B-47, which can fly so fast and so high that there is no defence against it in this year of 1954." He added, "That plane can drop atomic weapons—and drop them accurately." While the General's assertion that there is no defence against this bomber should not be taken too literally, it is nevertheless a very formidable weapon, and the knowledge that many hundreds are in service with the U.S.A.F. is indeed reassuring. The B-47E is powered with six General Electric J47-25 .turbo-jets and flies at weights up to 200,000 lb. A recent innovation is the fitting of 33 assisted take-off rockets, of 1,000 lb thrust each, in place of the original eighteen. Water injection has also been provided as standard. A retractable liquid-rocket installa tion—an alternative to the 33 x 1,000 lb assembly—is still experi mental. A B-47 has been tested with the Bell B-63 Rascal con trolled bomb (believed to be based on die design of the X-l supersonic research aircraft, and to attain Mach 1.5 for final penetration over a 100-mile range), and another machine of die type has also been flown under remote control. It was disclosed last month mat the B-47E is equipped with a remotely controlled tail turret developed by General Electric and mounting two 20 mm guns. In danger areas the turret radar is switched to "search," and when an attacking fighter shows on the screen, it is automatically tracked until, having come within range, the guns automatically engage it. Very few journalists have been permitted to fly in a B-47, and only one—me editor of Flight—has actually taken over control. His impressions will be the subject of a lengthy account in a forthcoming issue. The B-47 carries an operational crew of three—pilot, co-pilot and navigator/bombardier. "The co-pilot," reports the Editor, "also looks after the tail gunnery and both pilots do some engineer work." He goes on, "The pilots' seats are in tandem, and low down on the left-hand side is a narrow passage through to the nose. Here a spacious station is provided for the. navigator/ bombardier, in which he is surrounded by the instruments of his trades. His seat revolves 'piedually' and has powered elevation control. It is also an ejector seat (or should it be 'rejector' seat, as it fires downward through a hatch). Both pilots' seats eject normally, and the rear or co-pilot's seat can be turned round— somewhat complicatedly—to allow him to examine the rear-turret radar and associated gubbins. ... A sizable chute in the side of the fuselage calls for incidental mention; out of it flows— automatically—that radar counter-measure which we would call 'Window.' In America the gadget is the chaff-dispenser." Although the B-47 is now very well established in service, it is worth recalling the 1,000-hr "shakedown" programme last year in which a B-47 flew more than 432,000 miles under simulated operational conditions. Mock attacks were made on many of the principal cities of the U.S.A., and 1,000 lb dummy bombs were dropped on a range from 40,000ft and above (Maximum bomb load of the B-47 is generally considered to be over 20,000 lb.) Extremely high speeds were recorded in jet streams; for instance, between Albuquerque and Wichita the aircraft maintained a ground speed of 794 m.p.h. for 30 min. Flights averaged 8i hr each, but many lasted 12 or 13 hr, and the longest was 14 hr 25 min. Single flights well in excess of 3,000 miles were common without flight refuelling. Boeing B-52A. A photograph on this page (actually of the YB-52 prototype) show that this great machine, which will re place the Convair B-36 as the standard heavy bomber of the U.S-A.F.'s Strategic Air Command, bears a very strong super ficial resemblance to the earlier, smaller, B-47, though it has a
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